The Hospital Day Nursery

The Hospital Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

The Hospital Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY286427 Inspection date 27 October 2005 Inspector Beverly Hallett

p.1

The Hospital Day Nursery

Setting Address Queen Marys Hospital, Frognal Avenue, Sidcup, Kent, DA14 6LT Telephone number 07946 402 844

p.1

E-mail

Registered person Drunel LTD Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The Hospital Day Nursery is a single story building situated in the grounds of Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup. It opened in 2004 and the premises comprise four group rooms, toilets, kitchen, office, laundry and staff room. There is a fully enclosed outside area with safety surface and grass areas. A maximum of 60 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 06:50 to 19.00 for 52 weeks of the year.

p.2

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 currently 112 children aged from 3 moths to under 5 years on roll. Of these 20 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area, as most of their parents travel in to work on or around the hospital. The nursery currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 19 staff. seventeen of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. Two staff are working towards a qualification.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Staff show good awareness of children's individual health and are quick to identify possible illness, and follow good procedures to ensure children are well cared for. Children's individual hygiene needs are well taken care of as children are encouraged to use the bathroom at frequent intervals and babies nappies are changed regularly throughout the day. Children are learning good hygiene routines as they are encouraged to wash their hands before and after meals and brush their teeth after lunch. Children enjoy a varied menu based on healthy eating guidelines for example fresh fruit and pasta. Choice about what to eat is limited as meals are served by staff in the kitchen and given to children already on a plate. At some meal times children are encouraged to set the table and serve themselves, however this is inconsistent and children have missed opportunities to experience meal times as social and learning

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

occasions and to develop independence and self help skills during meal times. Children are encouraged to try new foods and learn about their bodies as staff talk about why certain foods are good for us, for example milk which makes teeth strong. Children move confidently outside using large equipment such as climbing frames and bikes, avoiding collision and riding trikes competently. They respond enthusiastically to indoor music and movement sessions, singing rhymes and action songs, showing good control of their bodies within a small space. Under three's emotional well being is well fostered as children enjoy close relationships with caring, knowledgeable staff who interpret their needs effectively. Their expressions of feelings, hunger and tiredness are promptly responded to by sensitive and caring staff, who know individual children well. Under three's play outside with staff with enthusiasm, benefiting from a good range of

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

equipment to promote their physical development. They competently use trikes, pedalling quite quickly, showing an awareness of space, good coordination and balance. Under three's enjoy eating nutritious food. They develop good independence and self help skills, sitting in high chairs and feeding themselves as well as having staff

p.3

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 feeding them.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children benefit from a very warm and welcoming physical environment. They arrive happily and settle well, playing in a spacious, fairly well organised environment which allows them to move around and play safely. However, as most toys are stored in adult cupboards, children's access to a wide range of activities is limited and opportunities to experience and explore a stimulating environment are reduced. Staff are well deployed and vigilant, ensuring the safety of the children at all times. A fair range of equipment is available which is in very good condition and covers most learning areas. Children are learning to keep themselves safe through a variety of well planned and well resourced activities, for example, learning about crossing the road safely using life like zebra crossings. There are very effective procedures in place for the safe arrival and departure of children which include electronic entry systems.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are closely supervised when playing outside. The play area is enclosed by a fence and when on outings, staff follow good safety procedures such as regular head counts and holding hands to ensure children's safety. Outdoor play equipment is regularly checked and well maintained, ensuring it is suitable for children’s use. Staff have an appropriate understanding of child protection issues and know what action to take if they have concerns about a child in their care. This ensures staff can act in the child’s best interest.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children and babies enjoy their time at the nursery, choosing confidently from the activities they are offered. They are interested in their play and staff capture and extend their interest and develop language skills by asking them questions and encouraging them to participate in activities which have been set out. Children participate in a well balanced range of activities that include quiet and active play, such as reading stories and playing energetic ring games. Most activities are adult initiated, and although planning ensures children make generally good progress in all learning areas, the lack of a rich stimulating environment for older children limits free access to a wide range of facilities and therefore restricts their opportunities for autonomous learning. All of the children are enthusiastic when taken outside to play and explore. A balanced range of equipment and toys provides them with good challenges. For

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

example, children play with trikes and use climbing equipment. This develops good physical skills and confidence in their abilities. Children benefit from trips to local parks and learn about seasons and the weather through planned topics.

p.4

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 Staff are developing their use of the Birth to three matters framework to observe and develop the progress of younger children and babies. Babies and young children benefit greatly from good relationships with staff and from encouragement and conversations with adults during meal times and play times. The under three's environment is stimulating and well thought out to provide a good variety of play and learning opportunities which promotes good development across all areas of learning. Babies enjoy feeding themselves and exploring foods at meal times. The younger children receive lots of cuddles and have secure bonds with their carers which increases their sense of wellbeing. They benefit from routines which are consistent with their experiences at home. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff use the Foundation stage

