Busy Bees at Countesthorpe

Blackberry Bush Day Nursery The Old School House, Leicester Road, COURTESTHORPE, Leicestershire, LE8 5QU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/11/2013 17/01/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 2 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 provider has failed to notify Ofsted or the Local Authority Designated Officer about an allegation against a member of staff and failed to inform the parents of the significant incident.  The provider does not have a good enough understanding of the potential risks to children's safety, by providing a reference for the member of staff, after she was allowed to resign.  The 'progress check at age two' is not discussed with parents, and as a result, does not support learning at home.  At times, staff do not give enough time for children to respond when asking a question, particularly in the toddler room. As a result, opportunities to extend their thoughts and ideas are not fully supported.

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It has the following strengths

 Children's needs are met because there is a commitment to making improvements of the nursery provision.  Children develop independence and confidence through the well-planned activities and the thoughtful presentation and availability of resources and enjoy their time at nursery.  Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well cared for as staff are skilled in providing care that meets each child's specific needs, ensuring every child makes good progress in respect of their individual starting points.

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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 had a tour of the nursery.  The inspector looked at policies, procedures and documentation.  The inspector observed children and spoke to parents and staff.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and staff from head office.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at records in relation to an allegation of abuse against a member of staff.

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Information about the setting

Blackberry Bush Day Nursery was registered in 1999 is one of seven nurseries owned by the same provider. It is on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a renovated school in Countesthorpe, Leicestershire. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three playrooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including one at level 4 and one at level 5. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.45am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently a total of 58 children attending, all of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and English as an additional language.

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enforcement action:

Following the inspection, Ofsted temporarily suspended the registration and issued welfare requirement notices.

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must:

 implement the safeguarding policy so that any allegations made against a member of staff are managed appropriately

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must:

 notify agencies with statutory responsibilities of allegations against members of staff, without delay.

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

 involve parents more in the 'progress check at age two', so any emerging concerns can be effectively shared with health professionals

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

 give children more time to respond when asking them questions, to allow children's thoughts and ideas to develop, in particular within the toddler room.

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who attend

The educational programme is effective. Staff take the time to get to know their children and observe them at play. Observations are effectively linked to ages and stages of learning and they inform children's next steps in their learning. This information is used to plan a balanced curriculum, incorporating all seven areas of learning and development, and takes into consideration the different ways in which children learn. Regular assessments are completed for children. However, staff do not best make use of the 'progress check at age two' because they do not always consult with parents to combine the reports with health professionals. As a result, any early indications of delays may be missed. The environment is effectively organised with a balance of floor play and table-top activities. Staff are knowledgeable at adapting activities to include all children and are very much led by children's interest. For example, children in the pre-school room are

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who attend

interested in crafts and this is extended with envelopes, glitter and pens. A member of staff supports their linking and waits for instructions from the children about what she should do. As a result, children are empowered to think for themselves and they make decisions between themselves. Staff discuss different opportunities and ask, kindly, for resources to be shared.

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who attend

Individual children benefit from an inclusive setting. Staff support children with medical issues and special educational needs and/or disabilities, those with delayed speech and language development and those with English as an additional language. For example, children benefit from one-to-one support from staff, which enables them to be fully included in the curriculum. In addition, staff use an alarm clock to remind them about administering medication at the correct time so that children's health needs are met. Children are supported in their personal, social and emotional development. They are confident to confront other children who upset them in order to negotiate a solution. For example, children bang saucepan lids together, creating a loud noise which upsets a child, who seeks a member of staff for support. He is encouraged to tell the children why the noise makes him sad and the children listen. The member of staff asks open-ended

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who attend

questions to allow the children to think critically about what they can do to make the child happy but still enjoy their game, so the children suggest they bang the lids softly. The environment offers a wealth of activities, enhanced with real life resources, such as cereal packets, saucepans, materials and measuring jugs. Children pour and measure in the water tray, using mathematical language. They thread needles and sew felt stockings and they use saucepans in the home corner. Younger children use materials to create dens and delight when staff lift and drop the material creating exciting periods of dark and light.

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who attend

The nursery promotes communication and language. Staff in the baby room use close eye contact and copy babies babbles and gestures, modelling clear, simple instructions. They spend time at the babies level, watching and taking an interest in them, to show how important their voice is. Staff in the older children's room ask good, open-ended questions for children to engage in conversation. However, staff do not consistently give children enough time to think and answer. For example, children play under material, while staff lift and let it fall, asking questions about dark and light and the texture of the material. The member of staff is quick to give the children the answers rather than allowing children time to respond. Children's physical development is good. There are opportunities for large muscle skills, such as climbing and throwing in the outdoor areas and staff teach children to use their small muscle skills. For example, children confidently use scissors,

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who attend

needles for sewing and pouring drinks well, while younger children learn how to piece together puzzles and make marks on paper. Children are prepared for school. They make good progress in their learning and good relationships with local schools, which ensures they look forward to moving to school.

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

Staff and the manager are knowledgeable about how to keep children safe. They understand the signs and symptoms of abuse and understand the procedure for reporting inappropriate behaviour displayed by other members of staff at the earliest opportunity, which has recently occurred. The manager is aware of her responsibilities and follows company procedure, passing the information to head office. However, the provider failed in her responsibility to take concerns seriously or to pass the information to other relevant agencies. This puts children's safety at risk. The nursery has an effective key person system. Parents are well informed of changes to their child's key person and new staff are proficient at settling unfamiliar children, taking the time to get to know each child. This is evident by the bonds children have with the new staff team and the ease at which they separate from parents and careers. Children are happy and enjoy their time at nursery.

