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Cowboys & Angels Ofsted reports
The team at Cowboys & Angels constantly strive to give 110% in their daily duties.
Ofsted recognised this in our most recent report on December 14th 2007. Please find a link below to this and our previous report.
14th December 2007 Ofsted report
27th March 2005 Ofsted report
If you can't download or open the above links please find a copy of our most recent (Dec 07) report.
Cowboys & Angels
Inspection report for early years provision
EY268950 Unique Reference Number
04 December 2007 Inspection date
Susan Patricia Birkenhead / Janice Linsdell Inspector
Ebenezer Chapel, Ebenezer Place, Legh Street, Warringotn, Cheshire, WA1 1UL
Setting Address
01925 417350 Telephone number
siobhan@cowboys-angels.co.uk E-mail
Cowboys & Angels Registered person
Integrated Type of inspection
Full day care Type of care
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care
Standards Act 2000
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?
Cowboys and Angels day nursery opened in 2003 and managed by a private provider. It operates from five rooms, on three storeys of a converted chapel in Warrington town centre. A maximum of 94 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.00 to 19.00 for 50 weeks of the year and a small group of school age children are cared for during the summer holidays. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.
There are currently 76 children aged from nought to five years on roll. Of these 30 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery currently supports children who speak English as an additional language.
The nursery employs 17 staff. Of these 16 staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications and three staff are working towards additional qualifications.
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care
Standards Act 2000
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION
Helping children to be healthy The provision is good.
Staff follow good standards of hygiene to keep children healthy overall. They wear aprons and gloves during nappy changing and sanitise their hands after wiping children’s noses. Adults are requested to wear protective shoe covers before entering the baby room, therefore minimising the spread of infection. However, these good practices are sometimes compromised after outdoor play when staff and children return to the room wearing their shoes. Regular hand washing is routinely encouraged and children learn about oral hygiene as they brush their
teeth after meals. Effective sickness and exclusion procedures ensure children are protected when they are ill, and a high number of staff are trained in first aid and basic food hygiene, which further safeguards children's health.
Children are very well nourished and receive a good selection of healthy meals and snacks. The chef uses mostly fresh produce to prepare a wide range of home cooked and nutritious meals, which children really enjoy. Menus are displayed for parents’ information and include dairy free and vegetarian options. Parents supply ready-made bottles for babies, which are stored appropriately and clearly labelled. Water fountains are available throughout the nursery which means children have independent access to drinking water at all times.
Staff plan outdoor play carefully so that children have good opportunities to use a variety of equipment that encourages their physical development. Children are able to negotiate the restricted space outdoors well. They use their feet or the pedals to manoeuvre the wheeled
toys, and the climbing equipment to balance, slide and crawl. Babies are supported to sit and stand, and smile with pleasure as they demonstrate their early walking ability. Children develop their fine physical skills as they use the hammer and pins to design patterns and build using different construction materials. They take part in the weekly 'Wonderful world of music'
programme to promote dance and music. As a result, children learn to develop good coordination
and control of their bodies.
Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
The provision is good.
The premises are safe, secure and welcoming for children and parents. Security cameras are located throughout the nursery, and ‘key fobs’ are used to gain entry into the children’s rooms. This enhances the safety of children and staff. Children have access to a wide range of good
quality play materials, which are mostly organised in open low-level shelving units and clearly labelled with number, words and pictures. This helps to promote children’s choice and independence.
Staff take positive steps to promote children's safety. They provide a good level of supervision and carry out regular head counts to ensure they are accounted for at all times. The outdoor play area is consistently checked prior to children's use. The staff member responsible for health and safety conducts monthly risk assessments so that any hazards are quickly identified and addressed. However, up to date gas and electrical safety certificates are not made available for inspection, and some decanted bottles of cleaning fluid are not clearly labelled.
Children learn about safety issues and how to keep themselves safe because staff talk about general hazards. For example, they remind children to hold onto the hand rail when using the This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 stairs, and to sit properly on the chair in case they fall. Children also highlight the need to use
scissors carefully in case they cut their finger. Children's welfare is well safeguarded because staff have secure knowledge of the procedures to protect children from harm. Some staff have attended training in child protection, and relevant safeguarding information is accessible to
assist staff in reporting concerns.
Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do
The provision is good.
Children are happy and secure within the nursery environment. They are greeted warmly by staff as they arrive enabling them to settle and participate eagerly in the play and activities.
