Ofsted Inspection Report - Nursery
Inspection Date: 4 May 2006
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?
Deepdene School was founded in 1948 and is a Pre-preparatory school for children up to 8 years. It was first registered to provide full day care in 2005. The school is divided into three departments: the toddler unit for children aged up to two-and-a-half year olds, the nursery for two to four-year-olds and the reception and Pre-prep classes for children over four years old.
The school is open from 08:00 to 18:00, during term time with the core hours being 08:30 to 15:20. The school also offers a holiday play scheme. Children can attend for full day care or for sessions within the day.
The school occupies two floors of a large house and has safe, secure outdoor areas. It is situated in a mainly residential area of Hove; children attending are representative of the local area.
There is currently 219 children on roll, of these 83 receive funded nursery education. The school supports children for whom English is an additional language and those identified with special educational needs. There are over 20 members of staff all of whom hold a recognised qualification or are working towards one.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION
Helping children to be healthy
The provision is good. Children enjoy a worthwhile range of activities which help to promote their good health. They learn about the importance of good personal hygiene and understand why they need to wash their hands after visiting the toilet and before eating food. They begin to learn to take responsibility for their own health as they brush their teeth daily after lunch and know to drink more water when the weather is hot. Children enjoy regular physical play both indoors and out. A stimulating variety of activities helps children gain increasing control of their bodies for example, as they pour sand from container to container or as they put the clothes on the dolls. Staff have a sound knowledge of Birth to three matters; they use the guidance well to provide a range of physical play experiences for babies and young children. All children are able to rest and be active according to their needs. Meal and snack times are sociable; children sit at the table with their friends and staff. Children are provided with a range of healthy snacks including wholemeal toast and fruit encouraging them to develop healthy eating practices. Children enjoy varied and nutritious meals which comply with all special dietary requirements to ensure they remain healthy.
Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
The provision is good. Children in all areas of the setting enjoy their play in an extremely safe environment where staff are vigilant and use risk assessments extremely well to reduce potential hazards. Space within the setting is effectively organised, allowing children to move around safely, freely and independently. Children are enthusiastic explorers when playing outside with a variety of challenging physical play equipment. Children use a wide range of good quality toys and resources appropriate to their age and stage of development. Children begin to learn to take responsibility for keeping themselves safe as they practise fire evacuation procedures. They learn about safety through staff's clear and simple explanations as to why a rule is in place, for example they know not to run inside the nursery as they might fall and hurt themselves. Children are well protected by staff that have a clear understanding of child protection policies and procedures. All of these measures contribute to the safety and welfare of the children.
Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do
The provision is good. Children arrive happy and eager to participate, enjoying their time at the nursery. Staff are accomplished in extending children's learning and they are extremely well motivated by the challenges set throughout the day. They achieve well because staff are skilled and use their understanding of early years guidance, such as Birth to three matters and the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage, to provide good quality care and education. Children show considerable independence and make choices about the toys and resources they want to play with. A wide range of appropriate resources and activities effectively promotes children’s development. Staff encourage children to play together and share. Lots of praise and encouragement develops children's self-esteem. All children enjoy plenty of opportunities to develop their social skills, for example, as they sit together and chat at meal times or negotiate and co-operate during role-play. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. A worthwhile range of relevant activities related to their needs fascinates children. They access a comprehensive range of well-chosen resources which support their progress across all areas of learning. Children are happy, confident and interested in the activities offered. They are developing an awareness of others needs and have good self-esteem because staff listen to them and value their ideas and contributions. Children develop a healthy interest in books, they enjoy sharing stories with adults and peers and delight in predictable endings. They are confident speakers, and understand they can use writing for a variety of purposes and are beginning to write for themselves. Children skilfully use and recognise numbers in everyday activities; they count confidently and know numbers that are important to them. They choose number activities during free play and enjoy number rhymes and songs. Topic work and practical activities arouses children's natural curiosity and develops their exploration and investigation skills. They learn about nature as they care for and observe the growth of tadpoles or the sunflower seeds they plant. Children move confidently showing a good awareness of space and others in both the indoor and outdoor space. Children express themselves creatively using all of their senses to actively explore a stimulating range of new experiences, for example, children making bread were encouraged to describe how the dough felt. As children begin in the nursery staff find out about their skills, interests and needs and build on this information to help them achieve and progress. Children flourish as the balance between adult and child-led activities allows them to learn at their own pace. Staff observe the children during free play and focussed activities using their notes to assess children’s achievements. Staff use this information to plan the next steps in each child’s learning.
Helping children make a positive contribution
The provision is good. Children feel good about themselves as staff treat them with respect. They develop self-esteem and confidence as they voice their opinions and make choices and decisions. All children are highly valued as individuals; the good use of information gathered from the parents, and children themselves, when they first start at the setting helps to meet their needs effectively. Children are developing an awareness of their own and other cultures through a range of planned activities and as they celebrate a variety of festivals. Staff have a positive attitude towards diversity; however, there is a limited range of resources which reflect other cultures. Good use of visual symbols helps bilingual children develop an understanding of the nursery routines. While there are a few dual language books there is no dual language labelling within the setting. However, children do have regular French lessons. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children behave well, they are enthusiastic and well motivated; they benefit from the consistent praise and encouragement offered. Staff support younger children in sharing and turn taking. Children learn about themselves and their own capabilities. Staff set consistent boundaries for older children which helps them learn to negotiate with others and take responsibility for their own behaviour. Children gain confidence as staff acknowledge them as important individuals. Staff set consistent boundaries for children which helps them learn to negotiate with others and take responsibility for their own behaviour. Staff have a positive attitude to working with children with special educational needs and their families. All children are included in all activities. Partnership with parents is good and this contributes considerably to children's well-being while at the setting. Staff are friendly and approachable. There are formal and informal systems in place to ensure that all parents know how their children are progressing and developing. The school has a web site that includes the weekly plans for each part of the school. Children’s learning is enhanced by this sharing of information between staff and parents.
Organisation
The organisation is good. Children feel at home and are at ease in the well-organised environment. Children benefit from being cared for by staff that are qualified and experienced in childcare. All staff members have a good knowledge and understanding of children's developmental needs. All children receive good support from a staff group that enjoy their company and know them well helping them feel secure and confident. Leadership and management is good. There are systems in place to monitor and evaluate the funded nursery education. Policies and procedures to guide the staff team are in place, and available to parents. These are used effectively to promote the welfare, care and learning of children. However, accidents and the administration of medicine within the nursery are both recorded in such away that confidentiality is not maintained. Staff work well as a team and clear communication and guidance allows them to provide a stimulating well-balanced programme. There are regular appraisals that identify training needs and staff are encouraged to enrol on relevant courses. This supports staff in their role and ensures they have the latest and most relevant information available. All aspects of the children's care and learning are discussed with the parents, who are kept well informed of their child's achievements. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.
Improvements since the last inspection
Not applicable.