Stafford Court Ofsted

Home : Nurseries : Ofsted Reports : Stafford Court Ofsted Report

Ofsted Report for our Stafford Court Nursery

CHILDCARE INSPECTION - 23/09/05

Inspector -J. Roberts

Outstanding: this aspect of this provision is of exceptionally high quality
Good: this aspect of this provision is strong
Satisfactory: this aspect of this provision is sound
Inadequate: this aspect of this provision is not good enough

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 8's care and childminding.

- the quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

What sort of setting is it?
There are 23 full-time staff and 10 part-time staff who work with the children. The majority have a recognised early years qualification and the remaining staff are working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from a mentor from the local authority.

Helping children to be healthy.
Children show a good understanding of a healthy lifestyle and diet. They take part in a wide range of activities which meet their physical, nutritional and health needs. Staff guidance and support help all children gain independence in their personal care, including washing their hands and using the toilet on their own. Children have a good balance of quiet and busy time which nurture their emotional well-being and health especially when they are involved in physical play both indoors and outdoors. Babies and younger children sleep safely and comfortably and are frequently monitored.

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe.
All children are cared for in a suitably organised, welcoming nursery which is attractively arranged for the needs of the children. Staff have a good understanding of safety and how to minimise the risks for children, for example daily visual and recorded checks are made throughout the premises. Children's arrival and departures are monitored very well by vigilant staff.

Children use a wide range of resources which are in good condition and appropriate to their age and development. Each room has low shelving arranged into play areas which promote their independence. Displays throughout the nursery are bright and cheerful and reflect the children's work.

The setting complies with the procedures and documentation required to ensure the children's welfare is safeguarded. For example, risk assessments are regularly carried out and the majority of staff have current first aid certificates. Children are well protected by staff who have clear understanding of child protection procedures which are provided by the local Area Child Protection Committee.

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do.
Children are interested and motivated to learn through well planned resources which stimulate their enthusiasm and questioning. Three-year-olds are supported well when separating from their families and made to feel welcome and greeted with enthusiasm by their friends. Their confidence is promoted through a good balance of adult-led activities and free play in which they are learning to be responsible, share and take turns. Older children are considerate and polite to each other and may children enjoy contributing in large group activities, such as counting how many children are present or talking about their experiences.

Children have many opportunities to use mark making tools and most children are beginning to recognise their name on their art work. They confidently explore a range of words and sounds and know how to use books for enjoyment and to locate information. They enjoy their favourite stories, one of them being the 'Magic Sky' and they have learnt how to use library books to investigate, such as when they wanted to know how their body works. Children explore a range of mathematical concepts through adult-led and free play activities. All children are beginning to use numbers in everyday activities and some older children can add simple numbers together. However, there are limited visual images of letters and numbers around the rooms to re-enforce the letter and number sounds used in planned activities.

Children's knowledge of the world around them is good. They meet and talk with people from outside the nursery who help us. Children also gain first hand experience from parents who talk about the country they were born in and their culture. Their understanding of the world around us is expanded through well planned activities and projects, including plenty of positive displays throughout the nursery. They explore a wide variety of living things from plants and the changing seasons to where we live and what we look like. Children competently use technology in their play and make models and collage pictures which are linked to their projects.

Helping children make a positive contribution.
Children behave well and they play harmoniously together. They share games and older children cooperate very well in the role play area and can take turns, such as using the soft play room when it is their turn. Older children proudly take on the role of helper and younger children are developing self-worth and independence, for example when their painting water is dirty they change it for clean water and they know aprons are always worn at this activity. Staff have high expectations and set consistent boundaries for the children and they understand the simple rules set throughout the nursery.

The partnership with parents and carers is good and contributes significantly to the children's well-being. Staff ensure that all parents know how their child is progressing and developing and information about the children's learning is provided on a daily basis. Parents of babies and younger children appreciate the sharing of an informative daily diary. Older children's parents benefit from staff providing a news board for each room which enables parents and carers to know what their child is doing during the day. Parents enjoy talking to their children and staff about the activities, including daily informal chats with their child's keyworker.

The full Ofsted report is available at the nursery.