| URN 286707 |
| DfES Number: 514740 |
| INSPECTION DETAILS | |
| Inspection Date | 29/01/2004 |
| Inspector Name | Trudy Scott |
| SETTING DETAILS | |
| Day Care Type | Full Day Care |
| Setting Name | Garden House Nursery |
| Setting Address | 72 Crimicar Lane Sheffield S10 4FB |
| REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS | |
| Name | Mrs Louise Hope |
| ABOUT THE INSPECTION |
|
The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan. |
| Information about the setting |
| Garden House Day Nursery opened in November 1994.
It operates from five rooms in detached premises in the Fulwood area of
Sheffield. The nursery serves families living in the Sheffield area. Full
day care and out of school care are provided. There are currently 74 children from three months to under eight years on roll. This includes six funded four year olds and 23 funded three year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. A small number of children attend who have special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The nursery opens on Monday to Friday all year round, with the exception of public holidays. Times of opening are from 08:00 to 18:00. Twelve staff work with the children, eight of whom hold early years qualifications. Four staff are working towards a relevant qualification. The setting is currently participating in Sheffield Kitemark Quality Assurance Scheme. Training is accessed through the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and the nursery is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and the Private Day Nurseries Association. |
| How good is the Day Care? |
| Garden House Nursery provides good quality care
for children aged nought to eight years. Organisation and management of
the setting successfully promotes good teamwork. Effective induction and
appraisal systems ensure staff are familiar with the comprehensive
policies and procedures that underpin the day to day running of the
nursery. The involvement of the nursery in the Quality Assurance Scheme
and the on-going training plan reflects the commitment to continuous
development and improvement. Children are grouped appropriately according to age and stage of development, into two areas for children under two years and separate areas for children aged two to three years, three to four years and for out of school care. Transition between the groups is managed sensitively in consultation with parents. High priority is given to providing a safe and hygienic environment. Staff consistently follow health and safety procedures to ensure children are safe and well in the nursery. Children understand safety rules and have good hygiene practise. Children and staff have very good relationships which helps children develop confidence, self-esteem and good behaviour. Children of all ages enjoy a range of interesting and stimulating activities and experiences although some of the directed activities for children under three years are not always realistically achievable. There is a strong commitment to meeting the needs of families which is reflected in the flexible out of school provision and the opportunities for children to share activities with younger siblings and friends in the nursery. Children with special needs or who speak English as an additional language are well supported Relationships with parents are good. Parents receive good quality information about the nursery routines and their children's progress and systems in place for exchanging information are successful in ensuring parents' wishes for the care of their children are respected. |
| What has improved since the last inspection? |
| At the last inspection the provider agreed to ensure any recommendations of the fire safety and environmental health services were met, prior to extending the facility to provide care for 45 children. Requirements have been met and up to 45 children are cared for in a safe, secure environment. |
| What is being done well? |
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| What needs to be improved? |
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| Outcome of the inspection |
|
Good |
| CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION |
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All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued. |
| WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NEXT? |
| The Registered Person should have regard to the following recommendations by the time of the next inspection | |
| Std | Recommendation |
| 3 | Ensure activities for children under three years are realistically achievable. |
| INSPECTION OF THE NURSERY EDUCATION PROVISION FOR FUNDED THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS. |
| How effective is the nursery education? |
| Garden House Nursery provides a happy, welcoming
environment where children are making generally good progress towards the
early learning goals. Progress in personal, social and emotional
development is very good. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff are enthusiastic and work well together to ensure sessions run smoothly with a balance of adult led and child initiated activities. Clear aims are identified in planned activities but there is less focused use of opportunities in daily routines and freely chosen activities to promote some areas of literacy and mathematical development. Staff effectively engage with children to help them develop very good speaking and listening skills. Children's behaviour is very good and reflects the high expectations of staff. A wide range of interesting resources are used successfully to develop skills in exploration and investigation although there is limited access to materials for children to develop skills in designing and making and to represent their own ideas. Regular opportunities for physical play successfully help children develop confidence and co-ordination. Staff regularly observe and assess children but the information is not used consistently to plan the next steps in children's learning. Appropriate procedures are in place to support children with special needs. Leadership and management is generally good. A clear management structure with defined roles and responsibilities and regular opportunities to share ideas and feedback information leads to good teamwork. Systems in place to review and evaluate the educational provision are not yet fully effective in identifying all areas for development. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are well informed about the nursery and their children's progress. They are encouraged to share what they know about their children and have many opportunities to be involved in their children's learning. |
| What is being done well? |
|
| What needs to be improved? |
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| What has improved since the last inspection? |
