AppleKids 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

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Apple Kids Day Nursery 1 Showell Green Lane Sparkhill Birmingham B11 4NP Our Reference EY468993

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Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Esther Gray, monitored your provision on 28/04/2014 following your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

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Outcome of monitoring

As a result of our inspection on 22/01/2014, we sent you a welfare requirements notice. The actions you were set are included at the end of this letter.

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Outcome of monitoring

To improve the quality of education and care for children you were required to: ensure that practitioners, and any other person who is likely to have regular contact with children, are suitable and in particular ensure robust recruitment procedures are followed by obtaining suitable references for all practitioners; ensure that the premises, including outdoor spaces are fit for purpose and for example in 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; take appropriate steps to promote the good health of children and prevent the spread of infection, for instance, in ensuring soiled nappies are disposed of hygienically, that children cannot access toilet brushes and toys are maintained and used in a hygienic

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Outcome of monitoring

manner; take appropriate steps to promote the good health of children and prevent the spread of infection, for instance, in ensuring soiled nappies are disposed of hygienically, that children cannot access toilet brushes and toys are maintained and used in a hygienic manner; take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children, practitioners and others on the premises in the case of fire, which 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. It is an offence to fail to meet the requirements of a WRN.

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Outcome of monitoring

In addition to these actions, we issued a notice to improve which required you to: 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 Our Reference EY468993

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Outcome of monitoring

parents and/or carers; 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 and improve the way that children's learning outdoors is planned and provided for, which 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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Outcome of monitoring

A number of actions were also repeated to reflect those aspects of the General Childcare Register which required improvement.

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Outcome of monitoring

During a monitoring visit carried out on 1 April 2014 it was found that prompt and effective action had been taken, to ensure all practitioners files were updated to reflect how suitability checks had been completed and the identity of practitioners checked. Procedures are in place to ensure that references are collected and sufficient information verified to provide proper explanations for any gaps in the candidate’s employment. Supervision arrangements are advancing, which include checks on the practitioner’s on-going suitability and performance. The manager had also carried out some observations of the quality of the work of practitioners. This has revealed where training needs may be identified but has also identified weakness within the organisation of the routines of the day.

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Outcome of monitoring

During the monitoring visit of 1 April 2014, the inspector toured the premises and viewed all areas, both inside and outside, that children access. It was found that the spaces used by practitioners to develop learning environments had not been well thought out. Action had been taken to identify and remove all risks to children's health and well-being. However, the risk assessment process had not ensured that all equipment is checked to ensure it is height and weight appropriate or being used or assembled in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. There has been a rehearsal of the emergency evacuation of the building which is documented and shown to have taken place successfully. This was carried out to ensure practitioners and children are familiar with this emergency routine. Sufficient prompt and effective action had been taken to demonstrate that all aspects of the environment are being checked on a daily basis to assure children's safety and well-being.

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Outcome of monitoring

During the monitoring visit carried out on 28 April 2014 it was found that you have taken immediate steps to ensure that all equipment was found to meet the manufacturer’s instructions in terms of construction and being used for the purpose it was intended. practitioners have notices to alert them to these terms of use for such equipment and are more alert to the risks in relation to which children are allowed on which pieces of equipment. This was particularly noticeable in the outdoor play area in the use of the play house.

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Outcome of monitoring

Policies you have developed for the advise of practitioners and parents have been revised and copies given to parents were necessary. For instance parents are informed of the mobile phone policy use within the building. Further steps are now taking shape with the support of the local authority support workers in developing Our Reference EY468993

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Outcome of monitoring

practitioners practice with the aid of the observation and supervision models being introduced. The manager is developing training programmes for practitioners to help to promote improvement in planning for each session. It had been noted that prior to the start of a session children sometimes sit too long in holding activities whilst another activity is organised. The outdoor area remains an area for further development, although there are plans in place to develop this area of the nursery to spark children’s interest in the natural world and some children are being encouraged to begin planting. There remains work for you to do to improve the planning of the routine of the day to ensure the children's learning and development needs are fully met. Some further improvement to the use of space and planned training sessions for practitioners, arranged by the manager, and the contact with the local authority

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Outcome of monitoring

for further advice and guidance means you have demonstrated a sustained improvement and are in a position to demonstrate this at another full inspection.

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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.

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Next steps

The next step will be a full inspection.

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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.

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Next steps

Nick Hudson National Director, Early Education Our Reference EY468993

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Action Due date Closed date

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 17/03/2014 29/04/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

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. 17/03/2014 29/04/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

WRN:take appropriate steps to promote the good health of children and prevent the spread of infection; for instance in ensuring soiled nappies are disposed of hygienically, that children cannot access toilet brushes and toys are maintained and used in a hygienic manner 17/03/2014 29/04/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

WRN: 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 17/03/2014 29/04/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

WRN: 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 17/03/2014 29/04/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

WRN: 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 17/03/2014 29/04/2014 Our Reference EY468993

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Action Due date Closed date

WRN: ensure that the premises, including outdoor spaces are fit for purpose; for example in 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 17/03/2014 29/04/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

WRN: ensure the health and welfare of adults and children on the premises by complying with, requirements of health and safety legislation; for example: 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 17/03/2014 29/04/2014

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