Cedar House Day Nursery

Cedar House Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Cedar House Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY299642 Inspection date 26 October 2005 Inspector Pamela Bailey

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Cedar House Day Nursery

Setting Address Rear Ground Floor Mapother House, Descrespigny Park Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AZ

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Telephone number

E-mail symone.pearce@slam.nhs.uk Registered person South London & Maudsley NHS Trust Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Telephone number

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 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?

Cedar House Day Nursery opened in 2005 and operates from three rooms. It is situated in a self contained unit within the Maudsley Hospital located in the London Borough of Southwark. A maximum of 69 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each week day from 08:00 - 18:00 all year round. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 55 children aged from 3 months to under 5 years on roll. Of

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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 these, 14 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area as most of their parents travel in to work at the hospital. The nursery employs 20 staff. Over half the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a good range of energetic physical activities which contribute to a healthy life style. Indoor and outdoor activities provide good opportunities for all the children to use a wide range of toys and equipment suitable to develop their physical skills. Children are cared for in an environment that enables them to rest and be active according to their needs. All the children learn the importance of good personal hygiene, through well organised activities and routines. For example, brightly coloured posters on display in the bathroom encourage them to brush their teeth. Staff are good role models in promoting good hygiene. For example, they wash their hands before handling food and use antibacterial fluid to clean the tables after each activity. Suitable measures are in place to minimise the spread of infection and parents receive comprehensive information about the care of children who are ill.

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Helping children to be healthy

Two members of the staff team hold current first aid certificates and all staff have attended internal training on baby resuscitation. Senior members of staff supervise the administration of medication to children. This ensures children receive the correct dose in an appropriate manner. Children benefit from a healthy diet. They enjoy wholesome nutritious meals that are freshly prepared in the hospital kitchen and appropriately transported in suitable containers to the nursery. Although staff handling food within the nursery have not yet attended appropriate food handling training, they ensure that they wear the appropriate protective clothing and a member of staff from the main hospital kitchen checks the temperature of the food before it is served to the children. Older children have access to drinking water throughout the day and younger children are regularly offered drinks to ensure none remain thirsty. Staff follows

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Helping children to be healthy

babies' individual routines for eating and sleeping. This ensures continuity of care and contributes to their physical well being.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in bright and attractive, well maintained premises. There is good evidence of children's art work and activities on display throughout the nursery. All the children benefit from playing in a spacious well-organised environment. This

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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 allows them to move around freely and safely to independently access available resources from tables, trays, shelves and boxes at child height. Child size furniture allows babies to crawl and learn to walk in a safe environment. Children have access, throughout the day, to a good range of quality toys and resources appropriate to their age and stage of development. Areas of learning are easily identified and well resourced to promote and support learning. Children benefit from a good range of safety measures, for example, electric socket covers, good fire fighting equipment and fire exits that are clearly labelled. The premises are very secure and effective systems for managing access to the premises are in place to prevent unwanted visitors gaining access. Children are well protected from possible signs of abuse or neglect. Staff have

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

attended appropriate training and show a good understanding of the procedures to follow if there are any concerns. Staff receive clear information regarding the signs and symptoms of abuse. This promotes children's welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children make good progress in an environment where their individual learning needs are met through well planned activities that are appropriate for their age and stage and of learning. The key worker system provides good opportunities for staff to build relationship with individual children and identify gaps in learning. This enables all the children to participate in activities which promote their all round development. Staff awareness and good use of the "Birth to three matters framework" enhances children's learning and provides good opportunities for babies to use their senses. For example, they show great enjoyment when exploring a range of natural and manufactured play materials. Music and songs playing in the background create a calming effect and provides a good opportunity for the children to move in time and imaginatively to different rhythms. Children enjoy action songs, listening to music and carrying out the actions,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for example, "bend your knees" . This promotes and improves children's listening and comprehension skills. Children benefit form staff who know them well and are skilful in communication with them on their own level, they encourage all the children to make choices. For example, during lunch time, a child ask for a "green plate". Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making rapid progress because staff have a very secure knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage. Staff observe and assess children's learning and use the stepping stones effectively to clearly identify children's achievements and to plan activities for the children. The written plans are linked to the six areas of learning, although they lack some detail. The activities are well organised and presented at a level which enables

