Category: education

%IMAGE_DESCRIPTION: Ofsted%

## **Fareacres Day Nursery** 

Inspection report for early years provision 

**Unique Reference Number** EY248647 **Inspection date** 19 September 2006 **Inspector** Jill Dawn Butler **Setting Address** 1 Chelmsford Road, South Woodford, London, E18 2PW **Telephone number** 02085053248 **E-mail Registered person** Fareacres Pre-School Day Nusery **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 satisfactory. 

## **WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?** 

Fareacres Pre-School and Day Nursery is privately owned. It first opened in 1991, and then under new management in 2003, and operates from four group rooms on three floors in converted premises. It is situated in South Woodford, in the London borough of Redbridge, in a residential area close to local amenities. 

A maximum of 30 children may attend the nursery at any one time. It is open each weekday from 08.00 to 18.30 52 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. 

There are currently 47 children aged from 3 months to under 5 years on roll. Of these nine children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery currently supports one child with 

learning difficulties and/or disabilities and no children who speak English as an additional language. 

The nursery employs ten staff. Eight of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. Two staff are working towards a qualification. 

## **THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION** 

## **Helping children to be healthy** 

The provision is satisfactory. 

Children are developing satisfactory understanding of how to follow personal hygiene routines, for example, they know to wash their hands after using the toilet, and before snack and meal times. Tables are wiped and disinfected before and after lunch and snack times, however practitioners involved in food handling do not follow routine procedures to ensure the prevention of the spread of germs as they do not wear gloves and aprons. The implementation of cleaning rotas lead to the premises, equipment and furniture being maintained in a suitably hygienic manner, however, procedures for entering the babies' room does not ensure this outcome as outdoor shoes are worn. 

Children's good health is promoted by the implementation of suitable sickness and medication policies. Children can expect to be treated appropriately if they have an accident, with first aid boxes located on all floors, and a commitment to ensure all practitioners are first aid trained. Accident and incident records are appropriately completed, with confidentiality maintained. All required parental consents are in place, which ensures an effective and prompt response to an emergency situation. The individual sleep needs of babies and children are well met. They sleep comfortably in a suitable environment and good practitioner supervision ensures their safety at these times. Appropriate nappy changing and toileting procedures are generally well implemented, although procedures for one nursery room leads to nappies being changed in an unsuitable location in cramped conditions. 

Children's emotional well-being is fostered through children being given close, individual attention, with practitioners deployed effectively and able to assess and meet individual children's needs. Positive relationships with individual children and parents are maintained throughout the nursery. Handovers from parents are handled competently, and children happily settle. 

Children's physical development is well promoted as they regularly engage in a good range of physical activities. All children routinely use the outdoors area at least twice a day, which is easily accessible, especially for the older children due to its proximity to their base room. In the garden children throw and catch balls, climb with confidence and competence and use wheeled vehicles. Children enjoy moving to music, dancing and performing familiar actions to songs. 

Children eat a diet which is balanced, varied and nutritious. The menu is continually being adapted and improved to promote healthy eating. Any special dietary requirements are known and adhered to, with on-going discussions taking place with parents. A vegetarian option is 

available and a good range of fruit. There is routine access to drinks, with jugs of water and cups available in each group room. When children are eating lunch and snacks they sit in small groupings around tables, which provides opportunities for them to develop their social skills. 

## **Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe** 

The provision is satisfactory. 

The environment is bright, welcoming and child-centred, with attractive wall displays and photographs of children's activities around the premises. The lobby and landing areas are kept free from obstruction and hazards which effectively promotes children's safety when moving around the building. Children are grouped into four spacious activity rooms, which are divided into different play areas and there is an additional sensory room. The good range of toys, equipment and furniture help to create stimulating environments in each of the rooms. The older children's room is located adjacent to the outdoors play area, which is fully safety surfaced and secure. 

Satisfactory health and safety risk assessment procedures ensure children's safety within the premises. They develop understanding of how to keep themselves safe and are successfully able to negotiate their movements within rooms and around furniture and equipment. Children are well supported as they discover boundary limits, and they learn about safety rules in a clear and consistent manner, for example, to hold on to the banisters when using the stairs. Their risk of accidental injury is minimised by practitioners' diligent supervision of children, both indoors and outdoors, for example, when using the climbing frame. On-going risk assessments are undertaken and are generally effective, however, children are not fully protected from exposure to risks, for example, access to stairs in some areas is not sufficiently prevented. An effective intercom system throughout the nursery ensures good communication if there is a need to deal with an emergency situation. Children are well protected in the event of a fire. There is a designated fire escape staircase leading from the first floor to the garden. Fire drills are regularly undertaken, which are recorded and evaluated, and there is appropriate signage and fire fighting equipment around the premises. 

Children's welfare is effectively safeguarded as a result of practitioners having a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities with regard to child protection, and know how to implement relevant procedures. Children are well protected through all practitioners being vetted. There is an appropriate collection of children procedure, and a secure entry system ensures the movements of visitors are monitored and recorded. 

## **Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do** 

The provision is good. 