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The two points for consideration at the last inspection have been successfully addressed. One was to continue to develop books and resources as part of everyday provision to raise the children's awareness of other cultures. Children use a good variety of resources with positive representations of diversity in their daily play and learn effectively about other backgrounds and lifestyles in planned topics. The second point was to provide more opportunities for observation in knowledge and understanding of the world. Children now use a variety of resources successfully to observe, explore and investigate. |
| SUMMARY OF JUDGEMENTS |
| PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT | |
| Judgement: | Very Good |
| Children are confident, interested and enthusiastic in nursery. They concentrate well when working independently or with others. Behaviour is very good. Children co-operate, share and take turns. They are considerate of the needs of others and are learning to care for he environment. They move around confidently and manage themselves independently in the setting. They show a strong sense of themselves as members of different communities and talk enthusiastically about home and nursery. | |
| COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY | |
| Judgement: | Generally Good |
| Children have very good speaking and listening skills. They use language confidently in a variety of ways such as negotiating, describing and initiating conversations. Children participate actively in rhyming activities and songs. They enjoy listening to stories and are developing an understanding of the meaning of print. They do not regularly see and use writing for different purposes although many children write their names and some write familiar words. | |
| MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT | |
| Judgement: | Generally Good |
| Children count regularly in daily activities, many count reliably beyond nine. They are learning to recognise numerals through playing number games and seeing numbers displayed around the nursery. They practise addition using real objects but have limited opportunities to solve simple number problems in practical situations. They are developing a good understanding of size, shape, measure and pattern in a variety of focused and freely chosen. | |
| KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD | |
| Judgement: | Generally Good |
| Children have good skills in exploration and investigation. They observe and explore the natural world and use interesting resources such as microscopes effectively. Opportunities to develop and extend design and making skills are limited. They are confident in using technology such as a computer. They show an interest in their own lives, remembering and talking about past events, and in the lives of others. They learn effectively about different backgrounds and lifestyles in planned topics. | |
| PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT | |
| Judgement: | Generally Good |
| Children move confidently and safely, in the environment, successfully negotiating space and obstacles. They successfully co-ordinate their movements in a range of ways. They are developing a good understanding of healthy practise, such as when to wash hands and how to keep warm. Children show increasing control using a range of small equipment but have fewer opportunities to extend large physical skills. Hand eye co-ordination is effectively fostered in a range of activities. | |
| CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT | |
| Judgement: | Generally Good |
| Children enjoy listening to music and move their bodies imaginatively to the rhythm. They make up their own stories in role play and use language imaginatively to extend their play. They use different materials and textures in planned activities but have less opportunity to develop, express and represent their own ideas using a variety of media and materials. Children show enthusiasm and excitement in a variety of ways using language, facial, expression and their whole bodies to communicate. | |
| Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered appropriately. |
| OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION |
| The provision is acceptable and is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time. |
| WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES |
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| The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education. |
| SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STANDARDS |
| STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON |
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Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so. |
| STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION |
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The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively. |
| STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY |
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The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities. |
| STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT |
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The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development. |
| STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT |
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Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards. |
| STANDARD 6 - SAFETY |
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The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents. |
| STANDARD 7 - HEALTH |
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The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill. |
| STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK |
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Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements. |
| STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES |
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The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children. |
| STANDARD 10 - SPECIAL NEEDS (INCLUDING SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES) |
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The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties. |
| STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR |
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Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development. |
| STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS |
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The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared. |
| STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION |
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The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice. |
| STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION |
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Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent. |