Inspection report for early years provision

Unique Reference Number	EY357387
Inspection date	01 July 2008
Inspector	Lynn Dent

Setting Address	51 Garendon Road, LOUGHBOROUGH, Leicestershire, LE11 4QB
Telephone number	01509 268888 Nursery
E-mail	payal@thelittlehousedaynursery.co.uk
Registered person	Little House Day 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?

Little House Day Nursery is privately owned. It opened in 2007 and operates from four rooms in a converted house in Loughborough in Leicestershire. A maximum of 47 children may attend the nursery which is open each weekday from 07:30 to 18:00 each week day for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure outdoor play area.

There are currently 35 children from nine months to under five years on roll. Of these, 11 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area, as most of their parents travel to work in Loughborough. The nursery currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

The nursery employs eight staff. Of theses, five hold appropriate early years qualifications and three are working towards a higher qualification.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn from an early age about the importance of maintaining good hygiene. This is shown as children from two years routinely wash their hands and place paper towels in a dustbin after use. Older children understand that hand washing helps to protect them from germs and can clearly explain that they need to wear sun cream and hats in hot weather to prevent them getting sunburn.

Routine cleaning of the premises, toys and equipment ensures that the risk of cross-contamination are minimised. This means that staff sterilise toys for babies daily and clean tables and other surfaces throughout the day. All staff wear disposable gloves and aprons when changing nappies and clean the changing area after use with antibacterial cleaner.

The procedures for the management of accidents ensure children receive appropriate care by staff trained in first aid and details are recorded and shared with parents. A clear policy and procedure for the care of children who are ill ensures the risks to healthy children are minimised and parents understand why they are required to keep their children at home when they are infectious. Sleeping and feeding routines for babies are effectively managed to ensure consistency with their home routines. Consequently, their emotional development is promoted.

The dietary needs of children are known and met because staff work closely with parents to ensure they have clear information about this. Children benefit because they receive healthy snacks and meals such as sweet and sour chicken or quiche with vegetables followed by fruit flan or yoghurt. Drinks and fruit are readily available for children to enjoy at all times. Consequently, they freely choose when to eat and drink. Children understand that they need to drink more in hot weather and that fruit is good for helping them grow. Meal times are used well to help children develop skills for later life such as good table manners.

All staff plan for children to play outside on suitable equipment and participate in a range of activities. As a result, older children freely move between the indoor and outdoor environments. However, although staff working with younger children explain that they encourage them to freely access the garden this was not observed during the inspection. Chairs made the garden inaccessible to children and in practice children were brought inside when they ventured out. Consequently, their outdoor play is not sufficiently promoted.

All children show good physical development. For example, babies and younger children develop independent walking because staff promote this by supporting them to stand and walk while holding their hands. Older children can skilfully move under, over and through a range of outdoor play equipment and toddlers push buggies for dolls indoors. Older children develop the control of their bodies as the play games such as 'The Bean Game'. Babies enjoy banging activity toys and younger children enjoy using brushes and glue sticks and can work developmentally appropriate toys. Older children can use writing and craft tools such as scissors well. Consequently, hand to eye coordination for all children is promoted.

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a bright and stimulating environment due to the effective layout of the rooms and the appealing displays which include photographs and children's art work. A wide range of toys and resources are in good condition and stored to enable all children to self-select at will. These resources are enhanced by a range of natural materials and everyday objects provided by staff and parents. Systematic procedures ensure that staff identify and address potential risks to children’s well-being. The outdoor play area is secure and well maintained. Therefore, the environment is safe and children can move assertively around the premises. As a result their independence and confidence is promoted.

Children develop a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe because staff reiterate the safety rules, for example, they remind children not to stand on chairs to prevent them falling and hurting themselves, and ask children to be careful when using cutlery and when moving scissors from one area of the room to use at a table. Children take part in regular fire drills. Consequently, they understand this procedure.

