Furness Childcare

Furness Childcare Ltd High Street Sawmills, High Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 1QY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/06/2014 10/04/2013

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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 management has failed to notify Ofsted of changes to the use of the premises which may affect the space available to children and the quality of childcare available to them. This is a breach of the legal requirements.  Children, especially in the toddler and baby rooms, are not provided with sufficient equipment and resources and appropriate soft furnishings. As a result, the rooms are not organised in a way that meet the welfare requirements or learning needs of children attending.  The management is not vigilant enough and risk assessment procedures are not rigorous enough to identify, remove or minimise hazards on the premises.  The management has not ensured all areas of the premises are suitable for children to use. There has been no suitable risk assessment to confirm that the water damage in the sleep room has not affected the electrics and that it is safe for children to access.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are settled in all the rooms throughout the nursery and learn how to manage their behaviour and learn social skills in a positive manner.  Staff are welcoming and friendly. As a result, children develop appropriate relationships with them and with each other.

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked around the premises and observed children playing in the baby room, toddler room, pre-school room and outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the owner, the deputy manager, the staff and the children throughout the inspection.  The inspector held a meeting with the owner and deputy manager.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the deputy manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents of the early years children attending the setting who were spoken to on the day of the inspection and from information included in the setting's own parent survey.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, the planning documentation, and the systems for the monitoring of children's progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the policies and procedures, risk assessments, health and safety documents and records, and the documented self-evaluation systems.

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Information about the setting

Furness Childcare Ltd opened in 2003 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is privately owned and operates from the ground floor rooms of a two-storey building in the centre of Barrow-in- Furness, Cumbria. All children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery opens five days a week from 7.30am until 5.30pm, for 51 weeks of the year. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 70 children on roll in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. It supports children who speak English as an additional language. There are currently 13 staff employed at the nursery. Of these, 10 staff work directly with the children and hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. One member of staff holds level 2. The nursery is a member of the Pre-school Learning

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Information about the setting

Alliance and The National Day Nurseries Association, and receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 ensure that the management and staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities of when to notify Ofsted, especially of any changes to the use of the premises which may affect the space available to children and the quality of childcare available to them

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must:

 improve the resources and the learning environment throughout the nursery and across all areas of learning, to provide a more purposeful and challenging environment that meets children's needs, and activities that capture children's interest and encourage them to be inquisitive learners

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must:

 improve risk assessment procedures by ensuring that risks are removed or minimised in a timely manner, with particular reference to the training wires in the baby room and the storage of outdoor play equipment in the toilets

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must:

 ensure that all areas of the premises and equipment are fit for purpose, safe and suitable for all children.

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who attend

The learning environment in the toddler room lacks purpose and challenge. Staff do not present children with sufficient resources, therefore, their choice and decision-making skills are lessened in this room. The room looks empty and uninviting. Low-level storage units are scattered with odd toys with no particular purpose or have empty shelves. A wooden role-play area is positioned in a corner of the craft area and there are few resources set out to support children's imaginative role play and real-life experiences. Books are displayed haphazardly or back to front and are in poor condition. The quiet area is uninviting. There is a lack of comfortable seating, cushions or beanbags for children to sit on to read, or just to rest or sleep, while the sleep room is not used. The storage boxes present a limited selection of toys for these children, such as a train set, blocks, cars and puzzles. Two long triangle shaped soft play resources are used as room dividers and have

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who attend

no other purpose. A unit filled with natural materials for children to play with is placed in the room. The children do not help themselves to these items and labels are not used to show what is inside these boxes. Staff help children to learn how to keep themselves and others safe. For example, staff ask the children to help to tidy. This is done at specific times during the day and considered throughout the nursery. The baby room and the pre- school room are more appropriately resourced, although comfortable seating and cosy areas are not available for children to sit on or rest. Babies sit on a covered mattress on the floor, or staff place them in a plastic seat, with no soft cushions available to support them sitting upright by themselves. They enjoy the interactive musical and sound activity toys and treasure basket materials placed on the floor. However, alternative sensory play materials are limited. The babies have no dens to sit in or sensory areas, for example,

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who attend

with lights or black and white coloured patterns and fabrics to focus on.

