Star Nursery

Star Playschool and Nursery Chiltern Primary School, Chiltern Way, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG22 5BB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/04/2013 12/10/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 1 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

 The nominated person has failed to notify Ofsted of changes to committee members, as required, which may lead to confidential information being disclosed to persons no longer associated with the provision.  The committee does not monitor the effective implementation of a number of safeguarding requirements, relating to child protection, safety, behaviour, accessibility of drinks, food hygiene procedures and nursery cleanliness.  Children's attendance is not recorded accurately and staff have not obtained information regarding who has parental responsibility for some children. These breaches of legal requirements compromise children's health and well-being.  Children do not make suitable progress in their learning as staff do not understand how to plan or provide a supportive range of challenging activities or experiences.  The key person system is ineffective. Staff do not liaise with parents or others

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This provision is inadequate

regarding children's learning and development or gain enough information about their home language. This means staff do not meet children's individual needs and promote continuity in learning between home and the setting.  Self-evaluation and monitoring procedures in the nursery are ineffective. The nominated person and manager do not effectively review or evaluate the provision and have failed to urgently address a number of key issues requiring improvement.

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It has the following strengths

 The nursery is making some improvements by purchasing new outdoor equipment.

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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 made several short and long observations of activities in all areas of the nursery used by the children on the day of inspection.  Thhe inspector spoke with the chairperson, manager and several members of staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journeys, a sample of planning documentation, a selection of children's records and the nursery's policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of recruitment, suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.

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Information about the setting

Star Playschool and Nursery opened in 2005. It operates from a self-contained, single storey building in the grounds of Chiltern Primary School in Basingstoke. Children have access to three main rooms and an enclosed outdoor play area. Children attend from the local area. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 95 children on roll who attend on both a full-time and part-time basis. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. It receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four.

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Information about the setting

The setting employs 14 staff. Of those three members of staff are qualified to level 4, five members of staff are qualified to level 3 and three members of staff qualified to level 2.

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enforcement action:

We will issue a welfare requirements notices to:- improve staff's knowledge of the learning and development requirements in order to consider the individual needs, interests, and stage of development of each child and use this information to identify their next steps and plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all of the areas of learning and development.

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enforcement action:

improve staff's knowledge of the learning and development requirements to ensure that each area of learning and development is implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity, particularly the programme for communication and language, and personal, social and emotional development

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enforcement action:

implement an effective key person system that ensures that every child's care is tailored to meet their individual needs; offers a settled relationship for the child and builds a relationship with their parents or carers.

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enforcement action:

ensure there are appropriate arrangements in place for the supervision of staff who have contact with children and families, which includes opportunities for staff to discuss any issues - particularly concerning children's development or well-being; identify solutions to address issues as they arise; and receive coaching to improve their personal effectiveness.

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enforcement action:

train all staff to understand the safeguarding policy and procedures, and ensure that all staff have up to date knowledge of safeguarding issues, training made available by the provider must enable staff to identify signs of possible abuse and neglect at the earliest opportunity, and to respond in a timely and appropriate way.

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enforcement action:

ensure there is a clear and well-understood policy, and procedure, for assessing any risks to children's safety, which identifies aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, includes when and by whom those aspects will be checked, and how the risk will be removed or minimised.

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must:

 record the following information for each child: information about any other person who has parental responsibility for the child and which parent(s) and/or carer(s) the child normally lives with

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must:

 ensure all staff involved in preparing and handling food receive training in food hygiene

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must:

 implement an effective behaviour management policy and procedure to support children's personal, social and emotional development

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must:

 ensure that the premises, including outdoor spaces, are fit for purpose and keep the premises and equipment clean

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must:

 obtain and share information with parents and other professionals working with the children to ensure there is a regular two-way flow of information to help ensure the needs of all children are met

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must:

 use reflective practice to identify strengths and areas for development that will improve the provision for all children

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must:

 ensure drinking water is available and accessible at all times

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must:

 keep a daily record of the names of the children being cared for on the premises and their hours of attendance and the names of each child's key person

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who attend

Children's learning and development is not adequately supported. Staff do not currently have the skills, knowledge and understanding of the areas of learning in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This means staff are unable to effectively support children in their learning. Interactions are poor because staff do not recognise the importance of good quality interactions and are therefore unable to support children through effective questioning or the re-shaping of tasks to improve learning. Planning to support the differing needs of children is weak and overall fails to adequately cover all areas of learning. During the holiday periods, staff do not plan for the children attending the nursery. This means children are merely occupied by a range of toys, as there is a lack of motivating or challenging experiences for them to learn and enjoy. Some basic observations are made of the children's play and learning. However, these are not

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who attend

consistent in quality and do not enable staff to identify children's next steps in their learning or build on children's progress. Assessments records for some children are incomplete as an inconsistency in practice has meant that some of these records have gone missing.

