Sunflowers Day Nursery

Sunflowers Day Nursery Sunflowers Day Nursery, 2-4 Golf Links Road, HULL, HU6 8RA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/07/2014 26/02/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Staff are well trained, highly motivated and provide consistently outstanding levels of teaching. As a result, all children make exceptional progress and any gaps in learning and development are rapidly identified and planned for.  Children have admirable support to develop language and communication skills. Staff extend children's deep curiosity in books and use valuable vocabulary and discussions in order to actively extend children's conversations, thinking and understanding.  Children's behaviour is exemplary because they fully understand what is expected of them. As a result, they become highly confident, responsible and independent individuals.  Partnerships with parents are highly successful and promote effective sharing of information. Staff know children and their families well and provide care and learning that is tailored exceptionally well to their individual needs.  Staff have a significantly enhanced understanding of their role in safeguarding children.

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This provision is outstanding

They provide a welcoming, stimulating and safe environment and continually take all necessary steps to protect children's welfare.  Leadership is inspirational because the management team monitor and evaluate all areas of practice. The meticulously documented drive consistently identifies and reviews all areas of the provision that continuously improve the quality.  Children are provided with exciting and inviting learning environments. They become deeply involved and motivated in their learning, eager to explore and discover things for themselves. Consequently, they make excellent progress in their development.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all of the six rooms and in the outdoor area. She also observed the snack and lunch time arrangements.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of documents in each room, including observations, planning, children's development files and the tracking of their progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff, a selection of policies and risk assessments, and the self-evaluation and development plans.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises and conducted two joint observations with the manager. She also spoke with staff at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector held meetings with the manager, deputy and proprietor.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents and children spoken to on the day and through their written feedback.

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Information about the setting

Sunflowers Day Nursery registered in 1995 and is on the Early Years Register. It is located in the Cottingham area of Kingston Upon Hull and is one of two privately owned provisions. The nursery operates from two separate adjacent buildings and the accommodation is on two floors. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery the local area and is accessible to all children. It is open between 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday all year round. It is closed on bank holidays and for a week at Christmas. The nursery employs 24 members of staff. Of these, three hold an early years degree and 17 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 3, 4 and 5. The nursery also employs a housekeeper. The proprietor holds Early Years Professional status. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are currently 108 children attending who are within the early

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Information about the setting

years age group. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association and receives support from the local authority.

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

 build on children's opportunities to take even more responsibility, for example, older children clearing away after lunch.

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who attend

The staff's teaching is rooted in an excellent knowledge and superior level of understanding of how children learn and develop. Staff are highly motivated and provide consistently outstanding levels of teaching. For example, phonics and letter sounds are reliably promoted in the toddler rooms and extended further in the pre-school room. This enables children to recognise their initial for their name early on, and older children to identify simple familiar short words. This significantly enhances children's early reading and writing skills. Staff provide a first-class variety of age-appropriate, exciting, inviting and purposeful experiences for the children in their care. Stimulating adult-led activities are organised to meet children's next steps in their learning and to strengthen children's current interest. Staff have high expectations of children and highly inspire them through play and enthusiastic discussions. As a result, children's curiosity is aroused further and

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who attend

they become deeply involved and eager to join in with their learning. Key persons monitor and track children's progress through effective observations and comprehensive assessments. This ensures any gaps in children's learning or development are quickly identified and acted upon. Consequently, children make exceptional progress and gain the key skills they need for their further learning and their eventual move on to school. Children's language and communication skills are given the utmost priority. Staff constantly use discussion and dynamic conversations with children to develop and extend their vocabulary and speech. Staff purposefully combine questioning and explanations, to make children think and give them time to formulate their answers. For example, older children look and match phonic picture cards as staff encourage them to think about what the picture may be. Staff offer facts and talk through what children are thinking, exploring

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who attend

concepts and helping children go beyond what they understood before. Younger children interact with staff as they chat about their painting representation. They confidently discuss their thinking and make connections in their ideas and link experiences. Children's interest in books is extended as older children learn about the author and 'blurb' on the back. Younger children are eager to listen to their favourite story. Mathematical development is promoted very well. Babies enjoy filling and emptying tubs with pasta. Younger children count items within their play and older children recognise the number displayed. Staff use highly effective teaching strategies to promote children's memory and recall and to extend their language skills. Children listen to and repeat refrains and actions in songs and rhymes, and older children make up alternative limericks superbly. Consequently, children speak and listen in range of situations and gain exemplary support

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who attend

to develop their literacy and communication skills.

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who attend

Excellent partnerships with parents complement the process of observation and assessment. Staff place a strong emphasis on working in partnership with parents. Parents are encouraged to have pre-visits to the nursery with their children, to help children settle in their room with their key person. Children's starting points on 'All about me' sheets are completed by parents before their children start and are updated regularly. Parents have regular access to their children's learning record and are free to take this home to view. Key persons encourage parents to add their comments and photographs about children's learning at home to the record, and a good number of parents do so. This helps parents to contribute information regarding children's interests and accomplishments. Daily diaries, monthly plans, parents' evenings and partnership bags offer a significantly enhanced approach for parents to be involved in their children's learning. The wealth of displays

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who attend

throughout the nursery environment exhibit highly innovative concepts that promote what is on offer and gain feedback from parents and children. As a result, parents are very well informed about their children's progress in the nursery.

