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Early years · Early years inspection (CIF)

New Moon Nursery

Inspected 17 Feb 2014 · published 16 Apr 2014 · URN EY417873

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Summary

Inadequate

Jane Tucker

What we read, and from where

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  • Inspection datesingle source

    17 Feb 2014

  • Inspectors verified

    Jane Tucker

  • Overall effectiveness verified

    Inadequate

  • Postcode verified

    WF10 5AB

  • Name on report verified

    New Moon Nursery

  • URN verified

    EY417873

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

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In plain English

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Grade profile

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  • OverallInadequate

Tone of the report

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−39Criticalmore positive than 55% of reports of this type graded Inadequate
OutstandingGoodMetRINot metInadequate

In line with other reports of this type graded Inadequate.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praiseeffectivesecureenjoypositivevery wellsafeeffectivelyimproved
Criticismweakinadequatenot effectivelimitednot alwaysnot yetunacceptablenot robust

How the report reads, start to finish

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings276w−68
  • What needs to improve1764w−31

Strengths

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No standout praise found.

Concerns

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Next steps

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Anatomy of the report

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Pages
10
Words of findings
1,969
longer than usual (typical 907)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 42, typical 48
Average sentence
18 words
Next steps
8
typical 7
Hedged sentences
7%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 9%What needs to improve 59%About the inspection 31%

Full report text

New Moon Nursery The Manse, 25 Barnes Road, CASTLEFORD, West Yorkshire, WF10 5AB

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/02/2014 12/01/2012

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

 Monitoring and assessment systems are not effective in identifying children's next steps in learning. The management team fails to effectively track children's progress and ensure that activities and experiences are challenging and planned to meet their individual needs. As a result, children do not make sufficient progress in their learning.  Strategies to engage parents in their children's initial and ongoing assessment and to share information about their learning and development at home are weak. As a result, parents do not know what their child is learning.  Not all practitioners involved in the handling of food have attended relevant food hygiene training. Furthermore, those practitioners that have attended relevant training do not always follow safe hygiene practices. Also, children's welfare is not fully promoted as they do not always have access to appropriate seating to support their self-care skills and independence in their everyday tasks.

p.1

This provision is inadequate

 Performance management practices are not yet effective in securing improvements to teaching. Consequently, practitioners miss occasions to fully engage and question children in their play, to promote the characteristics of effective learning.  Strategies to involve parents in self-evaluation are not embedded into practice.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Children learn to make relationships, as they greet their friends warmly when they arrive at the nursery.

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

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in five play rooms.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager and provider.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of practitioner's suitability, training certificates, policies and procedures, risk assessments and the nursery's self-evaluation documents.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection to gain their views on the quality of the nursery.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

p.2

Information about the setting

New Moon Nursery was registered in 2010 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a converted detached house in the Castleford area of West Yorkshire and is a limited company. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from eight play rooms over three levels. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, one is unqualified, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and level 3, including one with Qualified Teacher Status.

p.3

Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 80 children attending, who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.3

must:

 implement effective monitoring and assessment systems to identify children's next steps in learning, use this system to accurately track children's progress and plan opportunities, activities and experiences to meet children's stage of development, individual learning needs and styles

p.3

must:

 provide opportunities for parents to take a shared approach to their children's learning and development by, for example, encouraging them to contribute to their child's initial and ongoing assessments and share information about their child's achievements at home, in order to maximise the progress children make

p.3

must:

 ensure that all practitioners involved in preparing and handling food receive relevant training in food hygiene and make sure that all practitioners understand what contributes to good food hygiene practices and ensure that all children have access to appropriate seating so that they can safely develop their self-care skills and independence in their everyday tasks

p.3

must:

 implement effective performance management systems to secure the necessary improvements to teaching and carry out regular observations of practitioner's practice to identify how teaching can be improved, so practitioners have secure skills to fully engage, question and extend children's learning and development.

p.3

who attend

Although, practitioners are generally attentive, they lack secure skills to fully engage and question children in their play. As a result, practitioner's interaction with children is limited and there are inconsistencies in their practice, which result in weak teaching. Valuable opportunities to build on and extend children's critical thinking through play are missed. For example, when an older child tells a practitioner that 'it is too difficult to fit the brush into the bucket', the practitioner does not ask 'why?' Consequently, children are not stimulated through shared attention. As a result, they do not display the characteristics of effective learning, such as having their own ideas. Furthermore, children are not acquiring the necessary skills to prepare them for their next stage in learning. Systems for observation, assessment and planning are implemented. However, these are not robust or accurate enough to build on children's progress. Practitioners record observations of

p.4

who attend

children in their play. However, they do not precisely inform children's next steps or the planning to routinely take into account children's individual needs or interests. Therefore, children spend most of their time engaging in free play with limited planned, purposeful activities to challenge them to make progress in their learning and development.

p.4

who attend

Babies have space to move, roll and reach out for objects. They pull themselves to standing and show confidence in their early walking skills, as they independently take their first few steps. Babies enjoy the sensory experience of playing in sand, as they fill and empty small containers promoting their small muscle skills. However, there is limited interaction and practitioners miss occasions to promote babies early speaking skills. Practitioners rarely use opportunities to extend children's knowledge and skills. For example, older children in a mixed age group confidently answer questions they know well, as they name and count the days of the week. However, little consideration is given to younger children who get upset and show disengagement in the activity.

