First Steps Day Nursery

First Steps Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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First Steps Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY302828 Inspection date 22 November 2005 Inspector Teresa Ann Clark

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First Steps Day Nursery

Setting Address St. Mary's Hospital, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 0JH

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E-mail

Registered person Ctrl M/c & M/c Children's University Hospitals NHS Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Out of School 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 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

First Steps Day Nursery is a Private Day Nursery governed by Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospital trust. It has been operating for 17 years and provides care for the children of staff working for the trust. The nursery operates Monday to Friday from 07.15 to 17.30 for 51 weeks of the year. A maximum of 55 children may attend the nursery at any one time, this includes 5 children who attend holiday play care during school holidays.

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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 There are 66 children on roll of these, 10 children are in receipt of nursery education funding. The children are grouped in four large rooms according to ages. Children share a secure enclosed outdoor area. The nursery employs 20 staff, of these 15 staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. One member of staff is working towards a qualification. The nursery receives support from the Local Authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are provided with a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet which promotes their growth and development. Effective procedures are in place to record children's health and dietary needs, likes and dislikes with regard to food and drink. This ensures children's individual dietary needs are met and they stay healthy. Children are provided with regular drinks, including water, to keep refreshed. Lunch times are a relaxed social occasion where staff and children sit together and chat. Children are given appropriate crockery and cutlery to eat comfortably. However, this does not happen at snack time when children walk around with toast and drinks. Self help skills are developed in younger children as they are encouraged to feed themselves at meal times. Babies individual routines, with regards to meal and sleep times, are not followed which results in babies being overtired by lunch time.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff follow satisfactory procedures to ensure children stay healthy. They ensure all tables are wiped down with anti-bacterial spray before children eat. The staff use aprons and gloves when changing nappies to prevent the spread of infection. Children are developing some understanding about keeping themselves healthy through the daily routine. They are encouraged to wash their hands before eating their lunch and after using the toilet, but do not wash their hands before eating their morning snack. An effective sick child policy excludes children who are infectious which helps prevent cross infection. There are sufficient staff who hold first aid certificates which ensures children receive appropriate care in the event of an accident or emergency. Pre-school children and toddlers health is promoted by regular opportunities to play outdoors, where they benefit from fresh air and use a range of equipment to help

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Helping children to be healthy

develop control of their bodies. They negotiate space and each other as they manoeuvre wheeled toys. They develop their hand-eye co-ordination skills using a range of equipment, such as bats and balls. However, babies are provided with less opportunities to enjoy regular fresh air and natural daylight to promote their good health.

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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 satisfactory. The nursery provides a warm and welcoming environment. Children and parents are warmly welcomed and attractive displays of children's work help to create a sense of belonging. Children have sufficient space to move about and play safely. Babies are provided with a good amount of space to explore their environment freely and safely. Resources are plentiful within the nursery but staff do not organise them effectively which restricts children's independent access and ability to develop their own play ideas. For example, home corner resources are out of children's reach and many good quality resources are kept in the store room and displayed in the corridor. Regular checks ensure toys and equipment do not pose a risk to children's safety. The premises are secure and access is managed by staff with the use of an intercom system. The open plan design of the nursery ensures children are supervised at all

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

times. Children's safety is assessed and managed through regular risk assessments of the premises. Children are learning about safety issues when they practice the fire evacuation procedure. Gentle reminders by staff such as not running or climbing indoors and picking toys up in case they fall helps to keep children safe. Children are well protected from possible abuse or neglect. Staff attend training in child protection and are fully aware of the types of abuse and the signs to look for. They have a clear understanding of the policies and procedures to follow if they have concerns regarding the safety or welfare of children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are happy, settled and relate well to staff and other children around them. Children play happily and are involved in a range of activities which meet their developmental needs. Children enjoy the current theme as they learn about animals through interesting activities such as stories, creative work and visits to places of interest. Staff support babies well in developing their physical skills, such as crawling and walking. Resources in the baby room are organised to encourage free exploration and easy access, except the home corner which lacks equipment. Early speech patterns are developed as staff respond to babies' babbling by making eye contact and talking and singing with them. Babies enjoy different sensory experiences such as paint, water and explore natural materials in the treasure basket. They show delight as they repeatedly try to catch the sand flowing through their fingers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Toddlers are developing confidence as they explore their environment and join in singing action rhymes. They enjoy making their own play dough and explore the texture, rolling and pinching. Children who are new to the setting and less confident children are not made to join in activities which they are not ready for. They are allowed time and space to become familiar and comfortable with the nursery routines.

