Keele University Day Nursery

Keele Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 218444 Inspection date 25/11/2011 Inspector Lynne Milligan

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Setting address University of Keele, Keele, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG Telephone number 01782 583394 Email w.foster@ksm.keele.ac.uk Type of setting Childcare - Non-Domestic 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 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Keele Day Nursery opened in 1989. It operates from eight playrooms in a purpose built single storey building, situated within the grounds of Keele University campus. The nursery opens five days a week for most of the year, closing for a week at Christmas and for all bank holidays. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery serves students and staff of the University and the surrounding community.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 136 children may attend the nursery at any one time and of these, no more than 48 may be under two years. There are currently 130 children on roll aged between 12 weeks and five years. The nursery is also registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the setting

There are 32 full and part-time members of staff who work with the children, including the manager. The manager has a BA Hons in Early Childhood Studies, with most of the remaining staff having a level 3 qualification. Three members of staff are currently working towards a Foundation Degree.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is inadequate.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The nursery's ability to provide adequate care and learning for the children is generally well below what is required, as a number of regulations have been breached. Safeguarding is a significant weakness and this is where the majority of breaches have occurred, with others also having a substantial impact. The management have failed to identify any of its weaknesses as they do not self- assess, relying on others to do this. A considerable lack of understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage regulations has meant that for the majority of the children their learning is limited, with some groups falling below what is expected. Furthermore, inclusion is poorly understood and therefore rarely embedded. Partnerships with parents and other settings that deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage and professionals, are adequate at best.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the early years provision requires significant improvement. The registered person is given a Notice to Improve that sets out actions to be carried out.

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further?

To comply with the requirements of the EYFS the registered person must take the following action by the specified date:

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further?

 implement an effective safeguarding procedure, ensuring that all members of staff adopt a shared responsibility in protecting children from harm and so they can identify who takes charge when the 16/12/2011 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 safeguarding officer is absent (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare)  ensure there is at least one person on the premises and on outings who has a current paediatric first aid certificate and ensure the qualification is consistent with guidance set out in the Practice Guidance for the EYFS (Suitable premises, equipment and environment) 06/01/2012

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further?

 implement an effective policy about ensuring equality of opportunities and for supporting children with learning difficulties and disabilities (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare) 02/12/2011

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further?

 keep a record of the information used to assess suitability to demonstrate to Ofsted that checks have been done. Such records must include the unique reference numbers of CRB disclosures obtained and the date on which they were obtained (Suitable people) 02/12/2011

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further?

 take all reasonable steps to ensure that hazards to children - both indoors and out are kept to a minimum, these include all the risks in the outdoor play areas, the security of entrances to these areas and the storage facilities (Suitable premises, equipment and environment) 02/12/2011

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further?

 lead a collaborative culture of reflective practice, self- evaluation and informed discussion which takes account of the views of users to identify the setting's strengths and priorities for development that will improve the quality of the provision for all children (Organisation) 02/12/2011

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further?

 maintain a daily record of children's hours of attendance and the names of their key workers (Documentation) 02/12/2011

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further?

 gather more information about children's needs, interests, and their current stages of development and use this information to help plan a challenging and enjoyable experience across the areas of learning and development, especially for younger children (Organisation) 02/12/2011

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further?

To improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 revise the system used to record existing injuries to ensure records state exactly where, when and how the injury took place  reconsider the needs of the children with specific regard to facilities that include bathrooms by ensuring there is sufficient toilet paper, that wet floors are made safe and by maintaining children's privacy especially when visitors are in the building  provide and plan for daily opportunities for outdoor play tailored to all children's needs, especially babies and ensure they are given the opportunity to be taken out of their pushchairs to allow them to explore the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 environment  re-organise staffing levels at lunch breaks to allow consistent experiences for the children.

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the early years provision

The manager has failed to support the team in meeting the needs of the children. The lack of knowledge not only of the Early Years Foundation Stage but the inspection process, has led to a number of significant weaknesses which means that outcomes for most children are poor. Staff are unable to confidently indicate what steps they would take should they be presented with a situation that relates to child protection. Their responsibility goes no further than the manager at times, with some staff not even knowing who they take concerns to if the safeguarding officer is absent. Related documentation that includes existing injury records fail to clearly state how injuries occurred nor is there any clear follow up as to concerns arising from these. Furthermore, a record of each staff members Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check was not available at the time of the inspection. The manager is not aware of her responsibilities under safeguarding and follows

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the early years provision

incorrect advice from the central point in human resources that retain this information, assuming that it cannot be shared. This means that those parents who wish to check the suitability of staff with the Independent Safeguarding Authority are unable to do so. Areas within the nursery are checked on a daily basis as staff take responsibility for their own rooms. Staff complete a risk assessment, such as, the outdoor play areas, however, these have failed to identify and therefore, measure all the risks to the children. The baby outdoor area is completely unsafe, equipment is not only limited but dirty. Flooring is a trip hazard and it is wet and uninviting. The larger play areas are covered with fungi, litter, large branches and unlocked sheds, which when opened have garden tools inside including a set of garden shears. Areas are unattractive and equipment is clearly not in use as it is dirty or stacked high on top of each other, which limits

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the early years provision

children's ability to self-select. Furthermore, intruders are able to gain access as gates are not pad locked. This is a significant risk to the children.

