Trust Taplins Childcare

Trust Taplins Childcare

Inspection report for early years provision

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Trust Taplins Childcare

Unique Reference Number EY280741 Inspection date 13 December 2005 Inspector Doreen Forsyth / Sue Stuart

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Trust Taplins Childcare

Setting Address Western Communtiy Hospital, William MaCleod Way, Millbrook, Southampton, Hampshire, SO16 4XE Telephone number 02380 296981 E-mail SAM.HOLLINS@SCPT.NHS.UK Registered person SUH NHS Trust Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Crèche

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Trust Taplins Childcare

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?

Trust Taplins Childcare Nursery and Crèche registered in 2004. They are located at the Western Community Hospital in the Millbrook area of Southampton. The settings are run by the Southampton University Hospital National Health Service Trust. The nursery serves the local community and NHS employees. The crèche serves the local community, NHS employees and candidates accessing the training centre. The nursery is part of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Scheme and Sure Start

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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 Initiative. The nursery is registered to care for up to 100 children under 8 in the nursery, and 20 children in the crèche. There are currently 107 children from birth to 5 years old on roll.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery provides funded nursery education for 20 children aged 3-4. The provision supports children that have special educational needs or who speak English as an additional language. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery and crèche operate from Monday to Saturday from 07:00 until 21:30, for 52 weeks of the year, except public holidays. There are 27 full time or part-time staff who work with the children; 17 of these have relevant early years qualifications and 4 are currently on training programmes. The setting is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are kept well and healthy because the setting follows suitable hygiene practices, such as appropriate and hygienic nappy changing routines. Children begin to learn good health practices, for example, they are encouraged to wash their hands before eating throughout all the age groups. Children are provided with nutritious and varied meals and snacks which include plenty of fruit and vegetables; they are provided with regular drinks; some children can help themselves to drinks if they are thirsty. Babies feeding needs are met, but they do not always have their own mealtime routines observed, and sometimes have to wait to be fed. Staff keep good records of any medications administered, of accidents, and of children's individual dietary requirements, which helps to ensure children's well being is promoted. Children have opportunities to play outside each day in the safe and secure garden.

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Helping children to be healthy

They enjoy physical activity and fresh air. All children have good opportunities to rest and sleep according to their needs, there are sufficient suitable cots for babies and toddlers, and rest mats for older children. Children benefit from daily access to the outdoor play area for physical activities, such as using the climbing frame. Children develop confidence and good co-ordination, for instance as they negotiate space while peddling ride-on toys. However, there are few daily planned activities to extend their physical skills, such as catching and throwing. They have opportunities to use outdoor activity areas, for

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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 example digging in the raised garden. Children develop good small muscle control, for instance cutting with scissors.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a very safe and secure environment. The nursery and crèche premises are new and purpose built and therefore are very child-centred, well maintained and suitable for their purpose. Both the crèche and the nursery have self contained, easily accessible outside play areas. Children's work, displays and notice boards decorate the walls making the premises welcoming to children and their families. The settings are very well resourced: there are suitable toys and equipment for the needs of all ages. Some resources are stored so that they are easily accessible to children. Staff ensure children are kept safe by using good health and safety procedures. Regular risk assessments are carried out, and potential hazards to children are identified and addressed. Children are well protected because staff understand their role in child protection and are able to put appropriate procedures into place if necessary.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children arrive happily into the nursery and quickly settle to play. They take part in a suitable range of play activities that help them to acquire new knowledge and skills. Children interact with the staff, staff talk to the children and join in their play. They encourage children to behave appropriately, but sometimes children are waiting for long periods for the next activity, or for meals and snacks and then become bored and restless. Younger children in the nursery take part in well planned activities using the Birth to three framework. Staff also use this framework to record and assess children's progress, and to help them move on in their learning. Most children's individual learning needs are met, but suitable strategies are not in place, to help children with English as an additional language progress appropriately. Children enjoy singing with the staff and often music is playing for them to enjoy.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Babies and younger toddlers use a good selection of interesting toys and resources in 'treasure baskets', which promote their development and learning and provide them with new experiences. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff’s knowledge of the

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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 Foundation Stage curriculum is sound and their understanding of how children learn is adequate. Staff plan learning programmes that cover all areas of learning. For instance children learn about the nativity story through practical activities, such as taking part in the nativity play, as part of the topic on Christmas. However, children are not always given chances to develop their ideas as part of their creative learning, for example, while making Christmas cards. Children’s progress is measured through observations and an assessment system. These observations help to identify the next steps for children’s learning to ensure their progress through the stepping stones is addressed and recorded. However, the information gained from the system is not always used effectively and challenges are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

not always matched to children’s needs. Children are settled in the nursery and familiar with the routine. They are relaxed and comfortable in the group. Children are confident and able to select from the range of practical activities on offer to develop their skills, such as building with construction toys, and using a variety of writing materials to create their own pictures. They have few chances to access the practical mathematical resources freely, and to develop their understanding of mathematical language during routine activities. Children communicate their ideas and needs clearly. They are interested in books, choosing from a range of books both for enjoyment and information. They have opportunities to use a computer to support their learning. They join in action songs to learn about rhyme and rhythm. They express their ideas and imagination well through a range of situations, such as domestic role play using a variety of dressing up

