St Thomas' Hospital Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are developing good relationships with each other and staff. Older children say they like playing with their friends, especially outside. Babies show strong bonds with staff. They enjoy lots of cuddles and support, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Children show a good understanding of expectations for their behaviour. Staff support them well in learning about sharing and taking turns. Children respond well to daily routines. They keenly help to tidy away toys and know to walk sensibly to the outside play areas.

Children with additional needs are supported well and are making good progress from their starting points. Staff are aware of children's individual needs and plan an appropriate curriculum to support their learning. Although children are supported with their communication and language, especially children who speak English as an additional language (EAL), staff do not make best use of opportunities to include children's home languages in everyday routines,

Children are developing good physical skills. Older children skilfully use large climbing equipment. They develop their coordination while using rope ladders and crossing the bridge on the frame. Toddlers develop good balancing skills and spatial awareness as they carefully walk across the stepping stones.

Children develop their interest and love of books as they look at books independently and keenly join in with stories read by staff. Well-planned group times successfully promote children's language skills. For example, staff link stories, songs and props to fully enhance children's learning experience. As a result, children listen to stories well and join in with key words. They actively join in, singing familiar songs with the actions.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Managers evaluate the quality of the service effectively. They show a commitment to promoting continuous improvement. For example, they involve staff and parents in projects such as the garden committee, who are developing the use of the outside play areas.
• Managers and staff have safely managed the current refurbishment of the setting. Staff implement appropriate risk assessments and safety procedures at all times. Parents have been kept well informed about each stage of the project. As a result, any disruptions to children's learning have been minimised.
• Parents are happy with the care provided to their children and have seen their children make good progress. They find the staff caring and friendly. Parents are informed about the curriculum that is provided, which enables them to further support children's learning at home. Parents value the continuity of care by staff who have worked at the setting for many years and say that this helps their children to feel settled.
• Children particularly like sensory play and exploring different textures. Older children enjoy collecting and exploring leaves, while babies and toddlers enjoy playing in the sand and water.
• Children enjoy relaxed mealtimes. They talk to staff about the different fruits they like at snack time. They are offered a balanced diet and develop healthy eating habits as they make choices of the foods they want to eat at lunchtime. Babies are supported well in developing their feeding skills. Good systems are in place to ensure children's individual dietary needs are known and respected.
• Staff actively promote children's good health and implement good hygiene routines. They ensure that children gain lots of regular exercise and encourage children to develop good self-care skills. For example, children know to wash their hands before and after meals, and older children put on their coats and use the bathroom independently.
• Staff work effectively as a well-established team. They ensure all required documents are well maintained. Managers work in the group rooms to offer support and continuously improve staff practice. Staff attend relevant training courses to enhance their continual professional development.
• Staff ensure effective systems are in place to work with parents and other agencies. They share information appropriately and identify the needs of children who require additional support. Therefore, they receive targeted support at an early stage.
• Staff plan a good range of activities across all areas of learning during indoor and outdoor play. They show a good understanding of their key children's individual learning needs. As a result, children are making good progress and are purposefully engaged in play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen systems to support children who speak EAL, using opportunities to include children's home languages in everyday routines
• monitor the implementation of the new emergency evacuation procedure to ensure it is fully embedded in staff's practice to promote children's well-being and safety.