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who attend

The outdoor play area provides a climbing structure, an assortment of wheeled toys, some tyres, a sandpit, a water station and a painting and chalk board. Children occupy themselves exploring the resources, and staff engage in some discussion with them. However, the outdoor area lacks imagination and purpose. For example, there are no number lines to support mathematics, or sound lines for listening skills. The playhouse has little or no resources to support imaginative play. There are no growing areas or places for children to investigate and explore the natural habitat. Staff in the pre-school room talk to children about mathematical concepts, such as bigger and smaller or number recognition, using fingers and numerals. The children sort, calculate and compare, using coloured pompoms. They select sets of colours and count how many they have or need to fill the baking tray. Children sing songs with staff and complete cutting and sticking activities

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who attend

using scissors and glue sticks. The older children enjoy practising their writing skills and take part in phonics activities, which prepare them in readiness for school. Throughout the day, planned activities, such as painting, a craft activity and modelling dough, provide the children with opportunities for learning with some staff support. On the whole, most activities are reinforced by the staff, who generally support children and in the main extend their learning and development for communication and language, physical and personal, social and emotional development.

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who attend

Staff in all rooms follow the same observation and assessment format and record keeping documentation. The progress and development records for all of the children attending the nursery contain evidence to support their learning and development. Any gaps in children's learning are discussed with the parents, the key worker and the designated special needs coordinator in the nursery. As a result, intervention is obtained and children are referred to the appropriate multi-agency professional for additional help and support. Children who speak English as an additional language are progressing well and receive appropriate support to engage them in activities to promote their communication skills. Children with additional needs, such as speech and language, work with the key person and with supportive external agencies. Children in the pre-school room receive better support in their learning than in the toddler and baby room. Staff know their children, who

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who attend

are making suitable progress to prepare them for their next steps in learning. This demonstrates that the impact of funding for free early education is of an acceptable standard. Parents state that they receive sufficient information from staff about their children's progress through discussions and the sharing of development records. They know their child's key person and are able to speak with them about what their children do at home. This demonstrates suitable partnership working to promote consistency between the nursery and home environment.

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

Some aspects of children's safety are suitably prioritised. However, the risk assessment procedures are insufficient to identify and minimise hazards on the premises, for example, in the baby room. Staff say they have informed the management about trailing wires from the telephone but nothing has been done about them. The risk assessment displayed on the baby room wall pays no reference to this hazard and staff have not swiftly removed or minimised this potential hazard. Children are supervised in most areas they have access to. Older children have free access into the toilet area so that they can independently access the toilet themselves. However, there are bulky outdoor play things stored in this area which children hurt themselves on, for example, the large cage of wooden blocks are loose and a child drops one on her toe. This has not been identified as a hazard, illustrating a lack of vigilance by staff.

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

Staff are welcoming and friendly towards children and their parents. They warmly greet them on arrival and at collection times. Throughout the day, children are generally settled and display mostly positive attitudes in their learning and acceptable behaviour. Staff promote friendships between children and support their emotional well-being and personal and social skills appropriately. Children feel secure with staff because the key-person system works well enough to meet their individual needs. The staff in the baby room complete transition documents and help children to move with ease to their next room and from the pre-school on to school. The staff in the toddler room complete the required progress check between the ages of two and three years, and this is shared with parents and their new key person before they move up to the pre-school room and on to school. Consequently, children are well supported as they move both within and on from the

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

Staff support children to wash their hands before snack time to learn about appropriate hygiene procedures. Levels of hygiene on the premises are adequate. The sleep room has been refurbished following recent water damage. Children enjoy fruit-based snacks and a freshly prepared hot meal at lunchtime. This promotes a positive attitude to healthy eating. However, children do not help to set the tables, serve themselves, pour their own drinks or help to clear away when they have finished. Therefore, their independence and social skills are not fully promoted during these times. Since the last inspection, the nursery has improved resources and activities reflecting cultural diversity, such as obtaining a small world family and culturally themed jigsaws. Lots of visual displays are seen throughout the nursery, making children aware of the similarities and differences in the people around them. This helps them in their future learning as they have a broader

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

understanding of the community in which they live and are open to diversity.

