Parkside Childcare

The Coleridge Centre Ribble Drive, DARLINGTON, County Durham, DL1 5TY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/12/2014 18/12/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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

 Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities with regards to child protection and the premises are safe and secure. Children are well safeguarded.  The quality of teaching is consistently good. This effectively supports children to make good progress in their learning and development. Staff are enthusiastic and provide rich and varied activities and experiences, which build upon children's interests and abilities.  Staff have a very good relationship with parents, which means that they work together effectively to support the overall care and learning needs of children.  Staff know the children well and strong bonds are formed, so that children are happy, settled and motivated to learn.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The manager has not yet fully maximised the systems for performance management. Staff do not frequently share their knowledge and expertise with each other, in order to build on their already good practice so that children make the best possible progress.  There is room to strengthen partnerships with the nursery school so that there is increased sharing of information about children's learning, so that a more consistent and complementary approach can be established.

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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 taking place in the nursery room and the outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager and the deputy manager, and discussed a range of policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to staff and children during the inspection. She conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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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 and the provider's self-evaluation form.

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Information about the setting

The Coleridge Centre was registered in 2006 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated within the Coleridge Centre in the South End area of Darlington, and is managed by a community enterprise association. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from two rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery also has use of the Children's Centre facilities. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including one with Qualified Teacher Status, and one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 74 children attending, of whom 59 are in the early years age group. The nursery provides

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Information about the setting

funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 strengthen further the focus on systems for performance management, for example, through more precisely evaluating the impact of peer observations, in sharing staff's expert knowledge and good practice, so that children make the best possible progress

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

 enhance partnerships with the nursery school that some children attend, in order to support a more shared approach to children's ongoing learning and progress.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and of how young children learn and develop. They plan a rich and stimulating play and learning environment. Consequently, children are enthusiastic and confident learners who are developing the necessary skills needed for the next stage in their learning, such as nursery and school. Staff show great enthusiasm and clearly enjoy spending time with the children. They work closely with parents before children start to attend to establish children's starting points. Consequently, they can plan appropriately to continue children's learning. Staff carry out regular observations and assessments of children's progress, including the progress check for children aged between two and three years. This allows staff to accurately track children's progress and identify any gaps in their learning. As a result, all children, including those that have special educational needs and/or disabilities,

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who attend

make good progress overall from their starting points.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is good. For example, staff are highly skilled at using a range of effective teaching techniques as they talk, question and show children how to use and play with resources in different ways. Children independently select their own books and bring them to staff to share together. Staff help children to be involved in this story time as they point to the print and encourage children to talk about what they see. This means children develop a love of books and of reading. Children sit with their friends at circle time and enthusiastically join in with the words and actions to familiar songs. Consequently, they are beginning to learn to sit together, take turns and recognise their friends names. Children with English as an additional language are appropriately supported. For example, staff know simple words and phrases in children's home language. Staff support children's growing interest in mini-beasts as they explore the slugs

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who attend

and worms they find outdoors. They extend this learning by supporting children in talking about whether certain creatures have legs or not, and by providing magnifiers so they can see the creatures in greater detail. Consequently, children remain engaged and interested in this activity for some time. Children develop good physical skills. They handle tools and glue sticks with growing confidence. They have easy access to the exciting outdoor environment, where they are supported in developing their climbing and balancing skills. Staff skilfully encourage children to have a go and think things through for themselves. Consequently, children persevere until they successfully join the pieces of guttering together to roll their tyres down. They smile broadly and proudly show adults what they have achieved. Staff also arrange a good range of outings in the local area, such as visiting the park and library. This helps children to become more aware of their local

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who attend

Partnerships with parents are strong. Regular parent meetings update them on their children's progress and next steps, through the sharing of summary sheets. Parents comment positively on the progress their children have made, stating that, 'My child has come on leaps and bounds, especially in speaking and confidence' and that, 'My child sings songs at home that they have learnt at nursery'. They also comment that they, 'like the end of day written reports'. Staff often send resources home for children to share with their parents to further support them in their learning at home. They also involve them in children's learning at nursery, for example, by asking them to provide recyclable resources and involving them in outings, such as trips to the theatre to see the pantomime.

