Chelsea Kindergarten

Chelsea Kindergarten 12 Chelsea Avenue, BLACKPOOL, FY2 0SU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/07/2014 24/05/2013

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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

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This provision requires improvement

 Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding matters. This means children are well protected and kept free from harm.  Partnerships with parents are developing well. Children settle easily when they first start because relationships between children, staff and parents are relaxed and friendly.  Children effectively develop healthy lifestyles and strong physical skills. They play outdoors during all weathers and exercise vigorously during weekly dance sessions. In addition, they enjoy snacks and meals that are healthy, balanced and nutritious.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff do not organise group activities for two- and three-year-old children in an appropriate way that encourages active learning and keeps children engaged, effectively challenged and behaving well.  The ways in which staff performance is managed, for example, through supervision and observation of their practice, have not been in place long enough to ensure all staff are fully supported to deliver high quality teaching.  There are limited natural items in the range of freely-accessible materials for babies and children. This lessens children's ability to use all their senses to learn about their world.

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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 the three playrooms and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the area manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the area manager of the kindergarten and spoke with the manager, staff and children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and from information included in the kindergarten's own parent survey.

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Information about the setting

Chelsea Kindergarten registered in 2010 on the Early Years Register. It is one of two kindergartens privately owned and operates from the Bispham area of Blackpool. The kindergarten serves the immediate locality and the surrounding areas. The kindergarten opens five days a week from 7.45am until 5.45pm, all year round, except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children are cared for across three rooms on the ground floor and have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 70 children on roll in the early years age range. The kindergarten receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The kindergarten employs 12 members of childcare staff. Two staff have appropriate qualifications at level 6, one at level 4, seven at level 3 and one at level 2. The kindergarten receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 ensure high quality teaching and learning experiences in which children are engaged, effectively challenged and behave well. For example, by identifying, in the short term planning, how staff will be deployed, group size, use of resources and what children are to learn

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must:

 embed and evaluate the ways in which staff performance is managed, including the arrangements for observing their quality of teaching to ensure all staff continue to improve and develop their good practice and consistently deliver high quality teaching.

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

 provide a wider range of natural items for babies to explore and investigate to further stimulate their senses and increase their awareness of their world.

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who attend

An identified member of staff talks with parents about each child's individual abilities, skills and interests before they start kindergarten. This key person observes and assesses children's abilities and combines this information with what parents know to identify children's starting points for learning. Staff use their sound understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage to identify the next steps in learning for each child. Assessment records indicate children are developing consistently and are generally working comfortably within the typical range of development expected for their age. Staff are beginning to widen the ways they engage with parents to share ongoing information and, as a result, are promoting learning at home with some success. Each child has a communication book, which some parents take home each day, while others take them home on a weekly basis. However, most information is exchanged verbally with parents as

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who attend

they drop off and collect their children and staff provide easy access to 'Wow moment' slips in the entrance area. This enables parents to more easily note children's achievements at home and staff to jot down what parents say as they drop off their children. Staff are beginning to make better use of information about each child's learning and development at home, in order to plan suitable activities. Meetings with their child's key person have been introduced as a useful way for parents to look through their child's learning journal. Children take turns to care for a toy bear by taking it home. The bear returns with a description of its activities and photographs in a diary, which involves families in sharing experiences from home. It also provides children with an opportunity to practise speaking and listening skills as they tell others about the bears time at their home and share the photographs they have taken.

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who attend

Indoors and outdoors, children choose what to play with from a suitable range of accessible toys, which offer a range of learning opportunities. Sometimes, children learn well from self-chosen experiences due to some good interaction and the support staff provide as they play alongside children. For example, a staff member skilfully supports a small group of children to play imaginatively with a train set. They join the pieces of the track and their astute questioning helps to develop their mathematical skills. Children make marks with pens on notepads as they join with imaginative play, which promotes their early literacy skills. However, children often occupy themselves and it is not always clear what children are to learn from daily and planned experiences especially the two- and three-year-old children. Consequently, children's learning experiences are not always organised effectively or supported by suitably stimulating toys or resources. As a result,

