Belsay Daycare | |
Inspection report for early years provision | |
Unique reference number | EY403336 |
Inspection date | 12/05/2010 |
Inspector | Janet Fairhurst |
Setting address | Belsay First School, Belsay, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE20 0ET |
Telephone number | 01661881704 |
Email | |
Type of setting | Childcare on non-domestic premises |
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. | |
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Introduction
This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.
The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).
The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.
Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration.
Description of the setting
Belsay Daycare has been registered since 2009 and is run by a limited company. It operates from a Portacabin in the grounds of Belsay First School in the Belsay area of Northumberland. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area as well as the school field. It is open 9am until 12pm Monday to Friday during term time. The out of school provision is open 7.30am until 8.45am and 3.20pm until 6pm during term time.
They are registered on the Early Years Register and on both parts of the Childcare Register for a maximum of 22 children at any one time. There are currently 24 children on roll in the pre-school and 79 children on roll in the out of school provision. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are six members of staff, all of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification.
They are registered on the Early Years Register and on both parts of the Childcare Register for a maximum of 22 children at any one time. There are currently 24 children on roll in the pre-school and 79 children on roll in the out of school provision. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are six members of staff, all of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification.
The overall effectiveness of the early years provision
Overall the quality of the provision is good.
The children benefit from the good knowledge and understanding the staff have of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Routines and activities are successfully organised, with a strong focus on building on each child's individual interests and needs. The setting promotes inclusive practice well, the needs of the individual child being at the heart of all they provide. Partnerships with parents are good. A key strength of the setting is the partnerships they have with other professionals and are significant in making sure that the needs of all children are met. The setting is beginning to use self-evaluation to identify both key strengths and areas for improvement within the setting to continually improve the outcomes for all children.
What steps need to be taken to improve provision further?
To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:
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To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:
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The effectiveness of leadership and management of the early years provision
Child protection procedures are robust and safeguarding fully meets requirements. Effective procedures for the recruitment and vetting of all staff ensures that children are well cared for. In addition, induction programmes ensure staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. The manager is awaiting training before she implements formal staff appraisals. Thorough and detailed policies and procedures relating to all welfare matters, such as administration of medicines and first-aid procedures, are securely in place. Ongoing professional development is planned for ensuring the continued provision of a skilled, competent staff team. Most of the required information from parents is collated and recorded appropriately. However, specific information with regards to who has legal contact and parental responsibility has not been obtained as required by the Early Years Foundation Stage.
There is consistent team working with the staff and they work well together deploying themselves effectively to successfully meet the children’s needs. The children's settling in arrangements are tailored to suit their needs and enable staff, parents and children to get to know each other well. The key-worker system is extremely effective in developing close relationships with the children and their parents and carers, while ensuring that each child's individual needs are supported comprehensively and extremely well. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who find learning difficult make excellent progress relative to their starting points and capabilities because of the excellent support and the provision of activities that is well suited to their specific needs. Individual learning plans are extremely well detailed and reviewed and updated regularly, with parents, carers and other agencies well involved where appropriate. The transition into school is seamless as a result of the exceptional arrangements and the strong close liaison between the setting and the host school.
Partnerships with parents are good. Parents receive a good range of information regarding the service and their child’s welfare, learning and development. For example, policies and procedures outline the service provided. Parents are encouraged to share what they know about their child which helps staff to form a view of their starting points. They are also encouraged to share their own observations from home which are then used to contribute to their child's learning journey. By working well with parents and effective information sharing, children receive consistent care. Parents are kept informed of their children's achievements and progress through regular contact with staff, the daily exchange of information and through easy access to their child's learning journey files. Informative notice boards and a regular newsletter ensures the effective two-way flow of information between the setting and home. Parents speak very positively about all aspects of the setting. They really appreciate the approachability of all staff and the good information they receive about all aspects of their children's learning and development.
All staff are involved in the self-evaluation process, which ensures a common sense of purpose between adults working together. They are building upon the culture of reflective practice, self-evaluation and informed discussion to identify their strengths and areas for development, which has a positive impact on outcomes for the children in their care. The views of the parents are also obtained as part of the process to ensure all parties have a voice in how they would like to see the provision develop. For example, parents complete detailed questionnaire forms to express their views.