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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 three and four-year-olds to participate fully. Staff are enthusiastic, committed and use varied and often excited methods to introduce new skills and knowledge. They expect the children to behave well and children know what is expected of them. The staff give good explanations and instructions and use a variety of questioning techniques. They offer a wide range of resources, both inside and outside. Displays in the classrooms are decorative as well as informative, and most are the children's own work. Children are keen and motivated to learn. The organisation of resources and equipment allows children to independently self select and make choices. Children build on their independence through practical experiences such as pouring drinks, preparing for snacks and selecting activities. They are able to take care of their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

personal needs such as dressing themselves and washing their hands. Children's confidence and self esteem are built up by staff who are sensitive to their needs and know them well. Children are well behaved, friendly and show concern for others. Children are keen to communicate with staff and their peers through signs, gestures or talk. They speak confidently when taking part in discussions, listen intently and contribute to story time. Children recognise their first names and are encouraged to notice the sounds of letters and print in the environment. They have lots of opportunities to write for different purposes, for example, during role play activities and when labelling their work. Children benefit from good individual support to help them count beyond ten and to recognise shapes, colours and sizes. Children use numbers confidently and their understanding of numbers is reinforced as they take part in routine tasks such as

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

laying the table at meal times. Their awareness of weight and capacity is extended through play resources such as sand and water. Children are learning about the world they live in. Well planned activities and outings offer the children lots of experiences such as learning about people in the community, living things and different cultures and beliefs. They have opportunities to learn about information technology and are confident when using the computer. Children are able to build and construct using a variety of materials such as boxes, bottles and art and craft materials. Children move competently and with confidence both inside and outside. They take part in daily outdoor physical activities where they are set challenges to develop physical skills and staff are on hand to give support and encourage new skills, such as, balancing on stilts and manoeuvring wheeled toys around obstacles. Children understand what happens to their bodies when they are active and get hot. Children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

use a wide range of large and small equipment for a variety of purposes. They handle scissors, pencils, paintbrushes, and cutlery with increasing control. Children have good opportunities to explore colour, shape, and texture through sand, water, corn flour and art and craft activities. They draw on their experiences and imagination as they make musical shakers. Role play activities are varied and interesting; children enjoy being at the hospital and having a tea party. They enjoy playing musical instruments, exploring different sounds and singing familiar songs.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued as individuals and they are encouraged to participate in all the activities provided. This ensures all the children have equal opportunities to maximise their enjoyment and potential. Children become aware of their own and other cultures through a good range of resources, planned activities and as they celebrate a variety of festivals. During snack time children eat foods from around the world. For example, on the day of the inspection visit the snack area was set up as a French café and children helped themselves to croissants and jam. Children's independence and confidence is fostered well and they take turns to be helper for the day, they set the table for lunch and help to prepare for sleep time. This provides good opportunities for all the children to contribute to their learning. For example, some of the children are pro-active in reminding staff that it is their turn to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

be helper for the day. Children learn about the life cycle of animals through visits to the farm. They make books about the animals they see. This allow them to re-visit past experiences. Trips to the shops to buy food for the nursery pets and taking turns to feed the animals provides good opportunities for the children to care for living things. There are good support systems in place to support children and families who have special needs. Close liaison with parents and outside agencies ensure all the children's needs are well planned for and met. Staff adapt activities for children with special needs so they can experience a wide range of stimulating activities appropriate for their level of ability. Children behave well and respond positively to praise and encouragement. Older children help to establish the ground rules. Consistent boundaries and good explanation from staff helps children to learn to negotiate with others and develop an

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Helping children make a positive contribution

understanding of right and wrong. Children are able to take turns and share. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The partnership with parents and carers is good and contributes significantly to children's well being. Parents' views about their child's needs are actively sought before the child starts at the nursery. Daily diaries and progress review meetings provide good opportunities for staff and parents to share information about children's individual progress and development and parents are kept well informed about relevant policies and procedures. This ensures continuity of care. Children greatly benefit from the involvement of their parents, which contributes to their learning and development.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's individual needs are fully met because staff and parents work closely together and share information. The keyworker system ensures children receive the

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 appropriate support and care throughout the session. Children are well grouped and the premises' layout is well organised. Indoor and outdoor space is laid out to maximise play opportunities for children and they are able to participate in structured and free play activities. Effective recruitment procedures and induction training ensures that children benefit from qualified and experienced staff who have access to guidance, support and relevant training, which contributes to the safety and welfare of the children. Clear policies and procedures support and underpin the service the nursery provides and safe guards the welfare of all the children. Documentation is maintained to a good standard and all of the required records are in place. Leadership and management is good and has a positive impact on children's

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Organisation

progress and learning. Children are making good progress and benefit from staff that are skilful and work very well as a team guided by confident management who have a shared purpose and approach to children's care and learning. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities and there is a strong commitment to improvement, training and the professional development for all staff. Overall the settings meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. 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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that anyone responsible for food handling or preparation is aware of, and complies with, Environmental Health requirements

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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): • improve short term plans to shows how they are guided by individual assessments of children's achievements, how staff will be deployed, the use of resources and how children will be grouped

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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