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

curriculum to plan topics and learning activities which are well balanced, providing children with learning opportunities in all areas. Staff identify next steps from the activities and children's learning is recorded on individual progress records. Regular observations are made which staff use to assess the children's development and discuss with parents at meetings. This ensures that children's individual needs are taken into consideration when planning the activities. Children enjoy good relationships with staff and show an understanding of the needs of others, for instance, they help each other and take turns willingly. Staff encourage children to be independent by allowing them to pour drinks at snack times, and select and use own toiletry items when using the bathroom. However, opportunities to extend these skills further are not fully exploited during lunch. Children communicate with each other and adults well and with confidence. They

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

respond to questions, listen to stories and enjoy practising their writing skills which are developing well. Staff read stories to the children, who are able to suggest and predict what happens next, and show much enjoyment in sharing and reading stories. However, there are missed opportunities to extend children's ability to link sounds and letters. Children are developing their understanding of numbers through the opportunities that staff provide when they encourage counting, such as when playing dice games. However there are missed opportunities to promote children's understanding of addition and subtraction by providing a well resourced environment in which older children can experiment with adding and taking away as part of their play. Children are not able to develop IT skills as computers are not currently available in the rooms. Staff encourage children to understand time by discussing the days of the

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

week and referring to yesterday, tomorrow, as well as discussing seasons as part of planned topics. Children have limited opportunities to explore the natural world within the indoor environment, although outside play and trips to local parks do provide some opportunities to ask questions and learn about the natural world. Staff also encourage children to use natural materials such as wet and dry sand and notice the different textures.

p.5

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 offered a good range of activities and resources to develop their physical skills. Children move confidently both indoors and out, showing good awareness of space and very good control of their bodies when running, balancing, climbing and riding wheeled toys. They are offered some opportunities to develop fine manipulative skills through planned art and craft activities such as painting, sticking and cutting. Children are developing their hand and eye co-ordination by using pegs and boards, threading beads, pencils and completing puzzles.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children show a sense of belonging when they share their experiences about their family and friends. They are introduced to a small variety of cultural traditions which helps to develop a positive attitude and respect for others. However children have limited opportunities to see positive images of today's diverse society within the toys and resources present at the setting. Children's self-esteem is fostered when staff praise them and recognise their achievements, such as when they tidy up or complete a task. Children are very well behaved and work harmoniously with each other in response to the realistic boundaries and expectations of staff. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual. moral, social and cultural development. Children benefit from the positive partnership staff have developed with parents. This ensures children settle well and their individual needs are met. They experience

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

consistent care due to effective communication systems between parents and staff, such as the daily records sheets which detail care routines. Children build good relationships with staff and are very happy and secure in their environment. The partnership with parents of children who receive nursery funding is good. Staff regularly share information about their child's progress through parent evenings, daily contacts and by sending children's work home. Parents are actively encouraged to be involved in their children's learning, for example, extending topic work which reinforces what children are learning about within the nursery. Children under three are developing high levels of self assurance as they help to tidy up, make choices from a small selection of toys and take care of their own needs eg washing hands, and feeding themselves. Adults in the setting respond well to babies' actions, expressions and gestures,

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

building on babies' non-verbal communications to extend their learning and develop positive relationships.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is good. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

p.6

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 Children are cared for by suitably qualified staff who have been appropriately vetted, due to effective recruitment procedures. Induction training, policies and procedures work well in practice, ensuring the efficient and safe management of the nursery. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of child development which enables them to meet children's individual needs well. Leadership and management of the nursery education is good. There is a commitment to develop the provision and the management have clear aims for the future. Staff are competent within their roles and have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and how to use it in practise to support children's development. Staff are supported in their work and ongoing training is actively encouraged. Parents are kept up-to-date about their child's progress through daily contacts with

p.6

Organisation

staff and regular meetings. The range and quality of activities provided for children ensures they make steady progress. Staff have a secure knowledge of the birth to three matters framework and are using it effectively to inform good practice in caring for babies.

p.7

Improvements since the last inspection

Not applicable as this is the first inspection since registration.

p.7

Complaints since the last inspection

Since April 2004 Ofsted has received two complaints. The first relating to relating to National Standard 7 (Health), and on the second occasion National Standards 2 (organisation), 3 (care learning and play) 8 (food and drink) and 12 (partnership with parents). On both occasions an unannounced visit was made by Ofsted. No evidence was found that the National Standards had been breached. The provider remains qualified for registration.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.7

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.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.7

The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should

p.7

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 take account of the following recommendation(s): • increase toys and resources which offer children positive images of a diverse society

p.7

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): • look at ways of making a wider variety of materials available to children, providing more opportunities for self-chosen activities and autonomous learning • increase opportunities for children to calculate and experience space and measure and to link sounds and letters

p.8

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

p.8

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

p.8