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

clothes. Opportunities for children to explore and experiment with a variety of art materials is good, for instance using glue and glitter to make Christmas pictures, and boxes to make 3-D models. They frequently talk about the past and present events in their own lives, and about the lives of others, including those of other cultures.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children that have special educational needs are included into the setting and their needs are met by the setting's experienced Special Needs Co-ordinator. Children learn about the wider community and about the needs of others by using a range of suitable resources, for example, small world toys, home play resources and dolls, displays and posters. They learn about different festivals through topic work, at present these include Christmas and Hanukah. Children's individual needs are not always fully met, as nursery routines are sometimes allowed to take precedence over the children's individual needs. However, the key worker system is used well to enable children to form good relationships with staff, who then become aware of their key children's individual needs. Children benefit from the setting's good working partnership with parents. Parents are

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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 encouraged to spend time settling their children into the nursery if possible. They are invited to be part of a parents' committee, and parents' comments and feedback are sought and acted upon. Staff complete daily dairies for all children, except pre-schoolers, which keep parents informed about their children's daily activities and progress. Parents are not informed of the setting's child protection procedures before children are admitted into day care. They receive good information about the complaints procedures and a log of complaints, available for parents to see, is in place. Nursery education Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They are beginning to communicate their ideas and emotions and show concern for others. For example, they take pleasure in joining pieces of rail track together. They develop

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Helping children make a positive contribution

social skills and have a good relationship with each other and the staff, for instance at the shared midday meal. They express delight in achieving a task, such as filling containers with rice and pasta. Children behave well and know what’s expected of them. They benefit from the good role models provided by the staff. Children relate well to each other and know how to share and take turns fairly. They demonstrate good self-care skills, for instance using the toilet facilities independently. However, children are given few opportunities to be involved sufficiently in the day-to-day running of the group, such as helping at snack time. Their understanding of other cultures is developed through play resources and activities designed to broaden their knowledge of the wider world. The partnership with parents is satisfactory. Children benefit from the open warm welcome that families receive. The welcome brochure contains detailed information

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Helping children make a positive contribution

about the setting including the Foundation Stage curriculum. However, on admission children’s interests and abilities are not noted as parents are not given the opportunity to share what they know about their child. Parents receive regular newsletters to inform them of events and current topic work. Parents can view the daily diary of events and discuss their children’s progress regularly and at the annual parents’ evening. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their child’s learning by contributing to the Home Sheet and topic work. Overall children benefit from this partnership as families feel supported and involved with their children’s learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The nursery and crèche have good recruitment, vetting and induction procedures in place, ensuring the staff that work with children are suitable to do so. Many of the staff have suitable and relevant child care qualifications, other staff attend numerous in-house training events, and are encouraged to attend professional development.

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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 All of the required documentation, policies and procedures that ensure the smooth running of the provision and the well being of the children are well kept and securely stored. Adults and children's attendance is well recorded. Minimum adult/child ratios are not always adequately maintained in the nursery and crèche. This prevents children from receiving good support and attention. For example, at lunchtime only three adults were available to feed ten babies in high chairs, when some of the babies were crying and hungry. This reflects the weak organisation of the daily routines and staff deployment. Staff are sometimes busy with domestic responsibilities, rather than being with the children. The provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is satisfactory. The senior management team are committed to the development of the setting. However, they do not always identify the effectiveness of the nursery education programme correctly. For instance, the poor organisation of the pre-school room prevents children from accessing the learning areas freely to develop their independent learning skills, particularly for mathematical development. Staff provide few opportunities for children to take responsibility and be involved in the day-to-day running of the group. Annual staff appraisals mean staff are able identify their training needs and develop their own practice. An informal monitoring system is in place. These procedures are adequate but are not always used to identify ways to improve teaching. Staff meet regularly to discuss planning and the children’s progress. They evaluate the nursery educational curriculum well, although plans do not always reflect

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Organisation

appropriate challenges for children’s individual learning needs.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the setting was set two recommendations concerning documentation, procedures and staff ratios. Documentation seen at this inspection was well maintained and accurately kept. However, staff/child ratios are not always well maintained, which affects the support and attention children receive. This point will be carried forward from this inspection.

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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

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 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): • provide parent's with information about the setting's child protection procedures before children are admitted into the provision • improve the organisation of staff deployment and daily routines, so that children's individual routines are met and that children are not kept waiting for unnecessary periods of time • ensure that at least minimum adult/ child ratios are maintained at all times

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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): • organise the daily routine to allow children to take more responsibility and have opportunities to be included in the day to day activities of the group • organise the play space so that children can access areas of learning effectively, particular for mathematical development, and develop their independent learning skills • provide appropriate challenges to meet the individual needs of all children, to enable their learning to progress, and for children to become focused on their chosen tasks

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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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