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Inspection report for early years provision
Unique Reference Number : 148671
Inspection date : 09 May 2008
Inspector: Judith Mary Butler
Setting Address: Rose Street Methodist Church, Rose Street, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1XS
Telephone number 07749 744783
Registered person: Rose Street Nursery
Type of inspection: Integrated
Type of care: Full day care
About this inspection
The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage.
The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.
The key inspection judgements and what they mean
Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality
Good: this aspect of the provision is strong
Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound
Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough
For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.
THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION
On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:
The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.
The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.
WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?
Rose Street Nursery was registered in 1967 and is situated in Rose Street Methodist Church Centre. The provision has use of one room and an enclosed courtyard garden for activities and play. Rose Street is located in the centre of Wokingham town and serves families from backgrounds reflecting the diversity of the local area. A maximum of 25 children may attend at any one time. The nursery is open during term time from Monday to Friday. Sessions operate from 09:30 until 12:15. The nursery also has a lunch club which is open from Monday to Friday 12:15 until 13:15.
There are currently 34 children on roll. Of these, 22 children receive funding for early education. The nursery currently supports children who speak English as an additional language.
There are six staff employed to work with the children. Of these, five hold relevant early years qualifications.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION
Helping children to be healthy
The provision is good. Children access daily fresh air and exercise through the use of the outside play area and space within the hall. Children enjoy using different equipment and resources while playing outside including the water tray, bats and balls and sit and ride toys. Children have lots of fun looking for bugs during a hide and seek game. Staff plan activities inside that enable the children to use their gross motor skills, for example, music and movement to the nursery rhymes. Staff request parents to provide suitable clothing to ensure their child remains healthy while playing outside, such as hats during summer months.
Children enjoy a range of healthy snacks including a variety of fruit and vegetables. Staff plan snacks to fit in with the current theme, for example, noodles when celebrating Chinese New Year. Children have a choice of water or milk at snack time and have free access to water both in the hall and outside throughout the session. Staff discuss the individual needs of the children with parents and these are recorded to ensure they are met. Children sit in small groups to enjoy their snack. They are keen to chat to each other and exchange information with staff, for example, talking about having their paddling pools out at the weekend.
All of the required documentation to record the administration of medication and accidents is in place. Parents are requested to countersign completed accident reports and receive a copy. This ensures they are aware of any accidents occurring to their child. Medication forms are in place however, it is not clear to staff that parents need to countersign completed documentation. Children learn about personal hygiene and health through regular reminders from staff, for example, washing their hands after using the toilet and reminders about sun tan cream in warm weather.
Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
The provision is good. The nursery premises are clean and well maintained. Staff organise the environment to ensure it is bright and welcoming to parents and children who attend. Children's art work is displayed on a large notice board and this enables them to feel valued and assists them in developing their self esteem. However, the organisation of the entrance does not provide adequate space for parents and children to enter easily at the beginning of the session. Children enter the setting happily and leave their main carer with ease. Staff are aware of those children who require assistance in this task and offer a high level of support. Children are independent in their choice of toys and resources and access a good range set out by staff and displayed in low level shelving units around the main nursery room. Toys and resources are sorted and washed to ensure they are in good repair and suitable for the ages and stages of children attending.
Children are developing an awareness of keeping themselves safe through gentle reminders from staff, for example, asking one child why it was dangerous to stand on the chair. Effective procedures are followed by staff to ensure the safety of children including escorting children to the cloakroom and regular fire evacuation procedures. A daily safety check is undertaken and this minimizes risks to children. The premises are secure and effective procedures are in place to prevent visitors entering the nursery without prior knowledge of the staff members. Policies and procedures have been reviewed and updated and the setting now has a procedure to follow in the event of a child being lost.
Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding children procedures and the signs and symptoms of child abuse. They hold all of the required documentation to record and refer concerns. Most staff members have attended safeguarding children training. All the relevant vetting procedures have been carried out for staff working in the setting.
Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do
The provision is good. Children greet each other and staff members as they arrive. They settle quickly into the routine of the day and enjoy selecting the toys and resources they wish to use. Children are developing friendships with their peers with some seeking others out as they arrive. Good relationships are in place between the children and the staff who know the individual children well. Children enjoy large and small group times and benefit from the individual time they have with staff members during the free play session. This enables them to feel special and valued and assists them in developing their self-esteem. Children are confident in expressing their thoughts, feelings and views to each other during snack time and group times. Children have quiet and active times within their daily routine.
Nursery Education.
The quality of learning and teaching is good. Children in receipt of nursery education are making good progress towards the early learning goals. The staff team show a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and this assists them in planning varied and interesting activities and resources. Children are confident and sociable; they like to exchange information with others, such as talking about what they have enjoyed doing during the morning at the large group time. They select their own toys and resources from the wide variety set out and stored in low shelving units. Children are kind and considerate to others in their play; they take turns and share the resources, for example, one child held a bucket while another used the spade to fill it with sand. Staff use good consolidation techniques to reinforce children's learning, including questioning and re visiting topics and themes.
Children enjoy books and stories in large groups with a staff member and in smaller groups with their peers. They are beginning to be aware that print carries meaning and handle books with care. Children have many opportunities to mark make and practise their emergent writing, including at the easel, in diaries in the office area and while drawing. Most children are able to recognise their names and some are beginning to recognise letters in other people's names. However, staff do not provide children with many opportunities to recognise simple words and numbers through the labelling of familiar objects around the nursery. Children are confident in their counting skills and are beginning to use simple calculations, for example, two children count and compare the number of crayons in each colour. They are beginning to recognise numbers from one to five. Children use mathematical language in their play, including bigger and smaller while playing with the wooden blocks.
