Child First AylesburyOfsted inspection, 15 May 2014

Child First Aylesbury Child First, Green End, AYLESBURY, Buckinghamshire, HP20 2SA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/05/2014 31/01/2012

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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 ensure that staff have appropriate training to administer specific medication. This compromises children's health and well-being.  Staff have not fully assessed all possible hazards to children in the outside play areas, so their safety is not assured.  The key-person system does not provide settled relationships for children. This means that children are unable to form attachments to support their personal, social and emotional development.  Staff deployment in the toddler room is ineffective. Consequently, staff do not meet children's individual needs.  Children's health and wellbeing is compromised as some staff fail to ensure noses are adequately wiped.  The daily attendance register does not always accurately record children's hours of attendance so staff may not be fully aware of which children are present.  Systems to evaluate the provision and monitor staff practice are weak. Consequently,

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This provision is inadequate

the quality of teaching and care practices are variable.

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It has the following strengths

 Children receive a healthy and well-balanced meals and snacks, which have a positive impact on their health.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and quality of teaching in the playrooms and outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed documentation in relation to safeguarding, risk assessments and daily attendance registers.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at child records, planning documentation and children's learning journals and discussed these with staff.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Child First Aylesbury registered in 2006. It is registered on the Early Years Register. It is privately owned and is one of a number of nurseries operated by Child First Limited. The nursery is located in a converted church building in the centre of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. The premises comprise of an office, kitchen and dining room. There are three base rooms for the children to use. In addition, they have access to a sleep and sensory room. All of the rooms where children are based open onto enclosed outdoor play areas.

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Information about the setting

Currently, there are 132 children on roll; all of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery receives funding to provide free nursery education for two-year-olds. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. Opening times are weekdays from 7.30am to 6.30pm for 50 weeks of the year. The nursery offers full and part-time places. The nursery employs 28 staff. Of these, 18 staff hold relevant qualifications in childcare and education.

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must:

 ensure staff are effectively deployed in the toddler room to meet the needs of the children

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must:

 ensure that an effective key-person system is implemented to tailor every child's care to meet their individual needs and offer a settled relationship for the children

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must:

 ensure that staff receive appropriate training to enable them to administer any medicine that requires medical and technical knowledge

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must:

 ensure that risk assessments identify all aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis to ensure children's safety

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must:

 ensure that staff adhere to the setting's health and hygiene policy, with particular regard to helping children to manage their own personal hygiene routines

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must:

 ensure the daily record of the names of the children being cared for on the premises includes all children and their hours of attendance

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

 review and extend the self-evaluation and monitoring processes to drive continuous improvement, identify and target all areas for development, and improve the quality of teaching and care to promote positive outcomes for all children.

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who attend

The quality of teaching across the nursery is variable. Some staff provide suitable support for children. However, children in the toddler room do not have their individual needs adequately met. This is because the quality of teaching poor and the deployment of staff is ineffective. As a result, some children are not engaged in activities and are left to wander around the room aimlessly and without purpose. Consequently, children do not make good enough progress in their learning and development, and their emotional needs are not met.

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who attend

Most staff have a suitable understanding of the learning and development requirements. However, others lack the ability to purposefully engage with the children or comfort them when they become distressed. This means that care and teaching is not matched to the needs of all the children and their learning is inconsistent. Despite this, some children, especially in the baby room, enjoy the activities and play experiences available to them.

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who attend

Children throughout the nursery are able to make independent choices from the appropriate range of toys and equipment on offer to promote their decision-making skills. Some children spend time exploring the arts and crafts and listening to stories and songs. However, this is not consistent for all children as the range of resources does not always interest or excite them. Therefore, not all children are suitability engaged in activities. This results in a lack of learning opportunities and does not prepare them for the next stage of learning or for their move to school.

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who attend

Overall, observations and assessment record children's progress. Some staff plan for what children need to learn next and suitable activities are available to children covering all areas of learning. However, this is not implemented by all staff. Parents speak positively about the staff and comment on the friendly verbal feedback they receive for their children. Staff complete daily record books for babies. This enables parents to see what their children have eaten, when they have slept and what they have enjoyed during the day. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from suitable support. The special needs coordinator puts in place individual education plans for children, which in turn supports their learning and development.

