Cheeky Monkeys Childcare

Cheeky Monkeys Childcare Abbots Vale Community Centre, Abbots Vale, BARROW-IN-FURNESS, Cumbria, LA13 9PA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/04/2014 09/10/2013

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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

 Teaching is good because the staff are skilled in engaging children's interest and motivating them to learn. As a result, children make good progress in relation to their starting points.  The manager ensures that safeguarding and welfare policies and procedures are understood and implemented by staff at all times, so that children remain safe and secure.  Very strong partnerships with parents, external agencies and other providers ensure that children's individual needs are well known. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are particularly well supported through the arrangement of early intervention from a variety of professionals.  The manager demonstrates a strong drive to maintain continuous improvement by having clear and well-targeted plans that support children's achievements over time.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children's opportunities to enhance their emerging literacy and numeracy skills are not always fully promoted through the use of print displayed in the indoor and outdoor environments.  Opportunities for children to learn about the natural world, such as planting and growing plants and vegetables, are not fully promoted in the outdoor play area.

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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 activities in the three activity rooms and the outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager and deputy manager and spoke to members of staff and children during activities.  The inspector undertook a joint observation of an activity with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's learning journals and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at operational files consisting of policies, risk assessments, accident records and staff suitability documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Cheeky Monkeys Childcare was registered in 2010 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is privately owned and is situated within Abbotsvale Community Centre in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, apart from Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 5.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 70 children on roll who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-olds. Older children attend the out of school and holiday club. The nursery supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. It employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate qualifications at level 3, the manager holds

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Information about the setting

a level 4 qualification and two members of staff hold early years degrees. Support is received from the local authority.

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

 enhance children's opportunities to further develop their emerging literacy and numeracy skills, for example, by extending the amount of print displayed inside and outside, such as signs, labels and numbers

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

 enhance further the outdoor area to support children's learning about the natural world, for example, by being involved in planting and growing activities.

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who attend

The manager and staff have a good knowledge of how children learn and develop. They provide an imaginative range of activities to support babies and children to make good progress in their learning and development. Initial information is gathered from parents about the children during settling-in sessions. This information helps the children's key person to assess their starting points and to shape activities to meet the children's individual learning needs. Children are actively encouraged to take part in the planning of activities as they are regularly asked for their suggestions and the older children write their ideas on a board, which staff use in their planning. Parents are actively encouraged to be involved in their children's learning by looking at their developmental records and discussing their progress with their children's key person. Parents are also given suggestions of activities to complete with the children at home to support their learning.

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who attend

They are actively encouraged to attend the nursery for 'play days', which enables them to take part in various activities with the children. This is an effective way of linking home and nursery together. All of these methods are highly effective in helping parents to be fully involved in their children's learning and development.

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who attend

Staff accurately assess and track children's progress and plan for the next steps in their learning. All children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, are making good progress towards the early learning goals, given their starting points. Staff have a good understanding of the characteristics of learning and they use effective teaching methods to promote suitable challenges to extend the children's learning. All children are well supported in acquiring good communication and language skills as they engage in conversations and activities with the staff and their peers. Children enjoy sitting in small groups to listen to stories being read to them by the staff. Children's listening and attention skills are fully promoted during story times by the enthusiastic staff, who skilfully use props to encourage them to join in. Children of all ages enjoy many opportunities to engage in action songs, which also support their speech and language

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who attend

effectively. Staff encourage children's early writing skills by recognising their efforts and displaying their individual work on the walls. Some children ascribe meaning to their marks as they attempt to write their names on their work. Children also recognise their names as they self-register on arrival. These methods are effective in supporting children's early literacy skills. However, the use of print in the indoor and outdoor environments, such as signs, labels and numerals, is not consistently used to help children to further enhance their emerging literacy and numeracy skills. Children develop skills in numeracy as they count how many dishes they need at snack times. Staff encourage children to learn skills in matching and sorting items. For example, as children play a card game, they recognise and name colours and animals and are able to match them to the pictures on the picture boards. Children are enthusiastic, eager to learn and maintain focus for periods of time

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who attend

while they cooperatively play games together. This prepares them well for their transition to school.

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who attend

Children competently use computers and programmable toys, which provide them with good opportunities to develop their understanding about how technology is used for different purposes. Children help themselves to craft resources to create artwork, which is proudly displayed on the walls. They enjoy decorating eggs for Easter using feathers, cotton wool, stickers, glitter and paint. The staff praise and encourage the children in their efforts, and this clearly boosts their confidence and self-esteem. Babies and young children particularly enjoy taking part in sensory play. The staff carefully create a quiet and calm environment to allow the children to freely explore and investigate natural objects, such as sponges, brushes, metal pans and wooden spoons. This fully supports their sensory awareness and ability to explore different textures and learn about the world around them. All of these accessible activities, together with the good level of support

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who attend

from the staff, effectively support children's enthusiasm to learn through play and to develop their creativity and imagination. There is scope, however, to enhance opportunities for children to learn more about the natural world, such as planting and growing plants and vegetables, in the outdoor play area.

