Chelmsford YMCA Day Nursery

Chelmsford YMCA Day Nursery Busy Feet & Cosy Toes Victoria Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1NZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/05/2014 06/11/2012

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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

 Teaching is effective because staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how young children learn. This means they plan a range of activities that help children and babies to make good progress in their learning and development.  Children and babies develop strong bonds with their key persons, who help them to feel safe and secure in the nursery. As a result, children's emotional well-being is successfully promoted.  Partnerships with parents are good. This enables staff and parents to share information to support children's development at the nursery and home.  Staff's firm knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and the clear policy in place to support practice helps to keep children safe. The enthusiastic and passionate manager ensures good leadership and management of the setting.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The opportunities for active indoor and outdoor play are not fully maximised within the daily routine.  On occasions, children do not reach their full potential because the interactions with staff do not constantly inspire them to experiment and try things out.

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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 indoor and outdoor learning environments.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff and children.  The inspector viewed a sample of the children's development records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector saw evidence of suitability and qualifications of the staff, self- evaluation, risk assessment and policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Chelmsford YMCA Day Nursery Busy Feet and Cosy Toes opened in 1993 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is one of nine settings run and managed by Chelmsford YMCA (Trading) Limited. The nursery operates from three rooms within the YMCA building in Chelmsford, Essex. Two enclosed courtyards are available for outdoor play. The nursery is open five days a week from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 46 children on roll the nursery who are within the early years age group. There are also 45 children attending the out of school club, which offers care to children aged five years to 11 years. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. There are 14 members of staff working with the children, all of whom hold appropriate early years

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Information about the setting

qualifications. The nursery also employs a cook, cleaner and administrator. It is supported by the local authority.

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

 enhance active learning by reviewing routines so that children have more sustained time to concentrate on activities and can make free use of the indoor and outdoor spaces

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

 strengthen children's learning by ensuring staff consistently use high quality interactions to encourage all children to experiment and try things out during adult- led activities.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how young children learn. They provide a wide range of interesting activities across all seven areas of learning. Individual planning is completed by each key person, and this has a clear focus in tune with each key child's learning priorities. This means that children are effectively developing the skills they need for future learning and in readiness for starting school. Children look at books for pleasure, enjoy recalling popular stories and predict what is going to happen next when staff read to them. They use small and large numbers in their everyday play and recognise numerals in the environment. Babies explore a wide variety of play materials that encourage them to investigate shapes, colours and sounds. Early writing skills are practised when children have access to brushes, pens and pencils. As a result, the older children form recognisable letters when writing their names. Children in the out of school club enjoy activities that

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who attend

complement their learning in the school classroom, where they spend more time. Throughout the nursery there is an interesting blend of activities that children choose for themselves and experiences led by the staff. However, the opportunities for children to choose between indoor and outdoor play are not fully maximised during the sessions. This means that children are not consistently following their preferred learning styles and sometimes have to tidy away indoor activities they are deeply involved in, before going outside to play at allotted times as a group.

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who attend

Regular assessments and effective monitoring of children's learning mean that they are making good progress and any gaps in their learning are quickly identified. This means that staff efficiently target support where it is needed. Staff involve parents in their children's learning when they complete the progress check for children aged between two and three years. In addition, parents regularly take home the learning journals so they see their child's next steps planned for each term. This also ensures that they are given helpful information to continue supporting children's learning at home. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive consistent, sensitive support, as staff work closely with parents and other professionals involved. This maintains consistency of care and enables children to progress well over time, given their starting points. To support children who speak English as an additional language, staff introduce sign language and

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who attend

obtain useful words from parents in their home languages, to help children confidently communicate when making requests.

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who attend

Overall, the quality of teaching is good. Staff continuously extend children's vocabulary as they play. For example, they introduce new words as children enjoy cooking activities or sensory play, and encourage the children to describe the different textures they feel. Open-ended questions are used to provide older children with opportunities to think creatively and express their own ideas. Staff caring for babies respond positively to them as they babble, which shows that very young children's early attempts at conversation are valued and encouraged. Since the last inspection, there have been changes that have resulted in the group of two-year-old children merging with the older children. This has been carefully managed to ensure that individual children have sufficient support or challenge to enable them to make good progress. However, sometimes the staff are not consistently using the very highest quality interactions to motivate and inspire all the

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who attend

children, within this larger group, to experiment and try things out for themselves during adult-led activities.

