Crown Primary Nursery Class Day Care of Children

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1 Crown Primary Nursery Class Day Care of Children Kingsmills Road Inverness IV2 3JT Telephone: Type of inspection: Unannounced Inspection completed on: 16 September 2016 Service provided by: Highland Council Service provider number: SP Care service number: CS

2 About the service Crown primary school nursery which is near the centre of Inverness and is situated within a mixed area of commercial and residential properties. The nursery building which has its own entrance is attached to the primary school. The nursery is all on the one level and there is a small enclosed outdoor play area that can be accessed directly from the nursery. The service was registered on 1 April 2011 and can care for up to 24 children at any one time The aims of the service are to: - Provide a safe, supportive, welcoming and stimulating environment. - Deliver an appropriate child centred curriculum. - Provide a variety of learning experiences aimed at meeting the needs of each child. - Encourage in each child lifestyles, attitudes and beliefs which promote health, self-awareness and esteem, creativity and confidence. - Help the children become involved in making choices to become independent and successful learners. - Provide equal opportunities. - Provide a smooth transition from nursery to primary one. - Encourage meaningful partnerships with parent/carers and the wider community. - Involve parents in education of their child. What people told us Views of people who use the service The children were very keen to enter the nursery and meet with staff and their friends. They had the confidence to investigate their space and access play materials independently. "Do you want some soup? (mud kitchen)." "I love playing with the cars on the ramp." "We can paint pictures and take them home for my mum." "If you want help ask the teacher." "The golden rules - don't run inside, wait your turn, be nice to your friends." page 2 of 7

3 Views of Parents "I think the staff do an amazing job, and my child has had had two very happy years. There are a number of limitations which are out with the control of staff, primarily the lack of wraparound care which can make things very difficult for working parents. A very quick turnaround between morning and afternoon can be tricky. My child and I are always made to feel welcome and staff are great at sharing what my child has done, or chat about what he has been up to." "We have been very happy with the service Crown nursery has provided for our son. In particular the transition programmes provided to ensure they are ready for primary one. We always find all the staff are very approachable (as does our son) and feel confident that if we did have a query they would always do their best to provide an answer." "Crown primary nursery has been an excellent introduction for our child to Crown primary school. The staff are friendly, approachable and welcoming and our child has been very happy there." "We hope to see an expanded learning space here in the future and although good I am sure that a bigger space would make for a far better caring environment. The enclosed garden is great and well used in all weathers." "A happy, caring, stimulating nursery, my child loves it and the staff. He was identified as good at maths and they created a little group to do extra activities which we were very grateful for and he got a lot out of it. Amazing Christmas nativity, the children learned numerous songs were confident and happy and stage. Amazing for three to four year olds - great stuff." "All three of my children have attended clone nursery. Although there have been many changes both structural and staffing wise, the standard of care has been consistent and excellent. My children have been well cared for, stimulated, challenged and supported. Staff are very approachable and helpful and management are quick to act on any queries or suggestions. I feel very lucky to have had my children educated at Crown." "I am very happy with the service that my child gets from Crown nursery. I just wish there was a bit more space in the nursery which would be great for the kids. I wish all the best for crown nursery in the future." "Fantastic service all the staff are excellent and a real asset." Self assessment The completed self assessment gave a fair reflection of how the service was delivered. From this inspection we graded this service as: Quality of care and support Quality of environment Quality of staffing Quality of management and leadership 5 - Very Good 4 - Good not assessed not assessed page 3 of 7

4 What the service does well Children and parents had the opportunity to visit the centre and meet with the manager and staff group before stating at the service. Written information explaining how the service was provided was made available for all parents when registering their children. Children and parents were warmly welcomed to the service and brief information on the child's day was shared when parents when picking up their children at the end of the session. Basic information on each child which included health needs were recorded and updated on a regular basis. An infection control policy and procedure was in place and appropriate nappy changing facilities which safeguarded the child's privacy and dignity were also in place. Children were treated with dignity and respect at all times as well as being encouraged to ask questions and investigate their environment. Activities, games and toys were age appropriate, challenged children along with stimulating learning. Members of staff had consulted with the lower school teacher to identify work sheets for high achievers and again consulted with the head teacher and parents when they had identified children who may benefit form additional support such as speech and language therapy. A healthy lifestyle was promoted within the nursery and outside play was a regular occurrence. Healthy snacks were provided with children being encouraged to take responsibility for setting the table and tidying up The play room and reception were welcoming with a number of engaging information points for parents. Toilets which were age appropriate were clean and hygienic with children being able to access them independently unless staff support was required. The outside play area was welcoming and appealing to the children who enjoyed their time out of doors. There were climbing challenges, areas to grow vegetables along with flowers and hidden corners which encouraged role and imaginary play. To enhance this area consider how numeracy and literacy could be expanded in the outdoor area. On the day of inspection two children were making a patio with wooden blocks (patterns) this was good example of how natural materials could be used in many ways to encourage learning. A healthy lifestyle was promoted within the nursery and outside play was a regular occurrence. Healthy snacks were provided with children being encouraged to take responsibility for setting the table and tidying up. The nursery also had access to the wide open field and the all-weather sports pitch both of which were used on a regular basis. What the service could do better There was a visual time line in place to assist specific children. It is important that staff keep to this or communicate clearly their reasons with additional signage when digressing from the time line. Circle time can be an important discussion forum and to maximise this opportunity, space and length of time have to be carefully considered. Children were making choices when it came to activities; learning themes were identified when taking part in mind maps (participation tool). Recordings within their learning journeys were variable and at times it was page 4 of 7

5 difficult to pinpoint outcomes as a description of tasks prevailed rather than outcomes. Not all parents were aware of these learning journeys and a gentle reminder of their physical position may be welcomed. Supplying tongs for fruit distribution at snack time would limit the spread of infection and may improve fine motor controls. The immediate outdoor space was limited and expanding this area would be welcomed by both children and staff. To promote a digital experience a smart board was available and well used by the children attending, unfortunately not all the children could reach the top (ladybird number recognition game) and able to activate ladybird one. Providing a step or raised plinth would overcome this. Requirements Number of requirements: 0 Recommendations Number of recommendations: 1 1. It is a recommendation that the carpet from the nursery is replaced due to its dirty and stained appearance and that a more suitable floor covering is put in its place. National Care Standards Early Education and Childcare : Standard 2, Children and young people are cared for in a safe, hygienic, smoke free, pleasant and stimulating environment. The surroundings are in a good state of decoration and repair. Complaints There have been no complaints upheld since the last inspection. Details of any older upheld complaints are published at Inspection and grading history Date Type Gradings 25 Oct 2013 Unannounced Care and support Environment Staffing Management and leadership page 5 of 7

6 Date Type Gradings 17 Nov 2010 Announced Care and support 6 - Excellent Environment Not assessed Staffing Not assessed Management and leadership Not assessed 25 Nov 2008 Announced (short notice) Care and support Environment Staffing Management and leadership page 6 of 7

7 To find out more This inspection report is published by the Care Inspectorate. You can download this report and others from our website. Care services in Scotland cannot operate unless they are registered with the Care Inspectorate. We inspect, award grades and help services to improve. We also investigate complaints about care services and can take action when things aren't good enough. Please get in touch with us if you would like more information or have any concerns about a care service. You can also read more about our work online at Contact us Care Inspectorate Compass House 11 Riverside Drive Dundee DD1 4NY enquiries@careinspectorate.com Find us on Facebook Other languages and formats This report is available in other languages and formats on request. Tha am foillseachadh seo ri fhaighinn ann an cruthannan is cànain eile ma nithear iarrtas. page 7 of 7