Free Spirits Nursery

Inspection of Free Spirits Nursery Freeman Hospital, Freeman Road, High Heaton, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NE7 7DN

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Staff have superb relationships with the children in their care. The highly skilled and experienced team provides excellent support for children's learning. Children benefit from a very wide range of interesting, innovative and highly stimulating resources. These are organised into categories such as fabrics, textures, mirrors, metals, textiles, wood and nature. These tactile materials help support children's natural curiosity and promote rich opportunities for them to investigate and explore.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely happy, settled and secure in this highly inclusive and welcoming nursery. Their behaviour is excellent and very well supported. Staff talk to children about what is expected of them. For example, they start sessions with a listening song to encourage children to focus. Children receive superhero certificates for being kind, listening, being special helpers and using kind hands and feet. This helps support their growing confidence and self-esteem. Children benefit from an extremely safe environment, nutritious meals, daily fresh air and secure daily routines. Their emotional well-being is supported very well. Mirrors are used during activities for children to explore their own expressions and emotions. Children enjoy sharing stories and cuddles. In the baby room, staff use the sound of a heartbeat or rainfall to soothe them to sleep.

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need to do better?

n Parents speak extremely highly of the nursery and the staff team. They feel fully included in their children's learning and describe the nursery's systems for communication as excellent. Staff have created attractive books to show parents what children have been exploring and to provide ideas for extending these activities at home. Daily discussion journals are on display for parents to capture children's ideas, comments and interests. Topics are broad, varied and include 'Who are my friends?', 'What can you hear?' and 'Working together'. Work is creative and innovative. For example, children are invited to find out about the royal family and consider what type of superpower they would most like to have. n The nursery is very inclusive and welcoming. For example, provision is made for mothers who want to continue to breastfeed their babies. Support for children with special educational needs is excellent. Key persons work very closely with

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need to do better?

parents and other professionals to encourage children's learning and meet their needs. Staff have introduced detailed assessment tools in order to demonstrate the achievements of all children. They use a range of highly effective strategies to make sure every child is supported and included. For example, staff provide symbols, prompts and signing to promote communication. n Interactions with children are of a consistently high quality. Physical and sensory development is promoted extremely well. Children in the older-age rooms

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need to do better?

20 January 2020 strengthen their muscles as they explore wet spaghetti and dough with their hands and fingers. They are eager, enthusiastic and motivated to learn. Whole, fresh fruit and vegetables are provided for the youngest children as staff encourage them to investigate food in its natural form. Babies are encouraged to explore using their whole bodies and senses using creative resources, such as small bags scented with rose and garlic. n There is excellent support for children's personal, social and emotional development. For example, children learn how to care for animals. They learn how to feed and groom animals and the responsibilities involved with having a pet. Extra-curricular activities strongly support children's emotional well-being and include yoga, meditation, mindfulness and music and movement. n Staff encourage children to solve problems and think for themselves. For example, when dressing baby dolls, staff ask the children whether the doll

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need to do better?

should be stood up or laid down and how they will dress it. Support for children's communication and language skills is extremely strong. Staff ask how and why things happen to encourage children to respond in detail. This helps extend their vocabulary and support their thinking and ideas. n Staff know children very well and have an excellent understanding of how they develop. Bonds between them are strong and relationships respectful. There is a strong focus on friendship and children are supported very well to play cooperatively together. Children are encouraged to become increasingly independent and care for their environment. They clear their crockery away after lunch and tidy rubbish into the recycling bin. n Leadership of the nursery is very strong. The dedicated staff are very well supported by managers and the hospital trust. Managers meet with staff to support their professional development and all staff attend training to keep

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need to do better?

themselves up to date. Managers are proud of their team and the work they do. Displays and books are used to support staff morale and celebrate their achievements. Senior staff continuously review and evaluate the quality of the nursery in order to maintain its very high standards. They are extremely passionate about the service the nursery provides and are highly ambitious for the children in their care.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers have an excellent understanding of their responsibilities around safeguarding. All staff keep up to date with procedures to keep children safe. They know very well how to identify any concerns with children or staff, what procedures to take and who to contact. There are highly robust policies and routines in place to support safe practice. Staff have a high-level awareness of risk. They teach children very important safety messages through activities. For example, when learning about pets, staff discuss with children how to stay safe around animals. They warn them not to approach dogs without the owner's permission.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 319181 Local authority Newcastle upon Tyne Inspection number 10117593 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 to 4 Total number of places 88 Number of children on roll 129

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Name of registered person

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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reference number

Telephone number 0191 223 1888 Date of previous inspection 12 May 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Free Spirits Nursery registered in 1999. It is situated in the grounds of Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne. The nursery employs 29 members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including four members of staff at level 5 and two at level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 52 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7am until 5.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact on children's learning. The manager and inspector evaluated an activity together. n The inspector viewed all areas of the nursery. She discussed with the manager and staff how the setting organises and plans the curriculum and experiences for children. n The inspector looked at a sample of the setting's documents. This included evidence about training and suitability of staff. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, the nominated person and senior staff. She spoke to a number of parents to gather their views on the setting.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

20 January 2020 regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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