Our OFSTED Report
Inspection report for early years provision.
On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:
The quality and standards of the care are outstanding. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.
The quality and standards of the nursery education are outstanding.
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 outstanding. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.
The quality and standards of the nursery education are outstanding.
WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?
Freshfields Nursery was established in 1990, opening in its current location in 1998. It operates from a Grade 2 listed manor house and an adjacent converted coach house in a rural location close to Stratford-upon-Avon town centre. The nursery is organised in to different zones with children cared for according to their age. The setting is based in extensive grounds and gardens and serves the surrounding rural villages and nearby town.
A maximum of 142 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 165 children from six months to 11-years-old on roll. This includes 39 funded children. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and who speak English as an additional language.
The group opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 07:30 until 18:30. An out of school club is provided in self-contained separate facilities. The club operates each weekday from 15:15 until 18:30. The setting collects children from local schools, using their own transport. There is a holiday club that runs from 07:30 until 18:30 during school holidays.
There are 24 full-time and 10 part-time members of staff who work with the children. Of these, 20 have early years qualifications to National Vocational Qualification level 2 or 3 or above. In addition, there are 12 members of staff who are currently working towards a recognised or higher level early years qualification. The setting receives support from a mentor teacher from the Local Authority. There is a qualified teacher on site who supports staff working with funded children as an internal mentor.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION
Helping children to be healthy
The provision is outstanding. Children's health is very well protected through well-planned daily routines and learning from example. They are very well supported in learning to manage their own personal care as they wash their hands before meals, after toileting and outside play. Anti-bacterial hand gel is used in addition to hand washing after the children have accessed the on-site farm area. Posters, photographs and written text displayed in bathroom areas help children to identify the stages of washing their hands. Older children are able to explain that they wash their hands ‘to make them clean' and ‘wash away the germs'. Excellent procedures such as staff consistently wearing disposable gloves and aprons for nappy changing sustain high levels of hygiene and help to prevent the spread of infection. Positive steps are taken to promote partnership working with parents in relation to nappy changing. Their wishes are sought over preferred nappy and changing product brands and these are sourced and provided by the setting, based on individual requirements. Tissues are readily available within base rooms. Staff are alert to wiping younger children's noses whilst older children's self-care skills are promoted as they are sensitively directed to the tissue basket.
The premises and equipment are maintained to a high standard of cleanliness. Older children enjoy helping with appropriate tasks to keep the room and equipment clean and tidy, for example, tidying away the toys and helping to sweep up spilt sand. There are effective procedures in place for if children become ill whilst in attendance at the setting. Regular cleaning of toys and bedding ensure that the risk of cross-infection is minimised. Children's needs during rest and sleep times are carefully considered, with comforters and special toys kept close by so that children always feel emotionally secure. Children are well protected from the pets and animals cared for on-site. All animals are regularly seen by a vet and receive the appropriate inoculations. Children are directly supervised when they visit the animals, ensuring their safety at all times.
Children are well nourished, enjoying healthy meals and snacks throughout the course of the day. Each morning they benefit from the variety of a sweet or savoury biscuit and a wide range of fresh fruit. Older children aged 3-years-old develop their independence and self-care skills as they access a self-service snack area at times of their choosing. They use picture cards to identify what they have eaten and place these on a board next to their name. Meals for lunch are produced by the nurseries two qualified chefs. They prepare meals each day using fresh and where possible organic produce. Processed foods are not provided and no salts or sugars are added during cooking processes. Children with food allergies or requiring special diets are well catered for. Suitable menus are planned for the whole setting to ensure that all children are able to enjoy the same meals, regardless of their individual dietary requirements. In the afternoon, they enjoy a light tea. Children are well hydrated. Fresh drinking water is readily available and drinks are also offered throughout the course of the day. Children bring their own named water bottles from home, which are frequently re-filled. There is an on-site vegetable garden and vegetables grown are used in children's meals. Children actively participate in the growing and tending to the vegetables. This provides them with the opportunity to learn about where food comes from. Information about children's individual dietary requirements is obtained in both written and verbal form from parents. Older children enjoy weekly cooking lessons with the nursery chef. They help with the weighing and measuring of ingredients to make bread, pizzas and fruit smoothies. Posters in dining areas identify healthy foods. Children's art work is displayed, showing their favourite meals and graphs identifying most popular fruits. One child said that he eats fruit and vegetables to ‘grow big and strong'. Another said it ‘makes us healthy'. Mealtimes are social occasions when staff and children sit together engaging in conversation. Children use lovely manners, thanking staff as they are served with their meal. Their independence is fostered well as they pour themselves a drink and choose what they would like to eat, for example, white or brown noodles. Meals provided often link to an international theme where children enjoy foods originating from other countries, developing their knowledge of the world in which they live. Younger children are well supported as they start to feed themselves with appropriate sized cutlery.