Children’s safety continues to be maintained well when on outings because clear procedures are implemented. As a result the number of adults caring for the children is enhanced. Reins or buggies are used to keep younger children safe. All children wear a badge with the name of the nursery and the telephone number so that they can be quickly identified if they become lost.

Children's welfare is effectively protected because staff have a clear understanding of the indicators of child abuse and neglect and how to record and manage these concerns. This includes their responsibility to report concerns to the Local Safeguarding Children Board. Children are cared for by suitable adults at all times because the management and staff ensure that children are never left alone with students or uncleared adults.

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children under three years benefit because staff effectively plan and implement the 'Birth to three matters' framework. This ensures that the activities and experiences are appropriate to meet the children’s developmental needs. Detailed records are kept of children’s developmental progress. As a result their next steps are identified and supported. Staff provide a warm and secure environment for children who are encouraged to participate in a good range of adult-led and child-initiated activities. Children show they enjoy themselves at the nursery because they smile, giggle and chatter happily as they play. Staff provide effective interaction as children play which promotes their confidence and self-esteem.

Staff move around the rooms to ensure that all children are effectively supported in their care, learning and play. However, they are also skilled in knowing when to take a step back allowing children to develop their own play and learning and relationships with their friends. Babies and children under two years are inquisitive. They bang toys with wooden drumsticks and copy the staff. Others are engrossed in water play where their language is being extended by staff who introduce simple words such as ’Splish, splash’ as children tap their hands in the water.

Toddlers enjoy activities that promote their senses. For example, they are playing with flour, rice and pasta as staff talk to them about how it feels. They later mix this with paint and enjoy exploring the difference in how it feels. Staff encourage children to play with natural materials. For example, they are painting a large cardboard box with their hands and a variety of brushes. When the box is dry the children help staff to place cushion inside and to stick their pictures up to make it a home corner. Consequently, children enjoy sitting in the box and pointing at the pictures as they play with their friends.

Nursery Education

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Consequently, children are making good progress towards the early learning goals in the Foundation Stage. Staff plan a broad and balanced range of experiences across all areas of learning. This includes adult-led activities and also provides time for child-initiated experiences. Planning and routines are flexible to take account of everyday events. For example, children find an earwig in the box that their shoes are stored in. The staff use this experience to talk about how the children are feeling as some express their dislike of the earwig, and to learn about where it lives and find out how they can put it back in the garden.

Detailed records are in place to show the educational progress each child is making. As a result the children’s achievements and next steps in learning are clearly identified. Staff regularly monitor and assess the planned activities to ensure that the learning intentions are met. However the assessments do not sufficiently show how activities are adapted for future use to further benefit the children. Staff engage with children well and use activities to promote different areas of learning. For example, during a pretend birthday mathematical skills are developed as staff children talk about cutting a cake in half and how many pieces they need for each child to receive a piece.

Children’s personal, social and emotional development is promoted. Consequently, they are confident and competent in managing their personal care and develop good relationships with their friends and the staff. Children enjoy team games and staff encourage sharing and care for their friends during activities such as 'The farmer’s in his den'. Children learn mathematical concepts during everyday activities and when singing rhymes and songs. As a result they can count accurately and identify shapes and colours. This is shown as children identify a triangle and explain that it has three sides.

Children use their language well to remember and re-tell simple stories during their imaginative play. For example, they explain that the ‘Gruffalo’ is scary'. Children are at different stages of writing. Some are mark-making, others are copying their name from cards and older and more able children can independently write their names. Older and more able children can identify words in books. For example, children can read words such as ‘lollipop’.

Children learn about the wider world in which they live because they participate in activities linked to a range of topics. For example, they understand about life cycles form studying what happens to butterflies. The have recently completed a topic about space and know that there are planets, the sun, moon and stars in the sky. Children are skilled at using a computer and the games they play support all other areas of learning. Children are creative because they have time to plan and design the displays for their rooms. They also enjoy making up stories as they play imaginatively. For example, they are pretending to be fairies and explain that their wands 'do good and bad magic tricks'.

