Camelot Day Nursery

Camelot Day Nursery 80-81 Moulsham Street, CHELMSFORD, CM2 0JD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/05/2014 02/03/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children are exceptionally well protected and cared for in a stimulating, safe, learning environment. Babies and children feel safe because of the secure and trusting relationships they have formed with the adults who care for them.  Children and babies make good progress towards the early learning goals because staff have a good understanding of the learning and development requirements for young children. Well-planned purposeful activities, visits and visitors to the setting provide rich learning experiences for the children.  The extremely good key person system is successful in fully engaging parents in their children's learning and development.  Parents' value the high quality of care and education that their children receive.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for older children to extend, use and apply their phonic skills to promote already good literacy skills are not fully available.  Some members of staff do not always use open-ended or probing questions to extend children's thinking skills.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed learning activities both inside and outdoors and carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held discussions with the manager, the deputy manager and staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners and the provider's self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at samples of documentation relating to safeguarding, risk assessments, children's learning and development records and leadership and management.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and from information included in parents' questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

Camelot Nursery was registered in 2011 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a Victorian built premises in the Chelmsford area of Essex and is managed by the registered person. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from converted office buildings and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 28 members of childcare staff. Of these, 19 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including one member of staff working towards Early Years Professional Status and one member of staff working towards Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 90 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and

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Information about the setting

four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 enhance opportunities for the older children to extend, use and apply their phonic knowledge, so that they are even better prepared and ready for school

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 focus more precisely on staffs' questioning skills, in order to extend children's thinking skills.

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who attend

Teaching and learning is good, so all groups of children make good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff have a good understanding of the learning and development requirements and therefore, provide stimulating learning opportunities for them. Staff plan a wide range of visits for the children and invite visitors into the setting, to enrich children's experiences. Good planning is based around children's individual interests and diverse themes, which enable them to explore their interests and gain a wider knowledge of the world. As a result, children are well motivated and eager to find things out for themselves. Good systems for observation and assessment enable staff to meet each child's individual needs. There are good opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills during role play activities and circle-time when children tell the group about special objects, which they have brought from home or celebrate their achievements. For

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who attend

example, a child proudly tells the group that they no longer use the dummy. Staff support these activities well. Visual timetables and Makaton sign language are used well to support and aid communication. The use of language pens for children for whom English is an additional language significantly aids communication between children, their parents and staff. Staff learn key words in relevant community languages. Children take turns to take the toy dragons home. These are returned to the nursery with diary entries and photographs of children's activities with the toy dragons. This provides good opportunities for children to share their personal experiences with the group. Staff model language well to extend children's vocabulary. However, some staff do not always question children deeply enough to extend their thinking skills. Staff listen to children's contributions and respond accordingly. Babies are alert and listen attentively when staff speak and imitate

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who attend

their talk by babbling. The pre-school children listen keenly to staff reading an information book about frogs and contribute eagerly. They also learn about the life cycle of the frog, the butterfly and the chicken and can recall their learning, so they are beginning to be aware of the world around them.

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who attend

Book areas are cosy and well resourced. Story time and library visits support children's literacy skills well. Children take books home to read with their parents. There are plenty of opportunities for children and babies to make marks using a variety of writing tools. Pre-school children link letters to sounds and some can write their names. Older children show sustained concentration and perseverance during adult-led and self-chosen activities. They are taught how to hold their pencils and form letters correctly. There are, however, fewer opportunities for children to use and apply their knowledge of letters and sounds during adult-led writing activities. Children's mathematical skills are well promoted through number rhymes, counting and shape activities. For example, shape names are reinforced as the younger children engage in shape printing. They count the different shapes and talk about the different colours they have used to print their shapes. Children

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who attend

match domino spots when learning and playing outside.

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who attend

Children benefit from a range of colourful high quality age-appropriate and child accessible resources, which fully supports their learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those for whom English is an additional language make good progress from their starting points. Children's progress is carefully tracked to identify gaps in their learning and development. This information is used to identify the next steps in the children's learning. Additional support is put in place for all children who are working below that typical for their age. As a result, all children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning and are ready for school. Learning journal records are well documented and indicate that children are making good progress towards the early learning goals.

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who attend

Children explore various religious festivals and cultures throughout the year, which reflects the cultures of children and staff in the nursery. The progress check at age two is firmly embedded and shared with parents. Children thoroughly enjoy the weekly French sessions, which provides them with good opportunities to count in French and learn names of body parts by singing action songs that are very well modelled by a parent. This is very well supported by music, picture prompts and words. Children learn to ask and answer simple questions in French supported by puppets. They have good access to a range of information and communication technology equipment. Younger children enjoy taking photographs of known adults and their friends playing. They engage in counting and matching activities, match letters to sounds and trace letters on the computer tablet. They also listen to various community language programmes.

