Sheffield Hallam University Nursery

Sheffield Hallam University Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Sheffield Hallam University Nursery

300763 Unique Reference Number 13 December 2006 Inspection date Sarah Gilpin Inspector

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Sheffield Hallam University Nursery

23 Broomgrove Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2LW Setting Address

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E-mail

Sheffield Hallam University Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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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.

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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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Sheffield Hallam University Nursery opened in 1979. It operates in a large Victorian house in the Broomhall area of Sheffield. The nursery provides a day care service for the children of university students and employees, although places may be offered to the wider community, if available. Children are cared for across a number rooms within the nursery and they have access to a large garden to the front of the building, which is part grassed, part paved and part soft-surface. The children come from the local and wider communities and attend for a variety of sessions.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is registered to care for 74 children aged under eight years. There are currently 75 children on roll, 25 of whom are in receipt of nursery education funding. There is provision for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and for those children who speak English

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 as an additional language. The nursery opens every weekday throughout the year from 08.00 to 17.30.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 18 staff who are employed to work with the children, 14 of whom hold relevant qualifications and one is currently on a training programme. The nursery is in the process of completing a quality assurance scheme and receives support from a qualified teacher from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The children are cared for in a clean environment because the majority of the setting's health and hygiene procedures are implemented by the staff. For example, the nappy changing procedure is followed, however, suitable hygiene procedures are not always followed with regard to the disposal of tissues. Children learn how to manage their personal hygiene through daily routines and practical activities. In addition, there are easily accessible resources, such as low level sinks and soap, which help to develop the children's independence. There are clear and effective systems in place for administering medication to the children. Their welfare is promoted because the staff have attended first aid training and there are fully stocked first aid boxes around the nursery. However, the records of accidents and administrations of medication do not always contain the required detail, which limits the opportunities for

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy meals that are freshly prepared each day by the university catering staff and transported to the nursery. A menu is displayed for parents, which shows that children are provided with a varied range of healthy and nutritious foods. A variety of snack foods are available for the children and include fresh fruit and biscuits. Babies and young children are actively encouraged to feed themselves; suitable utensils are provided to assist their independence in this area and they are carefully monitored by the staff who sit with them while they eat. The older children serve themselves from serving bowls and they benefit from sufficient time to enjoy their food and to become more independent.

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Helping children to be healthy

Outdoor play is available to the children each day and during all weathers. The creatively designed garden benefits from a wide variety of textured areas and surfaces. There is an excellent piece of fixed apparatus, which provides the children with opportunity to climb and balance. A good range of equipment is available to help develop the children's large motor skills and they pedal bikes with ease and confidence. Children work together to push the 'taxi' bike up the slopes and then laugh as they enjoy going down the other side. When playing inside they develop their fine motor skills when they build models using recycled materials and put complicated jigsaws together. Babies and young children are developing their physical skills because staff use their knowledge of the milestones young children reach to provide a suitable environment and range of resources. This encourages children to crawl around and use their

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Helping children to be healthy

developing strength to pull themselves up to a standing position. The children's individual rest and sleep needs are understood by the staff who recognise when they are tired and provide cuddles and reassurance as they drop off to sleep.

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Helping children to be healthy

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a safe, secure and welcoming environment because the staff work very hard to make the setting attractive. The staff are extremely vigilant as they support the children in their play; for example, children are closely supervised as they explore inside the setting, when they are playing outside and when they go on outings. The children's arrival and departure at the nursery is carefully monitored by the staff and a clear record is kept of visitors to the setting. Staff complete regular risk assessments to minimise potential hazards and as a result the children's safety is maintained. Clear fire safety precautions, such as fire detection and fire-fighting equipment, are in place and the regular fire evacuation practices help raise the children's awareness of how to deal with emergency situations. In addition, careful consideration is given to the safe evacuation of the children cared for on the first floor.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The equipment that the children use meets the required safety standards and staff ensure that items remain safe for them to use because they carry out routine checks, such as checking individual items as they are put out for them. Children safely access the toys and resources, which are carefully stored at their level to provide them with free choice. The outdoor areas are checked each day before the children go out to play and this limits opportunities for children to come into contact with any dangerous items. The staff help children to develop their awareness of their own safety because they continually supervise them, offering gentle reminders; for example, by encouraging the children to be careful when climbing the stairs and to take care not to bump into their friends when they ride around on their bikes.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded because staff have a good understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. The manager is the designated person for dealing with concerns raised about a child in the nursery and the clear systems for monitoring and reporting concerns ensure that children's well-being is maintained. The policy contains all of the mandatory elements and meets the requirements of the Local Safeguarding Children Board. In addition, the robust recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that children are cared for by adults who are suitable to do so.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children are very happy and content because they are cared for by experienced staff who work in designated areas to provide a consistency of care. Staff build warm and affectionate relationships with the children and encourage them to develop friendships with their peers. Children are very confident and comfortable with the staff and they seek support as and when needed. The younger children climb happily onto the lap of the staff and initiate cuddles. Children are grouped effectively across five different rooms within the nursery and careful consideration is given to their individual needs and stage of development; for example, their transition to the next room is effectively managed by the staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