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

Children settle happily at this welcoming nursery due to the close working relationships that exist between children's key persons and their parents. During the settling-in period, staff collate as much information as they can about the children's individual needs and daily routines. This helps staff to get to know the children well and means they are able to comfort and support children during their transitions from home to nursery. The good levels of adult attention and warm interaction ensure that all children form positive and trusting relationships with their key persons and other staff. This results in their secure emotional well-being. The nursery is attractively decorated with children's individual artwork and photographs of the children and the staff. This helps children to feel familiar and comfortable in their surroundings. The children confidently select from a wide choice of stimulating resources which are stored at low level and are easy for them to reach. This

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

enables them to become confident learners and teaches them to make choices and play independently and cooperatively alongside others. Children's behaviour is positive due to the clear boundaries and gentle guidance provided by the staff. Staff work closely with parents and external agencies in order to support children's behaviour through consistent methods. Children are encouraged to play cooperatively and share toys, as well as help to tidy up. Children are very well supported in their transitions between rooms and to school due to the close working relationships that exist between staff in the nursery and teachers at the local schools.

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

Children have frequent opportunities to enjoy fresh air and exercise in the outdoor play area, which contributes to their healthy lifestyles. They develop their coordination and balance as they climb up and slide down the slide. They also enjoy constructing with large crates, exploring the gloop and engaging in water play. These activities support the children's physical development. Staff teach the children about keeping themselves and others safe and help them to judge risks for themselves as they try new activities. For example, children make sure the safety mat is correctly positioned at the foot of the slide before their friends slide down. The children develop good self-care skills as they learn to put on aprons before playing with the water and gloop. They also wash their hands before eating their food. Staff place a great emphasis upon the importance of a healthy diet and provide well-balanced, nutritious meals and snacks. Healthy snacks consist of platters of

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

fruit and vegetables. Children are involved in preparing and serving their food and pouring their drinks. This means they benefit from rich opportunities to develop good self-care and independence skills. Staff are very conscientious about making sure children remain hydrated throughout the day and remind them to take regular drinks.

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provision

The manager and staff have a good understanding and knowledge of how to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Arrangements for safeguarding children within the nursery and outdoor play areas are good. The thorough recruitment and vetting procedures undertaken by management ensure that staff are suitable and safe to work with children. Effective risk assessments and daily safety checks inside and outside minimise hazards in order to reduce the risk of accidents to children. The security of the nursery is good and the staff are vigilant at all times. This keeps children safe by minimising the risk of intruders entering the premises. The manager ensures that the correct staffing ratios are maintained and that staff are always deployed appropriately to ensure children are well supervised at all times.

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provision

Effective induction systems and ongoing support and training ensure that staff are clear about the policies and procedures within the nursery. Policies are reviewed regularly and staff are asked to read them and implement them consistently. Appraisals are undertaken annually to monitor the continued professional development and training needs of staff. The manager also undertakes staff supervision sessions to further support their practice and professional development. All staff undertake regular training which is tailored to their particular needs. For example, staff have recently undertaken more training in the characteristics of effective learning. Consequently, the manager has noticed an improvement in their use of open-ended questions when communicating with the children, which enhances the children's speech and language skills. All staff are trained in safeguarding and paediatric first aid and are therefore prepared to deal with any accidents

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provision

or medical emergencies should they arise. Regular team meetings and internal training also effectively support staff well in their daily work with the children. The manager and staff have a secure understanding of the learning and development requirements. The manager monitors the planning to ensure that a wide range of activities are provided to help children make good progress in all areas of their learning. The manager has good systems in place to monitor children's progress by sampling learning journals to oversee the quality of assessment and planning for their individual learning needs. She also monitors the progress of groups of children according to their age to identify trends in their progress.

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provision

Very positive partnerships between staff and parents ensure that children's needs are well met. Parents spoken to express their satisfaction with the service provided. They state that the staff are friendly and approachable and that the children enjoy attending the nursery. Parents are kept well informed about their children's progress and welcome the opportunities to attend the 'stay and play' sessions and meetings throughout the year. Partnership working with other providers and professionals, such as health visitors, social workers and speech therapists, is highly effective in ensuring that children receive additional support when required. The manager undertakes a reflective and evaluative approach to the service and is committed to continuous developments. Self-evaluation takes into account the views of children, parents and staff. The manager also works closely with the local authority adviser. This results in clear and well-targeted plans for

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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 EY404548 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 959632

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 70 Name of provider Cheeky Monkeys Childcare Ltd Date of previous inspection 09/10/2013 Telephone number 01229827722

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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

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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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