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

Children's well-being is not adequately promoted. Although the nursery operates a key- person system, it is not effectively managed to meet the needs of the children in some rooms. In addition, care practices are inconsistent so staff do not meet the needs of all children. For example, some staff ignore crying children and walk past them when they are distressed. This has a detrimental effect on the children's self-confidence and their feelings of security.

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

Children's health is put at risk within the tots and toddler room, as staff fail to follow the nursery's policies and procedures to prevent the spread of infection. For example, children are left to play with consistently runny noses and staff fail to discuss with them to promote and support their care needs appropriately. Both the lack of cleanliness and staff's failure to follow nursery policies puts the children at risk of cross infection.

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

There are medication records in place and individual care plans for children with specific medical needs. However, there are ineffective procedures in place for the administration of some medication and for the ongoing support of the medical needs for children in the nursery. This is because staff have not attended training for the specific medical requirements of some children in their care, including the administration of prescription medication for emergency use. This is a breach of legal requirements and places children at risk. Procedures are in place to record accidents and incidents. Staff understand the importance of these records and use a monitoring system to establish if anything can be done to prevent further incidents. All children enjoy playing and exploring outside. However, some children's health and well- being is put at risk as staff fail to adequately carry out risk assessments. For example,

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

they fail to check that the gates are securely locked using the bolts. In addition, children's safety is further put at risk as children like to stand at the iron gate in tots room to watch the dogs running about on the grass outside the nursery. Staff are aware that the dog is there and reinforce children's vocabulary when they call out 'doggy'. However, they fail to safeguard them sufficiently when the dog comes to the gate and licks the children's faces. This compromises children, health, well-being and safety.

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

Children throughout the nursery receive healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. The chef prepares meals and home-baked bread for the children daily, using fresh ingredients. This contributes to the children's health. Mealtimes are social occasions and babies receive a good amount of attention and support. Staff record and follow children's dietary requirements and offer suitable alternatives to meet their needs.

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provision

This inspection took place as a result of a concern raised to Ofsted. This related to insufficient staffing to meet the needs of the children and the staff to child ratios. In addition, the concern also related to the security of the provision, especially the unauthorised entrance and supervision of persons attending the toddler groups, and the recording and reporting of accident and injuries. At the inspection, it was found that the entrance to the nursery was secure and visitors attending the toddler group are supervised appropriately. In addition, there are suitable procedures in place for dealing with accidents and injuries. There are sufficient staff to meet the required qualified ratios and documentation shows that this is maintained daily. However, the deployment of staff is not adequately managed in the toddler room to meet the needs of the children effectively. This is a breach of the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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provision

Risk assessments relating to the security of outdoor gates and dogs are ineffective.

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provision

Staff demonstrate a suitable understanding of current child protection procedures and their duty to report any concerns they may have about children in their care. The provision has a suitable safeguarding policy and staff, including the manager, have attended child protection training. A mobile phone and camera policy is in place and this is reinforced with visitors. Although there is an attendance register, staff do not always record all the children's hours of attendance, which is a breach of the legal requirements. The provision has clear procedures in place for the recruitment and vetting of staff. These help to ensure that all staff are suitable to be in regular contact with the children. Systems to induct, monitor and reflect on staff practices are ineffective, as the inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and care practices have not been identified. This has a detrimental effect on some children's care and learning.

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provision

The management team have a self-evaluation and action plan in place. However, it is not accurate enough in identifying the most urgent aspects of practice that need to be addressed to bring about improvements in the quality of teaching. Partnerships with parents and professionals are suitable. Staff work in partnership with their sister pre-school and in conjunction with agencies and professionals involved in children's care. This provides continuity of care for the children. Parents comment that their children are happy and they are pleased with the care and service the nursery provides.

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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 EY342513 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 973320 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 3 Total number of places 95 Number of children on roll 132 Name of provider Child 1st Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 31/01/2012 Telephone number 01296 392516

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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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