Tiny Tots Nursery

Tiny Tots Nursery 162 Eardley Road, LONDON, SW16 5TG

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/10/2013 13/09/2013

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is inadequate

 Children's safety is compromised because management fail to carry out effective risk assessment and to deploy staff effectively to ensure that children are adequately supervised while sleeping.  Management fail to implement fully effective performance management procedures to ensure that gaps in the quality of teaching are identified and targeted.  Staff do not make enough use of the information they gain from observation and assessment on children to inform and guide their planning. This affects the progress children make in their learning and development.  Although there are plans to develop the outdoor play areas currently planning for outdoor play is poor. Children are not challenged and not able to engage in deep and meaningful play and learning.  Staff's knowledge and understanding of how to support children who are learning English as additional language is weak.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Children have constant access to a creative workshop area and this encourages children to think critically and develop creativity.  Staff are motivated to develop and implement their ideas for improvement. Staff are gentle and kind towards the children. Relationships between them and their key children and parents are warm and friendly.  Children enjoy the healthy meals cooked on site.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

Information about this inspection

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

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching practice and children's play and learning indoors and outdoors, in toddler and preschool rooms.  The inspector held a meeting with management.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager, of young children engaged in a cooking activity.  The inspector spoke to parents and took account of their views.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of records and documentation including policies and procedures, children's health and assessment records, activity planning, and staff suitability records.

p.2

Information about the setting

Tiny Tots registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is privately owned and is one of two nurseries owned by one provider. The nursery operates from converted premises in Streatham, within the London Borough of Lambeth. Children are based in one of three groups; babies, toddlers and preschool. There are outdoor areas at the front and the rear of the premises. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 7.45am to 6.15pm, all year round except bank holidays. The provider employs five members of staff plus a manager. All staff hold relevant early years qualifications; four are qualified to level 3, one to level 4, the manager has a foundation degree and one staff member is working towards a foundation degree. There are currently 31 children on roll in the early years age range, including children learning English as an additional language. . The nursery receives funding for the provision of free

p.3

Information about the setting

early education to children aged three and four years.

p.3

must:

 ensure that children are adequately supervised at all times to promote their safety and well-being, including monitoring children effectively when they are sleeping

p.4

must:

 ensure that there is a clear and well-understood policy in place for assessing any risks to children's safety

p.4

must:

 improve the planning of challenging and enjoyable learning experiences, both inside and outside, by taking into account the individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child and considering how resources will be used to further support children's progress and next steps in learning

p.4

must:

 develop the performance management and monitoring systems further by introducing regular opportunities for staff to engage in professional discussion about their planning for individual children and professional development needs.

p.4

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

 develop further knowledge and strategies for supporting children learning English as an additional language

p.4

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

 strengthen systems for monitoring the overall effectiveness of the provision, for example by giving leaders time to observe and evaluate the quality of teaching.

p.4

who attend

Staff's understanding of how to meet children's learning and development needs is improving. Their methods for observing children's ability and progress are sound. Staff recognise children's stage of development, interests and preferred style of play, but do not always take this into consideration when planning and setting up activities. For example, five toddlers are expected to share one large bowl of cake mixture. This results in children becoming restless because they have to wait for lengthy periods in-between having a turn at mixing or filling cake cases. In contrast preschool children are given a bowl each to make their own pasta salad and so are more attentive. Staff engage children in conversation about the shapes, size and colours of the salad items and how they grow. All children, including very young toddlers, benefit greatly from the newly introduced creative workshop area that enables children to create and design anything they want and to

p.4

who attend

explore and experiment with different media and tools. Toddlers use glue sticks competently and then carefully attach string. Then they become enthralled with a cardboard cylinder which, with skilled prompting from staff, becomes a trumpet. Older children spend half a morning concentrating to reach their goal of transforming a tissue box into an elaborate princess bed.

p.4

who attend

Staff do not pay enough attention to planning for children's outdoor play and learning. The front play area is dreary. While staff engage children in fun games, the equipment, such as, a small tunnel a few balls, bikes and scooters fails to provide children with sufficient challenge. There are firm plans in place to develop an outdoor play and learning environment, however, staff fail to make adequate interim arrangements.

p.5

who attend

The nursery is well equipped with good quality books. Staff use these effectively to help children understand about diversity and their immediate world. Staff often take children to the local library which they enjoy and helps to foster an interest in literacy. However, younger children lose interest during group story times when staff put on a tape recorder rather than read the book themselves. There are few photographs and pictures displayed in the nursery at children's eye level. This means there is not much to stimulate children, particularly babies and very young toddlers, to initiate conversation, for instance about people, places and objects familiar to them. In the baby room there are no mirrors either to encourage very young children to learn about themselves. Toddlers gain more from activities when they are able to play in their preferred way. For example, emptying and filling containers with different resources or feeding people and animal figures with pasta

p.5

who attend

in the doll's house. Staff teach children to link letters to sounds, to recognise and write their names and count and recognise numerals and shapes. Children make steady progress in their learning and development and so are sufficiently prepared for school.

p.5

who attend

Parents contribute towards children's learning by taking home 'Sandy Bear' and helping children to record his activities with them in a picture diary. Staff complete regular assessments on children, including the official progress check for children age two years. Parents are provided with a written summary report every term. However, these reports are often quite generic and staff are not using these to agree with parents a clear plan for supporting children's individual learning journey.

