AppleKids Day Nursery

Apple Kids Day Nursery 1 Showell Green Lane, SPARKHILL, Birmingham, B11 4NP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/01/2014 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

 Self-evaluation is poor and fails to effectively identify where legal requirements are not met. Managers do not effectively monitor staff practice and successfully identify areas for improvement.  The provider does not safeguard children. Risk assessment is ineffective and has failed to identify and minimise several risks to children's health and safety. In addition, parents and all adults working in the setting are not fully informed because copies of all the nursery policies are not made available to them.  Children are inadequately protected because the provider does not follow robust staff recruitment procedures; suitable staff references have not been obtained.  Children's enjoyment and their opportunities for learning are limited because outdoor play areas are not used or resourced to best effect. Furthermore, children's freedom of choice, independence and all-round learning and development are not fully supported

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This provision is inadequate

because there are limited resources easily accessible to them.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff demonstrate an excellent knowledge and understanding of the possible signs and symptoms of child abuse and know exactly what to do in the event of any such concerns. This means that children's welfare in this respect is effectively protected.  The communication and language skills of children who speak English as an additional language are supported well by staff, who speak a variety of community languages.

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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 compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspected conducted a tour of the premises.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the provider, the manager and staff at appropriate times throughout the day.  The inspector interacted with children throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a joint observation, with the manager, of some experiences provided for a group of pre-school children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities throughout the nursery in both indoor and outdoor spaces.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation including children's records, staff training records, learning and development information and a selection of policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed the evidence used by the provider to assess the suitability of staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents interviewed during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Apple Kids Day Nursery is run by Apple Kids Day Nursery Limited and was registered in 2013. The provision is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It operates from premises in Sparkbrook, Birmingham. Care is provided over two floors of the premises and there is no lift access to the first floor. Children have access to an enclosed area for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The provision opens Monday to Friday during from 9am until 12pm and from 12.30pm until 3.30pm. Children are able to attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 38 children on roll in the early years age range. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The provision employs five members of staff, including the manager. All hold appropriate early years qualification to at least level 3. The manager holds a Foundation Degree in Professional Studies in Early Years and the deputy, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Early Education Studies. The nursery is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and the National Day Nurseries Association.

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enforcement action:

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to

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enforcement action:

ensure that practitioners, and any other person who is likely to have regular contact with children, are suitable; in particular ensure robust recruitment procedures are followed by obtaining suitable references for all staff

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enforcement action:

ensure that the premises, including outdoor spaces are fit for purpose; for example, by ensuring that children are not at risk from hot radiators, pieces of glass, metal gate hooks and a metal stake, damaged fencing, building rubble, litter, uneven flooring in the preschool room and water damage caused by a leak on the first floor

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enforcement action:

ensure the health and welfare of adults and children on the premises by complying with, requirements of health and safety legislation; for example, by ensuring that the premises are maintained at a reasonable temperature while childcare is taking place, storage of cleaning materials complies with health and safety legislation and staff awareness of good hygiene practices

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enforcement action:

take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children, staff and others on the premises in the case of fire; this specifically refers to ensuring that smoke detectors are regularly checked and appropriately maintained and everyone is clear and confident about the nursery's emergency evacuation procedures

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enforcement action:

ensure that there are clear and well-understood policy and procedures for assessing and minimising risks to children's safety; in particular ensure a thorough risk assessments is conducted and action is promptly and effectively undertaken to minimise identified risks.

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must:

 ensure the safe and efficient management of the setting by making details of the nursery's policies and procedures available to all adults working in the nursery and parents and/or carers.

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must:

 improve children's independence and the quality of teaching across the areas of learning by; making sure that children have easy access to a wide range of stimulating resources which are relevant to their needs and interests, and effectively support their play

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must:

 improve the way that children's learning outdoors is planned and provided for; this specifically refers to ensuring that children have access to a good range of resources and experiences outdoors that encourage them to explore, investigate and discover nature.

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who attend

Although there are other weaknesses in the nursery, children make steady progress in their learning and development. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and all areas of learning are promoted to an acceptable standard. The nursery has only been open since the first week of January 2014 and staff are just starting to get to know the children and their families. Each child has been assigned a key person, and this member of staff has taken the time to talk to parents and gather information about children's individual needs, preferences and interests. Furthermore, staff carry out regular observations of children during their play and record some of what they see and hear. Subsequently, all of this information is used to plan and provide a suitable range of experiences for children and help prepare children for school and future life. Staff explain how they intend to create individual learning and development records for each of the children that will be shared

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who attend

with their parents. In addition, staff describe a range of strategies that they intend to use to engage parents in their children's learning at home and in the nursery. For example, through loaning books, inviting parents on outings and asking parents to share their children's achievements at home.