p.4

who attend

Practitioners are continuing to develop their positive relationships with parents and new practices are being introduced to share children's learning and development in the nursery. However, current strategies to engage with parents about their children's learning and development at home are weak and focus mainly on care practices. Parents are not encouraged to contribute to initial assessments of children's starting points on entry. In addition, they are not supported to routinely share their thoughts or comments about their children's progress at age two. Consequently, this hinders the progress children make.

p.4

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

Children appear happy and settled during their time in the nursery. Each child has their own key person, who works to establish close relationships with parents and the child. Babies and older children show they have formed secure emotional attachments with practitioners, as they offer them kisses and sit on their knee for reassurance. Parents' comments show how welcoming practitioners are and how they greet children warmly when they arrive at the nursery. Children demonstrate that they feel secure and safe, as they independently explore their environment. They help themselves to resources, which are stored at age-appropriate heights. This allows children to make choices and play with their friends. Older children greet their friends by saying good morning to them as they arrive at nursery. This shows children are learning to make relationships, which promotes their personal, social and emotional development.

p.4

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

Practitioners do not promote all aspects of children's health and safety appropriately. For example, some practitioners involved in handling food have not yet received relevant training in food hygiene practices. This is a breach of a statutory requirement. In addition, some practitioners use their fingers to test the heat of food before giving it to children, or blow on the food to cool it down. Children eat their breakfast and lunch in a separate dining area, where there is appropriate seating to support their hand to mouth coordination and their emerging self-care skills. However, snack time takes place in children's base rooms and there is no suitable seating for children to use. Consequently, they sit on small cushions on the floor to eat their snack, which does not effectively support children's early understanding of good hygiene practices. Furthermore, after snack time babies still have apple peel in their mouths while playing and moving around. This is

p.5

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

a potential choking hazard. Practitioners do not use mealtimes effectively to promote children's understanding of healthy eating because there is limited interaction from them. Furthermore, they do not promote children's independence in their everyday tasks, as practitioners give out their cutlery and pour children's drinks. Older children are learning some aspects of managing their personal needs, as they wash their hands before lunch and after going to the toilet.

p.5

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

Children on the whole are well-behaved. They are learning polite and respectful behaviours, as they follow the positive role models presented by practitioners. For example, practitioners remind older children through song what they must say when someone gives them something. In addition, older children talk about 'kind hands' and 'kind feet'. This shows that children are beginning to understand that some behaviour is unacceptable. Children have opportunities to take part in physical exercise indoors, as they pretend to be elephants, tigers and slithering snakes. In addition, children enjoy daily fresh air as they go on walks in the local community. Here, children learn to take risks sensibly and keep themselves safe, as they talk about road safety. Moreover, children pass the local schools, which help them to know what to expect and supports them satisfactorily for their move on to school when the time comes.

p.5

provision

The management team and practitioners have an appropriate understanding of safeguarding arrangements in relation to child protection. This includes having a named designated person responsible for ensuring the correct safeguarding procedures are followed if there is a concern. Also, practitioners attend relevant training and know how to identify and report any possible signs of abuse and neglect at the earliest opportunity, to protect children in their care. Safeguarding policies and procedures include the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a practitioner. In addition, they include the use of mobile telephones and cameras in the setting, to protect children from their misuse. Recruitment and induction procedures help to ensure practitioners have the appropriate skills and qualifications to fulfil the requirements of their role. All practitioners are vetted and Disclosure and Barring Service checks are completed, to help

p.5

provision

guarantee their suitability to work with children. Risk assessments are conducted on areas used by children and in general, reasonable steps are taken to minimise hazards, to keep children safe.

p.6

provision

The management team demonstrate too little understanding of the learning and development requirements. As a result, there is currently no effective monitoring of children's progress. Therefore, a review of the educational programmes does not routinely take place to ensure they have enough challenge and reflect the individual needs and aptitudes of all children. Consequently, this results in breaches which have a significant impact on children's progress, particularly for individuals or groups of children who are underachieving. Some weak aspects of teaching and learning have been identified by the provider and manager. However, the performance management of practitioners is not yet effective in securing the necessary improvements to teaching. This is because observations of practitioner's practice and feedback on performance have not been regular enough for teaching to improve. Although, this is currently being addressed, not enough is

p.6

provision

being done to ensure training is sufficiently focused to support children's learning and development.

p.6

provision

The management team demonstrate a commitment to improve and have recently implemented an improvement plan to benefit children. However, there is not a clear evaluation system in place to take account of the views of others, such as parents. Consequently, it is not sufficiently robust to systematically monitor the quality of the provision. Practitioners keep parents informed about their children's activities through appropriate daily communication. Practitioners also work appropriately with other professionals, such as the local authority and teachers from the children's centre. This helps to promote the continuity of care and learning for children.

p.6

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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 EY417873 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 875628

p.8

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 80 Name of provider New Moon Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 12/01/2012 Telephone number 01977557500

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.8

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.8

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.9

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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