p.5

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

Children's well-being is compromised by weaknesses in risk assessment and the failure to give appropriate consideration to the safety of sleeping babies and children. The temperature of radiators is not checked and some were found to be too hot to touch. Staff caringly soothe babies and toddlers to sleep after lunch and they have their preferred comforters and familiar blankets. This helps children to settle to sleep. However, if they wake early then there are frequently no staff in the room or nearby, to respond to their needs. This is very likely to make children feel unsafe and frightened, particularly if they become unwell. Staff practise fire evacuation with children but management fail to consider how safe evacuation can be achieved when there are insufficient numbers of staff on the premises when children are sleeping. Children are cared for in a clean and adequately resourced environment. Most children

p.5

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

arrive happily in the morning and enjoy their day. Staff build positive relationships with their key children and parents. Staff communicate closely with parents to gain knowledge and understanding of children's individual interests and home care routines, for instance younger children's sleep routines. Children are helped by their key person to settle into nursery life through a gradual parent-separation process. Parents visit with children and then start leaving them for increasing periods of time. However, staff lack knowledge and understanding of how best to support children learning English as an additional language, which is particularly important during this time. They use actions, such as rubbing hands together and pretending to eat to explain its time to wash for lunch. Staff also ask parents for key words in children's home language to support communication. However, staff are unfamiliar with teaching methods, such as using picture timetables to help children

p.6

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

understand the routine of the day, and pictures and symbols to support communication. Children in the nursery often listen to stories on a cassette recorder, but these are only in English. The team has not considered obtaining stories in children's home languages to comfort children and to support their literacy development.

p.6

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

The outdoor play area to the front of the premises is uninspiring and fails to enthuse children, but it does, nonetheless, ensure they get some fresh air and exercise because they go outdoors each day. Children benefit from healthy snacks and meals throughout the day. They sit together at the table with staff. Some staff engage children in sociable conversation and eat with them to encourage healthy habits. They encourage healthy eating further by challenging children to make faces out of vegetables. Preschool children are encouraged by staff to serve themselves portions and pour their own drinks. This makes them feel very grown up and helps prepare them for school.

p.6

provision

The inspection took place as the result of concerns reported to Ofsted regarding arrangements for the supervision of children during sleep time. This inspection found that staff usually all take their lunch breaks together leaving only one member of staff on duty when all toddlers and babies are sleeping. Furthermore, this one person is also usually responsible for supervising the preschool children who do not sleep. Staff have raised concerns to the provider about these arrangements but the provider believes that this is acceptable practice because although children cannot always be seen they can be heard via a baby monitor. During the inspection it became evident that this is not always true. The manager had the receiver for the monitor on her person but failed to ensure that the monitor was positioned in the room where the children were sleeping. Some children have medical conditions which mean they sometimes wake suddenly needing assistance, for

p.6

provision

instance an asthma inhaler. Sending the majority of staff on their lunch break together is poorly considered; some staff leave the premises, and are therefore not available to be called upon in an emergency. Therefore the provider fails to ensure the premises is adequately staffed. It was also found that risk assessment of other hazards is not robust to ensure the premises are safe for use. These weaknesses compromise all children's safety. The provider does not sufficiently consider potential risks to children's health and safety. The provider is therefore in breach of specific legal requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and also the Childcare Register.

p.6

provision

Some safeguarding measures are appropriate. Staff understand their duty to report any concerns about a child's well-being and know the procedures to follow. Management ensure that required records and documentation are generally well maintained. Staff recruitment procedures are sufficiently rigorous. For example, all staff, students and volunteers are fully vetted by the Disclosure and Barring Service, staff identity is verified and qualifications and references checked. However, although staff are suitably qualified to support children's learning, only the manager currently has a valid paediatric first aid certificate. This has the potential to compromise children's welfare in her absence. Although staff are now booked to attend one in the near future, this shows further weakness in the management of the provision.

p.7

provision

The manager has formed links with the local children's centre and, as a result, staff have received some useful coaching from an experienced early years practitioner. However, management fail to provide staff with regular opportunities to review their personal effectiveness, for instance through one to one supervision meetings and appraisals. The main reason for this is that the manager spends a lot of time working with the children to cover staff absence. This also means that less time is given to monitoring the effectiveness of teaching practice, such as the planning for children's individual learning. As a result, weaknesses are missed.

p.7

provision

Parents describe the manager and staff as dedicated, very caring and approachable. They all talk fondly about their child's key-person who they say keep them well informed about children's care and learning. They believe that children receive good quality play and learning experiences. Staff work in partnership with the local schools to support children in their move to full time school. Management work effectively with local agencies, such as children's services, to support families.

p.7

provision

The previous inspection was very recent which means that the team have not had time to meet in full all the actions and recommendations set. However, they have made a good start in creating an environment that enables children to be independent both in their learning and management of their practical skills. Staff communicate well with each other and are developing ideas, such as for the garden, construction and role-play areas. The team have established good links with the local children's centre and the local early years advisory service to support them in their drive for improving the quality of teaching practice.

p.7

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

p.7

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

 ensure children are kept safe from harm (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)

p.8

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.

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.10

Setting details

Unique reference number EY459821 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 937107 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 31 Name of provider Cooperhay Ltd Date of previous inspection 13/09/2013 Telephone number 0208 764 8030

p.10

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.

p.10

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.11

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,

p.11

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’.

p.12

Type of provision

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

p.12