Children enjoy excellent opportunities to experience physical activity and develop their skills. The outdoor environment provides wonderful facilities for children, accessed at least twice a day. Regardless of the weather, they wrap up warmly in their coats and Wellington boots. They have various different play areas, which are all safe and secure for their use. They make regular visits to the enclosed on-site farm, fascinated by the animals. There is a garden area, with sensory garden and vegetable patch and there is also a large playground. Babies and younger children benefit from being taken out for walks in pushchairs to enjoy the fresh air and their surroundings. They go out to see horses in fields, often taking them apples to eat. They visit the sensory garden, exploring natural materials such as large pebbles and leaves. They develop their control as they practise their pedalling skills on trikes and kick, throw and catch balls. Indoors they are given plenty of space to move, roll, stretch and explore the things around them. They experience and achieve pleasure and control as they learn to throw a ball, play with shape sorters and use simple musical instruments. They use ball pools and soft play equipment, climbing up ramps to develop their crawling skills, rolling off and giggling with delight.
Older children have excellent opportunities to play outdoors. Their physical development is promoted and extended as they eagerly join in with free-play and organised activities. For example, they move their bodies in different ways such as stamping, jumping and hopping, balance along beams and run around. They negotiate space very well, avoiding their peers and equipment well. Staff encourage the children to think about the different ways that they can move and warm up their bodies. Together they develop a list and then test and explore their ideas when they go outside. Children explain that they do their exercises ‘so we get fit' and ‘to make us big and strong'. Their play area is well resourced and is used exceptionally well to promote other areas of learning. For example, children use outdoor musical instructions, build and construct in gravel and sand pits and write for their own purpose either in the garden centre or on chalk boards. They have a role play garden centre where they plant seeds, tend to them, observe and monitor their growth. Herbs that they have grown are often used by the nursery chef in meals provided for children. They enjoy using a tree house, climbing up to enjoy the view. They balance along stepping stones and build with milk crates. They are directly supervised by staff but benefit from being able to take acceptable risks in a controlled environment. After lunch, they benefit from a quiet time when they lie down on comfortable cushions to relax whilst listening to music.
Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
The provision is outstanding. Children enjoy a warm, welcoming, bright and stimulating care environment. Their art work is widely displayed around the setting, which shows that it is important and valued. Their environment is safe and secure and clean and well maintained. The outdoor environment provides excellent facilities for children. All areas are well maintained and are safe and secure for their use. Excellent steps are taken to ensure that children are safe. Detailed written risk assessments are in place and are well-organised. All identified actions are understood by staff and implemented in their practice. Staff complete visual risk assessments before the children arrive and throughout the day to ensure that the physical environment remains free from hazards. Very effective measures are in place to ensure that the premises are secure and that children are collected only by authorised adults.
Children have excellent opportunities to learn about keeping themselves safe. They regularly practise fire evacuations which develops their understanding of the action that they should take in the event of a fire. During their play, they discuss safety, for example, the importance of wearing safety equipment when visiting a building site. During outings and walks nearby, they develop road safety awareness as they use the Green Cross Code when crossing the road. Children's independence is fostered very well as they self select from a vast range of good quality toys and resources. Many of their playthings are produced from natural materials, which encourages their learning through sensory stimulation. They are very well stored, enabling children to freely choose what they would like to play with. Staff ensure children's safety as they check toys as they are used. They are regularly cleaned to ensure that they remain hygienic.