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the early years provision

Regular mandatory training allows staff to extend their knowledge in areas, such as, autism, behaviour management and the Early Years Foundation Stage. Designated staff roles, such as, the Special Educational Needs Coordinator, deliver in-house training to staff which informs them of any practice changes. Rolling programmes for safeguarding and first aid are implemented, however, the manager has failed to identify that all of the staff have an incorrect first aid certificate. As a result, none of them have paediatric first aid training and are therefore, not qualified to administer emergency support in the event of an accident. Whilst on outings staff sign groups of children in and out, indicating their route and time of departure. Room registers are not always completed accurately, as some children are not signed in and there is no indication of who their key workers are.

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the early years provision

Written policies and procedures are shared with parents, with some displayed as visual reminders. Information throughout the nursery is adequate, but little This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 thought has gone into the accessibility of it. For example, a poster in reception indicates that if a parent does not speak English or is unable to read text because they may have a visual impairment, then information can be adapted to ensure they receive it in a more inclusive format. However, the poster is written in English and in small print. This does not promote inclusion. This is the same throughout the nursery, with the disabled toilet being used as additional storage. Furthermore, if an applicant applied for a post within the nursery and they themselves had an impairment, the manager is unaware of how she would adapt the interview so as to offer equal opportunity.

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the early years provision

Self-assessment is not implemented at the nursery. Staff and room meetings cover immediate issues but long term plans apart from their new premises, are not even considered. Management have failed to think about what it is like for a child now, not in twelve months when they will be moving. There is no comprehension of what their key strengths or weaknesses are and no plans or actions for the future, therefore,they have no idea of how they will improve.

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and outcomes for children

For most of the children in the nursery, their progress is significantly hindered by the lack of knowledge and confidence from staff in the delivery of the learning and development requirements. Children are generally happy at the nursery. They are settled and they do receive some adequate support from the staff. This is more apparent in the pre-school room where children are mostly confident and some are quite skilled at number work, counting up to 10 or as they identify that when one is taken away there are less stickers to count. Babies are free to explore, to investigate and to engage with others as they crawl around the room, accessing a variety of plastic toys. At times, when activities, such as, singing take place however, children are handed musical instruments or are given pieces of material to scrunch, rather than being allowed to chose toys themselves. Through the planning, which is the same throughout all of the rooms, staff devise simple

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and outcomes for children

activities that adequately help children develop across most of the areas. Children paint, make marks, construct and build on their imaginative play as they organise resources in their own way, knowing that after cups are used they need washing or that certain fruits need to be peeled before they are eaten. Staff make plans for children's learning, but as many files do not contain any information on their starting points, some of the activities are poorly delivered. Staff do not consider children's existing learning, so when they observe, it is not clear where the links are or whether the targets are specific to their ability. Teaching levels are a significant detriment to the children as staff use very basic techniques, with little extension to provide enough challenge for children. They are also unaware of how to differentiate, especially for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, which leaves children uninterested and sometimes 'lost'.

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and outcomes for children

Meal times are a simple process for most children. Some serve their own food but many who are clearly capable, have it served for them and then cut up for them too. Staff rely too much on doing things for the children rather than assisting and helping them to learn new skills. As a result, many opportunities are missed which This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 would encourage areas of development for problem solving and reasoning. Jugs of water are placed in rooms but children do not use them, staff do not prompt children either. Older children can identify simple foods but younger children do not know basics, such as, if they are eating an apple or banana. This does not promote healthy lifestyles. The majority of children need promoting to wash their hands or to go to the toilet. Areas are generally safe but floors are sometimes wet and with no doors on cubicles or those on entrances not shut. Children have no

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and outcomes for children

privacy, which means that visitors are able to see into the bathrooms. Staff do not carefully monitor these rooms to ensure they have enough toilet paper or even potty's for those children that would prefer this to using a toilet. This does not meet children's needs. There is limited access to outside areas, with many, especially babies not going out for long periods. Very little reference is made to outdoor play on the planning and when children do go out, they walk around the campus or are taken in pushchairs. Learning opportunities are sometimes used to help older children learn but for younger ones, this is very limited. Children's behaviour is sound, they show care and concern for others, help tidy away and are kind and well-mannered. However, in some rooms, because staffing levels drop at times when they go for their breaks, children are left with a minimal number of adults who then go in and out of rooms, sometimes leaving 16 children with one

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and outcomes for children

member of staff. At this point, staff are unable to manage some children's behaviour and this has the potential to become a safety issue. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 4 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 4

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 4 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the early years section of the report (Welfare of the children being cared for, Arrangements for Safeguarding Children, Suitability and safety of premises and equipment and Records to be kept). 02/12/2011

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the compulsory part of the Childcare Register (Welfare of the children being cared for, Arrangements for Safeguarding Children, Suitability and safety of premises and equipment and Records to be kept). 02/12/2011

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the early years section of the report (Welfare of the children being cared for, Arrangements for Safeguarding Children, Suitability and safety of premises and equipment and Records to be kept). 02/12/2011

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the voluntary part of the Childcare Register (Welfare of the children being cared for, Arrangements for Safeguarding Children, Suitability and safety of premises and equipment and Records to be kept). 02/12/2011

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