Bright Sparks Day Nursery

Bright Sparks Day Nursery @ Penwortham 4 New Lane, Penwortham, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 9JE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/06/2014 29/05/2009

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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

 The quality of teaching is good, therefore, all children make good progress in their learning from their given starting points.  Strong partnerships with parents and external agencies are in place, meaning that children are well prepared for the next stage in their development and a consistent approach to their learning is made.  A well-embedded key-person system is in place. This means that children develop strong relationships with their carers, and their individual needs and emotional well- being are met at all times.  Safeguarding procedures are fully implemented by all members of staff, therefore, children are kept safe and protected at all times.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 On some occasions, staff do not always allow the older children to fully develop their independence skills.  There is scope, in the baby room, for staff to provide children with the opportunity to choose for themselves whether they access the indoor or outdoor environment.

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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 looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to both children and staff and observed play and learning activities within the three playrooms and also in the outdoor environment.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a meeting with the manager and looked at and discussed the self-evaluation, and a range of policies, procedures and documentation.  The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Bright Sparks Day Nursery @ Penwortham was registered in 2006 and is owned by a private provider. It is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary part of the Childcare Register. The setting operates from a single-storey building in Penwortham near Preston, Lancashire, and serves a wide catchment area. Children are cared for within three playrooms, one of which is the baby unit caring for children aged birth to two years of age. Children have access to three fully enclosed outdoor play areas for the different age groups. The nursery owner manages the day-to-day operations, along with 13 childcare staff. Of these, the manager holds Early Years Professional status, four staff are qualified at level 6, six are qualified at level 3 and two are qualified at level 2. A trained cook is also employed. The nursery is open between 7.30am and 5.30pm each weekday for 51 weeks of the year. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There

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Information about the setting

are currently 53 children on roll within the early years age group. Free early education places are available for two-, three- and four-year-olds. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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

 enhance the already good independence skills of the older children, in regard to their dressing skills, so they are even better prepared for their transitions on to school

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

 review and reflect on how babies are provided with more choice, so that they are able to decide for themselves if they wish to access the indoor and outdoor environment at all times.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is good because all staff fully understand and have a secure knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This means they are effectively supporting children and preparing them for the next stage in their learning. Additionally, staff are also highly qualified, which equips them to have an understanding of what constitutes good teaching and learning. Staff in the setting know where the children are in their learning as they complete clear observations that show what children have achieved and how they can be supported further. As a result, children's next steps are well planned for and they gain the necessary skills in readiness for school. Through the existing knowledge and skills that staff have acquired of every child, they plan educational programmes to be very varied and offer interesting activities to cover the seven areas of learning, matched to each child's identified needs. Consequently, all children are engaged

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who attend

in suitable activities that are planned according to their stages of development and quickly become confident and active learners. For example, babies explore their sensory environment, toddlers learn to take turns while they wait to have a go blowing bubbles, and pre-school children are actively involved in listening to adult instructions and trying the task out for themselves. As a result, children make consistent and ongoing good progress.

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who attend

Staff use the outdoor areas on a daily basis. They provide children with a good range of opportunities to use large equipment, investigate, mark make and be creative. Consequently, children acquire the skills to develop in their prime areas of learning. Learning opportunities are enhanced constantly throughout the day. For example, children enjoy playing 'cooking' in the role play area and with the support of the staff and are encouraged to use real utensils. For example, they grate the celery and use a knife to slice and chop the vegetables. As a result, children are acquiring the necessary skills for their physical, personal, social and emotional development. Staff complete a learning file for each child and record their progress onto a development tracker. These include observations, photographs and children's planning. From the information gathered, staff share achievements with parents, who are invited to contribute towards any progress their

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who attend

children make. As a result, parents are well informed and up to date with their child's achievements. Right from the beginning, staff work with the parents to complete an 'All about me' booklet and gather information on what the parent already knows about their child. They use this information to accurately assess children's starting points on entry. This means they are able to plan for the next stage in the children's learning to ensure they continue to make good progress.

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who attend

Children are developing well in the prime areas of learning and there is a strong focus on communication and language development. Staff model the use of effective language and use clear questioning to encourage children's language skills. Consequently, children are acquiring the skills to be confident when speaking in a group. Staff promote the development of early writing skills from an early age. For example, young children use chalks to make marks on chalk boards, and when outside they use paintbrushes to make marks on the walls. Children's reading skills are promoted well in the setting and they have access to a wide range of books. They enjoy sitting with staff listening to stories, consequently, they are making good progress in literacy and early reading.

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who attend

Staff have positive relationships with parents and external agencies. This means that parents are fully involved in the progress that the children are making. Staff have very good partnership with parents to meet the individual needs of all children. They speak to parents for on a regular basis to discuss their child's progress, and staff make themselves available to speak to parents when the need arises. There are clear plans for transition activities into school, and partnership with the local school is well established. This supports the children to be prepared to move on to school with confidence in order to continue their learning and development.

