Oxford 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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Oxford Day Nursery 35 Sherbourne Road Acocks Green BIRMINGHAM B27 6DX Our Reference EY427931

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Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Esther Gray, monitored your provision on 14/10/2014 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 30/06/2014, we sent you a notice to improve. If you were set actions at the inspection, or as a result of our subsequent monitoring or investigations, these are included at the end of this letter.

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Outcome of monitoring

The monitoring visit of 14 October 2014 was undertaken in follow-up to a previous visit on 12 September 2014, when it was found that insufficient steps had been taken to meet the required standard of childcare. The second monitoring visit, on 14 October 2014 also looked at a concern that had been raised about your childcare practice. The concern related to your recruitment process and concerns regarding Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks not being in place for all staff. The inspector discussed with your manager the steps you had taken to address the actions raised in the notice to improve following the inspection, and the steps taken to improve the wellbeing of children as required by a welfare requirement notice issued on 30 September 2014.

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector observed the way space was being used inside the nursery and the use of the outdoor space. The outdoor space was not being used by children during this visit. Your manager confirmed that you have received support from local authority advisers, who have made several visits to your setting, and you were given feedback following the first monitoring visit. The inspector viewed documents relating to children's welfare, health and safety. This included a comprehensive reassessment of risks on the premises, carried out by your manager, and a professional assessment of the fire and emergency evacuation procedures. She also looked at daily safety checklists and evidence of suitability checks. The inspector was provided with DBS information for each person employed. She looked at practitioners’ planning and discussed how they ensure that they gather up-to-date information about their key children as they move to the next room within the

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Outcome of monitoring

nursery or children are new to the setting. She spoke with staff about their safeguarding knowledge and the key-person system and considered how staff were deployed to meet children’s needs.

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector has reviewed your written response to the improvement notice requiring you to improve the key-person system to ensure that every child's learning and care are tailored to meet their individual needs, including providing effective support for those children who speak English as an additional language. The key person system is now fully embedded, with notices around the setting to guide parents if they have a concern or are worried about their childcare arrangements. Steps have been taken to make connections to a child's home language to develop their communication skills in English. The inspector established that you have improved records for each child to ensure key staff can contact parents and carers and permissions are obtained to enable them to meet the needs of children they are responsible for. Practitioners were able to confirm they had received training in child protection. Staff confirmed that they know who to go to if any safeguarding concern

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Outcome of monitoring

arises. The deputy is the fully-trained designated person for child protection within the nursery. In addition, information to support safeguarding practice is clearly displayed within the nursery. You provided evidence that all staff currently employed have undergone suitability checks, including a DBS check. Some staff who usually work at the associated setting, The Toy Box, may also work at Oxford Day Nursery and all staff are checked by you. However, when they are working away from their usual nursery their records are not readily available, as they are held at the other nursery. The manager was clear in her explanations to the inspector about her understanding of how to use supervisions to develop the self-assessment process. The manager was also clear about how supervision will, through sensitive conversations, lead to a more robust assessment of continued staff suitability. She also described how she is challenging staff regularly to reinforce their understanding

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Outcome of monitoring

of the policies and procedures designed to safeguard children.

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Outcome of monitoring

During the monitoring visit, the inspector found that the correct adult to child ratios are maintained and that steps have been taken to alleviate communication difficulties in the upper floors of the premises and to ensure that sufficient staff are deployed to meet the needs of children. You have provided ‘walkie-talkies’ to allow staff to summon assistance if working outdoors or in more isolated areas on the first and second floors of the nursery. Fresh drinking water is available to all children throughout the nursery and children are also supported to develop their independence skills in pouring drinks at the table during snack and meal times.

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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

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure staffing arrangements are organised to meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety; in particular the deployment of staff in the baby room, upstairs pre-school room and outdoor area 10/10/2014 14/10/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

conduct comprehensive risk assessments to identify all potential hazards to children and take all reasonable steps to minimise or remove these risks 10/10/2014 14/10/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

make fresh drinking water available and accessible to all children at all times 10/10/2014 14/10/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

undertake a risk assessment of the premises immediately where the need arises, and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (voluntary part of the Childcare Register). 10/10/2014 14/10/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

implement an effective key-person system to ensure that every child's learning and care are tailored to meet their individual needs, including providing effective support for those children who speak English as an additional language 10/10/2014 14/10/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

maintain for each child in their care their date of birth, the name and address of every parent and/or carer who is known to the provider and their emergency contact details 10/10/2014 14/10/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

undertake a risk assessment of the premises immediately where the need arises, and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (compulsory part of the Childcare Register). 10/10/2014 14/10/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that all fire exits are clearly identifiable, and that all fire exits are unlocked, free of obstruction and easily 10/10/2014 14/10/2014 opened from the inside. ensure children have access to drinking water (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 10/10/2014 14/10/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

have effective systems to ensure that any person caring for, or in regular contact with children is suitable to work with children, which must include obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 24/07/2014 12/09/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

have effective systems to ensure that any person caring for, or in regular contact with children is suitable to work with children, which must include obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (voluntary part of the Childcare Register). 24/07/2014 12/09/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

train all staff to ensure that they have a good understanding of all safeguarding practice, including the signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child, or if an allegation is made against a member of staff 29/09/2014 12/09/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that adults whose suitability has not been checked, including through a Disclosure and Barring Service check, are not left alone with the children being cared for 29/09/2014 12/09/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure staffing arrangements are organised to ensure safety and to meet the needs of the children, with specific reference to maintaining required adult- to-child ratios 29/09/2014 12/09/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

conduct comprehensive risk assessments to identify all potential hazards to children and take adequate steps to minimise or remove these risks. This is with particular regard to children leaving rooms unsupervised 29/09/2014 12/09/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

develop the educational programme to 29/09/2014 12/09/2014 provide consistent interesting and challenging experiences by improving staff's use of effective teaching strategies to promote learning for children at all times ensure children are supported in their progress in all areas of learning by making systematic observations and assessments, and using these to plan relevant and motivating experiences for each child as an individual 29/09/2014 12/09/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that parents are provided with a short written summary of their child's development in the prime areas when they are aged between two and three years, identifying the child's strengths and any areas where their progress is less than expected 29/09/2014 12/09/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

implement effective procedures for the supervision of staff to provide support, coaching and training for all staff, to ensure that they have the appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding to provide a quality learning experience for all children, achieved through high-quality teaching 29/09/2014 12/09/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

implement an effective key-person system to ensure that every child's learning and care are tailored to meet their individual needs, including providing effective support for those children who speak English as an additional language 29/09/2014 12/09/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

make fresh drinking water available at all times, in suitable cups or bottles, and ensure staff follow hygienic procedures, for example, by ensuring equipment, such as water bottles and dummies, are clean before children use them. 29/09/2014 12/09/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

undertake a risk assessment of the premises and equipment immediately where the need arises, and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 29/09/2014 12/09/2014 undertake a risk assessment of the premises and equipment immediately where the need arises, and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (voluntary part of the Childcare Register) 29/09/2014 12/09/2014

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