Hampstead Baby Care

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this nurturing setting.

They develop affectionate bonds with the caring and attentive staff. Therefore, they feel secure, confident and ready to learn. Children engage in a wealth of experiences across the curriculum.

They demonstrate positive attitudes to their play and learning. For example, toddlers eagerly explore a tray of soil and are delighted to find plastic insects and wiggly spaghetti 'worms'. Older children use their imaginations well in the pretend kitchen, where they enjoy 'cooking' and caring for dolls.

Staff have high expectations for children. They suppor...t their individual interests and help them to build on what they know and can do. Children become increasingly independent with their personal care.

For instance, they learn to remove and put away their shoes when they come into the setting. They use cutlery effectively and wash their hands at appropriate times during the day. Children have lots of interesting opportunities to play and learn outdoors.

They visit the local shops, station and library with staff, which helps them to learn about their local community. Children gain a wide variety of skills and knowledge on trips to the park. They demonstrate their excellent physical strength and coordination as they confidently use the large apparatus.

Children show an intense curiosity about the natural environment and enjoy learning about ladybirds, spiders and other minibeasts.

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

The manager, who is also the owner, has a strong vision for the setting. She is committed to providing all children with a happy and positive start to their education.

The manager constantly reflects on the curriculum and how they can best meet children's needs. For example, she recognises that some children had fewer opportunities to mix with others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, there is a strong focus on supporting children's language and social skills.

Staff monitor children's progress closely to identify any areas of concern. They provide targeted intervention for children and seek advice from other professionals if needed. Staff complete the required written progress checks when children are aged between two and three years, and share these with parents.

However, these can be strengthened further, to report more clearly on where children need extra help and how staff are supporting them.Children demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. They develop a love of reading from a young age.

Babies and toddlers enjoy looking at books and listen avidly as staff read to them. This interest progressively develops as they get older. For example, older children use their knowledge of favourite stories to enhance their imaginative play.

They whisper excitedly and creep past the bushes on the way to the park, so as not to disturb 'the Gruffalo'.Staff encourage children's good behaviour. For instance, they remind them of expectations such as sharing and help them to settle disagreements.

However, staff do not consistently teach children about the possible consequences of their actions, to help them moderate their behaviour independently.The setting welcomes staff and families from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. Staff value children's previous experiences and help them to celebrate the important events in their lives, such as birthdays, religious festivals or the arrival of a new baby.

Staff ensure that children who speak English as an additional language have opportunities to hear and use their home languages during activities, stories and songs. Therefore, children develop a strong sense of belonging in the setting.Staff feel valued and supported by the manager.

They state that they are happy in their roles and are keen to provide the best possible outcomes for children. The manager seeks the staff's views to help evaluate the setting and plan what they can do even better. She supports them to continuously develop their professional skills through regular supervision and training.

Parents appreciate the extra effort that staff put into knowing their individual children. They say that staff tailor settling-in sessions to the needs of each child. This promotes children's personal, social and emotional development right from the start.

Staff support families with home learning through ideas, information and resources. For example, they can borrow story bags to share with their children as a way of enhancing their communication and language skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager implements robust recruitment and induction systems to help ensure that staff are suitable for their roles. She ensures that all staff are familiar with safeguarding procedures and update their training regularly. Staff know how to identify the potential signs of child abuse and to recognise situations where children may be at risk from harm.

They understand the procedures to follow if they are concerned about children's safety or the practice of another member of their team. Staff effectively assess risks and follow the setting's procedures to help safeguard children in the setting and when on outings.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the required written progress checks, to highlight more clearly any areas where children need help with learning and how this is being provided develop strategies to teach children about the consequences of their actions, including the effects on other people's feelings, to help them learn to moderate their behaviour.