Children are confident in their computer skills and many are able to use the mouse to navigate around a simple computer program. Children have opportunities to care for growing things and enjoy watering the strawberry plants while playing outside. They access a good range of different materials including clay, water, sand, play dough and gloop. The especially enjoyed talking about the ice cubes when they were placed in the water tray. Children develop a sense of time through the consistent routine, they know, for example, when the bell rings it is time to tidy up and they help with this task.
Children develop their imagination through a variety of activities including singing and role play. The enjoy dancing to the music and have a good repertoire of songs. Children have access to the art trolley and freely select the materials they wish to use, for example, masking tape to construct a model. Children are confident in their physical skills and move freely around the main hall. They are able to address their own needs, such as pouring a drink of water as they require one, and taking of clothing when they get warm. They participate in activities that develop their hand-eye co-ordination including completing the puzzles and using the hammer in the tap tap game.
The staff team know the individual children well; they share information and discuss the children with parents. They talk to children about their families and this enables the children to feel secure in the nursery. A key person system operates and staff undertake regular observations on all of the children. These are used to update the individual children's developmental records and identify their next steps in learning. However, information from these records is not always recorded clearly to ensure all staff are aware of individual children. Children enjoy individual time with staff members through the daily routine.
Helping children make a positive contribution
The provision is good. Children and parents receive a warm welcome at the nursery. Staff show a good knowledge of the individual children and this enables the children to settle quickly into the nursery routine. Children are confident, happy and have their individual needs met, they enjoy the sociable time they have while in the nursery. Children learn about the world around them through a range of different topics and resources. They celebrate different festivals and traditions, for example, Thanksgiving. Children's social, moral, cultural and spiritual development is fostered.
All children are included and valued within this nursery. Children with English as an additional language receive a high level of support from staff who work closely with parents. Children are well behaved and are reminded about the expectations from staff, for example, lining up to walk to the enclosed courtyard area. Children are aware of the rules and boundaries and remind others about these, such as asking a visitor to tidy up now. Children show a high level of co-operation in their play, taking turns and sharing the toys and resources with their peers.
The partnership with parents is good. The nursery operates an open door policy and parents are aware that they can discuss their child with their key person or other staff at any time. Parents are invited to attend a consultation meeting each term when they have the opportunity to discuss their child's progress in detail with their child's key person. Regular newsletters, the notice board and web site keep parents informed about the policies, procedures, themes and daily routine of the nursery. Verbal feedback received during the inspection from parents was very positive.
Organisation
The organisation is good. Children are happy and content in the nursery environment. They settle quickly into the daily routine and enjoy selecting the toys and resources they wish to use from the wide variety available. Staff make effective use of the space within the hall and courtyard area and children move confidently around these areas. Children have their individual play preferences met through the effective planning of activities and resources provided by staff.
All of the required documentation to support the health, welfare and safety of children is in place. However, it is not made clear that parents will be required to countersign completed medication forms. Effective systems are now in place to accurately record the arrival and departure times of all children, staff and adults in the nursery and this enhances their safety. Policies and procedures are reviewed regularly and all of the required policies are now in place. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.
Leadership and management are good. Staff show a sound knowledge of early years guidance including the National Standards, Foundation Stage and Birth to three matters framework. This enables them to plan an interesting and stimulating range of resources and activities to suit the needs of all children. All staff are involved in the planning process with the manager taking the responsibility of pulling the final documents together. Staff work very well together and are fully aware of their individual roles and responsibilities. An effective recruitment, induction and appraisal system is in place. Staff are requested to identify their individual strengths, weaknesses and training needs and are actively encouraged to attend training and support sessions to further their early year’s knowledge.
Improvements since the last inspection
Following the last inspection for day care there were four actions to be addressed. These related to improving knowledge and understanding of the requirements and regulations, informing Ofsted of any significant changes to the management, ensuring that an accurate record was maintained detailing the arrival and departure times of all persons in the setting. The group was also requested to complete regular fire evacuation procedures and update the policies and procedures to include a lost child policy.
Since the last inspection the management have gained a thorough knowledge of the requirements for regulation and are aware that Ofsted would need to be informed of significant changes to the committee or management. Staff keep an accurate register, this details the hours of arrival and departure of all adults and children in the setting. Regular fire evacuation procedures are followed and detailed accounts of the procedures are kept, this enhances the children's safety. The policies and procedures have been updated and now include a lost child policy.
At the last inspection for nursery education there were two issues to be addressed. These related to ensuring that evaluations from teaching and learning were used to inform planning the children's next steps in learning to ensure they had their individual needs met. The setting were also requested to develop staff's understanding of the Foundation Stage and Birth to three matters framework.
Since the last inspection the setting have adapted the planning to ensure that individual children's next steps in learning are identified and recorded, however this is not always recorded clearly to ensure all staff are aware of individual children. Staff have attended training and this has provided them with a better understanding of curriculum guidance.
Complaints since the last inspection
Since the last inspection there have no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.
The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.
THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION
On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:
The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.
The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.
WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?
The quality and standards of the care
To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):
develop the documentation for recording administration of medication to ensure staff are clear that parents need to countersign completed paperwork
organise the entrance area of the hall to allow parents and children to enter easily at the beginning of the session
The quality and standards of the nursery education
To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):
further develop the process for identifying and recording children's
next steps in learning
provide further opportunities for children to recognise numbers and simple words through the labelling of objects around the nursery.
Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk