Shirley Warren Middle School

Goldsmiths College Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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129022 Unique Reference Number 03 October 2007 Inspection date Silvia Richardson Inspector

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Goldsmiths College, Lewisham Way, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW Setting Address

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020 7919 7111 Telephone number nursery@gold.ac.uk E-mail Goldsmiths College Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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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?

Goldsmiths College Nursery is managed by the College Personnel Department and has been registered to provide day care since 1991. The nursery is located in a residential area within the Borough of Lewisham. It operates from an end of terrace house that is accessed within the college grounds. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 08.30 to 17:30 and 09:00 to 17:00 during college holidays, for both staff and student users.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is registered to provide full day care for 23 children from three months to under five years. There are currently 27 children from five months to four years on roll. This includes seven funded three and four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with learning needs, disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are six full-time staff working with the children. More than half the staff, including the manager, have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. The nursery has regular support from an area special educational needs coordinator (SENCO). Staff have access to training

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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 courses and support services run by Lewisham Early Years and the Lewisham Early Years Advice and Resource Network (LEARN).

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's play rooms are clean and generally well maintained, promoting their welfare. Routines include thorough cleaning of floors and facilities prior to opening each morning and weekly cleaning of toys, soft furnishings and items such as bedding, helping to promote the good health of children in the setting. Outdoor shoes are not removed in the baby room, so their floor play areas are not as hygienically clean for crawling babies. However, adults are cleaning floors routinely during the day, including after the lunch period, so that any dirt and debris is removed, contributing to babies overall health and safety when playing on floors and carpeted areas. Measures are taken to reduce the risk of cross infection, such as using colour coded cloths for different types of cleaning.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are developing good personal hygiene habits, through good hand washing routines. They understand how germs are spread and cover their mouth, when they cough and learn to use tissues appropriately. Children have a very good understanding of healthy eating, because they take part in projects and activities about foods, which are good for them and talk about those which are less beneficial to their health. However, although toddlers are offered fruit as snacks, the older children are offered biscuits, so messages about healthy eating are not reinforced. Children are well hydrated and offered drinks routinely throughout the day. Adults are trained in food handling and hygiene procedures, so that the provision of lunches promotes children's health.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have excellent opportunities to enjoy fresh air and exercise, helping them to be healthy. They make good use of the well planned outside play area every day, helping children to develop a broad range of physical skills. Children are developing balance and co-ordination and becoming agile, because they practise skills using a broad range of outdoor equipment. Adults supervise outside play well, helping to develop children's confidence. Babies are taken out for walks in buggies around the fields and older children go on nature walks, collecting leaves and conkers, helping them to enjoy outdoor life. Good records are kept with regards to offsite activities, accidents and personal details, so that children's health and welfare needs are promoted well.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play and move around the premises safely, because some good measures are in place helping children to stay safe. Stairs have gates appropriately positioned, electric sockets are fitted with covers and doors have viewing panels, so that children can be seen behind a door before it is opened. Additionally in the baby room, protective soft covers are fitted to corners of units, helping to minimise head injuries. Children are learning how to stay safe, because adults consistently talk to children, helping them to become aware of potential hazards and how to avoid accidents. They know to hold hands, wait away from the kerb and listen for the bleeps, before crossing roads, when out and about in the community, such as when visiting the library.

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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 Children are learning to use a range of tools and play equipment safely, such as scissors and hammers, because adults demonstrate how to handle these and supervise children closely while they are practising new skills. Children are developing a good awareness of potential tripping hazards, because adults talk to children about what they should do to stay safe, when liquids are spilt and toys are dropped. Children know what to do and how to stay safe, should emergency evacuation of the premises be necessary, because the practise fire drills. Children are kept safe and protected should safe-guarding concerns arise, because adults are trained in child protection, follow appropriate guidelines and know how to make a referral to care services if they are worried.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Babies and toddlers are very happy and settled in their base rooms, because adults are warm, caring and attentive. They receive much individual attention with their care and play needs, so that they thrive in the setting. Babies and toddlers enjoy a good range and variety of toys and play materials, helping them to practise and acquire skills. Resources are well organised, labelled with words and pictures and sorted into sets, so that toddlers see what is available and help themselves. Adults sit with children on the floor, talk and play with them, providing a reassuring presence and support to extend play ideas and learning opportunities. Babies routines are recorded daily, providing parents with some basic information, about what they have eaten and for how long they have slept. However, adults are not retaining any care information for their own records, so they are less able to monitor and review care routines in the setting.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Developmental progress is well recorded, assisting planning for next steps.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children enjoy an exciting play and learning environment, selecting resources and taking part in activities of their own choosing. They are developing their knowledge and skills through active adult participation in all their activities, helping them to make very good progress. Children are well supported by caring adults, so that they are confident and settled. Adults are very attentive to children's care needs and support them well, while they begin to develop some independence with toilet training and hand washing. Snack and meal times are relaxed and sociable occasions, so that children enjoy conversation and the company of their friends. There are some missed opportunities during snack and meal times for children to develop independence skills, for example, they are not assisted to pour their own drinks. Children have opportunities to rest after the mid-day meal and relax to classical music, after a busy morning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Their routines and schedule of activities are very well balanced, so that children enjoy active play outside everyday, including walks around the fields and visits to the library.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children make excellent progress, because the provision for nursery education is extremely good. Children enjoy an exciting, interactive and visually stimulating environment, because adults have a very good understanding of how children learn. Children's enthusiasm for challenge and for trying out new skills in captured across all six areas of learning, because adults provide an outstanding range of resources to support learning. Children are enticed to explore with all their senses, handling a wide variety of natural materials. Adults support children's learning experiences very well, providing language and concepts, both verbally and in written words displayed along side activities. Children's starting points are clearly documented together with attainments, learning intentions and targets towards next steps in their learning. Activity

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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 planning clearly reflect individual children's learning needs and these are monitored and reviewed on a weekly basis.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is particularly strong, because they handle and explore many natural materials, including shells, stones, conkers and leaves and enjoy the aquariums with tropical fish and African land snails. They have free-play access to ICT and use a mouse and keyboard competently. Children are learning how letters make words and that words carry meaning, because they are seeing, discussing and practising writing for different purposes all the time. They talk about numbers, sizes, shapes and quantity, while measuring and calculating, through a range of activities, so maths concepts have real purpose and make sense to children. Children especially enjoy role-play, learning the value of money and what items are worth, while playing shops. They use a wide variety of creative resources, selecting materials to make things of their own design and choosing. Children are confident and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

independent learners, talk about team work, share and take turns, helping them to develop polite, courteous and friendly attitudes towards each other.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are made very welcome in the setting and valued as individuals, helping them to enjoy a real sense of belonging. Their individual care and learning needs are met well, because adults really get to know the children, including their specific interests. The setting supports well those children for whom English is an additional language and displays numbers, letters and words in the languages of the children on roll. Additional bi-lingual books are available and adults make good use of the local library to support children's needs. The setting is well prepared to work with children with learning needs and disabilities, although there are none on roll at present.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children celebrate diversity through a range of practical activities. Pictures, posters and photographs provide positive images of differences, helping children to feel good about themselves. Children have excellent social skills and relate very well to each other. They are kind, caring and work well in small groups, because adults support children well and provide good role models. Children are happy to help put resources away after use and work well together tidying up, because adults praise them all the time and help them to feel good about making a positive contribution to the setting. Children have a strong sense of place and order, because the base rooms are particularly well organised, so that children know where things belong. Overall, children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The quality of partnership with parents and carers is good.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Adults develop a good rapport with parents and carers, so that positive relationships are established, contributing well to children's care and welfare. Parents are consulted about the sorts activities planned for children and receive both written and pictorial information, to help them decide the extent to which the wish their children to participate, particularly with regards to outings and religious and cultural festivals. Parents receive excellent information about the setting and provision for nursery education, through a variety of means, including termly project scrap books. These detail photographs, pictures, samples of the children's work and clear written information about activities and outings previous children have taken part in. Attractive and well presented information is helping parents to get a real feel of how the activities will help their children learn and make progress. Parents and carers make an active contribution to report

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Helping children make a positive contribution

writing, so a complete profile of how well children are working towards the early learning goals

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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 is achieved. Parents and carers meet with adults to discuss learning intentions and to agree and set targets for next steps in children's learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Adults are properly vetted ensuring they are suitable to look after children. A good ratio of qualified staff and assistants are employed, so that children receive good levels of support and supervision. Adults are well trained in a range of procedures, such as safe food handling and hygiene, first aid and child protection, so that they are able to work and respond appropriately to situations and as they arise. Records, policies and procedures are in place, ensuring the safe and efficient management of the setting. These are implemented effectively so that the welfare, care and learning of the children are actively promoted, with the exception of babies care records. Babies routines are recorded daily for parents, however adults are not retaining any care information for their own records, so they are less able to monitor and review care routines in the setting.

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Organisation

Children's base rooms are very well organised, creating an exciting and accessible play and learning environment for children. Arrangements are ensuring that babies, toddlers and children, become competent, confident and independent learners, because they are able to select resources of their own choosing and use these spontaneously, creatively and innovatively. Adults are well deployed, so that they build on children's natural curiosity, helping children to explore, experiment and make discoveries. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

The quality of leadership and management is good.

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Organisation

The provision for nursery education is exceptionally good because management have an excellent understanding of how to plan and provide for the foundation stage of learning. Management ensures the setting is well resourced, so that children enjoy a wide range and variety of quality learning experiences. Leadership is strong and learning intentions achieved, because management has a practical input, in the role of the deputy manger, working directly with the children in receipt of nursery education funding. There is a strong focus on the personal, social and cultural development of children and the diversity they bring to the setting, so that individual children's cultural inheritance is valued and upheld.

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Organisation

Adults are highly motivated and committed to children's all round development and take pride in children's achievements and readiness for school. Strong leadership is ensuring that adults work effectively as a team, so that children enjoy continuity and consistency in approaches to learning. Provision for nursery education and teaching practises are good, because adults are dedicated in their work with children. However, leadership and management roles are insufficiently developed, so that care and learning practices are effectively monitored and reviewed. The setting has many strengths, but the weaknesses in children's personal development, such as developing independence during meal times, is overlooked. This is because senior management has not established arrangements for observing adults and their care practices with children on a regular basis and performance is reviewed only once a year.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider agreed to a number of recommendations to improve care practice. Since the last inspection, the provider ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent

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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 accidents. The glass kitchen roof has been replaced so it is safe and does not leak. The soil pipe in the basement bathroom is safe and has been covered. The provider has met recommendations made by the Environmental Health Officer, regarding the preparation of meals. Adults responsible for the preparation and handling of food are aware of, and comply with, Environmental Health requirements. All staff have received training in safe food handling and hygiene. Sufficient, suitable furniture and equipment is available to meet the needs of children, such as the purchase of buggies, so that children under two years are taken on outings. There is suitable storage for outside play equipment and double buggies. The provider has met recommendations made by the Fire Safety Officer, regarding the use of the electric storage

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Improvements since the last inspection

room. The area has been cleared of paper and card and a smoke detector is fitted.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection, the provider has improved the provision of nursery education, creating opportunities for children that promote self-help skills and independence, by making suitable arrangements for snacks and meals. Children now sit together in their base room, where they have more space and time to eat and the pace is relaxed and unhurried. Opportunities are provided for children to select resources, supporting and encouraging creativity, enjoyment of books and development of fine motor skills. Improvement is made to arrangements for parents and carers to contribute to the assessment process, so that children's progress and achievements are fully documented and reflect children's learning in their home setting.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection 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.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints 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): • reinforce children's learning about healthy eating during snack times, ensuring they always have healthy choices • create further opportunities during snack and meal times for children to develop independence skills • maintain records to promote the welfare and care of babies

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The quality and standards of the care

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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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): • develop leadership and management roles, so that care and learning practices are effectively monitored and reviewed

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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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