There is consistent team working with the staff and they work well together deploying themselves effectively to successfully meet the children’s needs. The children's settling in arrangements are tailored to suit their needs and enable staff, parents and children to get to know each other well. The key-worker system is extremely effective in developing close relationships with the children and their parents and carers, while ensuring that each child's individual needs are supported comprehensively and extremely well. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who find learning difficult make excellent progress relative to their starting points and capabilities because of the excellent support and the provision of activities that is well suited to their specific needs. Individual learning plans are extremely well detailed and reviewed and updated regularly, with parents, carers and other agencies well involved where appropriate. The transition into school is seamless as a result of the exceptional arrangements and the strong close liaison between the setting and the host school.
Partnerships with parents are good. Parents receive a good range of information regarding the service and their child’s welfare, learning and development. For example, policies and procedures outline the service provided. Parents are encouraged to share what they know about their child which helps staff to form a view of their starting points. They are also encouraged to share their own observations from home which are then used to contribute to their child's learning journey. By working well with parents and effective information sharing, children receive consistent care. Parents are kept informed of their children's achievements and progress through regular contact with staff, the daily exchange of information and through easy access to their child's learning journey files. Informative notice boards and a regular newsletter ensures the effective two-way flow of information between the setting and home. Parents speak very positively about all aspects of the setting. They really appreciate the approachability of all staff and the good information they receive about all aspects of their children's learning and development.
All staff are involved in the self-evaluation process, which ensures a common sense of purpose between adults working together. They are building upon the culture of reflective practice, self-evaluation and informed discussion to identify their strengths and areas for development, which has a positive impact on outcomes for the children in their care. The views of the parents are also obtained as part of the process to ensure all parties have a voice in how they would like to see the provision develop. For example, parents complete detailed questionnaire forms to express their views.
The quality and standards of the early years provision and outcomes for children
Staff have a good understanding of the learning, development and welfare requirements, this contributes to them effectively promoting the children’s welfare and learning. There is a good balance between activities that children choose for themselves and those which adults encourage them to try. New systems to observe and assess the children's learning have recently been introduced. The information is collated into an individual learning journey file and supported by children's artwork, photographs and narrative observation. These are linked to the areas of learning and are used well to inform and plan the next steps in children's learning, ensuring that activities are based on their needs and interests.
The children are confident, motivated and interested in what they are doing and what is on offer. As a result they make very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. This is reflected in their positive attitudes to one another and consistently good behaviour both in and out of doors. The children respond well to the encouragement given to help themselves, each other and to take responsibility for tasks such as getting equipment out and putting it away. In these ways, they are building up their understanding of working together and make good progress in learning. Staff help the children to express themselves by creating role play areas that are familiar to them. For example, the home area is well used and children can be heard deciding who is going to be the mum or dad and what they will be making for lunch. The children thoroughly enjoy a planned baking activity where they were all actively involved. Through this, concepts such as weighing and measuring were explored, while some children recognised the numbers on the scales and counted the spoons of butter that were in the bowl. The children learn about capacity and volume as they pour, fill and empty containers in the sand. They problem solve when finding out how things work and move and the best way they can crack an egg. The children use number names correctly during their everyday routines and use positional language when describing what they are doing. They use construction toys to make shapes and structures, and group and sort different colours and shapes. The children gradually build their understanding of technology using simple battery operated toys, progressing to using computers with confidence. The children develop good listening skills that enable them to take turns in discussion and express their opinions clearly. Such skills ensure they are well prepared for their future success.
The children are beginning to understand that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs. They enjoy playing with a range of resources that positively reflect diversity, including dolls and small world people depicting various cultures and people with disabilities. The children also enjoy exploring various festivals throughout the year. They do this through stories, discussion and through activities that allow them to taste different foods. Outdoor play is a central feature of the day. The children are able to access this area as they have the freedom to move indoors and outdoors as they please, which helps to develop a positive approach to being outdoor in the fresh air. They ride confidently on wheeled toys and they develop their ability to balance and crawl when using the tunnel and crates. The children also have access to parts of the school grounds where they can explore the wooded area. Here they observe the hedgehog houses and watch the birds feeding. The children's experiences are enriched and their knowledge of the world increased by visitors to the group for example, the fire service.