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

Children and babies are happy and have a good rapport with the staff. Their emotional well-being is effectively promoted through a well-established key-person system and a warm and welcoming environment. Key persons work closely with parents, which supports continuity in babies' care routines and their learning and development right from the start. This means that babies settle quickly because they feel secure. Older children swiftly become familiar with the daily routines when they join the nursery. They listen attentively and contribute ideas at group discussion times. In addition, children are confident to introduce themselves to visitors and are keen to talk and involve them in their activities. There are effective arrangements to support children when they are ready to transfer between rooms. They make regular visits to the new room with their key person, to enable children to feel comfortable and at ease with the new persons caring for them. This

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

means their emotional well-being is truly supported. The older children are effectively prepared for the next stage in their learning and development, as the setting supports them when making the move to school. Activities are planned to allow children to develop confidence in various social situations, which prepares them for moving on.

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

Children's behaviour in the nursery is good because the staff are calm role models. They provide a reassuring environment and skilfully encourage children to share their play space, and to say sorry and offer a hug if they upset their friends. Staff give clear messages about what is and what is not acceptable behaviour, and children receive regular praise for effort and achievement. This helps boost the children's self-esteem and they become keen to rise to staff expectations for responsible behaviour. Children keep themselves safe by being alert as they take turns using the soft play climbing apparatus. Evacuation procedures are regularly practised so that everyone knows how to swiftly exit the premises in an emergency. Children follow sensible road safety procedures when they go on outings, and wear high-visibility jackets so they can easily be seen by other road users. Visitors to the premises, such as police officers, also enhance children's awareness

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

Children have a good understanding of a healthy lifestyle. They have healthy appetites as they eat wholesome, freshly cooked meals and snacks. Staff are well aware of any allergies or special dietary requirements to meet individual children's needs. Children are capably developing their independence skills as they pour their own drinks. Staff encourage and support children to attend to their personal needs and use the bathroom independently. Children who are toilet training are regularly reminded to visit the bathroom and are praised for their achievements. Effective personal hygiene routines are adopted as children demonstrate a good understanding of the importance of washing their hands at appropriate times. Nappy changing is hygienically and sensitively undertaken in privacy to preserve children's dignity. Children are full of energy; they know exercise is good for them and relish the opportunity to climb, crawl and balance on soft play

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

equipment. Babies and children sleep peacefully and undisturbed in a cool and comfortable environment.

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provision

The nursery management has a good understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Comprehensive policies and procedures are in place to guide staff and effectively inform parents about how the nursery operates. The safeguarding policy is strictly adhered to and this means that staff are clear about their responsibilities in protecting children from harm. The manager is the designated safeguarding person, who takes the lead in dealing with any concerns and has attended suitable training for this role. Information about child protection issues is cascaded through staff meetings and further training opportunities. This means that all staff have a confident understanding of how to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and know the procedures to follow should they have any concerns. There are robust recruitment and vetting procedures to check the staff's suitability. The effective deployment of staff ensures that the minimum required

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provision

staffing ratios are met at all times and staff maintain close supervision of children, both indoors and outside. Children are protected as effective risk assessments are carried out on the premises and for any outings undertaken. There are also reliable arrangements for taking and collecting children attending the out of school club to and from their primary schools.

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provision

The nursery accurately uses self-evaluation and reflective practice to identify key areas for improvement that will benefit the children. Their progress and achievements are carefully tracked and monitored by the key persons. The assessment process is constantly reviewed by the manager and room leaders to ensure that staff are promptly identifying any gaps in children's progress. As a result, early intervention is promptly secured to ensure that no child gets left behind. Through regular staff meetings and appraisals, the manager is aware of the individual skills and particular interests of each member of staff. As a result, training is specifically targeted to address any underperformance or priorities for development. The nursery has successfully taken part in a recognised quality assurance scheme, to raise standards in the care and learning provided. In addition, the planning process has been reviewed and revised to ensure that children and babies are offered

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provision

more challenging and stimulating learning experiences. Consequently, the recommendation from the last inspection has been appropriately addressed.

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provision

Partnerships are successfully established. Communication takes place on a regular basis between professionals and external agencies that support individual children. This ensures information is efficiently shared to promote children's well-being and learning. The manager is proactive in contacting local schools, to promote seamless transitions, as soon as parents are notified where their child is going to attend. The relationships with parents are positive and ensure each child's needs are met. Parents receive well-written, accurate information about the running of the nursery and are kept up to date with any changes through regular letters, conversations with key persons and displays on notice boards. The parents spoken to during the inspection are very complimentary about the nursery. They make very positive comments on how well their children have progressed and appreciate the communication and commitment of the staff team. The nursery takes the views of

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provision

parents seriously. Records of complaints are accurately recorded and effectively managed. Any concerns raised by parents are dealt with professionally. The manager recognises the importance of these partnerships and continually strives to find new ways to encourage parental involvement in the children's learning.

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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 203765 Local authority Essex Inspection number 972093

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 85 Number of children on roll 91 Name of provider Chelmsford Y.M.C.A. (Trading) Limited Date of previous inspection 06/11/2012 Telephone number 01245 355677

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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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