They are beginning to use the 'Birth to three matters' framework to plan for the young children's progress. They use their observations of the children to build a detailed and interesting history of their time in the nursery. The progress records are linked to the components in the framework

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 for the under three's and the six areas of learning in the Foundation Stage curriculum for the children from three to five years. Photographs of children at play are used to illustrate their learning and to show them having fun and these are shared regularly with the parents. The babies and toddlers enjoy playing in areas which are designed and resourced to ensure they can access a good range of equipment. For example, they enthusiastically explore treasure baskets, which are full of natural resources and materials. They choose books from the basket and carefully study the pictures, babbling and engaging the staff. The toddlers play alongside their friends and enjoy being sociable as they sit together to eat their meals. When they play outside the children follow the lead of the staff and roll a large reel to one another. The children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

enjoy playing creatively and their sticky pictures and paintings, which the children are proud of making, are displayed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. The children enjoy a wide range of learning experiences and practical activities because the staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. There is a substantial range of continual provision available for the children and they choose freely from these resources. The staff recognise what areas of learning can be promoted in these areas and interact with the children to question their understanding and challenge their thinking. Staff plan outings for the children, which enhance their learning opportunities; for example, they go to the local library and the museum to extend their thinking about the current theme of metal objects. A new planning system, which focuses on the individual learning of the children, has been introduced and is development, however, there is currently no evaluation of the plans to assess their effectiveness. Staff are incredibly

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

enthusiastic about the learning experiences the children have. The assessment of the progress children make in relation to the stepping stones is clear and staff are beginning to consistently use their observations of the children to develop the provision.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children are motivated and extremely inquisitive. They are eager to be involved in the activities provided and they are making good progress in all areas of learning. The children are very confident because they have warm and harmonious relationships with the adults and are developing strong friendships with their peers. The staff ensure that children can accomplish many tasks independently because they provide different resources and areas of play. For example, there is a large role play area, creative area and interactive displays where children can play. The children clearly enjoy the company of their peers and they seek others out to play with chosen activities and resources, such as the 'dinosaur world' in the sand tray. Story sessions are thoroughly enjoyed by the children, who quickly become engrossed in the animated telling of familiar stories.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children thoroughly enjoy a visit to the local library and are enthralled as they listen to the librarian who tells them about the books they can look at, both fiction and fact. Children recognise and talk about the features of the local environment as they travel on the bus and walk along the footpaths.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children spontaneously use number names and mathematical language in their play. They enjoy counting as they play and show good awareness of the order of numbers. The children have a good understanding of time and talk about past events in their lives and they remember my

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 previous visit. The children confidently use computer equipment to complete simple programmes and accurately use the mouse to click and drag. They enjoy the imaginative play when they use the small world dolls, dressing them for parties and talking about what they may do. The children have many opportunities to explore paint, glue and other media and their individual creativity is celebrated. The staff produce simple displays of their paintings, which raises the children's self-esteem and means they can share in their sense of pride with their parents. The children's physical development is encouraged because the outdoor area is included in the planning and used every day. A variety of planned activities using the extensive resources ensures the children have the chance to balance, climb and pedal bikes. They confidently use tools, such as pencils

