Summerfield Day Nursery

Summerfield Day Nursery 74-76 St. Annes Road East, LYTHAM ST. ANNES, Lancashire, FY8 1UX

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/05/2014 16/12/2008

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

p.1

This provision requires improvement

 The well-resourced learning environment provides children with a range of experiences across the seven areas of learning, indoors and outdoors.  Children develop independence and learn to care for themselves as they pour their own drinks and need little reminding to wash their hands at appropriate times.  Staff have a secure knowledge of safeguarding and risk assessments are in place. As a result, risk to children is minimised. Robust systems are in place for staff recruitment and selection. This means children are cared for by suitably qualified and vetted staff.

p.1

It is not yet good because

 Staff monitoring is not sufficiently robust to prevent inconsistencies in teaching practice. As a result, children's learning and development is not always effectively promoted.  The key person system is not fully effective and some parents do not know who their child's key person is. The individual care and learning needs of all children are not tailored to fully support their emotional well-being.  The new system for observation, assessment and planning is not fully embedded to ensure all staff are consistent in completing precise assessments of children on which to base their future learning.  The links with other early years settings are not yet fully established, so children do not always receive effective continuity in their learning and care.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and children at play throughout the session.  The inspector spoke with children and staff throughout the inspection.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation to ascertain children's progress towards the early learning goals.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the self-evaluation processes, policies and procedures and ensured appropriate suitability checks were in place for the safe and efficient running of the nursery.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

p.2

Information about the setting

Summerfield Day Nursery was originally opened in 1975 and registered to the present owners in 2007 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a three storey detached Edwardian building in the Lytham St Annes area of Lancashire and is privately owned. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three main rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. All hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 to level 5, including the manager with Early Years Professional Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 98 children attending, 91 of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery offers after school care for older children from 3.20pm to 5.30pm.

p.3

must:

 ensure that all staff receive effective supervision that provides support and coaching, in order to develop consistency of teaching practice and improve outcomes for children

p.3

must:

 improve the key person system to build relationships with all parents and ensure that every child's learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs and support their emotional well-being

p.3

must:

 embed the new observation, assessment and planning systems to ensure all staff are consistent in completing precise assessments of children, using all available information. Use these effectively to plan suitable challenges that support children's individual learning needs.

p.3

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

 strengthen the two-way flow of information with other early years settings to share information about children's progress and achievements, to help ensure the child's needs are met and to provide continuity of their learning and development.

p.3

who attend

Staff practice and understanding of the requirements of Early Years Foundation Stage is inconsistent across the nursery. Educational programmes generally cover the seven areas of learning, as a result, most children satisfactorily gain the necessary skills in readiness for school. Staff observe children as they play, which allows them to become aware of children's likes and dislikes and identify areas of development which require additional support. However, the current system for observation, assessment and planning for children's progress is new and not yet fully embedded. It is working well in some rooms, however, some staff are less sure of how to implement the system. As a result, some children are not observed regularly enough to inform precise assessment or understand children's current interests. Therefore, teaching of planned activities does not always reflect or shape challenging learning experiences for all children. This results in some

p.4

who attend

children being less engaged because learning experiences sometimes lack consistent challenge and are not always precisely matched to children's individual learning needs and interests. This means learning and teaching is satisfactory and children make satisfactory, rather than good progress.

p.4

who attend

The playrooms are stimulating and interesting and children lead their own play as they freely explore and investigate. Children's early writing skills are well supported as they have mark making opportunities across all rooms and outdoors. Staff foster a love of reading as they make books exciting and children understand the role of the author, illustrator and publisher of books. Enthusiastic staff engage children well during story time through timely interactions that encourage children to think. For example, they identify that they see with their eyes, hear with their ears and stand with their legs. Children learn about space and volume as they measure ingredients to make play dough. Staff extend opportunities for children to communicate. For example, vocabulary is extended as children play by adding words, such as 'splash' and 'bubbles'. This helps children develop the language they need to describe what they see and do. Outside, children have

p.4

who attend

opportunities to hone their physical skills as they balance, climb and slide, counting the steps as they climb. They have many opportunities to learn about the world they live in as babies explore the sensory experience of crawling in sand and letting it fall between their fingers.

p.4

who attend

A progress check between the ages of two and three years is completed and shared with parents as required, so that any gaps in learning can be identified early. Parents provide useful information when children start, which is used well to help children settle in. Communication methods are in place, such as daily verbal feedback, to ensure parents are kept informed of children's activities. Relationships with parents are friendly and supportive, however, they are not always secure enough to ensure they are fully involved in children's learning at nursery and at home.