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

The exciting, stimulating and extremely well-organised rooms, together with an inviting outdoor area, inspire children to explore their surroundings, play and learn. The well- established key-person system in each room helps children and parents form very secure relationships. For example, whenever possible key persons move up and through rooms with their key groups. This supports children to form stable emotional attachments and excellent bonds with the staff. Children show superb cooperative skills when playing together, as they enter happily and engage in their play immediately. Younger children recreate a train using a line of chairs, as staff skilfully coax them to share their thoughts and imaginative play experiences. Older children delight in making their version of a book and use their imagination very well to portray their thinking. Children fully embrace the benefits of outdoor learning and enjoy discovering all that the outdoor environment has to

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

offer. There are stimulating and well-equipped areas that provide lots of opportunities for exploration, investigation, creative and imaginary play, such as dens and quiet areas to look at books together and walkways to aid balance. The 'mud kitchen' and growing areas offer children the use of various resources and tools. Children show good control and coordination as they negotiate their way around, promoting the importance of physical exercise. Babies are fascinated by the outdoor sensory area and investigate using all their senses purposefully. This means that children show a very strong sense of belonging and build positive relationships, which supports their physical and emotional well-being.

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

Children behave in an exemplary manner because staff ensure they have stable boundaries and know what is expected of them. Staff manage children's behaviour very well as they give consistent clear messages about acceptable behaviour, safety practices and manners. Younger children are reminded to be kind and not to place their built creations in other people's faces. Older children discuss why they cross their legs at circle time. Children's good understanding of this is evident. For example, children explain that this keeps legs out of the way of others tripping. This enables children to gain an understanding of managing their own safety during experiences and of the possible risks involved, such as falling and hurting themselves or others. Children talk confidently with visitors and eagerly discuss their play and what they have done and who with. Children select their own resources from well-presented displays, request activities, such as

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

dancing, and follow instructions extremely well. Older children are encouraged to be independent by accessing their own snack and lunch. They confidently and successfully spoon their lunch of soup into a bowl, supported and encouraged by nearby staff. This supports children to understand the importance of a healthy diet and good eating habits. Nevertheless, there is scope to establish further opportunities for children to take even more responsibility, such as older children clearing away after lunch. Children are encouraged to manage their own hygiene and personal needs relevantly, and all children are encouraged to wash their hands before food and after toileting. As a result, children become highly confident, responsible and independent individuals.

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

The staff places the utmost priority on supporting children's move from home into the nursery, and between the rooms. Key persons support settling in by attending visits with parents and helping with the paperwork. The pre-school staff invite local schools to visit and request visits to the schools, to support children in readiness for their eventual move into school. Displays provide photographs and statements about local schools, to help children become more familiar with the new experience. This careful preparation and ongoing liaison with local schools mean that children are extremely well prepared for their next stage in their learning and development, such as school.

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provision

Safeguarding is outstanding because the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are fully understood by the management team and all the staff. Staff expertly discuss the procedure detailing the course of action they would take in the event of a concern for children in their care. They confidently follow through the safeguarding policy and other policies exceedingly well without hesitation. As a result, highly comprehensive policies and procedures are in place and effectively implemented to ensure children's welfare and safety at all times. There is a code entry system to ensure only those authorised to enter the nursery do so, and staff check visitors' identity. Recruitment procedures are robust, which ensures that staff working with children are suitable to do so. The nursery is well organised and staff are efficiently deployed to maintain security and supervise children well. They engage and motivate children in their

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provision

play and learning very effectively. Parents are kept well informed about safeguarding procedures through regular newsletters, the website and the parents' notice boards. This means that children are exceptionally well protected in the nursery.

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provision

The staff have an exemplary understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The robust assessments of children's progress through termly progress summaries, the progress check for children between the ages of two and three and tracking graphs, monitor children's achievements and abilities. The comprehensive planning and assessment are regularly monitored and evaluated by the manager and pre-school leader. This ensures key persons have a secure understanding of children's strengths and any areas where children's progress is less than expected. As a result, all children make exceptional progress and any gaps in learning and development are rapidly identified and planned for. The manager and staff have an excellent understanding of the importance of partnership working, which ensures that children's individual needs are exceptionally well met.

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provision

Leadership is inspirational because the management team monitor and evaluate all areas of practice. They have completed a meticulously documented self-evaluation of all practices which takes into account the views of children, parents and staff. Staff have an extremely good relationship with parents, who speak very highly of the staff and the nursery. The team consistently analyse and self-challenge to clearly identify strengths and weaknesses. For example, the manager observes staff practice and engages with other professionals, such as at the children's centre. This helps the team reflect on their practice critically as they strive to maintain and reach even higher achievements for the children and the nursery. Staff are well trained and highly motivated. They are fully committed to improving their practice through completing even higher qualifications in childcare. The nursery gain awards and employees are rewarded for their achievements. They all

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provision

complete safeguarding and first-aid training. All staff are subject to identity and suitability checks when they are recruited. This includes the housekeeper. Staff all have continuous professional development plans and the majority hold lead roles. They regularly access further training to support their roles, such as managing behaviour for under two-year-old children. Team meetings ensure staff focus on areas of practice, such as safeguarding. Regular supervision meetings, in-house training and 'huddle' sheets foster a culture of mutual support and continuous improvement. Staff are passionate about the nursery and providing even further opportunities to advance children's learning.

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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 EY375018 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 858276

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 54 Number of children on roll 108 Name of provider Sunflowers Day Nurseries (East Yorkshire) Ltd Date of previous inspection 26/02/2009 Telephone number 01482 849108

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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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