Little Explorers

Little Explorers Aigburth Opportunities, Future House, 25 Pomona Street, Liverpool, L3 5TL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 September 2015 22 October 2013

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. The provider's recruitment and vetting procedures are not thorough or robust enough to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. As a result, children's safety is compromised.  The programme to improve staff's performance is still in it's infancy. The provider has not used sharply focused observations and evaluations of staff's practice to raise the quality of teaching to become consistently good.  The quality of teaching is variable and does not always effectively support children's learning, particularly for those who speak English as an additional language.  The provider has insufficient understanding of why a person might be disqualified from working with children and when they might be able to obtain a waiver from Ofsted.  The provider has insufficient knowledge of her responsibility in ensuring the suitability of staff before they are appointed onto the staff team.

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It has the following strengths

 Parents report that staff are warm and welcoming and reassure children as they arrive. Consequently, children settle well into the daily routine.  The newly appointed manager shows a strong commitment to improving the performance of the staff team. Staff have a positive attitude towards developing their practice and the experiences provided for children.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the Childcare Register the provider must:

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Due Date

 implement effective recruitment procedures to ensure that people working in the nursery are suitable to fulfil their roles 23/09/2015

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Due Date

 improve existing strategies to monitor the quality of teaching so that all staff have a clear understanding of how to secure the best possible outcomes for all children, particularly for children who speak English as an additional language 22/10/2015

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Due Date

 improve knowledge and understanding of why a person might be disqualified from working with children and when they might be able to obtain a waiver from Ofsted 24/09/2015

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Due Date

 improve knowledge and understanding of checking staff's suitability before they are appointed onto the staff team. 24/09/2015

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Inspection activities

 This inspection was carried out following the risk assessment process.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective. This inspection was carried out following information Ofsted received regarding the provider's recruitment and vetting of staff. During the inspection, the inspector found that the provider has failed to implement robust and thorough recruitment checks on one occasion. Furthermore, the provider does not fully understand the reasons why a person might be disqualified from working with children, or when they may be able to apply for a waiver from Ofsted. As a result, children's safety is compromised. All staff have attended safeguarding training and are able to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and undertake daily risk assessments. Furthermore, since the last inspection, the complaints file is now readily available and clearly recorded. The new manager has been in post for three weeks and has quickly identified priority areas for improvement since the setting's last inspection. For example,

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

she has identified children who speak English as an additional language need more support and staff require more training in this area. She has a realistic view of the setting's performance, although she has not had time yet to make as many changes as she would have liked. She has started to monitor teaching and provide training to improve staff's knowledge and understanding of how to support children's learning. However, the provider does not fully understand her responsibility to check all staff's suitability to be in post, including health checks.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Teaching is variable. Some staff overly direct young children during activities and do not consider the different ways children learn. During role play, the more confident and experienced staff help children to think things through and to recall their own experiences. However, other staff lack knowledge and experience. As a result, they do not always respond to children's interests which means that their learning needs are not well supported. The learning environment is well equipped and resourced indoors and outdoors to support children's learning. For example, they enjoy role play throughout the setting and there are plenty of opportunities for creative and mark-making activities, such as painting and making collages. However, younger children often sit for too long, listening to stories they are not interested in which has a negative impact upon their communication and language skills. This is particularly so for children who speak English as an additional

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's welfare is compromised because the provider has failed to check the suitability of all staff. Children have a developing awareness of safety and how to look after themselves. For example, they know not to push one another as they exit the building during a fire safety practice. Staff are good role models of behaviour. For example, all staff remind children to say please and thank you and encourage them to take turns and share toys. Children's behaviour is good and they are learning skills to prepare them for school. Staff provide children with healthy and nutritious meals and snacks and staff help children to learn about the components of a healthy lifestyle. Children display independence skills as they serve themselves at mealtimes and tidy away after themselves. However, children's interests are not readily taken into account throughout their time at the setting. Consequently, they often lack self-motivation which has a

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

negative impact upon their physical and emotional well-being.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Pre-school children are emotionally well prepared for school and make progress relative to their starting points. However, children who speak English as an additional language and younger children do not make fast enough progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY375074 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 1026904 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 75 Name of provider Aigburth Opportunities Date of previous inspection 22 October 2013 Telephone number 0151 708 7868

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Setting details

Little Explorers was registered in 2008. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and 10 members of staff hold qualifications at level 3 and above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks a year. The nursery provides funded early education for two- three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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Setting details

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

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Setting details

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Setting details

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Setting details

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