The Little Academy Day Nursery

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD Telephone: 0300 123 1231 Fax: 0300 123 3159 Minicom: 0161 618 8524 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk Web: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

The Little Academy Day Nursery. Tillotson Road Off Headstone Lane Harrow Middlesex HA3 6PS Our Reference EY306769

p.1

Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Gillian Karen Joseph, monitored your provision on 14/02/2014 following your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

As a result of our inspection on 16/01/2014, we sent you a welfare requirements notice. The actions you were set are included at the end of this letter.

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

The welfare requirement notice stated that you must implement robust procedures for vetting and ensuring the suitability of staff including obtaining enhanced disclosure and barring service checks for all adults working on the premises. This notice also required you ensure that risk assessments are robust in identifying potential risks to children with particular reference to activities provided to the youngest children and to all the areas accessible to children including the laundry; disabled toilet and outside play area.

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

Additionally you were sent a notice to improve which required you to:

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

strengthen the role of the key person system so that staff are consistently involved in meeting the care needs of their key children,

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

ensure that necessary steps are taken to prevent the spread of infection and that children are supported to develop an understanding of the importance of implementing good personal hygiene practices to support their overall health and well-being,

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

ensure that younger children have access to appropriate furniture which includes seating to support their developing independence,

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

improve the programme for physical development so that babies have regular Our Reference EY306769

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

opportunities to access resources to support the development of larger physical skills such as climbing, standing and walking,

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

ensure that learning experiences consider the individual needs, interests, and stage of development of each child so that they receive challenging and enjoyable learning experiences.

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

A monitoring visit was conducted on 14 February 2014. The evidence gathered at this visit shows that you had worked closely with your management team to ensure that prompt and effective action was taken to address both the welfare requirements notice and the notice to improve. You had developed an action plan with the whole staff team to ensure that practice is reflective and will support on-going improvements.

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

You had contacted the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and ensured the required checks were completed for all staff working on the premises. You also revised your recruitment procedures to ensure that new staff now complete DBS forms when appointed and before they commence work; furthermore you had implemented a new system to make sure that both verbal and written references are obtained. These improved procedures mean that safeguarding of children is enhanced because suitability checks are more rigorous.

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

The planning of children's play activities is now more effectively scrutinised through improved risk assessments and this helps to ensure that activities are appropriate to children's age and stage of development because potential risks are identified and minimized. Measures are also in place to ensure that areas accessible to children both indoors and outdoors are safe. The staff teams are clear about the new planning and risk assessment procedures, however these procedures are not yet fully embedded. You have been pro-active by putting in place monitoring systems to review the revised practice which will be further assessed at the next visit.

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

The key person system has been strengthened as you have reviewed practice and identified a second key person for each child. This means that children's care needs will usually be met by a familiar carer who knows the child well. This practice helps children to feel secure and supports their individual needs.

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

Children are being well supported in establishing good hygiene practices such as brushing their teeth in the afternoons, washing their hands under running water before meals, and using their own drinking cups to minimize the potential of cross infection. Children are familiar with these practices and through discussion with staff they are learning the importance of good hygiene habits and how to keep themselves healthy.

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

In the baby room you have improved the resources by purchasing new furniture to ensure that all children have access to appropriate sized tables and chairs. This enables them to be seated comfortably when participating in table top activities and also supports their emerging independence. You have also provided some resources Our Reference EY306769

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

to promote the development of larger physical skills such as climbing, standing and walking but at the time of the visit this was still to be expanded and staff confirmed that new resources had been ordered. The staff also explained that children usually have access to the outdoor play area where they are provided with opportunities to practice and improve their physical dexterity but due to the bad weather conditions outdoor play had been unusually restricted.

p.3

Outcome of monitoring

There are good systems in place to identify children's starting points and key persons spoke confidently about how they are supporting their key children and working with parents to meet individual needs. However although most observations are dated some are not and not all individual plans showed a clear link between what children can do and what their next steps are. Further support to improve planning will increase staff confidence and result in clearly linked objectives for children's next steps in their learning and development.

p.3

Outcome of monitoring

Management of children's behaviour across the nursery is generally positive and appropriate to children's level of understanding. However the behaviour management strategies used in the pre-school room differ from the overall general practice used within the nursery. You explained that practice is modelled on strategies used for an older age group with the intention of preparing children for the transition to school. However as the practice does not consistently achieve the desired behaviours for all children in the group you have agreed to review this with staff to identify whether alternative practices will enable the children to learn to manage their feelings and behaviours.

p.3

Outcome of monitoring

Having considered all the evidence, the inspector is of the opinion that the setting has taken prompt and effective action to address the points for improvement.

p.3

Next steps

The next step will be further monitoring.

p.3

Next steps

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your setting. If you have any further queries please contact us on the number at the top of this letter.

p.3

Next steps

Nick Hudson National Director, Early Education Our Reference EY306769

p.3

Action Due date Closed date

strengthen the role of the key person system so that staff are consistently involved in meeting the care needs of their key children 12/02/2014 14/02/2014

p.4

Action Due date Closed date

ensure that necessary steps are taken to prevent the spread of infection and that children are supported to develop an understanding of the importance of implementing good personal hygiene practices to support their overall health and well-being 12/02/2014 14/02/2014

p.4

Action Due date Closed date

ensure that younger children have access to appropriate furniture which includes seating to support their developing independence 12/02/2014 14/02/2014

p.4

Action Due date Closed date

improve the programme for physical development so that babies have regular opportunities to access resources to support the development of larger physical skills such as climbing, standing and walking 12/02/2014 14/02/2014

p.4

Action Due date Closed date

ensure that learning experiences consider the individual needs, interests, and stage of development of each child so that they receive challenging and enjoyable learning experiences 12/02/2014

p.4