The key worker system enables the development of positive relationships and staff encourage children to make lots of choices in their play. This means children are confident to take part in the wide range of activities on offer to promote their learning and enjoyment. Babies explore their environment as they play with the toys on the floor. They examine the bells, listen to the musical toys and look at interesting items in the treasure basket. Young children take part in sensory activities as they explore with paint, water and sand. They laugh and giggle as they feel the texture of ‘gloop’, and concentrate well as they draw with the large crayons. Children enjoy listening to stories and joining in with action songs. They show interest and excitement when they are invited to choose toys from the ‘special bag’.
Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework well to promote the care and development of babies and young children. They plan activities around children’s interests, observe and record their progress regularly, and involve parents in the process. As a result, the children benefit
from the broad range of play and activities, which promotes their overall learning and enjoyment.
Nursery Education.
The quality of teaching and learning is good.
The room leader works closely with the staff to organise activities around children's interests and observations. Children's involvement in the
planning of activities and play enables them to positively influence their learning. In the main, daily entries to the planning records are linked to the Foundation Stage curriculum. More senior staff have a secure understanding of the Foundation Stage and support others in developing
their knowledge. They monitor the pre-school education by attending local training and evaluate activities at the end of the day. They interact with children well to extend and challenge children's learning. Observations are used to inform the children's developmental assessments
and plan for the next steps in their learning, but this is not carried out consistently. The recent introduction of the parents comment sheets makes staff aware of the children’s attainment on entry, and further contributes to the monitoring of their developmental progress.
Children are forming good relationships with one another and as a result positive friendships develop, for example, they engage in conversation with each other at lunch time. Children's self-help skills are developing well because they attempt to put on their coats before going out to play and serve their own lunch, with staff on hand to offer support when necessary.
Children are very attentive when working in smaller groups. However, during the large group activities some children loose interest and become distracted. They are becoming confident communicators as they recall familiar aspects of the story told. They choose to respond to the register in French and eagerly reply to their name being called with 'bonjour'. They have regular opportunities to practice their writing skills both indoors and outside. Some children confidently recreate the letters that make up their name, linking sounds to letters on occasions.
Children
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000
show positive interest in the books and pretend to read stories by looking at the pictures as they turn the pages.
In the main, children are developing a positive understanding of mathematics, through activities and spontaneous opportunities. Children confidently show visitors how old they are by holding up three or four fingers. They are introduced to basic addition as children recognise that by adding one more to three it makes four when discussing birthdays. They talk about size as they refer to the biggest, middle size, smallest baskets and recall the same words are used in the story of 'the three bears'. Children have opportunities to recognise and name familiar shapes, such as triangle, square and circle, during activities.
Opportunities for children to explore and investigate are developed well and supported by the wide range of materials available on the ‘discovery trolley’ which include items, such as, a tape measure, spirit level and magnifying glass. They experiment with ice and water during planned activities and develop their understanding of the natural world through the 'butterfly garden'.
Children have access to computers to develop their awareness of technology, and use interactive play materials, such as, the globe. Daily opportunities allow children to engage in many creative activities, using a very varied range of materials, such as straws, tissue paper, card and paint.
Children spontaneously refer to the colour of items during play and some recognise colours correctly by name. Children have access to a range of resources to promote their imagination and the emphasis changes to reflect the mini topics followed. However, role play items are not
freely accessible to children at all times. Children develop a good understanding of the local community as they visit the opticians in the shopping mall as part of the mini topic.
Helping children make a positive contribution
The provision is good.
Staff make sure children are involved and included, and encourage them to make choices for themselves. They obtain detailed information about the children to enable them to meet their individual needs well. Children learn about diversity through planned activities and celebrating
cultural festivals, such as visiting the local restaurant for Chinese New Year. Positive images of diversity are displayed around the nursery, and some resources are available to help raise children's awareness of culture and disability. This helps children to develop a positive view of
the wider world.
Children's behaviour is good and staff use praise and encouragement consistently to reinforce positive behaviour. They are skilled at diffusing minor squabbles and encourage children to apologise to others affected by their actions. Children learn to develop social skills, for example,
during meal times as staff remind them to use good manners. They are learning to be cooperative as they help each other with tasks, such as carrying the toy boxes. Older children acknowledge their own achievements by patting themselves on the back and using gestures, such as, 'thumbs up'. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.
Partnership with parents and carers is good. Staff keep parents informed by sharing verbal and written information about the children’s day. They encourage children to be involved in this process by consulting them on what should be included on their daily sheet for parents. The
nursery prospectus provides a good level of information about the operation of the nursery.