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They show a sense of awe and wonder when provided with new and different resources. For example, younger children enjoy painting a large box and then playing inside it. Although the setting does not currently care for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, staff ensure that good organisation and working partnerships with other professionals means that children’s needs are quickly identified and met.

The staff warmly welcome children from a range of cultures and backgrounds and throughout the year the staff help children learn about diversity through a range of planned activities. For example, they provide chopsticks to help celebrate Chinese New Year, and make cards for Tanabata, the Jewish star festival. Consequently, all children feel valued and are positively encouraged to learn about the wider world in which they live.

Children show good behaviour because they receive consistent praise from staff. For example, they receive a 'well done' for sharing, using their manners and taking part in activities. Older children understand the rules because these are displayed in their room and they have drawn pictures to show what the mean. Consequently, no unacceptable behaviour was observed during the inspection as children play harmoniously alongside and with their friends. Staff explain the strategies they use, such as discussion and distraction to manage unacceptable behaviour and are good role models for good behaviour.

All parents receive a clear prospectus at induction. Further information is shared through newsletters and notices displayed in the nursery. Parents are welcomed into the setting and staff ensure that they are available to greet the children and talk to parents when they arrive and leave. Consequently, all parties are kept fully informed of the children’s individual care needs, routines and achievements. Parents meetings are held regularly to discuss the children’s progress. Workshops are held for parents to help them understand how children learn through play and activities such as making pizza.

The partnership with parents and carers of children in receipt of funding for early education is good. Parents receive good information about Curriculum for the foundation stage. Planning is displayed within the nursery and shared through newsletters. As a result parents are informed of current themes. However, staff do not provide sufficient information about how parents can help their children learn at home. Consequently, they may not be fully involved in their children’s learning in meaningful ways. Staff collect information about the children at induction or as they enter the Foundation Stage. This helps to establish the children’s current stage of learning and to build on what they already know. This information is shared with parent through appointments to discuss their children’s educational progress and to identify the next steps in their learning. Therefore, parents are kept informed of their children’s progress.

Organisation

The organisation is good. Overall children's needs are met. The nursery aims to provide a place where children feel safe, happy, secure and comfortable with staff. Observations show that these aims are achieved because children are treated with kindness and respect and are happy to be there.

Robust recruitment procedures, checking of new staff, regular appraisals to identify their training needs and to ensure their continued suitability to work with children ensures that children’s welfare is protected. Staff and students undergo a thorough induction procedure which arms them with the information they need to effectively fulfil their role and provide good care for the children. As a result all children are making good progress in their development and learning. Good procedures are in place and observed to work well during unplanned staff absence. As a result additional staff known to the nursery and the children are quickly contacted ensuring that the adult to child ratios continue to be exceeded.

The nursery policies and procedures work effectively in practice to underpin the care and learning the children receive. 'Birth to three matters' and the Curriculum for the foundation stage are planned and implemented well to ensure that children’s developmental and educational attainment is good. Staff work together as a cohesive team which ensures that children receive consistent good care and support in their care, learning and play. The environment and time is organised well to allow children to make choices and have time to participate in the adult-led activities. Documentation and records are in place, kept secure and organised well. Therefore, information about the children is easily accessible and effectively underpin the children’s care and learning.

Leadership and management of early education is good. Staff effectively implement a broad and balanced curriculum across all areas of learning. Consequently, children's progress is good. Children’s learning is regularly reviewed to ensure that they are making good progress. The management and staff work well together to evaluate the effectiveness of the nursery and adapt the provision to ensure that all children achieve. As a result children are fully integrated in the inclusive environment.

Improvements since the last inspection

Not applicable.

Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that the 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):

• improve organisation to ensure that younger children have regular opportunity to play outdoors.

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 assessment arrangements to identify show how activities can be adapted for future learning
• improve systems to enable parents to become involved in their children's learning in meaningful ways.

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