Griffon Day Nursery

Griffon Day Nursery Latton Bush Centre, Southern Way, HARLOW, Essex, CM18 7BL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30 March 2016 13 June 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

 Assessments of children's learning are not carried out frequently enough to ensure that all children make consistently good progress. Furthermore, there are no systems in place to track children's progress. Consequently, staff are not able to identify weaknesses in children's learning.  There are no systems in place for supervision and performance management of staff. This means their ongoing development and training needs are not identified to ensure they continually update their knowledge and skills.  At times, staff do not support some of the younger children to learn to a good level. They do not always provide enough interesting activities and resources in the toddler room. This results in toddlers not being consistently engaged and interested in their learning.  The managers and staff do not identify weaknesses in practice through effective self- evaluation.

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It has the following strengths

 Babies enjoy exploring the interesting, homely environment. They choose the toys they want to play with and investigate sound as they bang different objects together.  Children are confident and sociable. They warmly welcome visitors, pulling up chairs so visitors can join in the activities. Children demonstrate their communication skills as they engage in effective conversations with each other and with adults.  Pre-school children are developing good early writing skills. They draw pictures with precise detail and are very pleased to write their names by themselves.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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Due Date

 improve the procedure for assessment and implement a system for tracking children's development to ensure all staff have an accurate understanding of children's skills and abilities and are able to swiftly identify and close any gaps in all areas of children's learning 13/04/2016

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Due Date

 implement effective systems for the supervision and performance management of all staff, which identify their ongoing professional development and training needs 13/04/2016

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Due Date

 improve the resources and activities offered to toddlers so that they are consistently successful learners. 13/04/2016

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 develop a system for self-evaluation to ensure all weaknesses in practice are clearly identified and actions are set for continuous improvement.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and talked to the staff and children at appropriate times.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with one of the nursery managers and held meetings with both nursery managers.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documents and a range of other documents, including the safeguarding policy and procedure.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and took account of the views of parents.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The well-qualified staff team does not use the knowledge gained through their training to maximum effect. They do not track children's development thoroughly enough to ensure any gaps in learning are swiftly recognised. The managers do not carry out supervisions and appraisals of staff's practice. Consequently, there are limited opportunities to identify and address any areas of weakness and decide upon further professional development needs. The managers have recently recognised the need to refurbish the nursery's rooms. The baby room is now a bright, welcoming environment. Plans are in place for this to be continued in each room. However, self-evaluation across the nursery is weak. The managers do not continually identify actions to drive forward improvements to the provision that will help all children achieve at a good level. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are confident in their ability to recognise child protection

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

issues and know the procedures to pass these on, both within the nursery and to outside agencies.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

At the last inspection, the managers were asked to develop the planning to make sure that it accurately reflects the assessment of individual children's skills, interests and progress. However, this is still an area of weakness. Although staff collect detailed information from parents when children start, they do not use this thoroughly enough to assess children's starting points and ongoing development. Staff carry out some observations of children's learning, but they do not frequently use this information to assess and track children's development. As a result, not all staff are confident in planning next steps for children's learning across all areas. Staff in the baby room interact with babies well. Babies enjoy pushing cars down ramps and exploring the environment. The pre-school children show a keen interest in mathematics and science activities. They investigate force and gravity as they drop balloons containing air or water. The staff give

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

them time to think and discuss what might happen when they drop the balloons. However, the resources in the toddler's base room are limited and uninspiring. The toddlers show their desire to play in the communal area, which is set up with interesting activities. However, during the morning, toddler room staff tell them to stay in their base room and, as a result, their play becomes mundane. The staff support disabled children and those with special educational needs. They work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure children are included in all activities.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children are happy and enjoy their time at the nursery. The interactions between the children and the staff are warm and caring. Children benefit from playing in the fresh air in the garden. They have opportunities to be active as they climb and ride-on bikes and cars. Babies are secure in their routines and they settle to sleep very well. However, the toddler room staff do not always provide a stimulating environment to consistently engage and motivate young children to learn. Mealtimes are used as social occasions. All children in the nursery join together and enjoy each others' company. The older children help the younger ones as they chop fruit and pass them the plates. Children enjoy chatting together about what they have been doing at home and at nursery. Parents speak highly of the nursery and feel their children are safe and well cared for.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Assessments of children's learning show that not all children are working comfortably within the range of development typical for their age. There are weaknesses in how children's development and progress are checked and staff do not always recognise gaps in children's learning. As a result, these are not always addressed. Pre-school children are gaining some skills based on mathematics and literacy to help prepare them for school. However, outcomes for some other age groups are variable. This means that not all children are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 204135 Local authority Essex Inspection number 1028428 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 44 Number of children on roll 45 Name of provider Griffon Day Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 13 June 2013 Telephone number 01279 454179

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Setting details

Griffon Day Nursery was registered in 1990. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 50 weeks each year. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports disabled children and those with special educational needs.

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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

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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