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who attend

children are not effectively challenged and some children, particularly during group activities, are not actively engaged and lose interest. Therefore, the quality of teaching and the learning for children aged over two years is not consistently good. Despite this, overall, children make some progress given their capabilities and starting points. Children's sound progress in their physical and personal, social and emotional development ensures that they have the key skills needed for the next steps in their learning, such as moving on to school. Children of all ages develop a good interest and appreciation of books as staff sit and read to them. Staff make attractive displays about books using children's paintings to illustrate written excerpts from the book. This helps children to deepen their enjoyment of stories.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is more consistent in the baby room than in the two- and three- year-old children's room. As a result, the quality of learning for the youngest children is higher. Staff provide verbal commentaries on what is happening, which enables babies to link words with actions. Staff sing with young babies and encourage them to join in. Children develop an awareness of technology as they explore buttons and levers on toys. Babies explore many movable features on the activity wall, which develop their coordination and understanding of how things work. They also explore some materials, such as sand and water. Babies and older children develop dexterity as they manipulate and run their fingers through different substances. They enjoy playing with foam, sand, gloop and dough. These sensory experiences successfully motivate babies and children to make marks with their fingers, and therefore encourages their early writing skills.

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who attend

Sometimes, staff purposefully provide edible substances for sensory play, such as jelly, so they are safe if eaten. However, there are fewer natural items in the range of freely accessible materials, to increase their awareness of the world. Children are beginning to learn about the local community as they walk in the area. Babies are taken safely out in to the local area due to the provision of large prams. A wide range of good quality photographs displayed at low-level enable children to look at and talk about places of interest in their local area, which helps them to make connections between their experiences and their learning.

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

Before starting at the kindergarten, parents complete an 'All about me' booklet with written details about their child's routines and interests. Staff use this useful information well to help babies and children settle when they start attending. Staff follow babies' nappy changing routines and sleep routines to ensure their individual care needs are met. Children form secure relationships with their key person who knows them well. Babies demonstrate that they feel safe and emotionally secure as they happily investigate toys. Staff praise children for their achievements and positive behaviour, which promotes their self-esteem and confidence. Children happily and confidently interact with each other, staff and visitors, which shows they feel safe and emotionally secure. Routines and realistic rules in the kindergarten mean that children are beginning to understand what is expected of them. However, during large group activities, staff are less effective in

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

meeting the differing needs of children. As a result, children lose interest in some of the group activities and behave less well.

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

Children routinely follow appropriate hygiene and safety practices, which give them a basic understanding of how to keep themselves healthy and safe. Staff use information from parents to meet each child's health requirements, allergies and special dietary needs. Meals are cooked each day on the premises from fresh ingredients. Children gain an understanding of how good food fits in to a healthy lifestyle. They talk about nutrition as they eat healthy snacks and nutritious meals. Children know that sun protection cream is applied to protect their skin. They are aware to drink water during hot weather and proudly announce how many cups they have drunk, which staff log on a sheet. Posters on display that reflect positive images of culture and disability are beginning to promote children's awareness of similarities and differences. Babies' move to the next age group is well planned. They visit the next room a number of times before they move up, which

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

enables them to gradually become familiar with their new key person and the differing routines. Useful information about their abilities and interests is passed from the previous key person to the new key person. This enables babies to continue their steady progress towards the early learning goals. Children are generally well prepared, emotionally and socially, for their move to school. Staff prepare children for moving on to school through stories and talking about their new school. Children develop self-help skills that will help them when they start school. For example, they manage personal hygiene routines well, help themselves to water when thirsty and serve themselves at snack times.

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

Children's physical development is well promoted and they maintain a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise. Indoors, children develop dexterity and good hand-to-eye coordination through handling toys, such as construction sets. Children enjoy moving to music at weekly dance sessions led by a visiting dance teacher. Children walk to places of interest in the area and develop balance and coordination as they climb the ladder on the slide. Staff purposefully set up equipment to encourage children's physical development. For example, they set up obstacle courses and children jump and walk with increasing balance across large soft shapes of different sizes. Outdoors, a large canopy creates a sheltered area where children sit and play in all weathers and experience changing seasons.