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provision

This inspection was prioritised as a result of a concern raised to Ofsted. Evidence gathered at the inspection found that the nursery is failing to meet a number of the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It is also failing to meet requirements for the Childcare Register. The management does not show a sufficient understanding of their responsibilities of the safeguarding and welfare requirements or the learning and development requirements. They failed to notify Ofsted of changes to the use of the premises as a result of damage to the sleep room. This is a breach of the legal requirements. The repair of the sleep room after severe weather and flooding through the roof is completed, however, confirmation of the safety of the electric lighting and sockets has not been obtained. On the day of the inspection this room was used for toddlers to sleep in. This compromises children's safety.

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provision

Staff demonstrate that they understand some safeguarding procedures, such as possible symptoms of abuse, what to do and who to contact if they are concerned about any child in their care. A suitable safeguarding policy is in place to concerns appropriately and staff meetings are used to further discuss scenario situations. Safeguarding training is undertaken by the management and staff, and documentation is available in the staff folders to verify this. The allegation procedure is also listed with the full details of who to contact immediately. The policy also contains the appropriate use of mobile phones and social networking sites to improve safety for children. The nursery records the attendance of children, staff and visitors and checks all visitors' identity before they enter the nursery. The fingerprint entry system prevents any unauthorised persons entering the nursery and closed circuit television is used in all the nursery rooms. In this respect, such procedures

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provision

ensure children's safety and well-being is maintained. The management complete appropriate recruitment procedures. They check evidence of the staff's suitability and qualifications, complete background checks and references, medical and employment history. All staff hold current first-aid certificates, food hygiene and complete safeguarding training. As a result, staff are suitable to work with the children.

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provision

Induction procedures provide staff with some information about the nursery's expectations and there is sufficient access to training opportunities to improve staff's practice, professional development and the outcomes for children. Supervision and appraisal meetings are held regularly so underperformance by staff is tackled if required. Monitoring and training procedures generally support staff in understanding their roles and responsibilities. The management and staff, however, have not reviewed the baby room risk assessment when hazards are noted. When identified hazards are reported to the management, they are not always followed up immediately, therefore, posing a risk in the safety of the children. For example, staff mention they have reported the damp patches on the baby room's outside walls and noted the trailing wires from the telephone. However, these issues have not been addressed straight away by the staff or the

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provision

management. Therefore, the staff and the management show a lack of understanding of the risk assessment process and of their duties to minimise or remove identified hazards in a quick and timely manner. Policies and procedures are maintained but are not fully effective in promoting good practice.

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provision

Self-evaluation procedures are maintained but are not fully effective. The management and staff encourage feedback from parents through questionnaires and discussion. They respond to requests for improvement from parents, for example, the reintroduction of the message book so that care and welfare needs and routines are recorded. There is some recognition of areas of weakness and plans to improve these are in place. The nursery has not maintained standards from the previous inspection and has not fully addressed a recommendation regarding the outdoor provision. Partnerships with parents, external agencies and other professionals are maintained so that additional help and support is obtained quickly when required. The nursery is, for the most part, helping to prepare the pre-school children for their next stages in learning and for their move into reception classes, although their independence skills require improvement.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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

 ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any risks (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 risks (voluntary 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 (voluntary 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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 EY239993 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 979967

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 69 Number of children on roll 70 Name of provider Furness Childcare Ltd Date of previous inspection 10/04/2013 Telephone number 01229 828444

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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.

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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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