Regular newsletters and parents evenings are held and details regarding the 'Fun sessions' and forthcoming events' enables parents to become involved in the children's experiences. Staff value feedback from parents and issue parent questionnaires twice a year. There is also a
suggestions box in the main entrance for parents to offer their views. Parents speak highly
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care
Standards Act 2000 about the staff and comment that they are very happy with the care and education their children
receive. They value the provision of nutritious meals, which they say their children enjoy.
Organisation
The organisation is good.
Staff are deployed effectively, with consistent adults working in each area. This benefits the children's care and enables them to feel secure.
The ratio of qualified staff exceeds minimum requirements as most staff are qualified in early years. Ongoing professional development is
encouraged and staff have good opportunities to attend training to enhance their knowledge and skills. There are robust procedures in place for the recruitment and vetting of staff, including good systems to assess their ongoing suitability. This ensures children’s safety and protection.
Detailed and well organised policies and procedures are in place to promote good practice and ensure the provision is effectively managed. These are reviewed regularly and updated as appropriate. All documentation to promote children's care and welfare is well maintained, but
parental signatures in some medication records are missing.
The leadership and management are good. The manager is clear about her role and delegates individual responsibilities to the senior staff and team members. The manager is committed to her role and recognises the importance of continuous development. As a result, she undertakes
regular monitoring of the provision by attending the local cluster meetings and develops a programme of regular staff supervision and annual appraisals. Therefore, contributing to the monitoring of staff performance, development and training. Regular room meetings are held
and opportunities for staff to meet as a team are planned twice yearly.
Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.
Improvements since the last inspection
Since the last inspection, information regarding children's dietary needs are stored more discreetly for staff reference only, which respects confidentiality. The planning and observations sheets have since been reviewed, and as a result the observations completed in the main ensure the planning of activities are linked to the children's individual needs and incorporate the next
steps in their learning.
Complaints since the last inspection
Since the last inspection 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 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.
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care
Standards Act 2000
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 gas and electrical appliances and fittings conform to safety requirements and make sure bottles containing cleaning fluids are clearly labelled.
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):
• ensure observations are linked to the Foundation Stage curriculum and consistently completed for all children
• review the current arrangements for large group activities to improve children's ability to concentrate.
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
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care
Standards Act 2000
The team at Cowboys & Angels constantly strive to give 110% in their daily duties.
Ofsted recognised this in our most recent report on December 14th 2007. Please find a link below to this and our previous report.14th December 2007 Ofsted report
27th March 2005 Ofsted report
If you can't download or open the above links please find a copy of our most recent (Dec 07) report.
Cowboys & Angels
Inspection report for early years provision
EY268950 Unique Reference Number
04 December 2007 Inspection date
Susan Patricia Birkenhead / Janice Linsdell Inspector
Ebenezer Chapel, Ebenezer Place, Legh Street, Warringotn, Cheshire, WA1 1UL
Setting Address
01925 417350 Telephone number
siobhan@cowboys-angels.co.uk E-mail
Cowboys & Angels Registered person
Integrated Type of inspection
Full day care Type of care
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care
Standards Act 2000
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?
Cowboys and Angels day nursery opened in 2003 and managed by a private provider. It operates from five rooms, on three storeys of a converted chapel in Warrington town centre. A maximum of 94 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.00 to 19.00 for 50 weeks of the year and a small group of school age children are cared for during the summer holidays. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.
There are currently 76 children aged from nought to five years on roll. Of these 30 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery currently supports children who speak English as an additional language.
The nursery employs 17 staff. Of these 16 staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications and three staff are working towards additional qualifications.
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care
Standards Act 2000
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION
Helping children to be healthy The provision is good.
Staff follow good standards of hygiene to keep children healthy overall. They wear aprons and gloves during nappy changing and sanitise their hands after wiping children’s noses. Adults are requested to wear protective shoe covers before entering the baby room, therefore minimising the spread of infection. However, these good practices are sometimes compromised after outdoor play when staff and children return to the room wearing their shoes. Regular hand washing is routinely encouraged and children learn about oral hygiene as they brush their
teeth after meals. Effective sickness and exclusion procedures ensure children are protected when they are ill, and a high number of staff are trained in first aid and basic food hygiene, which further safeguards children's health.
Children are very well nourished and receive a good selection of healthy meals and snacks. The chef uses mostly fresh produce to prepare a wide range of home cooked and nutritious meals, which children really enjoy. Menus are displayed for parents’ information and include dairy free and vegetarian options. Parents supply ready-made bottles for babies, which are stored appropriately and clearly labelled. Water fountains are available throughout the nursery which means children have independent access to drinking water at all times.
