The Sunshine Centre

The Sunshine Centre Civic Square, TILBURY, Essex, RM18 8AD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/08/2014 24/04/2009

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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

 The centre manager provides motivation and inspiration to the whole staff team, showing exemplary leadership skills.  The staff team make excellent use of all planned and naturally occurring situations to extend children's learning and development through very high quality teaching.  The range of activities and experiences provided is highly effective in supporting children's learning and development across all abilities.  The centre's daily routine provides an extensive amount of free play time enabling children to independently explore, investigate and discover.  The staff team make excellent use of all resources and play spaces to ensure children of all ages play in safe, secure, stimulating environments.  Staff maintain very high levels of safety and security through well implemented procedures and close supervision.

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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 children engaging in activities in the playrooms and the outdoor area.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

The Sunshine Centre was registered in 2008 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a purpose-built premises in Tilbury in Essex and is managed by the centre manager. The centre serves families in Thurrock and is accessible to all children with a diagnosed disability. It operates from one large play room with a sensory room and a computer room. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The centre employs 16 regular childcare staff. Of these, 1 holds a playwork degree, 2 have level 4 qualifications, 5 have level 3 qualifications, 3 have level 2 qualifications and 5 are unqualified. The centre opens Monday to Saturday, all year round. Sessions run at different times during the year and the summer holiday playscheme provides daily sessions from 10am until 3pm for four weeks. A further 20 additional staff are recruited during the time the summer playscheme is in operation.

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Information about the setting

Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 244 children on roll of whom 19 are in the early years age group. The setting supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and all children attending the centre have a special educational need and/or disability.

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

 extend the already very successful professional development of staff, for example, by developing the use of peer observations.

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who attend

The manager has an extensive knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and ensures that all of the staff team have a clear understanding of how children with a wide range of abilities learn and develop. Parents complete an information booklet at the time of admission to provide exceptionally in-depth details of their child's individual needs. This ensures that support for the children's special educational needs and/or disabilities is exemplary. A precise picture of children's individual learning and development is accurately constructed through highly focused observations and assessments. This provides staff with an insight into the child's learning styles, their interests and their individual learning needs. Using this in-depth knowledge, the staff team provide exceptionally engaging activities and experiences which successfully cover each area of learning. Children are thoughtfully and appropriately challenged to be active learners, who

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who attend

are given time and space to explore and discover through independent play. Staff use the focused and precise assessment process alongside their comprehensive knowledge of the child, to accurately identify any gaps in learning and development. This ensures that all issues are swiftly addressed and families are immediately referred for support from other agencies if required. For families with English as an additional language, staff work closely with parents to build a secure picture of children's level of understanding and tailor support to each child. The exceptionally high quality teaching carefully enables children with a wide range of abilities to be confident, independent learners.

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who attend

Children have long periods of free play time which successfully enables them to follow their own interests. Children of all abilities move confidently between the indoor and outdoor play spaces and freely choose from a variety of resources. Staff provide excellent support through their interaction, enthusiastically motivating children to play, explore and discover. Staff's in-depth knowledge of the children allows them to very skilfully recognise and understand the children's feelings and successfully address them. Children are encouraged to use a wide range of communication skills to ensure they are able to make their needs and interests known. As a result, children's communication and language skills are very effectively supported and extended. For example, staff ensure all children are able to join in singing activities as they use signing as well as voice, and encourage children to join in using both skills themselves. Children benefit from spacious well-

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who attend

planned play areas that provide different spaces. The indoor area has space for role play and for creative art and craft activities or construction. The outdoor area has large physical play equipment that is designed to be safely accessible for children with a range of abilities. The children clearly delight in the outdoor space, where they can play with sand or water, climb and slide or play on the see-saw. Indoors there is also a sensory room, where children can access a range of sound and sight experiences and a quiet room where children independently operate computers and choose what to watch or play. Children's mathematical development is successfully supported in the quiet space as they play number games on the computer with careful support and praise from staff. Children's understanding of the world is extensively promoted. For example, staff plan and provide a wide range of visits to local attractions, such as a themed trail based on a popular story

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who attend

and the Bear Treasure Hunt. Children have access to books, and stories are read on request. To support children to begin to recognise letters, they are encouraged to use self- registration by finding their photograph with their name on to add to the board. To successfully extend communication and language staff continually use a very wide variety of vocabulary to describe what the children are doing while they play, and model language and signing for children. Staff are exceptionally skilful in extending children's learning through their interests. For example, at the craft activity children have free access to a wide range of materials and tools. They are encouraged to choose what they want to make and how they want to make it. This ensures they are able to freely express themselves and that high emphasis is put on the process of the creations rather than the end product. The exceptionally high levels of staff ensure children are fully included and

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who attend

allowed excellent levels of independence appropriate to their individual needs and abilities.