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

Children are very settled and happy within the nursery. An effective key-person system helps children form secure attachments and develop positive relationships with each other and staff. The environment is warm, welcoming and stimulating, which effectively supports children's all-round development and emotional well-being. Children benefit from well-planned settling-in sessions, which are flexible to meet the individual needs of the children and their families. These enable children to settle quickly and reassures parents their children are well cared for. Children are encouraged to be independent and manage their own personal needs. They access their own resources, wash their own hands and help with tasks, such as tidying up. There are good hygiene practices in place and children start to develop an awareness of their own health and well-being, which effectively promotes their self-care skills. Young

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

children who require a sleep or rest have their own area where they can enjoy quiet time. Staff complete regular checks to ensure they remain safe and comfortable. Children are provided with a variety of balanced and nutritious meals and snacks, which develops their understanding of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Children's good health is further supported as they have daily opportunities for outdoor play, exercise and fresh air. This ensures children develop their physical skills and are able to take appropriate risks. Staff also arrange a good range of outings in the local area, such as visiting the park and library. They effectively promote all children's understanding of diversity and plan activities that encompass different celebrations, for example, children learn about various festivals and cultural celebrations throughout the year.

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

Children are kept safe in the setting because staff are deployed well, supervise children at all times and are aware of any dangers to children. For example, they teach children how to safely open the door into the outdoor area. Children further develop an awareness of safety, as staff give them gentle reminders as they play. For example, staff talk to them about the importance of not throwing toys in case they hurt their friends and sitting on chairs properly in case they fall off. Children respond well to these messages of safety and adapt their behaviour accordingly. Staff offer children meaningful praise and celebrate their achievements at every opportunity. This helps children develop a strong sense of self-worth. Alongside this, staff speak to children and each other politely and calmly, and expectations of good behaviour are modelled to them. As a result, children's behaviour is good and they are developing key skills, such as sharing and being kind to their friends.

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provision

The safeguarding and welfare requirements are successfully met and understood. The manager is the designated person for safeguarding and is knowledgeable and experienced in this role. She provides support, advice and guidance to her staff on an ongoing basis. All staff complete safeguarding training and are alert to the possible signs and symptoms of abuse. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures and a thorough induction process is undertaken to ensure that staff working with children are suitable to do so. All staff have a Disclosure and Barring Service check and a clear record is kept of these details. Policies and procedures are reviewed regularly and are shared with parents, which means that parents are well informed of the responsibility of the staff in keeping children safe. Daily safety checks and risk assessments are undertaken, which enables staff to maintain a safe and secure environment. This means that children are able to explore the environment

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provision

safely and independently as potential hazards are identified and minimised effectively.

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provision

There are effective systems in place to monitor and evaluate the educational programmes to ensure children are progressing well and are provided with activities to cover all seven areas of learning. Documentation for tracking children's progress is in place. This information accurately identifies when children are working below expected levels of development in the prime and specific areas of learning. Consequently, appropriate interventions are secured and all children, including those who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive the support they need. Self-evaluation is thorough and takes into account the views of staff, children and parents. This helps the manager to identify strengths within the nursery and any areas which may be developed further. A system of peer observations between staff, to enable them to reflect on their practice, has been recently introduced. However,

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provision

this is not yet fully embedded across all areas of the nursery, in order to enhance staff's professional skills and to drive even further improvement. The manager has positively addressed the action and recommendations raised at the last inspection. For example, she has reorganised the use of rooms so young children who require a sleep or rest are now able to do so in a quiet and calm environment. The management team has also provided additional training to help staff develop their questioning skills so as to encourage children's creative and thinking skills. The manager works closely with the local authority advisers, valuing their support and expertise. Staff are continually seeking ways to improve practice and the quality of care. For example, they have recently added extra resources to the outdoor area to further promote learning for children who learn best through exuberant play. This demonstrates a good capacity to maintain continuous

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provision

Partnerships with parents are positive and these successfully promote the welfare of children. Daily informal discussions, diary sheets, regular newsletters and children's learning journals provide parents with lots of relevant information. Staff also use parental review meetings to share information about the Early Years Foundation Stage and about how young children learn and develop. The manager and staff spend time with parents of children who are learning English as an additional language, translating information into their home language to ensure they are fully aware of and involved in their children's care. Parents speak highly of the nursery and of the staff, and say they have no concerns at all. The manager has developed extremely strong relationships with external agencies. As a result, staff have a secure understanding of the need for early intervention and are confident to make referrals for additional support to meet all children's needs. Close

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provision

partnerships with the on-site school mean that arrangements are in place, ensuring staff complement the learning carried out there. However, the links with the nursery school that some children attend are not as strong. This does not fully promote continuity in 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. 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 EY330167 Local authority Darlington Inspection number 964166

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 34 Number of children on roll 74 Name of provider Skerne Park Community Enterprise Association Limited Date of previous inspection 18/12/2013 Telephone number 01325 353416

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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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