Staff plan outdoor play carefully so that children have good opportunities to use a variety of equipment that encourages their physical development. Children are able to negotiate the restricted space outdoors well. They use their feet or the pedals to manoeuvre the wheeled
toys, and the climbing equipment to balance, slide and crawl. Babies are supported to sit and stand, and smile with pleasure as they demonstrate their early walking ability. Children develop their fine physical skills as they use the hammer and pins to design patterns and build using different construction materials. They take part in the weekly 'Wonderful world of music'
programme to promote dance and music. As a result, children learn to develop good coordination
and control of their bodies.
Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
The provision is good.
The premises are safe, secure and welcoming for children and parents. Security cameras are located throughout the nursery, and ‘key fobs’ are used to gain entry into the children’s rooms. This enhances the safety of children and staff. Children have access to a wide range of good
quality play materials, which are mostly organised in open low-level shelving units and clearly labelled with number, words and pictures. This helps to promote children’s choice and independence.
Staff take positive steps to promote children's safety. They provide a good level of supervision and carry out regular head counts to ensure they are accounted for at all times. The outdoor play area is consistently checked prior to children's use. The staff member responsible for health and safety conducts monthly risk assessments so that any hazards are quickly identified and addressed. However, up to date gas and electrical safety certificates are not made available for inspection, and some decanted bottles of cleaning fluid are not clearly labelled.
Children learn about safety issues and how to keep themselves safe because staff talk about general hazards. For example, they remind children to hold onto the hand rail when using the This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 stairs, and to sit properly on the chair in case they fall. Children also highlight the need to use
scissors carefully in case they cut their finger. Children's welfare is well safeguarded because staff have secure knowledge of the procedures to protect children from harm. Some staff have attended training in child protection, and relevant safeguarding information is accessible to
assist staff in reporting concerns.
Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do
The provision is good.
Children are happy and secure within the nursery environment. They are greeted warmly by staff as they arrive enabling them to settle and participate eagerly in the play and activities.
The key worker system enables the development of positive relationships and staff encourage children to make lots of choices in their play. This means children are confident to take part in the wide range of activities on offer to promote their learning and enjoyment. Babies explore their environment as they play with the toys on the floor. They examine the bells, listen to the musical toys and look at interesting items in the treasure basket. Young children take part in sensory activities as they explore with paint, water and sand. They laugh and giggle as they feel the texture of ‘gloop’, and concentrate well as they draw with the large crayons. Children enjoy listening to stories and joining in with action songs. They show interest and excitement when they are invited to choose toys from the ‘special bag’.
Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework well to promote the care and development of babies and young children. They plan activities around children’s interests, observe and record their progress regularly, and involve parents in the process. As a result, the children benefit
from the broad range of play and activities, which promotes their overall learning and enjoyment.
Nursery Education.
The quality of teaching and learning is good.
The room leader works closely with the staff to organise activities around children's interests and observations. Children's involvement in the
planning of activities and play enables them to positively influence their learning. In the main, daily entries to the planning records are linked to the Foundation Stage curriculum. More senior staff have a secure understanding of the Foundation Stage and support others in developing
their knowledge. They monitor the pre-school education by attending local training and evaluate activities at the end of the day. They interact with children well to extend and challenge children's learning. Observations are used to inform the children's developmental assessments
and plan for the next steps in their learning, but this is not carried out consistently. The recent introduction of the parents comment sheets makes staff aware of the children’s attainment on entry, and further contributes to the monitoring of their developmental progress.
Children are forming good relationships with one another and as a result positive friendships develop, for example, they engage in conversation with each other at lunch time. Children's self-help skills are developing well because they attempt to put on their coats before going out to play and serve their own lunch, with staff on hand to offer support when necessary.
Children are very attentive when working in smaller groups. However, during the large group activities some children loose interest and become distracted. They are becoming confident communicators as they recall familiar aspects of the story told. They choose to respond to the register in French and eagerly reply to their name being called with 'bonjour'. They have regular opportunities to practice their writing skills both indoors and outside. Some children confidently recreate the letters that make up their name, linking sounds to letters on occasions.
Children
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000
show positive interest in the books and pretend to read stories by looking at the pictures as they turn the pages.
