Cherubs and Imps Day Nursery

Cherubs & Imps Ltd The Old Coach House, Overton Court, West Street, CONGLETON, Cheshire, CW12 1JY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/09/2013 20/02/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 3 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 of the legal requirements are not fully met, particularly with regard to staff records, risk assessments and the indoor space requirements for babies. This compromises children's safety.  Care practices are not always effective in meeting children's individual needs and promoting their emotional well-being. Consequently, some of the younger children become unsettled and upset, particularly at lunchtime.  Monitoring of staff practice is not fully robust, which means policies and procedures to promote children's health and safety are not always consistently implemented.  Self-evaluation lacks rigour and there are limited development plans in place to target areas for improvement.  Assessment is not accurate enough to support staff in planning suitably challenging activities that match children's needs and build on their progress.

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It has the following strengths

 Children's playrooms are well equipped with a good selection of resources and the outdoor play areas are developing well. This contributes to children's learning and enjoyment.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the three playrooms, dining room, outside play areas, and carried out joint observations with the deputy.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff, children and parents, and held meetings with the manager and deputy.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff, and sampled a range of other records and policies.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Cherubs and Imps Nursery was registered in 2012. It is registered on the Early Years Register and is one of three settings owned and managed by a limited company. It is situated in converted premises in the Overton area of Congleton. The nursery serves the local area. It operates from four rooms located on two floors with no lift access. Children also have access to a separate dining room and sleep room. There are three enclosed areas available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications, including four at level 2, seven at level 3 and one at level 5.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 70 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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must:

 ensure the premises are organised in a way that meets children's needs, particularly in relation to meeting indoor space requirements for children under two years of age

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must:

 ensure information to confirm the suitability of all staff is accurately recorded and easily accessible, specifically with regard to their Disclosure and Barring Service check, reference number and date it was obtained

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must:

 assess the health and safety risks associated with staff and children accessing the kitchen and take necessary steps to remove them

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must:

 improve the effectiveness of the key person system, so that every child's care is tailored to meet their individual needs. For example, make sure key persons take responsibility for children's personal care routines, such as feeding, changing and sleeping

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must:

 complete precise assessments that include all areas of the children's learning and use these effectively to plan suitably challenging activities, so that children make the best possible progress.

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

 monitor practice more closely, to make sure staff understand and consistently implement policies and procedures to promote children's health and safety, particularly in relation to nappy changing and babies' access to outdoor play

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

 develop effective systems for self-evaluation and implement clear development plans to prioritise areas for improvement.

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who attend

Assessment for all children concentrates on their achievements in the prime areas of learning, for instance, their communication, social and independent skills. This helps them to develop some of the necessary skills to be ready for school. However, staff are not assessing children's progress in the specific areas of learning, which impacts on their ability to gain a full understanding of children's needs, so that they can plan suitably challenging activities. There are some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching because at times, not all staff show enthusiasm in their interactions with the children. Consequently, some activities lack sufficient challenge, which means children are not always fully supported to make the best possible progress. Since the last inspection, staff have made some improvements in how they observe and assess children's learning. However, this still remains an area for improvement and is still not effective enough to consistently support

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who attend

Development files include observations of the children, and the next steps in their learning are clearly identified. Pre-school children are developing positive relationships with one another, for instance, when they share books together and pretend to read the story. They enjoy watering the tomato plants in the garden, as staff encourage them to count and compare the size of the tomatoes. This helps them to learn about mathematical concepts. Staff positively promote children's independent skills, for example, by consistently encouraging them to 'have a go' at putting their own shoes on the correct feet. They support children appropriately during mark making activities; encouraging them to talk about their drawings and demonstrating how to use the scissors.

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who attend

Children's playrooms are well resourced to help support their play and learning. However, space in the baby room is too cramped, which impacts on their learning, ability to crawl around and to explore their environment. Outdoor play space is developing well and most of the children enjoy regular opportunities to play outside, therefore, supporting their physical development. For example, toddlers enjoy catching bubbles and practising how to climb the steps to the slide. Staff sit on the floor to interact with the babies. They adequately encourage some learning, for instance, when they build with the blocks and encourage the babies to knock them down. Children benefit from regular visits to the local library, which helps to encourage their interest in books.