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who attend

Parents are highly involved in their children's education. They share information about their children when they first start at the nursery and contribute to their learning journal records. They attend parents' meetings and talk with staff about how their child is progressing.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children are exceptionally well cared for in a safe stimulating learning environment because staff have a thorough understanding of their responsibilities for safeguarding children and babies. As a result, children and babies feel safe due to the secure and trusting relationships they have with the adults who take great care of them. Well- established routines help children and babies to settle quickly. The highly effective key person system ensures that parents are highly engaged in their children's education. Parents' contribute well to their children's initial assessment and are kept well informed of their progress. Children and babies are developing well in their independence and confidence because staff encourage them to become independent.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children's health is well promoted with healthy snacks and a nutritious lunch menu. Babies feed themselves with a spoon and drink from their cups. Children are developing good self-help skills as they help themselves to healthy snacks and lunches. They wash and dry their bowls after eating snacks. Children's medical and dietary needs are considered when preparing meals. Children's colour-coded individual place mats discretely indicate what they can and cannot eat. Children develop good hygiene practices as they wash their hands before meals. They wash their hands after messy play and picture prompts remind them to flush the toilets. Visits from the dentist teach children how to care for their teeth and gums. Quiet spaces are provided for babies and children to sleep. Babies under the age of two have a baby diary in which nappy changes, sleep times, mealtimes and the day's activities are recorded. This is shared with parents on a daily basis.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The well-designed outdoors provides good opportunities for daily physical activities and plenty of fresh air. For example, younger children enjoy crawling through tunnels, climbing, sliding and riding or pushing wheeled toys. Staff are on-hand to support and guide younger children as they climb. Children play a game of skittles with staff and enjoy the sensory experience of sand and water play. The digging area and Gnome garden allow children to explore the natural world. For example, they hunt for bugs and enjoy watering the pear tree. They care for the nursery goldfish, so learning to care for living things. Children visit the garden centre to buy fruit and vegetable seeds to plant. Once planted and grown, children enjoy eating them. Visits to the park, post office, market, pet shop, museums and the farm, significantly contribute to children's understanding of the world.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children's behaviour is exemplary because staff have high expectations of behaviour and set clear boundaries. Children know exactly what is expected and therefore, follow instructions exceptionally well. They play very well together, learn to share and take turns. For example, they wait patiently for the tricycles. The golden rules are reinforced thoroughly during circle-time at the start of the day. Personal achievements and positive behaviour are always rewarded and praised. Praise is used extremely well to motivate children and reward charts boost their self-esteem. The 'Wow' board celebrates children's achievements at home and nursery.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Visits from the ambulance crew and police officers enhance children's understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They learn about road and fire safety and 'stranger danger'. Transition arrangements are a highly successful in preparing children emotionally for moving onto school. Well-planned activities support children and prepare them well for the next stage of their education.

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provision

All required policies and procedures are fully in place to ensure that children are kept safe. The manager has a thorough understanding of her responsibilities for safeguarding the children in her care. All staff are trained in safeguarding, health and safety and hold current paediatric first-aid certificates. Staff are vigilant and well deployed to ensure that all children and babies are very well supervised at all times. Risk assessments and thorough daily checks ensure that all play areas and equipment remain safe. The premises are secure and safe. Visitors are checked before gaining entry to the nursery. Incident and accident books are particularly well documented and parents are informed of any incidents and actions taken. Regular fire practises ensure safe emergency evacuation of the premises in the event of a fire. All staff are thoroughly checked to ensure that they are safe to work with children. Robust systems and procedures together with a committed and

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provision

skilled staff team ensure that the nursery runs smoothly on a daily basis.

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provision

The inspirational manager provides strong leadership for her highly effective and committed staff team. Staff are encouraged to update their training and improve their skills. Regular staff supervision and annual appraisals means that staff training needs are identified and staff are well supported to improve their qualifications. As a result, they are able to plan effectively to meet children's individual needs. Staff continually reflect on their practice and aim to be the very best. Rigorous systems for evaluating the quality of the provision take account the views of parents, children and staff. This informs priorities and targets for improvement. Recommendations from the previous inspection have been fully addressed. The manager has an accurate overview of the quality of teaching due to the regular room monitoring and tracking of children's progress. The progress check at age two is firmly embedded and shared with parents.

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provision

Partnership with parents and carers is exceptional, so they are highly involved in their children's learning and development. They are kept well informed through newsletters, emails and daily conversations with staff. Parents have the opportunity to discuss the future developments of the nursery, outstanding concerns and learning and development issues through a parents' forum. They speak highly of the provision commenting that the staff are friendly, approachable and professional. They say that the level of care is first class and the extensive menu is exceptional. The nursery has strong relationships with local primary schools, other settings, the local college and the university. They share good their practice with other settings and draw on the expertise of a wide range of external agencies. As a result, children receive the quality support that they need to make good progress.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY427876 Local authority Essex Inspection number 852826

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 90 Name of provider Camelot Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 02/03/2012 Telephone number 01245349397

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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