p.4

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

Children are happy and settled in the nursery. Parents and children are offered a flexible settling-in period. Staff gain useful information from parents about children's care routines and their likes and dislikes. This goes some way to help children to settle when they first start at nursery. However, the key-person system does not effectively help all children form secure bonds with the staff and build their self-esteem, to ensure they are all emotionally prepared for the next stage in their learning. This is because some key persons do not take advantage of opportunities to bond with children through daily routines, such as feeding and nappy changes, to support their confidence and well-being. In addition, some parents do not know who their child's key person is to build good partnerships. Children are supported to make the move into the older rooms when the time comes. Children have regular visits to their new room and the key person prepares a

p.4

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

summary of children's development to ensure a smooth handover to their new key person. Babies enjoy snuggling up to the staff as they play and enjoy the company of adults and their peers. Resources are stored so the children can self-select them and the rooms are set out well with opportunities across all areas of learning. This promotes the children's independence skills and means they gain confidence in their own decision making skills. Resources are of good quality and clearly promote learning by appealing to children's interests.

p.5

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

Children learn how to keep safe as they receive gentle reminders about how to play and move around safely, such as holding the handrail and walking single file down the stairs so that they don't fall. This helps them understand the risks involved in their activities. Staff are positive in their approach to behaviour management and deal with children's behaviour well. They talk to them about their behaviour, provide positive alternatives and teach children to take turns. This means children learn to manage their own feelings and behaviour is good.

p.5

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

Hygiene practices are good as all children have their own bedding and dummies are kept clean and stored in children's named box. Children need little reminding of the importance of hand washing after messy activities, toileting and before they eat. Staff teach children how to be independent and about healthy lifestyles by encouraging them to become involved in their own care through daily routines. Pre-school aged children pour their own drinks and clear and scrape their own plates. They take pride in being chosen to be the helper and enjoy the praise for a job well done and their good manners. Staff have completed food safety training and this helps ensure children's good health at mealtimes. Meals are healthy, nutritious and freshly prepared onsite. Staff are good role models as they sit with children and encourage conversation about children's home life and the activities they have recently taken part in. This means meal times are a well-established

p.5

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

social routine. Also, children have daily opportunities for exercise in the fresh air as they play in the well-resourced outdoor play area. Such experiences promote the children's health and well-being, to help them prepare for their eventual move to school.

p.5

provision

Children are safeguarded because they are cared for by staff who understand safeguarding procedures and know what to do if they have concerns about a child in their care. The premises are secure and visitors must identify themselves and sign in before being admitted to the building. The required adult to child ratios are always met and sometimes exceeded. Staff deploy themselves to ensure children are always supervised, to meet their needs and keep them safe. For example, when children playing outdoors need to go inside to the toilet, staff call in the manager, if required, to ensure ratios are always met and children are properly supervised. When children are sleeping they are closely monitored to ensure their safety. The necessary documents are in place for the smooth running of the setting. A set of comprehensive policies and procedures are in place and have all been recently reviewed. For instance, the safeguarding policy is in line with the

p.5

provision

Local Safeguarding Children Board guidelines and staff have a good working knowledge of how to protect children. Accurate records of children's personal details and their times of attendance are also in place. Risk assessments are thorough to enable children to play in a safe, well organised and healthy learning environment, indoors and outdoors. Children learn good hygiene habits and are kept safe in the event of minor accidents and injuries because staff have updated first-aid certificates. Also, procedures for administering medication promote children's good health because key persons are aware of children's needs and ensure that children are given each dose on time and the details recorded and cross checked.

p.6

provision

The new manager and the area manager have been implementing changes, such as the new observation, assessment, planning and tracking procedures. However, this is not yet embedded and staff understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage is inconsistent. As a result, staff are not always planning suitable activities to meet all children's individual learning needs. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to check the suitability of all staff working with the children. All staff are appropriately vetted and the relevant details are recorded and logged to show when checks were carried out. New staff undergo an induction process to ensure they are familiar with the setting and the policies that govern it. They work an initial probation period, to ensure they are fully suited to the job. Staff have annual appraisals and monthly supervision meetings with the manager. However, this process is not yet rigorous enough

p.6

provision

to identify and monitor all weaknesses and inconsistencies in the teaching practice of some staff, or provide managers with a good overview of all children's progress.

p.6

provision

The self-evaluation of the nursery is adequate. The management has sought support from an early years advisor and this helps inform realistic development plans. The recommendations set at the previous inspection have been addressed. For example, the outdoor area has been developed and now provides stimulating and age-appropriate areas for all children. Parents are kept informed of children's activities at nursery through daily discussion and newsletters. However, due to recent staff changes, some parents do not always know who their child's key worker is. This affects the development of strong relationships with some parents to fully support children's care and learning. As children prepare for school, partnership working with the local school teachers aids a smooth transition. This is because teachers are invited in to pre-school to meet the children before they move on. This helps prepare children for the next stage of their learning. However,

p.6

provision

these links with other early years providers do not fully support continuity of care for children who attend both settings by sharing detailed information about children's progress and achievements.

p.6

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

p.7

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

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY351972 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 968339

p.9

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 76 Number of children on roll 98 Name of provider Netstar 9 Childcare Ltd Date of previous inspection 16/12/2008 Telephone number 01253 722 159

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.10

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,

p.10

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’.

p.11

Type of provision

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

p.11