Step By Step Nursery

Step By Step Nursery 1 Bridge Avenue, Hammersmith, London, W6 9JA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 May 2016 19 May 2015

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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

 Leaders and managers have not sustained improvements made following previous inspections. They focus their attention on improving specific weaknesses but do not check that actions taken to successfully tackle other areas are maintained.  Not all adults have a clear understanding of how to keep children safe. For example, they do not know what to do if they had a concern about a child.  Systems for performance management are not robust. Leaders and managers have begun to take a closer look at adults' practice. However, adults are not always clear about what they need to do to improve.  The quality of teaching, particularly for the younger children is too variable. The manager has focused on helping adults to more accurately assess what children know and can do already. However, this information is not always used well to plan and deliver activities to help children make progress in their learning.

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This provision is inadequate

 Children struggle to know what is right from wrong because adults do not always make their expectations of behaviour clear.

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It has the following strengths

 Adults help older children to understand what makes them unique. Children find out about similarities and differences between themselves and their friends as they talk about events in their own lives.  Parents say regular newsletters help them to have a greater understanding of how to support children's learning at home.

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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 all staff, including the designated person have an up to date knowledge of how to keep children safe and understand the safeguarding policy and procedures 17/06/2016

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Due Date

 make sure performance management systems are robust to ensure staff's on-going suitability and provide support, coaching and training, which help individuals know and understand what they need to do to improve their practice 17/06/2016

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Due Date

 ensure staff take a consistent and appropriate approach to managing children’s behaviour so all children gain a better understanding of what is right from wrong. 17/06/2016

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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

 improve the quality of teaching by making sure all staff use information about what children know and can do already to plan and deliver appropriate learning opportunities so children make good progress and develop the range of skills they need to be ready for the next stage in their learning. 15/07/2016

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities across the nursery and in the outdoor area.  The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the day and held a meeting with the provider, who is also one of the two managers.  The inspector carried out two joint observations with the nursery managers.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of staff and a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. Leaders and managers have revised the safeguarding and safer recruitment policies and procedures with the help of the local authority. However, they have been unsuccessful in helping adults to improve their knowledge of wider safeguarding issues. They recently used a questionnaire to find out what adults know about keeping children safe. This then led to an in-house training session but leaders and managers cannot recall what was covered. Adults do not show an appropriate understanding of what might cause a concern to a child's wellbeing or the action they would need to take, further than telling a manager. The designated person for safeguarding does not have a secure knowledge of what her role entails. Performance management is not rigorous enough to support professional development or ensure on- going suitability of adults. Adults are not asked to share information that may affect their

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

work with children. Leaders and managers are at an early stage of implementing appraisals and have started by asking adults to complete an evaluation of their practice. However, this is not yet helping to improve the quality of provision.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

The new manager has worked with staff to help improve the quality of children's assessments. She meets with some staff on a weekly basis so they can discuss individual children’s progress. This has helped staff to more accurately identify what needs to happen next for individual children. However, this information is not typically used well to plan, organise and deliver appropriate activities so children get the most out of learning experiences. For example, adults plan a focused activity using '10 green bottles' for younger children. Children settle down to join in the activity but another adult then introduces a game with bubbles. This means children are not sure which activity to choose and they move between the two. As a result, learning is lost and noise levels rise as some children excitedly 'squeal' as they pop the bubbles. This makes it difficult for children to hear what adults ask them to do during the focused activity. In contrast, older children

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

enjoy playing outside in the rain to explore different parts of the garden as they go on a 'snail hunt'. Parents speak positively about the setting and say their children are happy. They feel adults help their children when they need extra help in their learning, such as using different ways to help children know their colours. Leaders and managers have recognised more needs to be done to help children develop their language and communication skills. They work with health professionals to provide guidance for adults and parents. However, adults do not routinely make the most of learning opportunities to help children develop these skills. They miss opportunities to engage in conversation, model language or encourage children talk about their experiences.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Adults find out from parents what children know and can do already when they first start at nursery. They build caring relationships with children and met their care needs well. However, children struggle to know what is expected of them as adults do not always manage children’s behaviour in consistent ways. There is a lack of engagement in activities, particularly for the younger children and behaviour results in a disorderly environment. For example, adults notice when children argue about the same toy. However, they do not find out what has happened and as a result children who snatch the toy from their friends get to keep it. This means children do not learn how to take turns or how their actions may affect others. When a child waves a utensil very close to their friend at lunchtime, they are asked repeatedly to put the fork down but adults fail to explain why this behaviour is unsafe. Older children join younger children when they play outside. As

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

they rush to get to the sand tray they push past causing younger children to fall over. While adults encourage children to say sorry they do not give a clear explanation of why this is necessary and appropriate.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Due to weaknesses in teaching children do not make as much progress as possible. Children in the pre-school room develop some of the skills they need to be ready for school. They are confident to talk with their friends and adults. At lunchtime children develop their independence skills as they pour their own drinks and serve themselves. Some children are in receipt of early years pupil premium. However, adults do not know who this funding is for and therefore it is not being used effectively to help eligible children catch up with their friends.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 402846 Local authority Hammersmith & Fulham Inspection number 1045076 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 19 Name of provider Nelson Child Care Limited Date of previous inspection 19 May 2015 Telephone number 020 8748 1319

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Setting details

Step By Step Nursery is one of two nurseries run by Nelson Child Care Limited. It registered in 2001 and operates from three rooms in a house in Hammersmith. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is open every weekday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. In total there are eight staff working directly with the early years children. All staff have relevant early years qualifications. The nursery is in receipt of funding for children aged two, three and four years. This includes the early years pupil premium. It supports 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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