Children are confident and happy, enjoy their activities and engage well with the play opportunities. The Birth to three matters framework is well developed and is effectively used for planning activities for the under three's. Topics are followed throughout the nursery, which promotes consistency. Each child has their own record of achievements containing information on observations, assessments and their development. The records stay with the child as they move through the nursery and informs other practitioners as well as parents as to their progress 

and planned targets for their learning. The routine of the nursery is effective, and allows time for active as well as quieter pursuits. 

All children engage in creative arts and crafts, and have opportunities for exploration and discovery, which are enhanced through regular sessions in the sensory room. Children are confident in the routine. They readily help when it is "tidy up time", and prepare well for trips to the garden and meal and snack times. They participate in an interesting range of outings to explore the local neighbourhood. 

## Nursery Education 

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Practitioners make satisfactory use of planned and routine activities to extend children's learning. There are high expectations for children's behaviour. Children form positive relationships and share space together well. Planning incorporates individual children's abilities and achievements, and is undertaken within the framework of the Foundation Stage areas of learning, with good record keeping implemented. Children are supported effectively and allowed to learn at their own pace. There is good understanding of children's individual needs with an effective key worker system in place. Effective questioning techniques take place, which stimulate thought and discussion. However, not all practitioners have sufficient knowledge of the requirements of the foundation stage curriculum. In addition, the room leader is not always placed in this room. This leads to inconsistency in the overall presentation of the curriculum, limiting children's experiences and opportunities to be effectively challenged. 

Children show good levels of concentration and engage well during activities, for example, when participating in creating a large collage. They play an active role in their learning as they make their own choices about what they want to play with. They learn to share and negotiate, as well as support each other in their activities, for example, they co-operate well when engaging in role play scenarios, and patiently wait for their turn when playing a matching game. Children confidently ask for help and support, which is readily given by practitioners, for example, if they need help getting changed into dressing up clothes or cutting their food. Children are well behaved and good behaviour is rewarded with stickers. Children develop good self care skills. They take themselves to the toilet, and wash their own hands. They can use eating utensils well. They confidently state what they would like to eat, and if they want more food or drink. Children learn about a range of cultural traditions, through exploration during topic work which enables them to learn about, and value, different beliefs and ways of life. 

Children confidently contribute to discussions and conversations. They are asked lots of open ended questions to extend their thinking, for example, why we go to the dentist, and why we need to wash our hands. Children enjoy looking at books, engage well with story times and like to share books and stories with each other. However, children are not routinely encouraged to link sounds and letters and opportunities for them to recognize their names and other familiar words are not routinely presented. Children enjoy mark marking and writing for different purposes in the designated graphics area. They are learning to write their own names and are gaining increasing pencil control. 

Opportunities for counting are presented in songs and matching games. However, they have limited opportunities to calculate and use mathematical concepts to solve problems. Children learn about shapes during planned and routine activities. 

Children's natural curiosity is well promoted by practitioners. Children enjoy digging for shells in the sand and then washing them in the water. They explore the feel of polystyrene shapes and talk about whether they feel soft or hard. Children enjoy designing and making with a range of construction materials, for example, they use meccano sets, with screws. They gain free access to two laptop computers, they can work through programmes independently and handle the mouse competently. Other programmable equipment is available and children learn about the impact of batteries on making some toys work and make noises. Children are encouraged to talk about past events, for example, an outing to see Jack and the Beanstalk last Christmas. 

Children have very good access to the safe and secure outdoors play area. Here they participate in a good range of activities to promote their physical development. Children handle objects such as playdough cutters, glue spreaders, paint brushes, scissors, pens and pencils confidently and competently. They have good bodily awareness and, for example, know why it is necessary to clean their teeth after lunch, and know that if they are feeling cold outside, then they need to wear their jackets. 

The concept of colour is consistently reinforced through children being asked to recognize and match colours, for example, with what they are wearing. They have opportunities to express themselves creatively with the range of media made available and to which they have easy access. Children enjoy engaging in lots of role play scenarios which include going on a picnic and going swimming. Children enjoy singing familiar songs, and making music together. 

## **Helping children make a positive contribution** 

The provision is good. 

Good knowledge of children's linguistic, cultural and religious backgrounds contributes towards their individual needs being well met. Children learn about themselves and the wider society as they engage with the broad range of activities, play and learning resources. Through planned activities children learn about festivals which are celebrated and acknowledged through the year, including Diwali, Chinese New Year and Eid. Girls and boys are encouraged to fully participate in all activities and they play well together, for example, when role playing. The nursery demonstrates a very positive attitude towards promoting an inclusive environment and there are very good arrangements in place to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Practitioners are working very well with a child with a hearing impairment. They are learning sign language and are working closely with parents and a hearing impairment officer, who visits on a weekly basis to provide advice and guidance. Overall, this positive approach fosters children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. 

The management of children's behaviour is effective. Children are quickly comforted when distressed. Practitioners act as positive role models and children learn to understand right and wrong through consistent boundaries, praise and age appropriate management of behaviour. 

