Happi Feet Nursery

Happi Feet Nursery 47 Erith Road, BELVEDERE, Kent, DA17 6HF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/03/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 There are insufficient qualified staff present caring for the children and the requirement that at least half of the staff must hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification is not met.  Staff lack skills in behaviour management and as a result there are times when children are poorly behaved. There is no named person responsible for behaviour management.  At times, children feel insecure especially when their key person is not present  Children do not regularly go outside for exercise and fresh air.  The system of observing children and planning challenging activities does not meet the needs of all children.  Staff give children insufficient opportunities to initiate and extend activities using their own ideas.

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It has the following strengths

 The nursery environment is secure; it is large, bright with appropriate resources.  Staff have a friendly, warm relationship with parents.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children in their play rooms on the ground and first floor.  The inspector spoke to the manager and various staff members throughout the day.  The inspector had discussions with parents.  The inspector reviewed documentation including children's learning journeys.

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Information about the setting

Happy Feet Nursery registered in 2012 and is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from a renovated house in Belvedere, Kent. It is close to all main transport links and there are parking facilities outside. The nursery currently cares for children from the age of three months to five years and there are 31 children on roll. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery operates Monday to Friday for 52 weeks of the year from 7am to 7pm. Children's play rooms are set out over two floors with the under threes on the ground floor in two separate rooms and the over three's have the use of two rooms on the first floor. There is a separate kitchen and toilet facilities with additional access to a disabled toilet. Separate staff facilities are available. There is a large, enclosed outside area for outside play.

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Information about the setting

There are nine members of staff overall; this includes the cook and administrator. Seven members of staff, including the owner/manager work with the children. Of these, three are qualified with a relevant childcare qualification from level 2 to level 4. There are three apprentices.

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must:

 enable children to lead their own play and take part in play which is guided by adults; ensure staff respond to each child's emerging needs and interests, guiding their development through warm, positive interaction.

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must:

 improve opportunities for children to play outside on a daily basis so that children can experience regular exercise in the fresh air

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must:

 ensure all staff have a sound knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage paying particular attention to the areas of learning and their ability to observe and assess children's activities in order to provide challenging activities to interest and motivate children

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must:

 provide a named practitioner responsible for behaviour management and ensure they have the necessary skills to advise other staff on behaviour issues and to access expert advice if necessary

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must:

 ensure all staff are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their roles; give greater consideration to staff deployment and ensure that at least half of all staff, other than the manager, hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 develop the key person systems to ensure there is a member of staff who knows the children well and is able to attend to their needs in the absence of their key person.

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who attend

Some members of staff have an understanding of how children learn but many do not have sufficient knowledge of the areas of learning to enable them to provide activities that motivate and challenge children. Children play in bright rooms with appropriate toys that they enjoy exploring, such as, the interactive resources. However, staff put too much input into adult-led activities. They participate and instruct rather than guiding children to enable them to discover their capabilities and challenge their thinking. Staff record observations in the children's learning journey file but this is inconsistent for all children. As a result, while there are some insightful observations for a few children it is not sufficiently reliable for all children. Consequently, this impacts on the effectiveness of planning for children's next steps to ensure they are all working securely towards their learning goals.

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who attend

Toddlers enjoy the experience of feeling the mixture of paint although staff try to contain this activity to the paper on a small table, which, for toddlers learning their early coordination skills, is difficult. This also restricts their enjoyment and creativity. Staff limit children's choices by deciding how an activity progresses and not giving them the opportunity to do it themselves in their own way. Children appear to enjoy the theme of transport as many play with cars and trains. Staff follow this theme with a planned outing to the fire station. This develops children's understanding of different vehicles and services in the community. Older children engage in activities prior to the visit such as making a bus. However, as staff make most of the preparations and children contribute as directed it limits the development of their critical thinking and problem solving skills.

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who attend

There is a satisfactory focus on helping children to acquire communication and language skills because some staff are skilled in supporting this, especially when reading stories. Children eagerly sit to hear about the lives of various animals. Staff encourage children to identify creatures they recognise and extend this by showing them others they do not know, such as, tortoise and centipede. Staff also ask children questions that challenge their thinking during this activity, such as, 'what do you think the animals are doing?' Children have time to think and reply. As a result, older children are beginning to develop confidence in speaking. Staff sing the 'good morning song' to younger children, which also helps their early language skills.

