Lancaster Day Nursery

Inspection of Lancaster Day Nursery Morecambe Bay Hospitals Nhs Trust, Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Lancaster LA1 4RP

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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 Good

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive at this exceptional setting. They are cared for by a highly qualified staff team who are supported by an inspirational manager. The enthusiasm the manager has for providing high-quality care for the children is adopted by the staff team. Children are offered personalised settling-in sessions in order to ensure they feel safe and secure while they are at nursery. The dedicated key-person system supports children and families in the early stages of their journey at nursery. The provider believes that children's basic needs must be met before they can start learning. This is implemented effectively in practice. Staff focus on attachments with children throughout nursery. Consequently, children are settled and confident to embark on their learning journey.

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The provision is outstanding

Children behave exceptionally well. They have exemplary manners and are kind and courteous. Their attitudes towards their learning are positive and they are willing to have a go at activities. Staff enhance children's learning by offering support if and when required in order to provide challenge for them. For example, babies roll cars along the floor and staff provide alternative ways of doing this, introducing ramps and modelling words and sounds. As a result, babies are exposed to language that prepares them for their first words.

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The provision is outstanding

Children's health and safety is of great importance to the staff team. They have robust systems in place to ensure children's individual needs are met. For example, at mealtimes, a traffic-light system is in place to identify children with allergies, intolerances and dislikes. Name cards, coloured plates and cups work well to make sure their specific needs are always fully met.

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need to do better?

n The nursery manager is passionate and her enthusiasm for wanting children to achieve at the highest level is evident. Staff fully understand the expectations of them. They have regular supervisions and appraisals with targets set, to build on their already outstanding practice. Staff well-being is paramount throughout the company who aim to provide a healthy work-life balance for all staff. A recent awards ceremony celebrated the achievements of the nursery and individuals received awards for their work. The nursery remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as they cater for predominantly key-worker families. The company provided food parcels for staff working throughout the pandemic. This was done so staff could fully focus on their roles looking after children. n Children with special educational needs and or disabilities (SEND) are supported extremely well by a dedicated and passionate SEND coordinator. Staff take

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need to do better?

particular care when seeking support for children. For example, when the usual route for support was delayed due to the pandemic, staff found alternative ways

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need to do better?

14 July 2022 of accessing the required support. As a result, children's needs are continuously met and interventions are implemented promptly. Partnership working is excellent which further supports children and their families. n Children's communication and language are promoted tremendously well throughout nursery. The nursery is calm and provides lots of opportunities for children to use their communication skills. Babies babble and use gesture when communicating with staff who respond by modelling language to them. Toddlers enjoy listening to stories and staff make them feel part of the story when they ask them to predict what will happen next. Pre-school children are confident talkers who ask questions and engage in meaningful conversations with staff. n Excellent partnerships are established between the nursery and parents. Families are encouraged to take books from the nursery lending library to read at home.

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need to do better?

Home-learning packs provide activities for each age group to do at home along with the resources. Information sheets provide ideas for siblings at home too. Parents report that nursery is an extension of home. Their children feel safe and secure and most of all, they are happy when they are at nursery. Parents feel they are kept well informed of their child's development and find the nursery staff provide a wealth of information. Regular newsletters provide information for parents also. n Children very much lead their play, with staff providing activities spontaneously. For example, pre-school children had attended a kite festival at the weekend and they wanted their own event. Staff help the children to find the materials they require to make their own kites. The children love watching their handmade kites blowing in the wind and are eager to discuss their designs. n The company have their own learning programme that focuses on mathematics,

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need to do better?

science, communication, health and well-being. Activities are planned and purposeful and reflect elements of the programme. For example, when children are playing with ice cream resources, they talk about them being 'cold' and if they go outside they will 'melt'. Staff ask questions to encourage curiosity and develop children's scientific awareness. n The nursery mascot, 'Candy Floss', is used to relay important messages to children. For example, it talks to children about online safety and how to decide if they should be watching certain films at home. The children are taught about sun safety too. Candy Floss is used to introduce sensitive issues and broaden children's understanding of communities beyond their own. It is used to discuss what makes them unique, including different religions, cultures and disabilities. For example, the individual needs of children within nursery are spoken about openly, so that children fully understand how to communicate with each other

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team and staff have an excellent knowledge of how to safeguard children. They are aware of the procedures to follow should they identify any signs or symptoms that may indicate a child could be at risk of harm. These include

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Safeguarding

14 July 2022 allegations against their peers. Staff have an excellent understanding of wider safeguarding concerns, such as witchcraft, mental ill health, domestic and substance misuse and the 'Prevent' duty. The management team implement robust recruitment procedures. All staff are subject to a thorough company induction with a mentor. Children learn about safety via the nursery mascot who teaches them about online safety.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY491949 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 10236704 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 75 Number of children on roll 114 Name of registered person Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01524 230724 Date of previous inspection 11 August 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Lancaster Day Nursery registered in 2015 and is situated on the site of Lancaster Royal Infirmary. The nursery is one of a number of settings within the company Bright Horizons Family Solutions Ltd and it employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one at level 5, one has qualified teacher status and two are training towards their level 3 qualification. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7am to 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager and the inspector completed a tour and learning walk of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n The SEND coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n Parents shared their views during the inspection and the inspector took account of written feedback.

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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

14 July 2022 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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