Little Steps Nursery

Little Steps Nursery 55 High Street, Twyford, Reading, RG10 9AJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 1 April 2016 6 November 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

 Staff have a poor understanding of their responsibilities. They fail to recognise or act on signs that children are at risk of harm. Record keeping is poor. Staff do not share relevant information with professionals in a timely way. The designated person for safeguarding does not have sufficient knowledge to action her role adequately.  Risk assessments are ineffective, compromising children's safety. Staff do not implement policies for the safe use of mobile phones or for medication administration.  Recruitment, vetting and induction processes are poor. Procedures for checking staff's suitability and health are weak. The manager does not have the knowledge to fulfil her role. Weaknesses in staff practice and the quality of teaching are not addressed.  Staff fail to support children's good health and well-being. Water is not always available to children, and staff do not know children's medical needs. Not all children have access

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This provision is inadequate

to outdoor activities. Children's toileting needs are poorly supported.  Self-evaluation is weak. Staff do not ensure that each child's contact information is up to date. The owner does not keep a record of, or respond to, any complaints.  Planning and assessment are ineffective. Not all children make sufficient progress. Teaching is weak and staff do not interact appropriately with children. Monitoring does not identify or tackle gaps, especially in children's communication and language.

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It has the following strengths

 Children enjoy freshly prepared and nutritious meals.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to:

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Due Date

 ensure staff are alert to all safeguarding issues and able to implement procedures to safeguard children effectively, that are in line with the guidance and procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that the designated person for safeguarding has attended a child protection training course and can provide advice and guidance to other staff on an ongoing basis, and on any specific safeguarding issues, as required 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 train all staff to understand the nursery's safeguarding policy and procedures, and ensure that all staff have up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding concerns to enable them to identify all signs of possible abuse and neglect at the earliest opportunity, and to respond in a timely and appropriate way to protect children from harm 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 implement and follow a policy and procedures that support the safe use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 maintain records and obtain and share information (with parents and carers, other professionals working with the child, the police, social services and Ofsted as appropriate) to ensure the safe and efficient management of the setting, and to help ensure the needs of all children are met 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 take all reasonable steps to ensure children are not exposed to any risks, including those associated with hanging blind cords in sleeping areas 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 implement an effective policy, and procedures, for administering medicines that includes obtaining information about a child's needs for medicines, and for keeping this information up to date 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 implement effective vetting processes to ensure that full and relevant information about previous employment history, reference checks and staff qualifications are obtained and recorded 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 keep a record of all Disclosure and Barring Service checks completed for staff, including the reference number, the date the disclosure was obtained and details of who obtained it 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 implement an effective induction process and provide appropriate staff supervision to ensure that all staff are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their roles and they understand and meet their responsibilities 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that there is an effective procedure for checking staff's ongoing health and make sure any practitioners taking regular medication confirm that the medication is unlikely to impair their 11/04/2016 ability to look after children properly  ensure that the manager and staff have sufficient knowledge to implement their role and responsibilities effectively 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 support and monitor staff practice to identify areas for professional development and training to ensure they can provide quality learning and development experiences for children that continually improves 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that the key-person system is effective so that staff know their key children well, including any information pertaining to their medical needs and toileting requirements, and that children's care is tailored to meet their individual needs 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that outdoor activities are planned and taken on a daily basis for all children, including those who only attend afternoon sessions 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that fresh drinking water is available and accessible to all children at all times, including during outings 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 implement a policy and procedure for complaints, and keep a written record of any complaints and their outcome 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that up-to-date information is recorded for each child, including the name and address of every parent and/or carer who is known to the provider. 11/04/2016

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 ensure that staff use observation and assessment effectively to accurately identify children's starting points in learning and to effectively plan for the next steps in children's learning 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 consider the individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child, including those who need more support, and use this information to plan challenging and enjoyable experiences that cover all the areas of learning and development effectively 11/04/2016

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Due Date

 monitor the educational programmes effectively to identify and target weaker aspects of children's learning, including the quality of staff's interactions, to improve outcomes for all children. 11/04/2016

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's play during indoor and outdoor activities.  The inspector looked at samples of children's assessment folders and records, and a range of other documentation.  The inspector spoke with the staff, children and parents at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector held a meeting with the owner, manager and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is ineffective. Staff do not act on signs that children are at risk of harm due to their poor understanding. Staff fail to make timely referrals or work with others to ensure the welfare of children. Recruitment and induction procedures are poor. Staff are not clear of their roles and their suitability cannot be assured. Risk assessments are ineffective. For example, there were dangling blind cords above children's cots. Staff's use of social media and mobile devices is not robustly monitored, placing children at risk. The owner lacks understanding of statutory requirements and monitoring of learning is poor. The manager is not effective in her role. Underperformance is not tackled and staff do not benefit from leaders who can mentor or guide them. Training is not used to support staff to fulfil the requirements of their roles, or used well enough to tackle embedded, weak practice. Improvement plans do not focus on areas that need urgent attention. Previous

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

actions have not been met and practice has further declined.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Staff fail to accurately assess children's progress. They do not identify areas where children are falling behind and do not plan to help them catch up. Resources and activities are uninspiring and children are not motivated to join in. Young children are left to occupy themselves, so they do not benefit from good quality support to foster their early language skills. When staff interact with children, the quality of this support is poor and children often just walk away. For example, staff limit questioning to quizzing children about colours and numbers. This does not build on their prior learning and does not meet the learning needs of the younger children. Parents get very little purposeful information about their children's progress and are not encouraged to be involved in learning at home.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's emotional well-being is compromised. Staff fail to encourage children to develop trusting relationships and children do not benefit from a nurturing environment to meet their individual needs. Poor organisation and rigid routines interrupt the day. Children comply with staff expectations, but some children's behaviour shows that they do not feel safe. Children's privacy is not respected, as staff position potties in the middle of the playroom in view of others. Staff do not prepare well for outings to meet children's welfare needs. For example, staff fail to take emergency medication, water or a change of clothes for children. Outdoor play is poorly planned and not available to children attending only afternoon sessions. Children complain of being bored. There are too few opportunities for children to learn about keeping safe.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Children make poor progress in their learning and development. Independence skills are not encouraged and staff complete simple tasks for children that they could do for themselves. Children do not gain the necessary skills in readiness for school, with particular regard to their communication and language.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY461069 Local authority Wokingham Inspection number 1044346 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 29 Number of children on roll 17 Name of provider Little Steps Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 6 November 2013 Telephone number 07979800446

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Setting details

Little Steps Nursery Limited opened in 2013. It is located in the high street of Twyford, in Berkshire. Rooms used by the children are spread across two floors, accessed by a flight of stairs. Children also make daily outings into the community as the nursery does not have a garden. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. It is closed for Christmas and bank holidays. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. There are eight members of staff working with the children, including the cook. The manager has a foundation degree in early years. Two other staff hold a qualification at level 3.

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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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