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who attend

Friendly relationships are established with parents and they have appropriate opportunities to be involved in the children's learning. For instance, they have ongoing discussions with staff, make comments in children's diaries and view their development files. Some parents report that children are doing 'a lot better with sharing' and have 'come on in their speech'.

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

There are too many babies cared for on the first floor, which means staff and babies have insufficient room to move around freely and safely. It also impedes a prompt and safe evacuation in the event of an emergency. Not enough emphasis is placed on the important role of the key person in supporting children and meeting their individual needs. Consequently, key staff do not always take responsibility for carrying out personal care tasks for their children, such as feeding, changing and putting them to sleep. This leads to younger children feeling very unsettled, particularly at lunchtime. For example, children wait too long for their food to arrive, so they become tired and upset. The dining room is crowded and there is nowhere for staff to sit to offer support to children at their level. In contrast, lunchtime for the pre-school children is more relaxed and orderly, with staff positively encouraging children's self-care skills.

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

Children are adequately supported when they move within the nursery and eventually transfer to school. This is because staff accompany children on settling-in visits and share information about their needs, routines and abilities. All children benefit from eating healthy, freshly prepared food and they confidently help themselves to their own water bottles when they need a drink. Most children enjoy daily opportunities to exercise outdoors, for instance, where they swing, climb and crawl through tunnels. However, there are some inconsistencies in practice because babies are not always taken outside to enjoy the same benefits.

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

Children develop some understanding of safety, for example, as staff explain safety rules before outdoor play and remind them not to jump on the stairs in case they fall. Pre- school children behave well and learn good manners, for instance, saying 'excuse me' when they want to speak with adults. They play cooperatively together when they push each other on the swing, and staff remind all children to share and take turns in their play.

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provision

The overall management of the nursery is not robust. As a result, some of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are not fully met. This impacts on children's care and learning. For example, the manager is not complying with indoor space requirements for children under two years, which means too many babies are cared for on the first floor. Records to confirm the suitability of staff are not readily available. Consequently, required information about vetting processes, such as Disclosure and Barring Service checks, is not able to be verified. In the main, suitable risk assessments are conducted to help keep children safe. However, hazards associated with staff escorting children through the kitchen to access the outdoor play area have not been considered. This exposes children and staff to potential health and safety risks.

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provision

This inspection was carried out following concerns received regarding the safety of babies during nappy changing routines. Discussions with the manager and staff suggest there have been no accidents relating to nappy changing, and a suitable risk assessment of the changing unit is in place. However, during the inspection, not all staff were consistently implementing the risk assessment, therefore, exposing children to potential risks. Steps were immediately taken during the inspection to address this issue.

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provision

Some monitoring of practice is carried out, for instance, through staff supervision and regular team meetings. Suitable policies and procedures are in place to support staff, but these are not always well implemented. This leads to inconsistencies in practice, particularly during nappy changing and ensuring babies benefit from outdoor play daily. The manager and deputy are working with staff to develop their understanding of the learning and development requirements. They oversee children's development records, so that they can monitor children's progress. Some improvements have been made to strengthen observation and assessment systems, although these still require improvement in order to have a more positive impact on children's learning. Staff demonstrate a suitable understanding of child protection procedures to help safeguard children from harm. The manager says steps were taken to address the

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provision

recommendation from the last inspection regarding self-evaluation, for example, completing the Ofsted self-evaluation form. However, this could not be located during the inspection. Through discussion, it is clear that there are limited plans to identify priorities for development. Partnerships with parents are positive and friendly. Parents think staff are 'pleasant and helpful' and say they have 'good communication' with them. Links are developing appropriately with other settings, such as local schools, which contribute to supporting consistency for children attending more than one provision as well as during times of transition.

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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 EY451470 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 931254

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 35 Number of children on roll 70 Name of provider Cherubs and Imps Ltd Date of previous inspection 20/02/2013 Telephone number 01260 297690

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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

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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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