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who attend

Most children's vocabulary is broadly within the developmental milestones for their age. Progress in those groups of children for whom language is still emerging is developing less quickly as staff do not make effective use of opportunities to introduce new vocabulary. Staff in the pre-school room promote conversation during group play activities and children enjoy listening to stories in the book corner. They begin to experiment with rhyme and sound and a member of staff reads a favourite story. Children show they clearly enjoy this, as they chant the words and accurately predict the end of the story.

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who attend

Younger children explore their environment and make some choices about their play. For example, toddlers crawl through a play tunnel or engage in a short singing time. Older children enjoy play in the garden and take turns in riding a bike. However, the value gained from these group activities is limited, as the staff return to routine tasks and children are left to occupy themselves again. This inhibits children's learning because it prevents positive interactions and meaningful questioning to take place between staff and the children.

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who attend

Systems to encourage parental involvement in children's learning are basic and are not sufficiently focussed on promoting children's learning. Staff do not gather sufficient information on children's home language, religion and routine so they are unable to effectively support them in their care and learning. In the younger age range, staff fill in daily activity sheets and share these with parents. This information provides very few accurate details on what the children have accessed in their day and does not give a clear picture of how children are progressing in their learning. The lack of an established and comprehensive information sharing system means that parents are not kept fully informed of their child's ongoing progress. Nor are they invited to share information about what children can do at home. As a result, children find it hard to settle in the setting and planning does not meet their needs. In addition, parents are not given sufficient

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who attend

information on how to support children's learning at home.

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

The current key person system does not support children in developing secure attachments with staff or each other. Staff deployment during holiday periods is inconsistent and children are cared for in mixed age groups by staff who are not familiar to them. The ineffective key person system, combined with poor levels of positive staff interaction, leads to young children becoming fretful. Levels of individual support are poor, as staff spend their time and attention on routine jobs within the nursery. Staff's insecure understanding of how to meet children's individual needs, especially in the younger age groups, means that children do not feel safe or settled. Children appear unengaged and disinterested in the selection of resources and activities available to them and on occasions argue over toys or hurt younger children. Staff do not intervene or model appropriate behaviour in a timely or consistent manner at a level appropriate to their

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

developing understanding. This has a direct impact on their progress in the prime areas of learning as children find it hard to share resources and struggle to develop positive relationships. There are limited opportunities for older children to manage tasks for themselves to learn independence, such as blowing their nose or preparing their own snack. As a result, children do not acquire the skills and attitudes necessary to prepare them for their next stage in learning and school.

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

Children do not display the characteristics of effective learning because the indoor environment is not organised effectively to meet their learning needs or interests. Children in the baby room have difficulty moving around their play spaces as the floor is cluttered with toys and equipment. Younger, less mobile children are placed in the middle of the room which results in older children interrupting their play as they constantly walk over the play mats and toy selection. In older children's rooms, the lack of accessible resources on offer means that children are not able to make choices in their play and are limited to the current selection staff make available. For example, children have access to a wooden shop unit and till, but there are currently no items to support further play such as play food and money, as these have been removed. Areas of this room and some resources are dirty and have not been cleaned for some time. This is because staff do not implement an

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

effective program of cleaning and maintaining equipment. Overall there is an adequate selection of toys, but they are not used well enough to provide challenge for children or engage their interest.

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

Older children develop some understanding about keeping healthy. A healthy lifestyle is suitably encouraged and older children enjoy fresh air and exercise as they access the outdoor areas from their classrooms. A range of healthy snack options are offered to older children, with a range of drinks, such as milk and water. Staff in the pre-school rooms observe suitable hygiene practices and wear gloves and aprons when preparing and serving food. However, this practice is not consistent in the other rooms in the nursery. For example, staff in the baby room do not follow robust hygiene practices, especially when preparing milk feeds for babies. Younger children in this room do not have frequent enough opportunities to access drinks as these are not accessible. In addition, some non- verbal children are unable to communicate that they are thirsty and need a drink.