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provision

Following a recent visit by Ofsted the provider received a notice to improve to ensure records are easily accessible and available, especially in relation to staff qualifications. In addition, to ensure the safeguarding policy and procedure is implemented by both the provider and staff, to safeguard children, the provider has made the necessary improvements in practice to address these actions. Consequently, children's safety and well-being are now assured. Staff carefully follow a suitable system for recording accidents and any injuries that children arrive with, which parents sign to acknowledge the entry. This record is monitored and audited regularly and appropriate action taken to safeguard children and to review risk assessments, where required. The recruitment and vetting of staff is robust enough to ensure all staff have the necessary skills and experience required to work with children. Half of the staff hold current first-aid certificates and ensure that

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provision

immediate action is taken in the event of an accident. Evidence of staff qualifications and all staff suitability checks, including the Disclosure and Barring Service check, are readily available for inspection. Induction of new staff is clear, with regular meetings, which enable staff to discuss any concerns and to reflect on their practice. On a daily basis, clear policies and procedures are implemented consistently by staff, which suitably protects children. The use of mobile telephones and cameras is carefully restricted to protect children. Sufficient staff are on duty to meet the legal requirements, including appropriate staff-to-child ratios and close supervision of children maintain their safety and well-being. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and a daily checklist is followed to ensure the premises are safe and secure before children arrive. Staff know and implement procedures, such as those for ensuring the external gate to the road is locked before

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provision

opening the doors to the outdoor play area. All staff have been recently trained on child protection and some are trained at a higher level to support them. Staff's access to safeguarding procedures and appropriate telephone numbers has improved and they are clearly aware whom to ring if concerned about a child.

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provision

The kindergarten rooms are well organised so children move around freely and safely and all equipment is checked before being used by children. All of the required details about each child are obtained before they start at the kindergarten, which ensures such information is accessible in an emergency. Overall, arrangements for safeguarding children in the kindergarten are good. In addition, appropriate links with outside agencies further promote children's well-being. The leadership and management team understand their responsibility to meet the safeguarding and welfare, and the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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provision

The management structure has been recently reviewed. As a result, a newly promoted staff member is steadily taking over the day-to-day management responsibility while the knowledgeable area manager continues to oversee both the company's nurseries. This newly formed management team demonstrate a generally good capacity to improve the kindergarten. Suitable ways to manage staff performance through supervision and appraisal are in place. These have recently been enhanced to include observing staff and then meeting to discuss their practice. However, these arrangements and those for monitoring general practice have not been in place long enough to ensure consistency in the quality of teaching. Staff in the baby room, work closely together and display an accurate understanding of babies' skills, abilities and progress. They carefully track babies' progress and take appropriate action to close any gaps in learning securing support from

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provision

other agencies where appropriate. Staff provide a suitable range of activities for older children. They sit with children at tables and on the floor in order to appropriately interact at their level. However, the quality of staff interaction with two- and three-year-olds is not consistent. Consequently, children aged over two years are happily occupied but not always learning at the highest level. Group activities led by staff are not always appropriate for children's age and stage of development. As a result, some children disengage and minor squabbles occur resulting in children losing interest in activities. This has an impact on children's ability to learn, in particular their ability to behave appropriately.

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provision

Staff and parents generally work together to support children's care and promote their well-being. Parents and carers spoken to express satisfaction with the progress children make in their learning. Parents provide valuable information about what children know and can do before they start at the kindergarten. Ongoing information from parents is increasingly being included in some children's learning journals; therefore, a clearer picture of children's abilities is developing. Partnerships with external agencies are in place to identify and meet children's needs so that most children who need it receive appropriate interventions and support. Staff work generally well with parents and increasingly seek their views about the kindergarten through questionnaires. Self- evaluation is not yet fully effective in driving forward improvements to raise the quality of teaching. However, some appropriate areas to develop have been identified, to improve

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provision

the quality of the kindergarten. For example, since the last inspection, the provider has taken steps to address the recommendations. Therefore, opportunities for children to talk about and identify the similarities between themselves and others are steadily improving. Menus include food from around the world and dressing-up clothes reflect modes of dress from other countries. Children's access to positive images of culture has improved. For example, good quality photographs and pictures are displayed at low-level and enable children to see a diverse range of people. A board with suggestions of appropriate vocabulary and questions, which can be used to enhance children's critical thinking, is displayed to support staff when working with children. The management team are also beginning to record information about children's development in a way that better supports them to identify groups of children who may extra support. This demonstrates

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provision

the provider's capacity to improve the provision for children.

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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 EY414705 Local authority Blackpool Inspection number 981751

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 70 Name of provider Debra Easter Date of previous inspection 24/05/2013 Telephone number 01253596951

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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

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’.

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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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