Bright Horizons Mount Vernon Day Nursery and Preschool

Mount Vernon Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Mount Vernon Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY305128 Inspection date 29 November 2005 Inspector Kim Mundy / Bharti Vakil

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Mount Vernon Nursery

Setting Address Mount Vernon Hospital, Rickmansworth Road, Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 2RN Telephone number 01923844141 or 01923844635

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E-mail

Registered person Bright Horizons Family Solutions Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day 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 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?

Mount Vernon Nursery is one of a hundred nurseries run by Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited. It originally opened in 1991 and was taken over in 2005 by Bright Horizons. The nursery operates from six main play areas. It is situated within the grounds of Mount Vernon Hospital in the London Borough of Hillingdon. A maximum of 124 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.20 to 17.30 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a

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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 secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 146 children aged from 3 months to under 5-years on roll. Of these, 29 children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery currently supports children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 26 staff, 16 of these, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery receives support from the Local Authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children’s well-being is protected and supported by the very clear and comprehensive written policies and procedures which are in place and carried out thoroughly by staff. Children are learning good hygiene practices as staff maintain good levels of hygiene throughout the nursery. There are thorough health and hygiene procedures taking place in the babies areas. For example, babies bottles are clearly labelled and their nappy changes are clearly recorded for parents. Good procedures are in place for accidents and medication administration and several staff hold first aid certificates. Children enjoy relaxed and sociable meal times. Well balanced and nutritious foods are provided such as, chicken casserole and carrots. The manager plans the menu in advance with the hospital cook. Lunches arrive from the hospital in hot trolleys and this is transferred to smaller dishes before being distributed to the children's play

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Helping children to be healthy

rooms. More able children are developing their independence skills as they help themselves to food. Children sit comfortably to eat at good quality low level furniture. Different seating is available for babies to meet their individual needs for example, high and low chairs. All children are encouraged to interact and chat as staff sit with them to eat. All children thoroughly enjoy fresh air and exercise everyday. They are able to make good progress in their physical development as staff plan a wide range of good quality activities in and outdoors. For example, children enjoy digging and planting in the garden. They are able to crawl, step around furniture, run, jump, balance and climb on interesting outdoor apparatus. Funded children thoroughly enjoy music and movement on a weekly basis. They are able to move their bodies in different ways and try new skills such as, head over heels with appropriate adult support. Children show an awareness of space as they

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Helping children to be healthy

confidently steer wheeled toys around the playground. They are able to climb, balance, crawl and slide with increasing control. Children are having lots of fun during outdoor play because staff consistently plan and develop exciting opportunities for them.

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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 good. Children are cared for in a very welcoming and child-friendly environment. Children's individual needs are met effectively because there is a very good range of high quality furniture, toys and equipment which is very well maintained. All children enjoy their time spent in the bright and attractive play rooms. They explore safely and freely as they experience lots of very good play opportunities. Staff make good use of the space provided, for example imaginative play areas are extremely well set out. Babies are cared for in a warm and homely environment, for example there are mobiles hanging, soft furnishings and lots of interactive toys that are easily accessible. They are well supervised as staff sit close to them on the floor and encourage them to move and explore materials and equipment safely. Children are beginning to take responsibility for their own safety as staff remind them

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

to be careful when moving equipment around the play room. Their safety is ensured by clear written procedures which are followed by staff, for example effective risk assessments are undertaken and staff are very well deployed. Although, in two of the play areas the room temperature is not suitably maintained at all times.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded as the staff continuously update their knowledge and understanding of child protection. Good policies and procedures are in place in the event of suspected abuse and an allegation against staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are thoroughly enjoying their time at the nursery. Staff are very competent and they have a sound understanding of their role and responsibilities. The key worker system enables staff to build very good relationships with the children and as a result, their care, welfare and learning needs are met very effectively within the setting. Babies and young children are enthused by the exciting activities provided and they are highly motivated to explore and learn. Staff have the knowledge and understanding to plan effectively for the Birth to Three Matters framework. They maintain a record of the children's progress. Staff set out a range of activities in an attractive way to capture the children's interest. Children are helped to make sense of what they see, hear, smell and touch. For example, as they paint with their fingers, look at touchy feely books, squeeze play dough, and explore rice, sand and water.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Babies are developing good communication skills as staff interact very positively with them. They constantly babble, smile and squeal with excitement in response to the staff's kind and warm interaction. Children enjoy using a very good range of resources which helps them to develop their early mathematical skills, for example shape sorters and bricks. They are able to relax during quiet times as they listen to music and stories. Children have lots of fun as they spend time in the soft play room.