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provision

This inspection was brought forward following actions set by Ofsted during previous investigation visits. Areas to be considered during this inspection related to safeguarding training including reporting procedures, suitability checks, reorganisation of the nursery and changes to practice. The inspection found staff understand the nursery procedures for reporting safeguarding concerns and any allegation against the manager or a member of staff. However, staff remain unsure of reporting procedures regarding the conduct of a member of staff towards a child. In addition, the nominated person and manager do not have an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding procedures and staff have not revisited child protection training to update their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding children. Consequently, children's welfare cannot be assured as adults at the nursery are unable to safeguard children adequately. This puts children at risk and could compromise

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provision

their well-being if a delay in the reporting procedures were to occur.

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provision

The inspection found suitability checks for all staff are in the process of being repeated by the interim manager. Although these checks were not completed promptly after the last Ofsted visit, they are all underway and several have been completed. The inspection findings demonstrate the nursery has not been reorganised effectively and current nursery practice does not meet the needs of the children attending. The inspection findings demonstrate the provider is not complying with a number of safeguarding and welfare requirements and a number of learning and development requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. In addition, the nursery is not complying with a number of requirements for the Childcare Register. As a result, Ofsted have agreed to issue a number of welfare requirement notices. This is because several of the previous actions remain unaddressed and there is an ongoing legacy of poor practice.

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provision

Safeguarding responsibilities have not been met. The safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are not well understood by senior staff. They demonstrate a poor understanding of their responsibilities to monitor both the safety within the nursery and staff practice in order to safeguard children. As a result, they are unaware of the inappropriate feeding methods used by some staff to bottle feed babies, by placing them in cots unattended with their feeds. In addition, they are not proactive enough in addressing poor hygiene practices or the ineffective organisation of toys and equipment. This does not promote a safe and nurturing environment for children to rest and play. The nominated person has also failed to update Ofsted of a change to individuals who make up the nursery committee. It is requirement to do so. On this occasion Ofsted will take further action and issue a low level

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provision

Children's safety is compromised as risk assessment procedures are weak and staff do not follow robust procedures for identifying or monitoring risk to ensure the ongoing safety of the children in all rooms and outdoor areas of the nursery. Safety checklists are in place, but these do not identify current risks. For example, there are broken toys in the baby room and unsafe equipment in the garden areas, such as a dismantled wicker gazebo which could fall on children. Children's safety is further compromised as staff do not keep an accurate daily record of the children's attendance or the name of the key person who cares for them and do not collect information about who has parental responsibility for the child. These are clear breaches of safeguarding and welfare requirements, which have an impact on the safety and well-being of children at the nursery. Self-evaluation systems are weak and are not effective in identifying key priorities or

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provision

driving forward a culture that promotes monitoring and self-challenge. Intensive support has been provided to the nursery by the local authority early years team. However, the nominated person and interim manager have not sufficiently tackled the weaknesses with the rigour required to bring about rapid improvement. The ineffective monitoring of staff performance and the lack of a suitable programme to monitor staff's knowledge, understanding and everyday practice has led to significant weaknesses in teaching. This has impacted significantly on the progress that children make in the setting and the educational programme on offer, which is weak in all areas as a result.

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provision

Staff are not yet working in partnership with other early years settings the children attend. This means they cannot fully support children's transitions and ensure consistency in their care and learning. Some arrangements for sharing information and working in partnership with others involved in supporting the families has been established. However, these are not effective as staff do not share information with these agencies to provide well targeted and focussed support to meet children's needs.

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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:

 keep and implement a written statement of procedures to be followed for the protection of children, intended to safeguard the children being cared for from abuse or neglect (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  undertake a risk assessment of the premises and equipment: at least once in each calendar year, and immediately, where the need for an assessment arises, ensuring that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  keep records of the following and retain them for a period of two years: a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  keep and implement a written statement of procedures to be followed for the

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

protection of children, intended to safeguard the children being cared for from abuse or neglect (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).  undertake a risk assessment of the premises and equipment: at least once in each calendar year, and immediately, where the need for an assessment arises, ensuring that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  keep records of the following and retain them for a period of two years: a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance (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 EY314841 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 910486 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 69 Number of children on roll 95 Name of provider Star Playschool and Nursery Committee Date of previous inspection 12/10/2010 Telephone number 01256 473345

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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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