Sleeping babies are safely accommodated in their sleep room. They are checked at five minute intervals by staff who sign a record sheet to confirm that children are safe. In addition, sleep monitors are used and staff promptly respond to children when they wake. Older children sleep on sleep mats in their base rooms and are directly supervised by staff. All children have their own bed linen, which is regularly cleaned to ensure that the risk of cross-infection is minimised.
Children's welfare is safeguarded through robust child protection procedures. A newly reviewed and updated child protection policy ensures that procedures are in line with Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) procedures. A detailed child protection information file is available for staff reference, including information about the action that they should take in the event of a concern about a child in their care. Child protection policies are displayed for parents attention to ensure that they are familiar with the action that the setting will take in the event of a concern about a child. A large percentage of staff have undertaken child protection training. They all have a solid understanding of the known signs and systems of child abuse and the referral procedures.
Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do
The provision is outstanding. Throughout the nursery children are happy and settled. They laugh, giggle and enjoy warm relationships with staff. They are very interested and are consistently involved in a wide range of imaginative and worthwhile play opportunities both inside and outdoors. These promote their emotional, physical, social and intellectual development very well. Children are forming positive relationships with each other. They have excellent relationships with staff who help them to develop their confidence through sensitive interactions and regular encouragement. They behave very well because they are well occupied. They enjoy warm praise and encouragement and are proud when they receive a sticker as a reward. Children throughout the nursery benefit from the care of a key worker member of staff. Their key workers take responsibility for completing observations and assessments on the children, using information gained to plan for the children's next stage of learning. There are a number of indoor nursery pets, for example, Harry the tortoise, Ben the degu, fish and water turtles. Children throughout the nursery help to care for the animals, feeding them and watching them with interest. Each Thursday, children throughout the nursery enjoy a session of ‘Tots tune time'. During their session, they enjoy interactive music and movement, using props and puppets. The session is well resourced and children are engrossed and eagerly participate. They laugh and giggle and respond to the music, clapping, singing and dancing. Outings and trips further a field are regularly offered. Younger children enjoy visits to local soft play facilities, go out for walks in the fresh air and to feed the ducks. Older children visit places of interest, such as Cadbury World, Birmingham airport to see the aeroplanes and to the local supermarket to see the bread being made in the bakery.
Children under the age of 3-years-old benefit significantly from the excellent use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework. Staff use this framework to plan and provide wonderful activities for children, largely based on learning through sensory exploration and with resources made from natural materials. Children are observed as they play, and evaluations of these observations are used to inform future planning for individual children. Assessment files also include photographs of children engaged in activities and examples of their art work, making them a pleasure for parents to view.
Younger children benefit from the caring and compassionate nature of staff. They enjoy lots of warm comfort and cuddles which helps them feel secure. Staff know the children very well and ensure that their individual needs are met by providing a flexible daily routine, in line with their needs. With interest and excitement, they explore treasure baskets, eager to find out what is inside. They learn through their senses as they touch ‘real' everyday objects. They bang objects together, experimenting with the sounds they can make. Staff are responsive to them, talking to them about what they are doing and showing them new ways of playing with their toys. In their play, they touch and taste cooked pasta and rice crispies and experiment with sand, water and cornflour play. They enjoy peepo games, smiling with delight as staff show their happy faces as they pop up from behind a box. They show interest in their own reflections as they stand and look into a mirror, reaching out and touching the image that they can see. They explore trays of shredded paper, searching for playthings hidden underneath. The objects that they find provide excellent discussion points, especially as children start to name animals and recreate the sounds that they make. They use musical toys, spinning wheels to make bells jingle and clatter together. They engage in art and craft activities, such as sponge painting and vegetable printing each day. They take their art work home to share with their parents or see it displayed in their base rooms. They use age-appropriate jigsaw puzzles, construction toys and engage in imaginative role play with a range of resources and dressing up clothes. Children sit with staff, enjoying stories and looking through books. They use cars and car mats to travel their vehicles from one place to another. They make marks on white boards and with a range of writing materials that are readily available. They learn about the weather, talking about the changing seasons and completing the weather chart each day. They then experience the weather first hand as they wrap up warmly to go and play outdoors. Their independence is fostered very well, with children supported as they start to put on their own shoes and socks after they have had a sleep.