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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 Children are provided with lots of hugs and cuddles as they sit on familiar staff's knee and build trusting relationships. This helps increase their sense of security and trust. Staff have an awareness of Birth to three matters but have not introduced it to plan activities for younger children. Staff monitor and record children's achievements but do not use this information to plan for the next steps in their learning and development. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have a generally good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and how children learn. Consequently children are making steady progress towards the early learning goals. The activities provided are developmentally appropriate to the children. Staff plan an interesting range of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities linked to the six areas of learning but do not use the stepping stones to plan learning outcomes for children. This means that some aspects of learning are not given sufficient time and attention to ensure children receive a broad and balanced curriculum. Children's assessments are completed on a regular basis, but these are not used to plan for the next steps in their learning. The nursery has a wide range of good quality resources but staff do not make them accessible to children. For example, children's name cards and resources for them to learn about shapes are stored out of children's reach. Resources for sand play have been removed, which only allows children to play with the animals put in the sand by staff. There are insufficient resources for children to explore and investigate, such as magnifying glasses, torches and magnets. Children enjoy their time at nursery. They greet each other and staff on arrival. They

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

play co-operatively and care about each other. Children apologise when they bump into each other 'Oh sorry it was an accident'. They are sufficiently confident to make some choices about their play and learning. Their independence skills are fostered as they put on and take off aprons and coats. Children show good levels of concentration as they play with the weighing scales, build the train track and paint their own pictures. They are confident speakers and ask questions. They talk about their family members explaining who will be collecting them at the end of the day. Children eagerly participate in story time and confidently ask questions when listening to the 'Last Noo Noo'. They practice their writing skills in both planned activities and independently in the writing area, but are not encouraged to link sounds to letters or recognise familiar words. They learn to count and sort objects through colour and size and they are introduced

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

to weight and measure when using scales. Children use positional language with familiarity as they use descriptive terms such as behind, backwards and forwards. Children enjoy singing and they know a variety of rhymes such as 'Old McDonald' and 'Five Cheeky Monkeys' but musical exploration to introduce children to beat, tone and rhythm are not specifically planned for. Children enjoy exploring materials such as sand, water and melting ice. They are developing skill and confidence as they use the computer to support their learning. They are adept at joining construction pieces together to make their own models of animals homes and build train tracks. Children show good concentration and observational skills as they paint their own pictures of animals with different patterns. They create their own hedgehogs and animal heads

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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 using collage materials.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are warmly welcomed into the provision. Staff recognise each child as an individual and work well with parents to meet their needs. Children are able to settle and join in activities at their own pace. Staff are sensitive and provide reassurance which helps children feel safe and secure. Resources and activities positively represent the children who attend as well as the wider world. For example, they celebrate a wide range of festivals including Christmas Diwali and Eid. This helps children develop a positive attitude towards others. Children's behaviour is good and pre-school children play very well together. They successfully negotiate with each other as they solve problems such as fitting the different shapes of train track together. Staff support children by setting clear and consistent boundaries. For example, they learn to help at tidy up time and line up for

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Helping children make a positive contribution

outdoor play. Their understanding of right and wrong is fostered as they respond to gentle reminders to care for resources and each other. Children's efforts and achievements are celebrated and their contributions valued, which promotes their self-esteem and confidence. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Friendly relationships and good verbal communication is evident between staff and parents which contributes to the children's well being in the setting. Staff know the families well and work hard to support them where they can. Information about the children's care needs are sought before children start in the nursery and a gradual admission procedure helps them settle. Partnership with parents is good. Parents are provided with a variety of information about the nursery. Daily diary sheets are used to record babies sleep, feed and nappy changing. This ensures parents are informed about their child's day and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

provides continuity of care. Parents have access to children's individual records of achievement which shows children's progress in their learning and development. Parents feel comfortable to contact the nursery during the day to check how their children are. Parents speak highly about all aspects of the nursery and state that their children are happy and that they find staff approachable.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are cared for by staff who work well together. Staff provide a secure place for children to play. They share responsibilities and communicate effectively with each other. The management team have created a very positive ethos and children experience staff who are kind and caring, which helps them to feel safe and secure in the setting. The nursery has all legally required documentation which contribute to children's safety and welfare. Staff are generally well deployed to support children,

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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 but during children's lunch time their are insufficient staff working in the pre-school. The leadership and management of the setting is satisfactory. The setting implements the advice and support received from the local authority and regular staff appraisals are adequately used to evaluate the care and education offered to children. Management have recently introduced a monitoring system, but this is not yet rigorous enough to ensure gaps in the provision are identified. Consequently there are still areas for improvement in both the care and education. Overall the provision meets the needs of the children who attend.

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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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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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): • review the organisation in the baby room to ensure babies individual needs and routines are taken into account with regard to sleeping and eating and ensure they benefit from regular fresh air • make sure children wash their hands before eating their snacks and improve snack time to make it a more comfortable and social experience for example, children sitting at the table with appropriate crockery

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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 • develop the planning for younger children by using Birth to three framework • organise resources more effectively to allow children independent access and to enable them to develop their own play ideas (also applies to nursery education) • review the organisation and deployment of staff at lunch times to ensure sufficient staff are working with the children.

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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 the systems used for planning to ensure children are making progress through the stepping stones towards the early learning goals and ensure children's assessments are used to plan for the next steps in their learning • provide resources for children to explore and investigate for example, magnifying glasses and magnets and make resources available to children for them to learn about shape • monitor the education provision to ensure all aspects of learning are covered sufficiently over time and that children are making progress through the stepping stones.

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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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