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

They are happy to play alongside friends but also enjoy time with adults. For example, the babies confidently move, to independently explore the senses of the materials, responding to the sounds and textures. Babies snuggle on the sofa with a member of staff for a story and they read with excitement and gestures. The babies respond with smiles and babbling. In the pre-school room, children use their imagination to create an exciting game in the home corner.

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

There are good routines to promote health and hygiene. Staff are vigilant to reduce the risk of infection because they wear aprons and gloves for nappy changing and at meal times. They are vigilant at identifying potential risks. For example, when a mouse is seen in the nursery, the Environmental Health Officer and Ofsted are each notified and a pest control company is currently managing the situation. Clear procedures are in place to prevent future incidents. Children are shown how to wash their hands and staff explain what germs are and how they can make children poorly. They are good at remembering to wash hands and do so at regular intervals throughout the day. Babies have their own bed linen, which is washed regularly and comforters are kept clean. Any spillages of milk are quickly cleaned and staff are well-informed about child's dietary requirements and allergies. Children have daily opportunities for outdoor play and exercise. The nursery has

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

two outdoor areas, which children access freely, allowing even the very small children to choose where to play. The outside areas are surfaced to keep children safe and offer depth and breadth of resources that supports all seven areas of learning and development.

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

Children's independence is fostered through the dedication of the new staff team, who bring with them a wealth of experience. Children serve their own food and scrape away any left over food and stack their plates. They wash up after themselves at snack time and staff show them how to care for their own needs, such as working the zip on their coats and pouring their drinks during the day. Children delight at this independence and gain confidence and self-esteem. Children behave well and there is a calm, but excitable atmosphere to the nursery, which helps with the transition to new rooms. The key person visits with children and shares important information about routines and interest with new staff. Information about transitions is passed to parents. As a result, children look forward to their move to a new room. Children are taught how to stay safe. They have had visits from the police and the fire brigade and staff remind them about using equipment safely

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

and talking to staff if they feel unhappy. They are introduced to risks, in a safe environment, to extend their learning. Children learn how to sew, with real needles and can independently select scissors and sticky tape cutters when creating models and pieces of art.

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provision

The inspection was bought forward by Ofsted, as a result of concerns relating to the behaviour of a member of staff towards children and the circumstances in which the member of staff leaving the nursery. The safeguarding policy and procedure is detailed. Staff and the manager understand their responsibilities in reporting concerns against a member of staff. However, the provider has failed to inform Ofsted or the Local Authority Designated Officer, who is responsible for overseeing all allegations against adults working directly with children. She allowed the member of staff to resign without a thorough investigation. This is also a breach of both parts of the Childcare Register. This has an immediate impact on the safety of children as the provider is unable to grasp the seriousness of the concerns or to follow their own internal procedures.

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provision

The nursery has undergone a difficult period of transition. There has been a high turnover of staff and a change of manager and senior staff, during which time communication with parents and children's learning was not fostered. However, the new manager, who has been employed by the company for many years, is very experienced and knowledgeable. She has had a positive and immediate effect on the nursery as a whole. The manager has a good understanding of her roles and responsibilities and is making an impact on the standards of the nursery. The staff are confident working with her and parents are pleased with the changes she makes.

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provision

The recruitment process is thorough and comprehensive inductions ensure staff are knowledgeable about policies and procedures and keeping children safe at the nursery. This is supported with mentor plans and regular supervision and appraisals that help to identify areas for improvement and training needs of staff. The whole staff team attend in- house training and are up-to-date in first aid, food hygiene and safeguarding. Staff are encouraged to cascade learning from recent training courses at staff meetings, so that all staff can benefit from new ideas and support their professional development. The staff team are effectively deployed and work extremely well with other. They are encouraged to share good practices from previous settings and to implement changes that would make an improvement for the nursery. For example, a member of staff, who has recently joined the nursery has implemented routines to develop children's confidence and independence,

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provision

in preparation for school. The manager is skilled at monitoring and reflecting the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery and implementing changes to support children's learning and development. She quickly identified that planning did not best meet the needs of the children so implements a more effective cycle that is child led. The staff are all confident with the changes, and as a result, they are all knowledgeable about their key children and learning is focused on children's next steps.

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provision

The partnerships with parents is rapidly improving. Parents feel more confident in their children's care and development and communication is improving. The manager shares new ideas and development plans through newsletters, information letters and displays on the parents information board. She is passionate about involving parents in their children's learning and development and they are confident to approach the manager to discuss any concerns they have. The nursery has good partnerships with other professionals and work closely to support children with development or medical needs. They also work with the local community and have had visits from police and fire brigade to talk to the children about staying safe. There are strategies in place to work with other settings, when the need arises.

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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 procedures to be followed for the protection of children, intended to safeguard the children being cared for from abuse from members of staff (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  implement procedures to be followed for the protection of children, intended to safeguard the children being cared for from abuse from members of staff (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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 223194 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 945291

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 54 Number of children on roll 58 Name of provider Bush Babies Children's Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 17/01/2011 Telephone number 0116 2788744

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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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