Rosewood Nursery

Rosewood Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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319354 Unique Reference Number 20 March 2007 Inspection date Abigail Caroline Cunningham Inspector

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St James's Hospital, 21 Roseville Road, Harehills, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 5DT

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E-mail

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals 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?

Rosewood Nursery is one of several nurseries run by The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. It opened in 1989 and is situated in Harehills, Leeds. It operates from two rooms in a purpose-built building. A maximum of 60 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.15 to 18.00 all year round. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 75 children under five years on roll. Of these, 20 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area, as most of their parents work for the trust. The setting currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and disabilities, and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 16 staff. All of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications and two members of staff are working towards early years degrees. The nursery receives support from an advisory teacher and the emphasis is on learning through play.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. All staff are fully aware of children's individual dietary requirements and preferences which are discussed in full with parents, catering staff and a dietician from the trust. The nursery manager regularly meets with the head of catering to check that all meals have a low-salt content. The children receive a good range of healthy and nutritious meals and snacks, such as roast chicken, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, carrots and green beans. A selection of fresh fruit is always available at snack time and the children happily make their own choices. The children have independent access to drinks at all times and babies are offered drinks regularly.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children have daily opportunities for fresh air and outdoor play, such as accessing the outdoor play area. The children are beginning to recognise the importance of keeping healthy, for example, through putting stickers on the healthy eating star chart. Additionally, planned activities, such as making and tasting pumpkin soup introduce children to healthy ingredients. The children handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control, such as paintbrushes and dough tools. More-able children can manage their body to create intended movement; for example, they can pour drinks and serve their own lunch. They can also move with control and coordination; for example, a four-year-old did a forward roll on the carpet.

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Helping children to be healthy

Different methods for promoting personal hygiene are used. For example, there are paper towels and liquid soap available for children and staff to wash their hands. Staff wear gloves and aprons during nappy changing and the changing mat is cleaned after each use. Several of the staff, including the two housekeepers, have attended food hygiene training. Good arrangements are in place for administering first aid and medication. There are four fully stocked first aid kits available and all of the staff hold a current first aid certificate. Written policies are in place regarding sickness, accidents and administration of medication; these are fully implemented and shared with all parents.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The premises are very clean and are cleaned daily by the housekeeping staff. Most areas of the nursery are well maintained and welcoming, with the exception of the children's bathroom, which currently is in need of re-decorating. There is good evidence of children's play and activity throughout the building, and parents, children and visitors are warmly welcomed on arrival. Children's work is attractively presented on the walls and photographs of children involved in a broad range of activities and play are on display. The children are unable to access all play areas freely. This is because only one of the playrooms has direct access to the outdoor play area.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit from a good range of safety measures; for example, socket covers and safety gates are used. The children rehearse emergency evacuations at regular intervals. Staff are very diligent in ensuring children are safe both indoors and outdoors, and conduct regular risk assessments. The outside play area is secure and the gates are locked to prevent unwanted visitors entering. The children are supervised at all times, are unable to leave the premises unattended and are never left alone with persons who have not been vetted. The system for managing access to the premises is extremely good and unauthorised persons are unable to

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 gain entry and a record is kept of visitors. Children are protected from possible abuse or neglect as staff implement child protection procedures which are robust, fully understood and work in practice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a good range of toys, furniture and equipment available which are in good condition and are regularly checked and cleaned. Staff use most toys, equipment and materials effectively; however, the younger children are not given age-appropriate utensils for eating. For example, some two- and three-year-olds are given knifes and forks to eat with.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Staff working with the younger children have attended 'Birth to three matters' training. They confidently implement the framework and the planning and assessment systems are very effective for this age group. Babies' emotional needs are well met as they receive plenty of individual attention and cuddles, for example, while being bottle-fed. They are made to feel special by significant persons and parents handing young babies directly to each other at the beginning and end of the day. Staff are effectively deployed so that a significant member of staff is available to care for the babies and young children at all times.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff are motivated and their enthusiasm inspires the children in their play. The children are very happy, settled and confident in the setting and enjoy learning. For example, a small group of young children became very excited when it started snowing outside. Plans provide a broad range of practical activities which develop children's knowledge and understanding. Activities are presented in an interesting and thoughtful way and the children have good opportunities to be involved in messy play; this is throughout all age groups, such as babies play with the sand. The staff encourage the children to try new activities, for example, playing with cornflour, baking and mixing paints.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have attended training on the Foundation Stage and competently put this into practice. They show a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and provide a wide range of activities and experiences to cover all areas of children's learning. Planning is flexible, clear and covers all areas of learning in the curriculum. Detailed planning for focused activities ensures clear learning intentions are identified for children. Assessment records for each child clearly show the children's approach to learning, their achievements and their progress, and show planning for children's individual next steps in learning. Amid this very positive picture, there are some aspects for improvement. On occasion, the staff do not always question the children effectively, for example, during story time. Therefore, it is sometimes hard to ascertain just what the children know, understand and can

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children settle quickly, part easily from their parents, and enjoy the rich environment provided for them by the staff. The learning environment is appealing with good quality resources which tempt the children's curiosity so that they try new things, such as exploring sounds made by different instruments and experimenting with paint and brushes. All children have a positive approach to new experiences and display high levels of involvement in activities, for example, while playing in the technical area. The children are happy to initiate interactions with other people. They seek out others to share experiences; for example, one child went to find a member of staff to show them the buns that she had just made. The children select