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who attend

Staff are friendly and approachable and children show developing confidence in their surroundings. They know where some resources are stored and are starting to make a few independent choices. For example, a group of pre-school children choose to play with model cars, while some others prefer to draw using chalks, pencils and crayons. However, children's learning and enjoyment is hindered because some resources are not easily accessible to them and outdoor spaces are not used or resourced to best effect. For instance, children have to ask staff for paper to draw on because there is none readily available. The nursery has a garden, but there are few resources in this area that children can access independently. There is a wooden climbing frame that is permanently sited in this area and staff provide children with some wheeled toys, hoops, and balls. Consequently, children gain some physical skills, balance and coordination. They

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who attend

experiment as they blow bubbles and express their creativity as they make marks on the pavement, wall and fence using chalks. However, children do not have easy access to a good selection of resources outdoors that invite them to explore, use their imagination and discover nature. As a result, their opportunities for learning are limited.

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who attend

On the whole, staff interact well with the children; they get down to the children's level and often use open-ended questioning techniques that invite children to think and communicate. A wide selection of books is available to children and they look at these independently, with their peers and with members of staff. Children look at the pictures and talk about what they see. Staff encourage children to repeat familiar phrases and model how words are pronounced and introduce vocabulary. Consequently, children's literacy skills and interest in books and stories is promoted. Most children attending the nursery speak English as an additional language and staff effectively support their language and communication skills. Staff ask parents for key words in children's home languages and then successfully use these to enhance children's communication skills. Furthermore, they model the English language and use facial expression and body

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who attend

language to aid communication. Children echo some single words and phrases and their attempts to join in with conversations and repetitive songs are sensitively encouraged and praised. Several dolls wearing traditional Muslim dress are accessible to children; these speak various phrases and traditional Islamic greetings, when their foot is squeezed, and support children's understanding of Arabic and English. Many of the staff speak several community languages and can speak to some children and parents in their home language; this provides reassurance for children and their families and enables important information to be exchanged.

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

Children show by their words and actions that they feel safe and secure. They are comfortable with staff and starting to settle in to the nursery environment. However, children's well-being is compromised because several legal responsibilities are not met. These are in relation to the safety of the premises and the poor way that the provider and staff identify and minimise risks to children's health, safety and welfare. For instance, good hygiene procedures are not always followed by staff. On the day of inspection, toilet cleaning brushes were easily accessible to children and a soiled nappy was left in an uncovered bin in one of the children's toilet cubicles. Furthermore, children playing with plastic play food and musical toys frequently put these resources into their mouths; staff did not discourage this practice and did not clean the resources afterwards. Consequently, children are at risk of infection. Nevertheless, in some respects children's health is

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

supported. For example, they learn to wash hands before touching food and after visiting the toilet. Healthy eating is promoted through discussion at snack times, and children of all ages experience plenty of fresh air and exercise.

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

Generally, children behave well. In the main, they show care and consideration for others and use good manners. They learn to share and take turns in their play, and staff remind them to walk sensibly on the stairs and not to run indoors. However, some staff are not successful in the way that they encourage children to act safely and understand the consequences of their actions. For example, while playing outside on wheeled toys, several children repeatedly rode these toys backwards down a slope into a fence. At the foot of the slope some children fell off the wheeled toys, while others crashed forcefully into the fence. Staff failed to promptly recognise the potential risk to children's safety or prevent this from happening. Children did not listen to staff explanations and failed to follow instructions asking them to cease this practice. This demonstrates a lack of understanding from some staff of effective and consistent behaviour management

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

methods and does not represent good quality teaching. Consequently, children's safety and well-being is compromised.