Older children attending the out of school club quickly settle on their return from school. They engage with their peers for a circle time chat about their day before they visit the dining room for a light tea. They openly converse with their peers and the staff, listening politely to what others have to say. They are keen to share their experiences, talking about activities and holidays that they have enjoyed with their families. After tea, they enjoy playing freely with wide range of toys and resources. Many children have a strong love of art and spend much time concentrating as they create canvas paintings, often adding intricate details. They imaginatively engage in role play, acting out teacher and pupil roles, using the white board to deliver their lessons. They use a computer and have access to games consoles with age-appropriate games. They are able to watch limited amounts of television and suitable DVDs for rest and relaxation purposes after a busy day at school. They play board games, complete jigsaw puzzles and their homework, with the support of staff and in agreement with their parents.
Nursery Education:
The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Staff working with funded children have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. They regularly access training in relation to planning and assessment, using their knowledge to plan an excellent and exciting range of activities for children. Weekly planning meetings allow all key worker staff to have input into planning. This ensures that all children's individual stages of learning are recognised and planned for, helping them to consolidate their learning and move forward. Planning documents systematically take into account all six areas of learning, incorporating themes which are meaningful to children, for example, 'ourselves'. Plans clearly identify the learning objectives for children and how activities can be adapted to meet individual needs. A clear picture of children's learning and progress is identified through the effective use of ongoing written observations and assessment records that are linked to the Early Learning Goals. Both the assessments and staff knowledge of children's stages of learning are used to plan experiences that support children as they take the next step in their learning.
Staff are enthusiastic and motivated in the delivery of the curriculum. They use their skills effectively to support children's learning in both adult-led and child-initiated activities. They offer clear instructions, interact well with the children, listen to them and question them appropriately to encourage their thinking. Consequently, children are motivated to learn and concentrate well at given tasks. Children benefit from the exceptional organisation of their learning environment. They are cared for in two main base rooms, each with their own role play room. A creative room is also available which children are able to access at any time throughout the day. This also provides them with the opportunity to mix and socialise with children from the other classroom. Children confidently initiate their own learning in all six areas of learning. They make decisions about what they would like to play with and how they would like to spend their time. They select from a vast range of resources that are easily accessible to them.
Excellent relationships have been formed between the children and staff, resulting in happy and involved children. They learn about the needs of others and very often seek their friends to join in with their play. For example, one child said ‘do you want to help me read a book'. Care and concern is encouraged, with the care of the setting's animals shared between the children. Children are polite, thanking staff as they are served their lunch. They help to develop class rules and are able to explain what these are, such as sharing, playing fairly and using good manners. Staff are very positive with the children, explaining ‘we walk in the classroom' rather than ‘don't run'. Children's self-care and independence is supported very well as they put on their own outdoor clothes and manage their own toileting needs. Children reflect and have tranquil moments. They snuggle up on cushions after their lunch and lie quietly as they relax to soothing music.
