New Beginnings Childcare Ltd

New Beginnings Childcare Limited 15 Wigan Road, Westhoughton, BOLTON, BL5 3RD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/01/2013 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

 Some staff have been employed without the provider taking sufficient steps to check or keep records of their suitability. This means the provider has not safeguarded children's welfare.  The monitoring of practice and ability to target improvements is weak. As a result, the quality of teaching is inconsistent, particularly in relation to promoting children's speaking, which impacts on children's progress.  Staff's understanding of how to observe children's learning varies. This means that their assessments are not always accurate enough to plan how best to support children.  There are not enough opportunities for parents and staff to share what they know to identify children's starting points or plan for their developmental progress.  The setting has not yet introduced the required progress check at age two to provide parents with a summary of their child's development in time to contribute to the health

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It has the following strengths

 Relationships are caring, relaxed and friendly, which means that children enter happily when greeted with a warm welcome and parents feel confident to leave them.  Children's understanding of healthy eating is supported well by nursery staff. They work closely with parents to ensure any dietary needs are met effectively.

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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 activities in the five main play bases and the outside learning environment.  The inspector held meetings with the provider and manager of the provision.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's improvement plans, and sampled other records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and from information included in the setting's comments book.

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Information about the setting

New Beginnings Childcare Limited was registered in 2012 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from two floors of a converted police station in the Westhoughton area of Bolton, Greater Manchester and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery serves the local area.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 20 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and 10 hold an early years qualification at level 3. It opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm and children can attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery also takes and collects children to and from local schools. There are currently 106 children attending in total, 81 of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three-and four- year-old children. It supports a small number of children who speak English as an additional language. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 ensure all staff working with children are subject to a rigorous recruitment procedure, including criminal records disclosure checks, identification checks and suitable references; record information about completed checks, including the criminal records disclosure reference number, the date it was obtained and details of who obtained it

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must:

 improve the use of the observation and assessment system to enable staff to understand children's level of achievement, and use the information to tailor activities to meet children's individual learning needs

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must:

 improve the educational programme for communication and language by ensuring that children experience a rich language environment and by developing practitioners' skills in using a range of communication strategies, modelling language and supporting and developing children's skills and confidence in speaking

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must:

 ensure that parents and/or carers are kept up to date with their child's progress by agreeing with them the best time to complete the progress check between the ages of two and three, and seek to support parents and/or carers in guiding their children's learning at home.

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must:

 review the risk assessment of entrance and exit arrangements and take all reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised persons entering the premises by ensuring they are as secure as possible

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must:

 implement effective and informed performance monitoring, and tackle under- performance through targeted support for and the professional development of staff

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who attend

Staff's understanding of how to support and enhance learning varies. They do not all adequately promote children's learning, and as a result, they do not meet all children's individual needs. Children's starting points in their learning and development are not always gathered through initial discussions with parents because there is more emphasis on the care of the child. This means staff do not identify clear starting points for individual children to help them plan a continuous learning experience. Staff know that they must observe what their key children can do and then use the information to plan for children's next steps. However, their ability to put this into practice varies considerably, particularly in relation to those working with children over two years. They do not always understand what they are looking for when observing what children can do as they do not understand how to use the nursery's assessment tools. This means

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who attend

that their assessments do not accurately identify what children are achieving and where they would benefit from additional support or experiences to help them progress further. Some staff do not understand how to support children's learning, which results in the activities planned for them being too narrow to promote their progress across the seven areas of learning.

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who attend

Staff have not yet begun to complete the required progress check for two-year-olds. This means that parents of children who have recently turned three years have not received a summary of their progress or any information to help inform their health visitor review. Although parents are happy with the care their children receive, they are not routinely given information to help guide children's learning at home.

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who attend

Older children receive a generally well-organised experience. The range of resources continuously available to children adequately supports their development overall. They are able to make some choices and decisions about their play, and as a result, begin to make flexible use of toys and equipment to extend their play and thinking. Staff make good use of the weather to help children understand the world they live in, and they take children outside to experience snowy days. Children dig the snow with spades and make a snowman before doing exercises in a dry area to warm up their bodies. However, the environment for children aged two years is less well organised and at times, children flit from one area to another as they do not become engaged in their play. Children enjoy some of the activities on offer, for example playing on the computer, although staff often intervene too quickly, which disrupts the flow of play and thinking. For example, when

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who attend

children were attempting to control the mouse, staff offered to do it for them without giving sufficient time to allow children to persist with the task, and when children were attempting to use their imaginations in role play, staff interrupted their play with questions. This prevents children from learning by trial and error, or developing their own ideas.

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who attend

The promotion of children's communication and language in the nursery is weak. Staff use too few strategies to promote early communication. As a result, while children's understanding is developing appropriately, they make less progress in the development of their speaking skills. Staff do not model mispronounced language or extend children's one- word sentences by repeating more back. Children do enjoy stories in the nursery and listen with interest. Older children join in with familiar phrases and paint a picture of their favourite story character in independent play. All children enjoy singing activities and join in with a repertoire of songs. Babies delight in listening to the music teacher sing with his guitar, and they excitedly join in with actions, dance and rounds of applause.