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

The nursery key person system satisfactorily supports children's emotional security and is starting to foster partnership working arrangements between nursery staff and parents. Key persons regularly exchange information with parents to help support the settling-in process, inform daily planning and promote consistency of care. For example, they talk to parents about their child's home routines, individual needs, progress and comfort items. Parents interviewed during the inspection comment positively on the warm and approachable staff team and how happy their children are to attend. They particularly value the way that staff communicate in both English and their home languages, and regularly show them videos of their children engaged in play at the nursery. These videos are recorded on tablet computers and are not shared outside the nursery. This practice respects children's confidentiality while allowing parents to see how their children are

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

settling and the range of experiences they participate in. There are no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities currently attending the nursery, but staff are aware of the value of working in partnership with parents and other professionals to support children's well-being and progress.

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provision

This inspection took place following various safety concerns raised with Ofsted. At the inspection, the inspector found that several legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the Childcare Register were not met. The provider had failed to inform Ofsted of changes to the manager within the required timescales.. Furthermore, the provider fails to ensure that risks to children's safety are suitably identified and prompt action taken to minimise them. Safety checks carried out by staff, are not thorough or frequent enough to protect children from danger. Children playing outdoors are at risk from a number of hazards. These hazards include pieces of glass, metal gate hooks at child-height, damaged fencing, a metal stake at ground level, building rubble and litter. The inside of the premises is not safe or effectively maintained and this also compromises children's welfare. There is a solid raised area under the flooring in the pre-school room,

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provision

and this is a risk should children trip or fall in this area. A recent leak from a toilet on the first floor of the nursery has damaged the ceiling in the pre-school room and the flooring in this bathroom. The temperature of the premises is not monitored to ensure that children play in a comfortable environment. Also, suitable steps are not taken to ensure children are not at risk from radiators that are very hot to the touch. Fire safety precautions are not effective. Emergency evacuation procedures have not been practised, smoke detectors are not regularly checked and a smoke detector fitted in the pre-school room is covered. These safety hazards mean that children are inadequately safeguarded and demonstrate the provider's lack of attention to ensuring the welfare and safeguarding requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are met. They indicate poor monitoring of the environment and staff practice by both the provider and nursery manager.

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provision

Children are not safeguarded. The provider has recently recruited the staff team but has failed to follow robust recruitment and vetting procedures in doing so. He has verified staff identity, qualifications, and their eligibility to work within the United Kingdom. Also, checks have been carried out through the Disclosure and Barring Service. However, he has not taken up suitable staff references and this does not constitute safe recruitment practice. For example, the provider will not have information from a previous employer in respect of the applicant's skills or attributes, performance, conduct or any concerns about their suitability for the post.

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provision

Staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of the possible signs and symptoms of child abuse and the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. Staff induction procedures include comprehensive training in this respect, and staff confidently describe appropriate recording and reporting procedures. The nursery safeguarding policy includes required information and contact details for children's social services are up-to-date and easily accessible to staff. Suitable procedures are followed in relation to the use of cameras and mobile phones in the nursery, and children are only released into the care of authorised individuals. Staff obtain clear information from parents about children's medical needs and any dietary requirements, and this supports children's welfare.

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provision

The manager is ambitious and keen to provide quality provision and support positive outcomes for children. The minimum qualification requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are exceeded, and staff are keen to attend further training. The manager and her staff team have undertaken a number of relevant online training courses since coming into post and are starting to use the knowledge gained through these to enhance the provision. For example, staff explain how the course on reflective practice has inspired them to review the nursery environment and experiences provided for children and to maintain a reflective diary. The manager has received some support from the local authority and is working on a range of agreed actions to ensure requirements met. For instance, the manager is currently reviewing all policies to ensure that they are up to date and include all the required information. Nevertheless, self-evaluation is not

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provision

rigorous enough, and necessary action in respect of identified weaknesses is not prompt or sufficient enough to protect children and effectively support their progress. Parents and staff have not had an opportunity to read all the nursery's policies and this means that they are not fully informed of the procedures in place to protect children and support their progress. The manager and provider have started to meet on a regular basis; some staff meetings have taken place, and these meetings provide a forum for some information- sharing and training. However, serious weaknesses in the provision demonstrate that further strategies are needed to improve staff practice and meet legal requirements.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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

 ensure that any person caring for children it suitable to work with children, has the skills and experience suitable for the work and is physically and mentally fit for the work (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks; this specifically relates to ensuring staff follow hygienic practices, appropriate fire safety precautions are in place and risk assessment is effective and undertaken immediately when the need arises (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  make copies of the written safeguarding procedures and complaints procedures available to parents (compulsory 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 EY468993 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 949244 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 38 Name of provider Apple Kids Day Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01212470345

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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

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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