Children speak very confidently because staff encourage them to express their ideas and feelings during activities and group discussions. They freely communicate their needs with some older children having sophisticated conversations with adults. Children develop their early reading skills as they link sounds to letters and recognise their names from cards during daily routines, for example, at the snack table, on coat pegs and on their art work. They see written text and numerals widely displayed around the setting. They make connections in their learning as they are able to use their developing writing skills for different purposes, such as role play and when playing outdoors. Older children are challenged to further develop their pencil control skills to name their work, copy pancake recipes, make coin rubbings and experiment with Chinese writing. They have excellent resources in their graphics areas, such as hole punches, scissors, staplers, stamps, in addition to a range of pens and pencils. Children have a strong love of books and make excellent use of the book areas within their base rooms. They select which story they would like to read, either alone or with their peers. They are confident to approach staff to ask them to read to them and benefit from staff who are responsive to their requests. They enjoy listening to stories and become engrossed in the storyline. Staff actively involve the children, asking them questions about what has happened and what they think may happen next. They are encouraged to hear similar sounds in words such as 'bed and said' and 'size and surprise'. They enjoy regular visits to the local library to choose books. Children recognise that these books are special because they have been borrowed. Children display high levels of involvement in circle time 'song-sack' activities. They are patient as they wait for their turn, eagerly anticipating which song card will be pulled out of the sack next. They jump up with excitement as they sing the selected song, readily joining in with ‘the farmer's in his den' and ‘heads, shoulders, knees and toes'.
Children show a keen interest in numbers and counting, which is threaded through most activities. They spontaneously use mathematical language in their play. For example, one child said ‘I've got two eyes' and another said ‘it's really really long' as he played with a tape measure. The vast majority of children can count objects in order up to ten or above and some recognise numerals displayed on the walls. For example, one child said ‘that's three and that's how old I am'. Their understanding of simple calculations is fostered in everyday activities, for example, counting the number of children waiting in a line or as they walk up the steps on the stairs. They enjoy singing number rhymes and are provided with excellent opportunities for the development of simple subtraction skills. They use their fingers as number aids, counting how many fingers are left as they take one away. They weigh toys in their classroom trying to make the scales balance and also weigh ingredients as they cook. They have frequent opportunities to develop an understanding of volume during water and sand play activities. They gain understanding of length as they use tape measures in their room.
The outside play areas and sensory garden provide children with a wealth of opportunities to explore the natural environment. They plant seeds, smell herbs and explore a range of natural materials, such as plants, leaves and pebbles. They learn about growth and development as they watch their plants grow and develop, watering, nurturing and observing them in their imaginary outdoor garden centre. They visit the on-site farm with interest, visiting the pigs, goats and guinea pigs. They go for walks to nearby parks and down the lane to see the horses in the fields. Children meet people from their local communities and benefit greatly from parents who are eager to come in and share their skills. For example, children have recently enjoyed a visit from a doctor and a police officer, who visited to talk about their roles in the community. The fire-fighters have recently visited to show the children their fire engine and provided them with educational resources about the dangers of fire. Children recall this visit, excitedly showing off photographs that are displayed. They enjoy trips and visits further a field to the library, local soft play facilities and for walks along the river. Children explore freely as they use sand, water, gravel and dough both inside and when playing outdoors. Both girls and boys make constructions, playing imaginatively in the role play building site. They benefit from discussions about safety at work and readily wear goggles and hard hats as they build. They have opportunities to design and make things with a variety of different shaped and sized boxes, for example, the Chinese New Year dragon. They experiment with different joining methods, trialling glue and different sized tapes. Children have excellent access to ICT equipment. They freely use computers as they draw pictures on paint programmes with increasing mouse control. They open up the programmes and games, supported by staff. They use torches to explore dark corners and places within their room and use remote controlled toys, such as cars.
Children play imaginatively in a wide range of role play situations. They act out working in a Chinese restaurant, serving customers and preparing food. Resources available link well to the theme, for example, Chinese dishes, role play food and menus. In the creative room, they wash their dolls in the water tray, learning about the care of others and the importance of regular bathing. They use small world diggers to move sand around the sand tray and independently initiate painting activities. The explore the effects of mixing colours stating ‘blue and yellow make green'. Musical instruments are readily available and children laugh with delight as they make lots of noise. They make musical rice shakes, exploring the sounds that they can make. Overall, children make excellent progress in all areas of learning.