In the main, children are developing a positive understanding of mathematics, through activities and spontaneous opportunities. Children confidently show visitors how old they are by holding up three or four fingers. They are introduced to basic addition as children recognise that by adding one more to three it makes four when discussing birthdays. They talk about size as they refer to the biggest, middle size, smallest baskets and recall the same words are used in the story of 'the three bears'. Children have opportunities to recognise and name familiar shapes, such as triangle, square and circle, during activities.
Opportunities for children to explore and investigate are developed well and supported by the wide range of materials available on the ‘discovery trolley’ which include items, such as, a tape measure, spirit level and magnifying glass. They experiment with ice and water during planned activities and develop their understanding of the natural world through the 'butterfly garden'.
Children have access to computers to develop their awareness of technology, and use interactive play materials, such as, the globe. Daily opportunities allow children to engage in many creative activities, using a very varied range of materials, such as straws, tissue paper, card and paint.
Children spontaneously refer to the colour of items during play and some recognise colours correctly by name. Children have access to a range of resources to promote their imagination and the emphasis changes to reflect the mini topics followed. However, role play items are not
freely accessible to children at all times. Children develop a good understanding of the local community as they visit the opticians in the shopping mall as part of the mini topic.
Helping children make a positive contribution
The provision is good.
Staff make sure children are involved and included, and encourage them to make choices for themselves. They obtain detailed information about the children to enable them to meet their individual needs well. Children learn about diversity through planned activities and celebrating
cultural festivals, such as visiting the local restaurant for Chinese New Year. Positive images of diversity are displayed around the nursery, and some resources are available to help raise children's awareness of culture and disability. This helps children to develop a positive view of
the wider world.
Children's behaviour is good and staff use praise and encouragement consistently to reinforce positive behaviour. They are skilled at diffusing minor squabbles and encourage children to apologise to others affected by their actions. Children learn to develop social skills, for example,
during meal times as staff remind them to use good manners. They are learning to be cooperative as they help each other with tasks, such as carrying the toy boxes. Older children acknowledge their own achievements by patting themselves on the back and using gestures, such as, 'thumbs up'. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.
Partnership with parents and carers is good. Staff keep parents informed by sharing verbal and written information about the children’s day. They encourage children to be involved in this process by consulting them on what should be included on their daily sheet for parents. The
nursery prospectus provides a good level of information about the operation of the nursery.
Regular newsletters and parents evenings are held and details regarding the 'Fun sessions' and forthcoming events' enables parents to become involved in the children's experiences. Staff value feedback from parents and issue parent questionnaires twice a year. There is also a
suggestions box in the main entrance for parents to offer their views. Parents speak highly
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care
Standards Act 2000 about the staff and comment that they are very happy with the care and education their children
receive. They value the provision of nutritious meals, which they say their children enjoy.
Organisation
The organisation is good.
Staff are deployed effectively, with consistent adults working in each area. This benefits the children's care and enables them to feel secure.
The ratio of qualified staff exceeds minimum requirements as most staff are qualified in early years. Ongoing professional development is
encouraged and staff have good opportunities to attend training to enhance their knowledge and skills. There are robust procedures in place for the recruitment and vetting of staff, including good systems to assess their ongoing suitability. This ensures children’s safety and protection.
Detailed and well organised policies and procedures are in place to promote good practice and ensure the provision is effectively managed. These are reviewed regularly and updated as appropriate. All documentation to promote children's care and welfare is well maintained, but
parental signatures in some medication records are missing.
The leadership and management are good. The manager is clear about her role and delegates individual responsibilities to the senior staff and team members. The manager is committed to her role and recognises the importance of continuous development. As a result, she undertakes
regular monitoring of the provision by attending the local cluster meetings and develops a programme of regular staff supervision and annual appraisals. Therefore, contributing to the monitoring of staff performance, development and training. Regular room meetings are held
and opportunities for staff to meet as a team are planned twice yearly.
Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.
Improvements since the last inspection
Since the last inspection, information regarding children's dietary needs are stored more discreetly for staff reference only, which respects confidentiality. The planning and observations sheets have since been reviewed, and as a result the observations completed in the main ensure the planning of activities are linked to the children's individual needs and incorporate the next
steps in their learning.
Complaints since the last inspection
Since the last inspection 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 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.
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care
Standards Act 2000
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 gas and electrical appliances and fittings conform to safety requirements and make sure bottles containing cleaning fluids are clearly labelled.
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):
• ensure observations are linked to the Foundation Stage curriculum and consistently completed for all children
• review the current arrangements for large group activities to improve children's ability to concentrate.
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
This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care
Standards Act 2000