Staff make excellent relationships with children, valuing and nurturing each as an individual. The children's behaviour is excellent because they are totally absorbed in what they are doing. The development of independence is a high priority, and children learn quickly to make choices and persevere with them. Staff are successful in helping children learn how to keep safe and healthy. Personal hygiene routines are well established and children know they must wash their hands before they eat or start baking activities. The children are encouraged to adopt a healthy eating lifestyle as staff spend time discussing healthy foods, and encourage children to grow their own produce such as, potatoes, leeks and lettuce. The children develop social skills when they sit together at snacks time and chat to their friends.
The children are confident, motivated and interested in what they are doing and what is on offer. As a result they make very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. This is reflected in their positive attitudes to one another and consistently good behaviour both in and out of doors. The children respond well to the encouragement given to help themselves, each other and to take responsibility for tasks such as getting equipment out and putting it away. In these ways, they are building up their understanding of working together and make good progress in learning. Staff help the children to express themselves by creating role play areas that are familiar to them. For example, the home area is well used and children can be heard deciding who is going to be the mum or dad and what they will be making for lunch. The children thoroughly enjoy a planned baking activity where they were all actively involved. Through this, concepts such as weighing and measuring were explored, while some children recognised the numbers on the scales and counted the spoons of butter that were in the bowl. The children learn about capacity and volume as they pour, fill and empty containers in the sand. They problem solve when finding out how things work and move and the best way they can crack an egg. The children use number names correctly during their everyday routines and use positional language when describing what they are doing. They use construction toys to make shapes and structures, and group and sort different colours and shapes. The children gradually build their understanding of technology using simple battery operated toys, progressing to using computers with confidence. The children develop good listening skills that enable them to take turns in discussion and express their opinions clearly. Such skills ensure they are well prepared for their future success.
The children are beginning to understand that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs. They enjoy playing with a range of resources that positively reflect diversity, including dolls and small world people depicting various cultures and people with disabilities. The children also enjoy exploring various festivals throughout the year. They do this through stories, discussion and through activities that allow them to taste different foods. Outdoor play is a central feature of the day. The children are able to access this area as they have the freedom to move indoors and outdoors as they please, which helps to develop a positive approach to being outdoor in the fresh air. They ride confidently on wheeled toys and they develop their ability to balance and crawl when using the tunnel and crates. The children also have access to parts of the school grounds where they can explore the wooded area. Here they observe the hedgehog houses and watch the birds feeding. The children's experiences are enriched and their knowledge of the world increased by visitors to the group for example, the fire service.
Staff make excellent relationships with children, valuing and nurturing each as an individual. The children's behaviour is excellent because they are totally absorbed in what they are doing. The development of independence is a high priority, and children learn quickly to make choices and persevere with them. Staff are successful in helping children learn how to keep safe and healthy. Personal hygiene routines are well established and children know they must wash their hands before they eat or start baking activities. The children are encouraged to adopt a healthy eating lifestyle as staff spend time discussing healthy foods, and encourage children to grow their own produce such as, potatoes, leeks and lettuce. The children develop social skills when they sit together at snacks time and chat to their friends.
Annex A: record of inspection judgements
The key inspection judgements and what they mean Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough |
The overall effectiveness of the early years provision
How well does the setting meet the needs of the children in the Early Years Foundation Stage? | 2 |
The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement | 2 |
The effectiveness of leadership and management of the early years provision
How effectively is the Early Years Foundation Stage led and managed? | 2 |
The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement | 2 |
The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources | 2 |
The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity | 2 |
The effectiveness of safeguarding | 2 |
The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement | 2 |
The effectiveness of partnerships | 1 |
The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers | 2 |
The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage
The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage | 2 |
Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage
Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage | 2 |
The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning | 2 |
The extent to which children feel safe | 2 |
The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles | 2 |
The extent to which children make a positive contribution | 2 |
The extent to which children develop skills for the future | 2 |
Any complaints about the inspection or report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk |
Annex B: the Childcare Register
The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: | Met |
The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: | Met |
