St Thomas' Hospital Day Nursery

St. Thomas' Day Nursery Gassiot House Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7EH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/09/2013 01/11/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children make good progress in their learning and development because staff track their learning well and plan for their individual needs.  There is a well-established staff team who work together to plan a range of interesting activities to motivate children's learning.  Children learn to keep healthy because they are well nourished and have many opportunities for robust physical play.

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It is not yet good because

 Although there is a policy in place there are unclear arrangements for the reporting of safeguarding concerns.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities involving children and staff.  The inspector discussed the arrangements for reporting safeguarding concerns.  The inspector held discussions with the managers of the nursery.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with one of the managers.  The inspector spoke to parents to find out their views.

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Information about the setting

St Thomas' Day Nursery opened in 1989 and is run by the Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The nursery re-registered in 2003 when it moved to its current premises, a purpose-built building on the hospital site, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It operates from three rooms, the largest of which is divided into three separate areas. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery provides full day care for children whose parents work for the Foundation Trust and other NHS services. The nursery is open each weekday from 7am to 7pm, all year round except bank holidays. Children attend on a full- time and part-time basis. There are currently 87 children on roll. The nursery is in receipt of funding to provide free early education to children aged three and four years. The nursery currently supports children who are learning English as an additional language and

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Information about the setting

children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery employs 28 staff. Of these, one holds a degree in Childhood and Family Studies and the remaining staff all hold appropriate qualifications.

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must:

 review current safeguarding practice to ensure that a designated person takes lead responsibility for safeguarding in the nursery and that the lead practitioner liaises with local statutory children's services agencies when reporting concerns about a child or allegations against a member of staff.

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who attend

Children make strong progress from their starting points because staff plan and offer activities that support and challenge their skills. Inventive and creative adaptation of play resources helps children to become involved in one activity for an extended period of time. For example, they make pretend cakes using different mixtures and time how long they will take to cook in the oven. This helps children to learn about temperature and change. They sort the leaves they collect in the garden to different sizes for printing. This helps them learn about mathematical concepts, different shapes and textures. The children make recognisable marks on paper and many can write their names in preparation for school. They learn these skills in everyday activities, for example using clip boards to make shopping lists in the home corner. They explore big mark making in the garden using paint rollers and chalks to develop their physical skills. The good quality teaching in the nursery

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who attend

helps all children make strong progress, including those with additional needs. Staff get to know children well and the assessments for children's learning are accurate and rigorous in planning for children's next steps. Staff also use assessments well to identify and address any additional help children may need, working with other professionals and parents to meet children's individual needs. As a result, support for children is quickly identified to help children to make maximum progress in all areas of learning.

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who attend

Babies and toddlers enjoy close contact with their carers. The baby unit is a warm and welcoming room where staff nurture children with cuddles and positive support. Staff work well with parents to help children settle and follow their care routines from home. Toddlers really enjoy the company of their friends as they sit for group times and games of 'what's in the bag?' They learn concepts of colour and shape with positive support from staff. Warm and friendly relationships help younger children to develop their social skills, for example, staff remind children that 'we share and we care'.

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who attend

Children develop their own ideas and strategies for doing things through freely selected play and games. They are encouraged to choose from a good range of resources. Staff are always nearby to support and extend the play activities, which makes learning fun. There are opportunities for children who are learning English to share key words from their home language and this is extended to play situations to promote inclusion and support children's communication skills. Children learn about difference, the natural world and mathematical concepts through fun activities designed to foster their natural curiosity. They explore happily with the support of staff and are learning to understand the world through purposeful play. They show emerging independence and self-awareness which helps them to prepare for school.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The nursery is bright and inviting for children. It is well resourced and toys and materials are accessible. Children greet their friends and eagerly start to play with activities when they arrive. The nursery is safe and clean for children and processes for the management of health and safety are sound. Effective use is made of checklists and risk assessments to reduce hazards to help protect children's welfare. Children feel safe because staff teach them safety rules, for example, not to run indoors. As a result, children behave well and show consideration for others. They enjoy all the activities, which contributes to their sense of well-being.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The nursery uses a key person system, which means that all children have a special member of staff who monitors their progress and supports their well-being. Appropriate partnership working further supports children, for example, when planning for their personal needs and requirements. Parents are well informed about their child's progress and know who their key person is for their child, enabling them to work together for the benefit of the children.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff plan well for outdoor learning. The outside areas are well used for children to develop their physical skills and understanding of the world. Children enjoy daily outdoor play to exercise their muscles, as they practise climbing and balancing on a wide range of outdoor equipment. They have planted and are growing their own vegetables to help them learn about nature and good nutrition. This healthy approach to active learning helps children develop the necessary skills to help them keep healthy in later life.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Meals and snacks for children are healthy and there is a broad range of foods with two hot meals and several snacks served each day. Meals are prepared by the hospital and are nutritionally well balanced and cater for special dietary requirements. Children really enjoy their meals and snacks because staff sit with them and talk about their day. Children learn to use the toilet independently. Older children wash and dry their hands using soap before meals without being reminded. This means that they learn how to be healthy and keep safe through appropriate routines.

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provision

Nursery staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities within the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They have full understanding of child protection matters and the signs and symptoms that would cause concern about a child's welfare. They are up to date with local procedures and have a clear policy for safeguarding which they share with parents. However, the arrangements for reporting child protection concerns do not fully meet requirements. The safeguarding reporting methods are elongated, resulting in potential delays in reporting concerns. This is because of a conflict between the trust's and nursery's safeguarding policies and the complaints procedure. This means that children are not always well protected when it comes to reporting concerns.

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provision

Training for staff is planned through the programme for supervision and appraisals. This supports the staff's professional development and ability to help children learn and stay safe. The senior staff monitor the educational programmes and profiles are completed regularly to provide a clear picture of children's progress. The systems are consistent throughout the nursery. Information is used well to plan for individual children. Full use of assessments to monitor children's progress means that staff can share ideas for planning and implement a full programme which covers all areas of learning. Staff carry out specific assessments such as the two-year check for children who are aged between two and three years and work well with other professionals to identify additional needs. This means that children receive early intervention and support so that they are not disadvantaged by the time they move on to school.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are strong and all parents spoken to during the inspection are pleased with the quality of the service and the dedication of the staff team. Arrangements for self-evaluation are in place to improve outcomes for children. This ensures that the nursery practice meets most requirements to a high standard and staff are able to plan for improvements. For example, they have recently invested in the garden to enhance the nursery's ability to provide quality and robust outdoor learning experiences for children. Established partnerships with professionals from the hospital trust and the local authority are in place to support the day-to-day management and improvement of the nursery.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY268854 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 933748

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 101 Number of children on roll 87 Name of provider Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust Date of previous inspection 01/11/2011 Telephone number 020 7188 6499

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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