Cherubins Day Nursery Ltd

Cherubins Day Nursery - Lewisham Branch Ladywell Lodge, Slagrove Place, London, SE13 7HT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/04/2013 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

 Staff do not adequately supervise children at mealtimes or encourage good manners, so their needs are not met.  Systems to monitor staff performance are not fully established.  Staff do not prepare children for their move to school.  Some areas of the nursery are cramped so children do not have room to play, learn and explore.  Self-evaluation is weak and has too little impact.  Some staff do not understand their roles and responsibilities.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff help children to use their imaginations, to promote their development in expressive arts and design.  Children are happy, and demonstrate a sense of belonging in the setting.

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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 play activities in the playrooms, and the outdoor learning environment.  The inspector spoke to staff, children and the managers.  The inspector checked safeguarding policies, procedures, and accident records.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a joint observation in one of the rooms, observing the lunchtime routines.

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Information about the setting

Cherubins Day Nursery registered in 2011 and is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from a converted house in the Ladywell area in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is one of three nurseries, which are privately owned. There is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, twelve hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 84 children attending who are in the early year's age range. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who learns English as an additional language and children with special needs and/or disabilities.

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enforcement action:

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to:

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enforcement action:

- ensure staffing arrangements meet the needs of all children, particularly at lunchtime - ensure that an accurate written record of all accidents or injuries and first aid treatment is kept - improve staff supervision to provide support, coaching and training for staff while fostering a culture of mutual support, teamwork and continuous improvement to consistently promote the interests of children - ensure the premises and equipment are organised in a way that meets the needs of children, with particular regard to the pre-school room. - ensure all staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

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

 encourage good manners by demonstrating appropriate conversation when interacting with children and other members of staff, using 'please' and 'thank you' to promote children's understanding of behaviour

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

 help children's move to school by providing a range of relevant resources for them to understand what going to school will be like

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who attend

Children's needs are not met consistently throughout the nursery. Some children enjoy activities that help them progress to the next stage of their learning. For example, some children make 'birthday cakes' using pots of sand, which they place a spoon in, to represent the candle. They take the 'cake' to the staff, proclaiming that it is their birthday. Staff join in with the imaginary play, by pretending to blow out the candles and accept the birthday wishes. Staff carry out regular observations on what children can do, which enables them to identify children's current interest, and stage of development. They use this information to plan relevant activities. Parents contribute to the planning, providing information about what they have seen their children doing at home. Consequently, activities and experiences interest children, so they enjoy incidental and planned learning through play. Interaction and supervision in the toddlers' room is poor at times,

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who attend

particularly at lunchtime. In addition, the pre-school room is crowded with furniture and tables, leaving little room for children to spread out as they play. For example, children use their imaginations to pretend to be fire people and rescue personnel; however, as they play, they accidently knock over other children's models, as they are too close. This results in frustration and children losing interest.

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who attend

The babies enjoy practising their physical skills as they pull themselves up against the wooden low climbing frame. This helps them to develop their balance and prepares them for their first steps. Older children enjoy using the computer. They choose appropriate educational computer programmes, which encourages their hand and eye co-ordination.

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who attend

Some activities are not well planned. For example, staff provide puffed rice cereal and spoons for children to explore. The learning intention is unclear, and children start to eat the cereal, sharing spoons. Consequently, there is a risk of cross infection and no teaching or learning takes place.

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who attend

Children's communication and language skills are promoted in some areas of the nursery, as staff encourage children to develop their thoughts and ideas by discussing them. Staff use good questioning skills as they play alongside children, which enables children to process their thoughts and develop their imaginations. However, this is not consistent and children's communication is not well promoted at lunchtime, when interaction is poor. There is a suitable range of books for the children to look at, promoting their early reading skills. They have many opportunities to listen to stories and look at books on their own. The use of a local library means that the children have access to new books regularly so they remain interested and keen to explore new stories. Staff make use of children's love of books, as they use favourite stories to develop a range of relevant activities to extend their learning. For example, children make straw houses, just like the ones featured in a

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who attend

Parents gain information about their child's progress. For example, a home to nursery communication book enables parents to see how their children have been during the day, and add any vital information that they feel the key person may need to know. This allows for the effective sharing of information, which means that parents are able to support their children's learning at home. There are suitable systems in place to complete the two-year progress check.