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

Children's emotional well-being is effectively promoted throughout the nursery. Staff support children to feel safe as they develop close relationships with their key person. This is a strength of the setting and provides a foundation for children to develop their personal, social and emotional skills. Children are keen to explore their environment as they know that their key person is close by so they can look back for reassurance when needed before continuing. They separate well from their parents, giving them a kiss and happily saying 'bye' as they excitedly run off to meet their friends and play. Children settle well because staff find out accurate information from parents or carers to ensure their child's needs are fully met. Through well-embedded routines and an effective key-person approach, children are emotionally well prepared for transitions to the next phase in their learning and in their transition on to school.

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

Children of all ages are supported in keeping themselves and others healthy by learning to address their own personal needs. They are supervised in the safe use of toilets and are encouraged to wash their hands, wipe their faces and hang coats on their own pegs. This promotes children's well-being and limits cross-infection, instilling a healthy lifestyle for children. As a result, they develop self-help skills of independence and confidence in caring for themselves and others, appropriate to their age and level of understanding. However, on some occasions, staff in the pre-school room miss opportunities to further promote children's independence skills because they put the outdoor weather clothing on for the children before going outside to play. Risk management in the nursery is good. Staff carry out regular risk assessments in their own environments to minimise any potential hazards that would impact on children's learning and safety. In addition, more

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

comprehensive indoor and outdoor risk assessments are completed by the manager. This ensures that children are safe. Staff and management are vigilant at all times with regard to keeping children safe. For example, staff complete a headcount of all children when they go outside to play, and visitors are required to sign in and out of the building at all times. Regular access to outdoor play benefits children's good health, along with developing their physical skills. Outside, staff encourage older children to climb to the top of the climbing wall and then jump to the ground once they have reached the top. Consequently, children are encouraged to develop the confidence to take risks.

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

Staff are deployed well at all times, both indoors and outdoors. This ensures that children's behaviour in the nursery is managed very well as staff role model positive behaviour at all times. Through clear consistent boundaries and gentle reminders, staff teach children to listen and follow simple instructions. This supports children's understanding of rules, boundaries and how to play safe. All children have access to a well-resourced, secure learning environment, which helps them to develop their self- confidence and enjoy the social aspect of their play as they explore and learn in the areas of learning, both indoors and outdoors. All children have access to the outdoor environment on a daily basis, however, on occasions, younger children are not able to choose whether they want to play indoors or outdoors. Spaces within the setting are organised to promote learning for all children, through the use of furniture, equipment and

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

resources. Low shelving and storage accessible to children mean that they can select and retrieve resources independently. Consequently, the children know what they need and where to find it. Very good use is made natural resources that cover all areas of learning, particularly in the younger age group. This allows children to be independent and enhances their play experiences, encouraging their exploratory skills. Displays reflect children's work, pictures and photographs, giving children a sense of pride in their work and sense of belonging.

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provision

The manager and staff demonstrate a good understanding of their responsibilities of how to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The qualifications of staff and continual professional development have an extremely positive impact on outcomes for children's learning and development. Effective systems are in place to monitor the progress of children. For example, the manager has a good overview of children's progress in communication and language, and action plans are in place for those children who require further support. This means that the manager and staff have a good understanding of the progress made by all children, and intervention is received at the earliest opportunity.

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provision

Safeguarding arrangements are strong. Staff fully understand their role in protecting children from harm and are fully aware of what to do should they have a concern about children's welfare. All staff have a current Disclosure and Barring Service check and must disclose to the manager on a regular basis any changes that may affect their suitability to work with children. As a result, children are kept safe at all times. All new staff benefit from a full induction and are assigned a member of staff who will act as a mentor when starting employment. This ensures that they are quickly aware of the setting's policies, procedures and routines. Staff are supported well by the manager, and professional development for all staff is ongoing. Systems to monitor the performance of staff are embedded. For example, the manager conducts regular supervisions and appraisals of all staff. This ensures staff continue to have an understanding of effective teaching and

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provision

Self-evaluation is good. The manager has a good knowledge about what is working well and what needs to be improved. Recommendations set at the last inspection have been addressed and the manager is aware of the improvements through an accurate and detailed action plan. For example, the manager has introduced age development sheets for parents to complete on entry to the setting. This provides the setting with a baseline to accurately plan for the children's age and stage of development from the start. These improvements have a positive impact of children's learning and development. Partnership with parents are good. There is a wealth of information for the parents on health initiatives and community information for them to access in the entrance area. This includes a procedure to follow should the parents have any concerns about the setting. Parents are very happy with the setting and comment that their children have developed

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provision

in confidence since starting at the nursery and that staff are 'caring'.

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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 EY341672 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 857232

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 43 Number of children on roll 53 Name of provider Lynn Donnelly Date of previous inspection 29/05/2009 Telephone number 01772 752 411

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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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