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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 resources independently, have a positive self-image and show that they are comfortable with themselves.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children handle books correctly and more-able children can read familiar words, such as their own and other children's names. The children enjoy counting; for example, a four-year-old counted the spider's legs and informed the member of staff that the spider has eight legs. The children use mathematical language during play, for example, 'big' and 'little'. They show an interest in number problems; for example, while playing at the dough table, the children enjoyed taking the sausages away and discussing how many are left.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children enjoy watching what happens when they mix colours and can talk about personal intentions, describing what they are trying to do. They enjoying singing and dancing; for example, they automatically start to dance when the music comes on a tidy up time. The children use available prompts to support their role play and more-able children play alongside other children engaged in the same theme. However, there are limited opportunities for children to construct with a purpose in mind, such as using planks and lengths of fabric. Overall, children make good progress towards the early learning goals given their capability and starting points.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The staff are extremely good role models; they create a secure atmosphere where children develop good attitudes and dispositions to learning. As a result, the children show excitement and are motivated to learn. The children are friendly and take a keen interest in visitors. They enjoy receiving rewards for their good behaviour, such as stickers for helping to tidy up. The children understand what is expected of them because the staff are skilled in encouraging good behaviour. As a result, all the children are very well behaved; for example, young children use manners without being prompted to do so.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children show an interest in the lives of people familiar to them. For example, the children brought in photographs from home of important people in their lives. The children are beginning to develop an understanding about the wider world and community through celebrating festivals, such as Eid, Diwali and St Patrick's Day. They have access to a good range of resources which show positive images, such as empathy dolls, displays, photographs, jigsaws, musical instruments and prompts for role play. The children are beginning to appreciate aspects of nature. For example, a small group of children found two woodlice under a stone in the outside play area, which evoked great curiosity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The staff team are experienced in identifying and working with children with learning difficulties and disabilities. As a result, the nursery has effective procedures in place to support children with learning difficulties and disabilities. The staff team are committed to working in partnership with parents and outside agencies to ensure children receive excellent support. For example, regular meeting are held with parents and other agencies and individual education plans are fully implemented.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents have good opportunities to share what they know about their child through regular discussions with staff and an effective settling-in procedure. Staff give good attention to meeting babies' individual needs for eating, changing and sleeping and exchange this information with parents, for example, through the use of daily diaries. Additionally parents' noticeboards prominently display relevant information, such as information about the Foundation Stage and the 'Birth to three matters' framework. Further

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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 information is available through the setting's policy file which is easily accessible to parents. The parents receive clear information about the educational provision, for example, through regular newsletters. They are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning. For example, parents can take their child's development profile home and are actively encouraged to add their comments and observations to these. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. The staff team are committed to improving care and education and there are clear plans in place for improvements, such as making changes to the outdoor play area and the children's bathroom. The staff regularly work with an advisory teacher from the local authority to improve their practice. The nursery manager has a reflective approach and works very much hands-on with the staff and children. Additionally, children are consulted about activities, for example, through the use of the children's ideas sheets. Planning is clear and reflects the different areas of learning and responds to individual children's needs and interests. The system is easy to follow, and all staff working with the funded children know how each part fits together. Additionally, assessment records are always updated by key workers.

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Organisation

The staff have created an orderly environment in which to care for the children. Each session is planned for in advance and the staff are effectively deployed. Staffing ratios are consistently high and the children are given good support. As a result, all the children are very happy and settled. The staff work extremely well as a team; they are motivated and enthusiastic. They are fully involved in planning, evaluating and developing practice, for example, through staff meetings, planning meetings and appraisals. Staff have regular access to relevant training, for example, child protection, first aid and 'Birth to three matters'. An established system is in place for staff, student and parent inductions. The registration system is effective and this clearly shows when staff, visitors and children are present. All the required documentation is in place, such as emergency contact and registration details. This information is easily accessible

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Organisation

and stored securely. 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

Since the last care and nursery education inspection the setting has provided adult-sized furniture in the baby room, such as a comfortable chair for staff to feed babies and small tables to assist with the children's mobility. The staff have increased opportunities for children to link sounds to letters and encourage the more-able children to recognise and write letters. Planning for physical development has been reviewed and challenges for more-able children have been provided, such as tyres and stepping stones. Additionally, a clear action plan is in place to provide further improvements to outside play.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the 1 April 2004 Ofsted has received one complaint in relation to National Standard 1: Suitable Person. The concerns were originally shared with another agency. The Compliance, Investigation and Enforcement team then contacted the provision. The provision provided an investigation response regarding the concerns raised. Ofsted are satisfied the provider remains qualified for registration.

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Complaints 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 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): • provide the children with appropriate cutlery during meal times, which matches their individual needs and developmental stages • continue to make improvements to the outdoor play area and the children's bathroom.

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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): • ensure that the staff effectively question children, so that they have a clear understanding of what the children know, understand and can do • provide opportunities for children to construct with a purpose in mind, for example, using planks and lengths of fabric.

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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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