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

Toddlers do not have their needs effectively met throughout the day. Staff do not help young children as they eat their meals, as they are preoccupied with other jobs, such as making beds. In addition, they do not encourage children to use appropriate conversation, and do not say 'please' and 'thank you' as they interact with the children or each other. Consequently, children do not enjoy the benefits of social and enjoyable mealtimes and some pick up food from the floor and eat it unnoticed.

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

Overall, children have developed suitable relationships with staff and each other. Children play well together as staff help children to learn how to share and take turns. Most areas of the nursery are generally well organised, with the exception of the pre-school room which is poorly planned. Babies respond to the sensitive care which they receive from their key persons, as they babble and enjoy being close to their special person. This enables them to feel safe and secure, and to separate from their parents easily and happily. Staff constantly chat to them and reply to their babbling, which supports children as they begin to develop their communication skills.

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

Children benefit from the support that they receive from their key person. Many key persons show that they know their key children well, which enables them to plan activities relevant to their interests. For example, staff put dinosaurs into soil for messy play. They replace these with toy cars, in response to a child's emerging interest in vehicles. This helps children to enjoy relevant play experiences, which promotes their learning.

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

Children develop a growing understanding of the importance of leading healthy lifestyles. They enjoy fresh fruit and rice cakes for their snacks, and have freshly prepared home cooked meals at lunchtimes. However, mealtimes are not well organised in some rooms. All children have fresh drinking water in their own cups, keeping them refreshed. Children wash their hands independently, in low-level basins. Staff help them learn the importance of washing their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Children learn about their own safety. They move up and down stairs carefully and in single file. They practice the fire drill so they know how to leave the building quickly and safely.

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provision

Leadership and management is weak. The newly appointed manager is working hard to help the staff team to work consistently to help children make good progress. However, systems to monitor staff practice are not effective and not enough had been done to address weaknesses. Some staff are not clear about their roles and responsibilities.

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provision

Staff have just had in-house training on child protection, and they have a secure understanding of the procedures to follow should they have a concern about a child. There is a range of additional documentation available in staff areas, which enables staff to remind themselves of the protocol to follow, if they have any concerns. Staff record accidents and the treatment given. However, but at times the written records are not factually accurate. Staff implement a range of policies, such as the 'whistle blowing' policy, to help ensure that children are safe.

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provision

The manager monitors the educational programme. She and the deputy carry out regular spot checks on children's learning journals to ensure that staff correctly identify children's current stages of learning. This means that some children make progress in their learning. However, some areas for improvement are missed, such as the limited space in the pre- school room that restricts children's opportunities to explore, and activities that have no clear learning intentions. Some improvements have been implemented, such as the introduction of regular staff meetings. The manager has started to carry out room observations and staff appraisals but has not addressed areas for improvement. Staff appraisals allow staff to request any additional training that they feel may help their professional development and improve their practice.

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provision

Self-evaluation is ineffective. The manager is in the process of starting to evaluate the provision, but not all areas for improvement have been identified or addressed. The manager uses verbal feedback from the parents to seek their views. Staff are encouraged to contribute, but there are no established systems to do so. Parent comments in children's communication books suggest that parents are happy with the care their children receive.

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provision

The nursery has links with relevant professionals, such as speech and language therapist and special educational needs advisors. This enables the staff to seek specialist advice or support when they have children with special educational needs and/or disabilities in the nursery.

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provision

Although there are plans in place for visits from local teachers, links with local schools are in the early stages. Staff provide the schools with details of each child's current stages of learning and development, which enables the school to develop plans to continue to support individual children. However, the nursery does not provide children with resources, such as photographs, books or role-play resources such as uniforms, which would help children to understand what it will be like to move into school.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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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 EY431002 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 914238 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 105 Number of children on roll 84 Name of provider Cherubins Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 02086713256

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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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