Helping children make a positive contribution
The provision is outstanding. Children benefit significantly from an environment that is enriched with images and resources that promote positive images of diversity. This develops their appreciation of the world in which they live. Books, toys, posters and displays support the children as they learn about diverse societies in their play. They participate in meaningful discussions and activities relating to cultural events from both their own religions and those from around the world. Older children work together to create large scale models of a Chinese dragon, attempt to replicate Chinese writing and taste a range of Chinese foods. They work with the nursery chef to make pancakes as they celebrate Shrove Tuesday, weighing and measuring ingredients and waiting in eager anticipation to taste their creation. They help staff to flip the pancake in the pan, giggling in delight as it lands on the floor. They make decisions about which fillings they would like to try, commenting on how ‘yummy' they are. Younger children decorate pictures relating to Chinese New Year, which are then displayed for their enjoyment. They create Valentines pictures using a range of resources to paint and decorate hearts. Each week children throughout the nursery enjoy an international menu day where they explore and enjoy foods from around the world, for example, Chinese, Italian and Indian meals. Each week, a French class is held, which older children are able to access for an additional cost. During this class, children are introduced to simple French vocabulary through fun games and songs.
Children's individual needs are very well known to staff through effective partnership working with parents. This is achieved through both written and verbal communication and working in partnership for the benefit of the child. Robust systems are in place for the identification and support of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The setting are proactive in partnership working with both parents and external agencies to ensure that all children are well supported and able to achieve their full potential. All children are valued as individuals which actively promotes inclusion. Younger children enjoy a weekly sing and sign session which supports their early communication skills. Children and staff practise the signs throughout the course of each day to help the children consolidate their learning and enable them to express their wants and needs.
Excellent procedures are in place to support children as they settle in to the life of the setting. Preliminary sessions are offered, during which, children visit for a few hours, gradually separating from their parents. Parents are able to stay with their child or on-site in a well resourced parent's room. As a result, children are well settled and very happy in their care environment. They feel a sense of belonging and are involved in what is going on around them, eagerly accessing their playthings and the exciting range of activities that are on offer. They are confident in their surroundings and with both the staff and their peers. They benefit from the calm and supportive approach of staff as they learn right from wrong through careful explanation and consistency. Warm praise, encouragement and support develops their self-esteem, supported by reward stickers, which children are very proud to show. Children behave very well and play together harmoniously. They take turns and share, often seeking their peers to join in with their play. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.
Staff make parents welcome and share a wealth of relevant information items with them. This is achieved through both verbal communication and for younger children supported by written daily diary sheets. The flexible settling-in procedure encourages parents to spend time in the nursery and gradually leave their child for longer periods until they are fully settled. This time allows staff to build positive relationships with parents, which also helps children to feel settled and secure. There are parent's notice boards throughout the nursery, which are regularly updated and include items of news in relation to the setting as well as more general information items about childcare and education. Detailed written prospectuses for both the nursery and out of school care provision ensure that parents are aware of the service provided from the outset. These provide information about staffing, menus and examples of activities that are provided. They receive regular newsletters and are kept well informed of any planned changes, with their suggestions welcomed and where possible incorporated. Photographs and children's art work are widely displayed, creating excellent talking points. The setting has it's own website which parents are able to access to view comments from previous parents and general information about the setting. This website is due for expansion to offer an interactive service where parents can view planning documents, menus and most recent newsletters. They are welcome to view their children's files at any time, taking them home if they wish. For the benefit of parents, a travel plan is provided. This involves the collection and drop off of children at a number of stops around Stratford-upon-Avon, where they meet their parents and return home.
Partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. The strong partnership with parents has a positive impact on children's learning. Parents are actively encouraged to visit the setting to share their skills and interests with the children. For example, talking to the children about their profession or their country of origin. Parents are provided with clear and meaningful information about the Foundation Stage curriculum and the programme of learning through attractively presented notice boards, weekly information sheets and daily exchanges of information. Parents are asked about what their children can do when they start and this promotes effective partnership working. Information gained is used to support children's development and learning and provides the basis for individual planning for the child. Twice yearly parent's evenings and frequent opportunities for informal discussion ensure that parents are well informed about their children's progress and achievements. They are able to freely access their children's development records and are involved in decisions about how to help their children take the next step in their learning. Nativity plays, carol concerts, teddy bears picnics and sports days provide parents with the opportunity to visit the setting and take part in their children's learning.