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

Staff complete room risk assessments daily and are deployed appropriately to ensure that children are appropriately supervised; the environment is safe and minimum adult-to-child ratios are met. Safety gates ensure that children cannot access the stairs or any main doors. However, the nursery relies too heavily on parents to shut the outside gate and entrance door behind them to prevent intruders being able to enter. On most occasions this is sufficient to keep children safe, although sometimes internal, key-coded locks on doors are not activated. This means that staff do not use consistently all the security measures identified to keep the nursery as secure as it can be.

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

Children's safety and their well-being are compromised due to failings in management procedures and record keeping. In practice, however, relationships between children and staff are warm and friendly. Individual children are greeted enthusiastically on arrival and, as a result, they enter happily. A gradual admission process helps children settle quickly, and staff use the opportunity to chat with parents to find out any information they may need to promote children's well-being and support their transition into the nursery.

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

Young babies enjoy the company of the consistent adults who care for them and who provide a secure and responsive environment. They know children's signs of tiredness and settle them off to sleep in cots in accordance with their home routines. Older babies are so secure in their routines that they independently lie on their beds after lunch and settle off to sleep. On waking, they are given time for a cuddle until they are ready to go off and play. This means their emotional well-being is positively promoted.

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

Staff gently remind younger children to be kind to each other, help to tidy up and share toys. Older children behave well because staff's effective use of praise and positive reinforcement helps them understand what they have done well and what is expected of them. They play cooperatively in small groups, sit together at the table for their afternoon tea and line up to go outside to play. They are developing some self-confidence to try things out for themselves. This helps children develop some of the personal and social skills they need for their future learning.

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

Children's good health is appropriately fostered because sufficient, suitable meals are supplied and drinking water is always available. Children are offered fresh fruit daily, and staff work closely with parents in meeting children's individual dietary needs, for example working closely with parents to introduce new foods, exchanging information about food allergies and sourcing specialist food supplies. Two-way verbal exchanges as well as home/nursery diaries mean that staff and parents have all the information they need to provide for children's dietary needs consistently.

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provision

Managers do not consistently implement the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This has an impact on the safe management of the provision and, consequently, the well-being and development of the children. The setting has been through a considerable period of change, including leadership and management arrangements. Since the changes, the provider has failed to check that new staff responsibilities are carried out effectively by monitoring the provision. As a result, the provider has not identified where there are breaches of legal requirements.

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provision

Staff recruitment and vetting procedures lack rigour and do not ensure that staff are suitable and have the necessary skills, attitudes and abilities to carry out their roles. While evidence is kept of most staff criminal records checks, there are few other records of any other steps taken to establish suitability, for example references. For a small number of staff, the setting holds no evidence of how their suitability was determined. Additionally, there are no records of some staff qualifications and recruitment procedures do not include checks of original certificates. This means that the provider does not know that all employees hold the qualifications they claim or that they are suitable to work with children.

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provision

Despite knowing what needs to be in place to meet the learning and development requirements, leaders and managers have too little understanding of how to implement them successfully across the setting. They have been unable to find an effective way of observing, assessing and planning for children's learning that they and all staff fully understand. Consequently, they have been unable to effectively monitor the quality of the provision or identify and target weak practice. This affects children's progress and hinders their ability to reach their full potential.

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provision

Managers care about the nursery and they strive to develop the provision. They have recently arranged whole-staff training sessions in first aid and in safeguarding children to support their professional development and to protect children's welfare. Supporting the families who need it the most is an area of strength, and at times managers successfully prioritise children's well-being. They liaise with other agencies to ensure children's welfare is promoted.

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provision

Managers spend time each day actively supporting staff and are involved with children and their families in the nursery. This helps them identify some relevant areas for improvement. For example, they recently noticed the need for redecoration in some rooms; this was addressed and the rooms were also recarpeted. It also helps them be responsive to parents' views, and they have recently made some small improvements to the outdoor play provision as a result. Additionally, because they know the individual children and families so well, they strive to meet their individual needs and keep them happy. Parents spoken with during the inspection expressed satisfaction with the nursery and said that they value the relationships with staff and managers. They said that the nursery is a warm and friendly place to be, that children enjoy coming, and that they are confident leaving them there.

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provision

The nursery has recently received some guidance from the local authority early years advisor that has prompted targeted action to improve the provision. Managers are keen to use this support, although they do not always implement the actions set for them swiftly. They have organised some staff training on strategies and improve the environment to support and develop communication and language. They have also already used the knowledge of one staff member to identify new ways of assessing and monitoring children's learning, although it is too soon for these changes to be affecting practice and improving outcomes 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:

 implement effective systems to ensure that any person caring for or in regular contact with children is suitable to do so, obtain an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check, is of good character, has skills and experience suitable for the work, is physically and mentally fit for the work (Suitability to care for, or be in regular contact with, children)(Compulsory part of the childcare register)  ensure that no one can enter the premises without the knowledge of a person who is caring for children on the premises (Suitability and safety of premises and equipment) (Compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  implement effective systems to ensure that any person caring for or in regular contact with children is suitable to do so, obtain an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check, is of good character, has skills and experience suitable for the work, is physically and mentally fit for the work (Suitability to care for, or be in regular

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

contact with, children)(voluntary part of the childcare register)  ensure that no one can enter the premises without the knowledge of a person who is caring for children on the premises (Suitability and safety of premises and equipment) (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 EY452080 Local authority Bolton Inspection number 811443

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 61 Number of children on roll 106 Name of provider New Beginnings Childcare Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01942813812

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Type of provision

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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