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who attend

Parents report that staff show a superb commitment to working with them to promote their children's learning and development. Parents are actively encouraged to contribute to learning with details of play and learning at home. These exemplary partnerships ensure parents are fully involved in the next steps in their child's learning. The centre team have created an excellent learning environment where children can be exceptionally independent. The daily routine is organised to allow long periods of time and space for free play. This ensures that children lead and develop their own play and are able to explore through active learning and skilfully set challenges. This helps children to be well prepared for their ongoing learning and the move on to school.

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

Children's well-being is sensitively and carefully nurtured. Staff are highly effective in supporting and developing their personal, social and emotional skills. Children arrive with their parents and are enthusiastically greeted by all staff. As a result, children are extremely confident when coming into the centre where they clearly feel secure and have a strong sense of belonging. Children go immediately to choose activities and are swiftly engaged in play. Throughout the session children move confidently around the play space, clearly making independent choices. Children's positive behaviour is exceptionally well promoted through sensitive strategies that staff have been trained to use very effectively. The daily routine is clearly well embedded with all the children and both younger and older children show good levels self-control. At a range of activities, children are skilfully encouraged to take turns and share. For example, at the sandpit children are searching for

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

the treasure. Staff encourage them to share tools and explain that they must wait for their turn. They support them as they ask others to share with them. This allows children to begin to understand and be aware of the feelings of others. The careful support of children's emotional development is highly successful in supporting them to move on to their next stage of learning with confidence in their abilities and high levels of self-esteem.

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

Children health is also exceptionally well supported through the excellent partnership with parents. Extensive details of children's health and medication needs are noted on their individual records. The staff team work closely with parents and all other professionals involved in each child's care. As a result, children make excellent developmental progress from their individual starting points. To support healthy diets, the centre provide a good range of healthy snacks and they work closely with parents who provide packed lunches for children. Every care is taken to ensure children's individual dietary needs are met. Staff prepare and serve food to allow all children to be as independent as possible in feeding themselves. This encourages children to try new foods and to extend their diets to include more healthy options. Parents report how delighted they are with the staff's support in healthy eating. Staff encourage children to follow the routines for good hygiene well and

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

everyone washes hands before snack and meals and after toileting.. To support children as they begin to assess and manage risks for themselves, staff talk to them about taking care and about using each play space appropriately. For example, children are dancing energetically in the computer room and staff encourage them to go to use the sensory room where they can safely play their music and indulge in their vigorous game.

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

Children play in a well-resourced, enabling environment that successfully promotes their independence. Staff ensure that all children are able to choose where to play and help them to move freely in both indoor and outdoor spaces. Resources are stored safely at child height so that they can access them throughout the session. There is lots of clear floor space to actively support children with different physical abilities to move freely and independently. The well thought out environment and dedication of the staff ensures children's physical development is optimised at all possible occasions. For example, children are sensitively encouraged to practise a range of physical movements that enable them to learn new skills, such as playing the drum with confidence. Parents are clearly delighted with the staffs commitment and enthusiasm in supporting children's development.

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provision

The manager is highly motivated and committed to meeting the individual needs of the children who attend the centre. Her inspirational leadership and vision enthuses the staff team who work in highly effective ways to support children's welfare and learning and development. The well-qualified staff team are provided with ongoing opportunities to train and continue their professional development, ensuring that knowledge is continually updated. The management team has an excellent understanding of the safeguarding requirements and children's safety is maintained at a very high level. There are current and effective risk assessments in place and secure systems for visitors, ensuring the safety and security of the building. All staff update their child protection training regularly and have current suitability checks. They are very familiar with the safeguarding policies and procedure for the centre and confident to use these as required.

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provision

The manager is well qualified and highly experienced. She works alongside staff in all aspects of the childcare. This means she is constantly supervising and monitoring staff practice and can quickly identify staff's strengths and areas for development. Staff are further supported by monthly supervision sessions and six-monthly appraisals. The staff team work together to monitor the provision and develop areas that they identify for improvement. Peer observations are now being considered as a way to further enhance professional development and share best practice within the centre. The manager holds daily meetings to discuss any issues for the session and to share ideas about activities and the use of resources. As a result, children that need particular support to engage in activities are carefully and sensitively included. The manager monitors children's progress records to ensure that they are accurate and uses this to identify any learning and

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provision

development needs. In order to make the records as useful as possible, they are updated after each session and are clearly well used and effective.

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provision

Parents contributions are clearly highly valued by staff and parents are very complimentary about the exceptional care taken to meet the needs of children. Parents enjoy being part of the centre's life and show a high commitment to exchanging information with staff. Parents' describe the setting as a fantastic place for their children and they are very appreciative of the support their families have received. The staff's very high levels commitment to enabling all children to fulfil their potential is further evidenced in the strength of partnerships with other agencies. The centre team maintain close working relationships with all agencies and carers involved with children so that they benefit from a wide range of knowledge and skills. Staff have clear relationships with schools and other settings to support children as they move on to the next stage in their learning. This helps to maintain children's confidence in learning as an enjoyable and

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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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 EY368685 Local authority Thurrock Inspection number 857908

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 244 Name of provider Thurrock Council Date of previous inspection 24/04/2009 Telephone number 01375 413525

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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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