Royal Mail Childsplay Nursery

Royal Mail Childsplay Nursery Royal Mail, Mount Pleasant Mail Centre, Farringdon Road, LONDON, EC1A 1BB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 April 2015 2 June 2011

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Requires improvement The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

The setting does not meet legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is inadequate

 Staff do not follow the nursery's risk assessment procedures to ensure children are supervised adequately during outings, which compromises children's safety and well- being. This is also a breach of requirements for the Childcare Register.  Staff do not plan outdoor activities for children on a daily basis. This means children do not get the opportunity to go outside every day to get fresh air and physical exercise. This is also a breach of requirements for the Childcare Register.  Staff do not consistently give children opportunities to respond to challenging questions, so that they develop their own thoughts and ideas.  The provider does not always provide all children with a range of balanced meals to help promote their good health.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff provide a broad range of well-planned activities for children, which help them to make some good progress in their learning. Staff observe children closely in order to consider their individual skills and abilities, using their findings effectively to plan children's next steps for learning.  The provider implements effective recruitment procedures to ensure staff are suitable and hold relevant qualifications.  Children form warm, responsive relationships with their key person, who gets to know them well. Staff work in close partnership with parents who comment that their children are happy and settled at the nursery.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 ensure children are adequately supervised and staff are deployed effectively to meet children's needs at all times, including during every outing, and that all children are always within sight and/or hearing  ensure staff implement the nursery's risk assessment procedures at all times to ensure children are not exposed to risks, with particular regard to outings  ensure that outdoor activities are planned and taken on a daily basis.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 review the organisation of children's meals to make sure they each receive a balanced, healthy and nutritious diet, as part of a healthy lifestyle  promote children's language and thinking skills further, for example, through giving children time to respond to effective questioning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 take all necessary measures to minimise any risks to the health and safety of children, particularly in relation to outings (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure there are reasonable arrangements made for activities to take place outdoors (compulsory part of the Childcare Register only)  take all necessary measures to minimise any risks to the health and safety of children, particularly in relation to outings (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the nursery and completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector accompanied staff and children on a visit to the local park.  The inspector looked at children's records, planning documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff. She also looked at a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and operations manager of the nursery.

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who attend. This requires improvement

Staff gather information about children's likes and interests from parents, which means children settle well and are ready to learn. Staff observe and assess children in order to plan for their next steps in learning. As a result, children enjoy a variety of challenging and interesting activities, which reflect their interests. Planning of outdoor play experiences does not take full account of the varying needs of the children involved and this affects their enjoyment of the experiences. Children with additional needs are well supported and staff work closely with other professionals, such as local authority special educational needs co-ordinators. Staff use sign language and picture recognition methods to help children develop communication skills. Staff ask children some questions. However, staff do not always allow children enough time to independently work out their answers to help support children's thinking skills effectively. Staff support older children to write the date

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who attend. This requires improvement

on a white board and to play number games. This means that these children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, such as school.

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inadequate

The nursery does not have an outdoor space and staff do not take children outside every day. This means children are not able to enjoy planned outdoor activities on a daily basis, as required, and do not benefit from playing in the fresh air. Children who do not eat meat do not always receive balanced meals and staff do not always encourage children to eat fruit and vegetables, although these are available. This means staff do not consistently promote children's good health effectively. All children have a key person who works closely with them to ensure they feel emotionally secure in their surroundings. Staff form close attachments with children, which provides a base for them to develop independence. Children develop good self-care skills. For example, older children wipe their own noses and put tissues in the bin. Staff make their expectations clear and this helps to promote children's good behaviour.

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provision is inadequate

The provider does not implement all the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff do not always follow risk assessment procedures and therefore children on outings are not adequately supervised. This puts children at risk. The provider implements suitable recruitment procedures and all staff are suitably qualified. They have regular supervision meetings and access ongoing training, which enhances their practice. For example, recent training on care for two-year-olds led to the introduction of a quiet area with cuddly toys where young children are able to relax. The provider has identified other areas for improvement, for example asking for photographs of schools that children will be joining in September. This helps children prepare for the move to Reception class.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 131731 Local authority Islington Inspection number 980117 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 29 Number of children on roll 18 Name of provider Kiddycare Limited Date of previous inspection 2 June 2011 Telephone number 020 7239-2209

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Setting details

Royal Mail Child's Play Nursery opened in 1995. It is based in the London Borough of Islington. The nursery provides care for children of staff who work for Royal Mail. The setting is open from 6am to 8pm, five days a week, all year round. The nursery receives funding for early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. The setting employs 10 staff, including the manager, who all hold suitable early years qualifications at levels 2 and 3.

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Setting details

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

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

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Setting details

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Setting details

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

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