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who attend

Children show enthusiasm for practising early writing. They help themselves to pencils and paper then start to make shapes and outlines, which they understand. Staff acknowledge this as children's work is displayed which supports their self-esteem. However, staff try to extend these emerging skills by guiding children to trace over their name, which not all children easily follow. This removes the fun and spontaneity from learning to write. In some cases, staff and parents complete the child's 'unique story' when they start. This provides staff with good information about children's personality and abilities and the starting points to build for children's learning journey. However, this is not consistently encouraged for all children, which means that staff are not aware of all the children's starting points. There is a very friendly relationship with parents and they are warmly welcomed as they come into the nursery each day. Staff provide verbal feedback on the

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who attend

children's day, which helps with the consistency of care.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children generally settle well. Staff chat and cuddle babies and sing songs to toddlers, which helps them to feel secure. All children have a key person and parents know who is responsible for their child, which helps with children's feeling of well-being. However, where the key person is not available some children show their anxiety, which is unsettling and children lack the confidence to leave their parents. Children enjoy playing and exploring within the nursery although they do not always behave well. This is particularly noticeable at certain times of day especially at lunch times. Some staff lack skills to engage with children appropriately and, as a result, children challenge staff's requests and directions, which impacts on the social enjoyment of eating meals together.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children's play areas are bright, clean, and safe. Staff carry out daily risk assessments that help to ensure children are secure in the setting. Staff also complete risk assessments for outings to promote children's safety. Children show they are confident when moving around the nursery and older children manage the stairs well. They have opportunities to run and play with the range of equipment in the large outdoor area on days when the weather is good which supports their physical development. However, children do not go outside at other times. As outdoor activities are not a regular feature each day, children do not always receive the appropriate exercise they require in the fresh air to invigorate their minds and bodies. As a result, children who remain indoors all day become restless, which also contributes to poor behaviour. Children eat a range of meals and snacks freshly prepared in the well-maintained kitchen, which supports their healthy eating programme.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The nursery has positive plans as to how they will manage children's transitions to other settings, such as nurseries and school. They recognise the benefits of sharing summaries of children's learning and development and needs to enable new practitioners working with the children to have a sound understanding of what they can do.

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provision

The manager is keen to meet the learning, development and welfare requirements but fails to identify the significant weaknesses in the provision. The key person system is not fully effective, as insufficient consideration is given to the needs of children at times when their key person is not present. Written plans and some observations show the types of activities children do but there is insufficient assessment and monitoring of children's progress to identify gaps in their learning. Planned activities do not successfully build on what children already know and can do and the programme for physical development is weak. The staff team lacks the skills to provide a good balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities and too often staff interaction inhibits children's exploration and learning. They also lack the ability to manage children's behaviour effectively. As a result not all children's needs are being met.

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provision

The manager is actively engaged in recruiting staff to support this new setting. However, many of her staff have recently joined and some are still awaiting suitability clearance. Enhanced criminal records disclosures have been applied for but not been obtained for several staff. As a result of the current staffing situation there are times when administrative and support staff are called in to ensure ratios are met and to make sure that childcare staff who are not vetted are not left unsupervised. This means that children are not always cared for by suitably qualified staff and this does not support their care, learning and development effectively. The requirement for at least half of staff to hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification is not met. There is also no named person responsible for behaviour management with the necessary skills to advise other staff on behaviour issues and access expert advice if necessary. The behaviour management

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provision

issues and failure to meet qualification requirements means that associated requirements of the Childcare Register are also not met. The manager does ensure that a member of staff who is first aid trained is always present in the setting.

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provision

Written policies and procedures are in place to support the running of the setting and inform staff of their roles and responsibilities. This includes how to safeguard children. Staff demonstrate their knowledge by referring to the policy and explaining the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's well-being. Records such as those for accidents are clear and accurate as are the procedures for giving medication.

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provision

The process of self-evaluation is ongoing although systems are still very much in the early stages. The manager is beginning to organise staff supervision and appraisals to support staff's training and professional development. She is also arranging team meetings to allow staff to contribute their ideas to improvements. However, due to staff inexperience and newness to the nursery there is a weakness in their input to improve outcomes for children.

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provision

Parents are complimentary about the care that their children receive and feel that the staff are 'very welcoming and approachable'. Some quality information is available for parents such as progress summaries following the completion of the formal assessment for children aged two years. The nursery is supportive of children who have English as an additional language. They welcome parents to visit the nursery to read to children in their home language and this helps children to learn to value diversity. The nursery listens to parents' views and implements any suggestions they have to help improve the nursery experience for children.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that at least half of all persons caring for children have successfully completed a qualification at a minimum of level 2 in a relevant area of work (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that children's behaviour is managed in a suitable manner (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  ensure that children's behaviour is managed in a suitable manner (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted 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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Setting details

Unique reference number EY456083 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 907314 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 31 Name of provider Mercy Adenike Falope Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07834455641

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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