Play Days Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 26/07/2004 Inspector Name Jean Evans

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust Setting Address Marton Road Middlesbrough Cleveland TS4 3BW

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name South Tees Hospital NHS Trust Address Marton Road Middlesbrough Cleveland TS4 3BW

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

Playdays Day Nursery has been registered as a day care provider since 1990. It is located in adapted accommodation, with a large outdoor play area, within the grounds of the James Cook University Hospital on a main route into central Middlesbrough. The children are accommodated in separate rooms according to age and share the use of the nursery dining room and outdoor area. The nursery is registered to care for 80 children aged between birth and five years and operates throughout the year, Monday to Saturday from 06.45 to 18:00. Care and education are provided for children of staff working within the hospital. There are currently 138 children on roll, of whom 15 three-year-olds and 4 four-year-olds receive nursery funding. The nursery supports children with special educational needs. There are no funded children currently attending for whom English is an additional language.

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Information about the setting

Five staff work with the funded children, and all have an appropriate childcare qualification. In addition, the nursery receives professional support from the Middlesbrough Early Excellence Centre.

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Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Playdays Day Nursery provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The programme for personal, social and emotional development is a strength and children's mathematical development is excellent. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a detailed knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals that enables them to assess children's progress effectively and to plan and organise a good balance of learning opportunities across the curriculum. They have recently modified and extended their planning and assessment cycle. They use appropriate methods to progress all children's learning, making very good provision for those with special educational needs, and introducing effective differentiation to meet the needs of older and younger children. They set high standards for behaviour, manage the children well and make very good use of time and resources to provide a stimulating variety of

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How effective is the nursery education?

experiences. The nursery leadership and management is very good, and effective leadership by joint managers ensures continued high standards are maintained. Clear procedures are in place for monitoring and evaluating the provision for nursery education, and any points for development are identified and acted upon efficiently. Staff work closely as a team and are highly committed to improving the care and education of all children who attend. There is a strong partnership with parents. They are given excellent information about the nursery and its provision and are well-informed about their children's achievements and progress. They are encouraged to be involved with their child's learning in a variety of appropriate ways.

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What is being done well?

• Effective leadership, and close teamwork, ensures that continual high quality is maintained. • The strong partnership with parents effectively encourages links between home and nursery which impacts upon children's learning. • Strong emphasis on personal, social and emotional development results in children who are well-behaved, confident, sensitive, motivated and independent. • Very good relationships are fostered between staff, parents and children to ensure continuity in children's learning experiences. • The programme for mathematical development is excellent and children are achieving well.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • There is very good emphasis on developing children's imaginations and love of books and stories.

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What needs to be improved?

• the monitoring of the continued development of the planning and assessment cycle.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made with all three of the key issues identified at the last inspection. The programme for physical development has been extended considerably. A move to new premises has resulted in direct access to an extensive outdoor area, and a wider range of small and large equipment has been purchased. Children are developing their throwing, catching, kicking and building skills at their own pace and are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of healthy routines and of changes in their bodies when they are active. The planning system has been modified and extended to ensure that all early learning goals are included. Parents are now given excellent information about the educational provision on displays in play areas and large parent's notice boards, within room folders, and through regular newsletters and daily verbal exchanges with staff.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good This learning area is a strength of the nursery. Children are interested, excited and motivated by enthusiastic staff and the stimulating experiences they provide. Older children articulate their needs, views and feelings clearly, whilst younger children make themselves understood and seek support when they need to. Children's behaviour and relationships are very good. Four-year-olds enjoy close friendships and know right from wrong, and three-year-olds are learning the consequences of actions.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children use language effectively to negotiate with one another during play. They listen and respond eagerly to stories, songs and rhymes. They use a wide vocabulary to articulate their thoughts, and explore real and imagined experiences expressively. They are beginning to make links between sounds and letters as they think of a range of words with the same initial sounds. They are developing a love of books and stories through well-planned role-play experiences involving favourite titles.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good There is excellent emphasis on mathematical development through play and daily routines. Children use numbers confidently, counting and recognise numbers to ten with growing skill. They are developing an awareness of addition and subtraction through practical activities. Older children really enjoyed the challenge of adding together the spots on different dogs as they played a board game. Mathematical language is used effectively to describe and compare shapes, position, size and quantity.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children eagerly apply their natural curiosity to explore and investigate a range of objects and materials. They make discoveries through all of their senses. They build and construct with interesting materials, selecting appropriate tools for their chosen task in their well-resourced workshop area. They are discovering more about the features of the place they live and the natural world through interesting visits and visitors. They particularly enjoyed the visit of an air ambulance and crew.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently and imaginatively, with an awareness of the need for safety. They are well-controlled and co-ordinated as they ride bicycles and cars and negotiate climbing apparatus in their extensive outdoor area. They show a keen awareness of the space around them as they avoid obstacles and other children whilst running about, and as they enjoy parachute play. They handle a good range of tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in both two and three dimensions, with noticeable individuality on drawings and paintings. They are highly imaginative, especially as they take part in role-play and play with small world equipment, making up their own stories and re-enacting favourite titles with great enjoyment. They express and communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings in a variety of ways, and respond well to sensory experiences such as baking and handling dough.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses, but consideration should be given to the following: • continue to monitor the implementation of changes to the planning and assessment cycle to ensure that any necessary modifications can be identified and acted upon.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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