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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 They feel relaxed as they watch the lights twinkling in the hammock suspended from the ceiling. Children have good opportunities to practise their early writing skills as they paint, chalk and draw. Babies and young children have opportunities to make very good progress in all areas of their development. They are very happy and clearly enjoy their day in this very warm and homely environment. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a very good understanding of the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Children are highly involved in well planned and exciting activities. The staff closely observe children's involvement in the activities, helping them to plan the next steps for their individual learning while providing suitable challenges. However, secure systems are not in place to ensure

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

that all staff are aware of individual children's next steps for learning. Staff are very enthusiastic and motivated and they use effective teaching methods to help the children to make progress. For example, open-ended questioning to encourage the children to think and to help them to develop a wider vocabulary. Staff make good use of the space and resources and they demonstrate new tasks to help children to achieve. Children are having lots of fun while they are learning. Children are very happy, full of confidence and highly motivated to learn. They are developing their independence skills, for example as they select resources and pour drinks at lunch times. Children are able to work as part of a group, take turns and share. They are expressing their own thoughts and feelings during discussion times. Children are well behaved and they display a high level of involvement in all activities. Children are confident speakers and engage in conversations with each other and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

adults. They enjoy looking at books independently and in groups. Children listen attentively at story time and staff use puppets and props to provide further interest and excitement. This provides good support for children who speak English as an additional language. Children are developing very good pencil control and there are good opportunities for children to be spontaneous in their writing. More able children write correctly formed letters and some confidently write their own name. Children's interest in early reading is supported by very good labelling around the nursery in a variety of different languages. Children are learning to count confidently and reliably and they recognise many written numerals. They are learning about shape and space as they fit puzzles together and use equipment in the water and sand trays. They are using lots of mathematical language during their play, for example to describe size and position.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are solving mathematical problems as they build and construct and use various objects to add and subtract. They enjoy weighing their 'babies' during imaginative play in the baby clinic. Children are developing a good understanding of the world in which they live because the setting has an excellent range of resources to support their learning. For example, magnifying glasses, binoculars, camera and headphones. Children have very good opportunities to explore all strands of learning such as scientific, technological, geographical and historical. Children enjoy exploring the garden,

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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 looking for bugs, digging and growing. They have observed the life cycle of butterflies and released them in the garden. Children are in awe as they watch flowers and leeks change colour as they drink dyed water. Children are developing good fine motor skills as they use a wide range of tools and malleable materials with increasing confidence, for example rolling pins, scissors, brushes and play dough. They are developing a good understanding of healthy living through different themes such as, good and bad foods and the daily routine. Children have great fun as they explore, and respond to all their senses, for example as they play with rice, sand and paint. They listen to and respond enthusiastically to different types of music. Children have very good opportunities to use their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

imagination during imaginative play, for example in the home corner, veterinary surgery, hair dressers, flower shop and hospital.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are developing lots of confidence and self-esteem as they have time to explore independently in this safe environment. Babies are given lots of positive attention to encourage them to communicate and they have close and secure relationships with their key workers who have responsibility for coordinating their care. Funded children have time to reflect during quiet moments and they thoroughly enjoy exploring in the soft play room. They are learning to manage their own behaviour and they are kind and considerate towards each other. All children are treated with equal concern and their individual needs are met very effectively by the staff. Children are finding out about their own and other peoples culture and beliefs as they celebrate different festivals, such as Diwali and Chinese New Year. They have access to a very good range of toys and resources which promotes their understanding of the world

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Helping children make a positive contribution

they live in, for example books, dressing up, puzzles and different types of music. Therefore, children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. None of the children currently attending have special educational needs. Staff have the knowledge and skills to identify children's developmental concerns and they liaise effectively with parents and other professionals, such as occupational and speech therapists. The special educational needs coordinator has attended relevant training and she shares her knowledge with staff to support children within the setting as required. Partnership with parents is good. Children benefit from the strong relationships between parents and staff as information is shared to meet their needs effectively within the setting. For example, providing additional language support and individual routine and dietary requirements. Parents are well informed about the curriculum and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

they receive good information about their children's progress. Good communication systems are in place, such as newsletters, message books, meetings to discuss children's progress and daily contact. Parents are involved in their children's learning, for example they come in to the setting to tell children stories in their first language.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The leadership and management is good. Children share very good relationships with staff who have been thoroughly vetted for their suitability to work with young children. Their care is enhanced by the high quality of organisation and the extremely effective leadership and management of the nursery. This has a positive impact on the day to day running of the setting. The management team provide very good role models to staff who work very effectively together as a team. Consequently this is reflected in the very good practice through out the setting which results in children being happy, secure and confident in their surroundings. Children benefit from the combined knowledge in the staff team as they are encouraged to develop their skills and knowledge by attending various courses. For example, Foundation Stage of Learning and Birth to Three Matters framework. The premises are extremely well organised. Indoor and outdoor space is arranged to

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Organisation

maximise play opportunities for children. Excellent policies and procedures are in place and work to keep children healthy and safe. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration. 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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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

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 care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • maintain a suitable temperature in the nursery

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that there are secure procedures for all staff to be aware of the next steps for children's individual learning.

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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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