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and paintbrushes, to create recognisable pictures. Children are encouraged to practise their writing skills as they attempt to write their names on the drawings they complete of their visit to the museum. Some of the older and more able children have excellent pencil control and can accurately form the letters of their names.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. There is a good partnership with parents and carers. A wealth of information is provided to ensure that the parents are kept informed about the provision for their children. Educational plans are displayed in each room and childcare information is arranged in the entrance hall. A copy of the main policies and procedures is provided for all parents and their views on the provision are routinely sought. The children's development records are shared with the parents throughout the year and they add their comments and observations of their own children, which enhances the information the staff record. The daily 'what we have done today' sheet gives parents a summary of the activities and achievements of all the children in the nursery. Parents and children are made very welcome by the staff and easy-going informal discussions ensure that all information relating to the children's changing needs is successfully exchanged

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Helping children make a positive contribution

each day. They report that they are very happy with the provision for their children and the positive relationships they have with the staff.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The children are cared for by a staff team who work extremely hard to get to know them and their families. They are provided with a wide range of age-appropriate resources and activities, which they can easily access. Well thought out experiences, such as trips out into the local community help the children to develop a good awareness of the world around them and other people. For example, they learn about different people, past and present, during their much enjoyed trip to the museum. Children with disabilities and/or learning difficulties are successfully included in all aspects of the provision. Individual staff support means that all children can join in and enjoy all of the activities provided.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well because they are extremely busy and work directly with the staff throughout the day. The children are beginning to develop an awareness of the needs of others because staff encourage sharing and turn taking through practical activities. Children's self-esteem and confidence is being effectively promoted because positive reinforcement is used effectively to promote good behaviour; praise and encouragement are a regular feature. A consistent approach is used by staff to deal successfully with any unwanted behaviour. As a result, the children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting is very well organised and successfully managed. Children benefit from access to a wide range of activities, resources and experiences each day because the staff understand their individual needs and know the stage they are at in their learning. This helps them to plan for the children's continuing enjoyment and learning. The nursery has all of the required documentation, such as registers of attendance, accident and medication records, however, these are not always accurately completed.

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Organisation

The majority of the staff team are qualified and experienced, they are effectively deployed to meet the required adult to child ratios, which ensures that children are very well supported as they play. There are clear and robust systems for the recruitment and vetting of staff and these are successfully implemented by the manager in conjunction with the university human resources team. These include, seeking references from a previous employer, health declarations and enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks; all of which ensure that children are cared for by staff who are suitable to do so. In addition, the effective induction procedure means that staff understand the policies and procedures, and are fully equipped to care for the children. Staff development opportunities are planned because the appraisal system is used effectively to highlight their strengths and to direct training and development opportunities. As a result,

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Organisation

staff have a good understanding of child development and know about changes in practice.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the setting is good. The staff are supported effectively by a manager who ensures that they understand the National Standards, the 'Birth to three matters' framework and the Foundation Stage curriculum. There are positive outcomes for the children because the manager works alongside the staff, is involved in their planning meetings and carefully monitors the care and learning opportunities for the children. She recognises that her staff team are a key strength in the setting and knows what areas require improvement or development, such as further developing the planning and assessment for the children who receive nursery grant funding.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provision was required to improve systems for informing parents about any accidents or injuries their children may have and about the role of Ofsted. There is now a clear system for getting parents to sign accident and health and welfare forms. In addition, parents are provided with information relating to Ofsted and the poster is displayed in the entrance hall. The nursery was also asked to include the mandatory section relating to allegations against the staff team within the child protection policy. This is now covered in the policy and procedures for dealing with child protection concerns, which means that children are safeguarded. The nursery was required to keep a record of all visitors to the setting and this is now in place and effectively used by the staff. The nursery education inspection highlighted that the assessments of children’s progress required development to inform the planning. As

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Improvements since the last inspection

a result, staff have changed the way that observation and assessment is carried out to focus clearly on the children’s individual development needs.

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Improvements since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 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 complaint record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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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): • make sure that good hygiene practices are used throughout the nursery • include the full details of the individual child concerned in all accident and medication records.

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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): • consider evaluating the planning for children's learning to inform the future plans • continue to develop the planning for children's learning both indoors and outside.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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