Close physical proximity is maintained with children, and any issues are promptly resolved. Children feel valued and affirmed, and develop self-confidence. 

The partnership with parents who receive nursery education is good. Effective communication is maintained through a range of methods, which ensures children receive continuity and consistency in their care. Parents can view the policies and procedures, and their attention is drawn to one particular policy each month. Parent consultation sessions are held three times a year, when they are able to discuss their child's progress and look at their child's achievement folders, which contains charts on their progress. There are parents' notice boards in the lobby and in the group rooms which display current information, photographs of activities, and opportunities for parents to give compliments and/or make complaints. Formal parent evaluation exercises take place following events, for example, when the nursery re-organised group rooms. Daily events books go home each day for all nursery children. Home/nursery agreements are established when a child starts at nursery, which share guidelines and expectations for both parties. 

## **Organisation** 

The organisation is good. 

The owner of the nursery is also the manager. She has appropriate qualifications in childcare and relevant experience. She implements effective and well organised systems to promote the smooth running of the nursery. She continually monitors and evaluates policy and practice at the nursery and is keen to implement beneficial developments. Regulations and conditions of registration are known and adhered to. Comprehensive policies and procedures are accessible to ensure practitioners and parents are fully aware of them. These are being currently updated, to provide links to the Ofsted National Standards. The nursery has begun to undertake a quality assurance scheme, QUILT, and completed two modules so far. The deputy manager provides effective support. The leadership and management of the nursery education is satisfactory. 

Children are cared for in a well organised environment. Most practitioners have at least a relevant level 2 qualification and there is good commitment to further training and development. Specialist roles are allocated appropriately between practitioners in areas such as behaviour management, special needs, and health and safety. There are good practitioner to children ratios in place in all the group rooms, which enables children to receive good attention. However, ratios are not always fully maintained during the period when children are beginning to wake up after their midday sleep. Good recruitment procedures are implemented, together with well established induction processes. Practitioners receive regular supervision sessions and annual performance appraisals. Monthly practitioner meetings take place to develop nursery practice. Practitioners work well together as a team. The manager is diligent in forward planning to cover any absences, and there is a pool of practitioners available who can be used as relief cover. 

Comprehensive record keeping takes place. All records are stored in a manner to protect confidentiality. A complaints record is kept. Registers include times of children's arrival and departure. All information is well organised and easily retrievable. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. 

## **Improvements since the last inspection** 

At the last inspection, the nursery was asked to improve health and safety risk assessments, maintain the premises in a suitable state of repair and redecoration, and implement a visitors' record. Risk assessments now take place on a daily basis, the premises have been decorated and have been undergoing beneficial refurbishments, and all movements of visitors are now effectively recorded and monitored. These measures ensure children's safety and security within the premises. The nursery was also asked to ensure practitioners receive training in the areas of their special responsibilities, which now take place within a framework of a commitment to on-going training and professional development. The nursery was also asked to organise activities so that they are readily accessible to children and to increase resources to include those that reflect positive images of disability. Children now have easy access to the broad and varied resources, which now include books, puzzles and small world play opportunities to develop their understanding of disability. 

At the last nursery education inspection, the nursery was asked to provide more opportunities to extend children's learning in the areas of communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world. Children now have increased opportunities to explore and investigate, however, further improvements are needed to promote children's learning when linking sounds to letters, recognizing familiar words and developing skills in calculation and mathematical problem solving. 

## **Complaints since the last inspection** 

There has been one concern raised since April 2004. It relates to National Standard 1: Suitable Person, National Standard 11: Behaviour Management, National Standard 12: Working in Partnership with Parents and National Standard 13: Child Protection. On 13 October 2005 concerns were raised relating to alleged inappropriate behaviour by a member of staff towards a child. An Ofsted childcare inspector carried out an unannounced visit on 17 October 2005, following which the registered provider was set an action to improve current systems for recruitment, vetting, induction and monitoring of practitioner’s ongoing suitability. Ofsted was satisfied with the provider’s response to this action. The provider remains qualified for registration. 

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 satisfactory. 

## **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): 

- [ensure nappy changing procedures for toddlers are undertaken in a suitable manner] to promote their comfort and privacy 

- [ensure standards for hygiene are maintained in the babies' room through the removal] of outdoor footwear. 

## **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): 

- [provide additional opportunities for children to link sounds to letters and recognize] familiar words 

- [provide additional opportunities for children to calculate and gain skills in mathematical] problem solving 

- [present the foundation stage curriculum in a more systematic manner in order to] promote consistency in children's learning and to ensure that they are sufficiently challenged. 

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_ 



Question: What overall judgements did Ofsted make for Fareacres Day Nursery at the 19 September 2006 inspection, and what were the setting’s capacity and staffing numbers?
Answer: The quality and standards of care were judged good (meeting National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding), while the quality and standards of nursery education were satisfactory. A maximum of 30 children may attend at any one time; there were then 47 children on roll (nine funded for nursery education), and the nursery employed ten staff, eight of whom including the manager held appropriate early years qualifications.