Organisation
The organisation is outstanding. Children benefit from the excellent organisation of the setting. They are cared for in base units according to their age and have plenty of space to freely investigate the vast range of resources and activities that are provided. Their playthings are directly accessible to them and as a result, children throughout the nursery confidently self -elect and make decisions about what they would like to play with and how they would like to spend their time. This effectively promotes their independence and decision making skills. Staff demonstrate a clear sense of purpose and are enthusiastic in their work with children. They show commitment and capacity to make continual improvements to the service provided. They have excellent opportunities to share their ideas and thoughts in order for these to be implemented within the setting. They use their time exceptionally well to work with the children, engaging with them in play and conversation, helping children to consolidate their knowledge and learn new skills. The key worker system throughout the nursery supports children's overall development. Although all staff are actively involved in the care of all of the children, key workers evaluate and assess children's progress, using information gained to plan for individual children. This helps and supports them as they move forward in their learning.
Excellent record keeping ensures that children's health, safety and welfare is promoted. All of the required documentation is well-organised, effectively used and securely stored. This ensures that confidentiality is maintained. Children's individual records are well detailed, ensuring that staff are fully informed about their individual needs. Children's assessment records throughout the nursery include observations, evaluations and individual plans as to how children can be supported in their next stage of learning. A comprehensive range of well detailed policies and procedures provide in-depth information as to how the service is organised. All staff have a solid understanding of the range of policies and procedures and are provided with plenty of time to review and update their knowledge of these, particularly if they have been revised. Parent's policy folders are available in each unit within the nursery to ensure that they are fully informed of the settings responsibilities. In addition, policy request sheets are positioned around the nursery that parents can freely access in order to obtain their own copy of any policy that they would like to know more about.
The leadership and management is outstanding. The manager of the nursery is committed to the continuous development of the service provided and the delivery of nursery education. Her enthusiasm and motivation is infectious, resulting in leadership that inspires staff to deliver excellent quality care and learning opportunities for children. All staff are actively involved in the identification of areas of particular strength and those for further development. They meet regularly to review and update both the self evaluation form and the overall nursery development plan. These are well detailed documents that identify current successes of the setting and future aims. These aims are openly shared with parents, who are encouraged to make comments and suggestions. Annual parental questionnaires ensure that parents are able to share their views and wishes and suggestions boxes positioned around the setting ensure that they are able to make their views known throughout the year. The manager is proactive in implementing their suggestions, for example, written daily diaries have recently been extended to children up to the age of 3-years-old. There are excellent management systems within the nursery and all staff have a clear understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities. Staff are highly motivated and work very well as a strong and dedicated team. They are fully supported and encouraged to access ongoing relevant training, sharing newly gained knowledge with the staff team through the cascading of information. In addition to regular meetings, staff receive frequent newsletters and memos to ensure that they are well informed of new developments within the nursery and updated policies and procedures. There are comprehensive and clear recruitment, vetting and induction procedures, which ensures that new staff quickly settle and understand the vision and practice of the nursery. Yearly staff appraisals ensure that their performance and development is evaluated. These appraisals are as a result of direct observations of them working with children. Regular staff meetings and planning sessions contribute to children participating in exciting, stimulating and fun activities. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.
Improvements since the last inspection
At the last inspection the provider agreed to make improvements to the documentation and child protection policy and procedure. Since then, improvements have been made to medication records to ensure that parents sign in acknowledgement of all medications given to children. This ensures that children's health and welfare needs are promoted. Registration systems now detail accurate times of both child and staff attendance to ensure that it is clear that the required adult to child ratios are maintained. The child protection policy and procedure has been updated to promote children's well being and now details the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff.
Complaints since the last inspection
Since 1 April 2004 there have been 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 outstanding. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.
The quality and standards of the nursery education are outstanding.
WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?
The quality and standards of the care
No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.
The quality and standards of the nursery education
No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.
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