The Children's Palace Nursery Ltd

The Children's Palace Nursery Ltd 23 Heath Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 8NF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31 May 2016 Not applicable

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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

 The provider fails to meet ratio requirements at all times. She does not ensure that children are adequately supervised by the correct number of staff to meet their needs.  The provider does not ensure that all staff and volunteers working with children are suitably vetted. This puts children at risk and is also a breach of the Childcare Register.  Staff and volunteers do not have sufficient understanding of safeguarding procedures. They are not confident about the signs and symptoms of concern or the action to take about a concern for a child's welfare. This is also a breach of the Childcare Register.  The provider does not ensure that there is at least one person with a current paediatric first-aid qualification on site at all times when children are present. This compromises children's safety and welfare, and is also a breach of the Childcare Register.  The supervision of staff practice is ineffective. Weaknesses in staff performance are not

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This provision is inadequate

identified promptly to tackle staff underperformance and raise the quality of teaching.  Outcomes for children are poor. The manager does not ensure staff assess children's progress to identify gaps in learning or inform parents about their children's development.  Resources and activities are not planned effectively to meet children's differing needs, provide sufficient challenge and reflect their interests, or motivate them to learn.  Self-evaluation is poor. Weaknesses are not identified or addressed to improve practice.

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It has the following strengths

 Children enjoy freshly prepared meals as part of a healthy and balanced diet.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to:

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Due Date

 make sure that staffing arrangements meet the needs of all children, and ensure that children are supervised by the correct number of staff to meet ratio requirements 17/06/2016

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Due Date

 record sufficient information about the identity checks and vetting processes completed to demonstrate the suitability of all adults, and ensure that a Disclosure and Barring Service check is obtained by the nursery for all staff and volunteers 17/06/2016

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Due Date

 implement effective systems to ensure that practitioners, and any other person who is likely to have regular contact with children are suitable 17/06/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that all staff, including volunteers, understand and implement the safeguarding policies and procedures, particularly how to identify and respond to signs that children are at risk of harm 17/06/2016

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Due Date

 improve the effectiveness of staff supervision, including for the manager, to provide support, coaching and training to fulfil their roles, improve teaching skills and promote professional development 17/06/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that there is at least one person who holds a valid paediatric first-aid qualification in the nursery at all times when children are present. 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

 ensure that staff observe, assess and track children's progress accurately, in order to meet children's needs, particularly the most- able, and to plan for the next steps in all children's learning effectively 30/06/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that a progress check for children aged between two and three years is completed in line with requirements, and share this with parents. 30/06/2016

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during indoor activities.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke to children and staff at suitable times throughout the inspection and took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector held discussions with the manager in person and with the provider by telephone.  The inspector sampled relevant documentation, including the setting's self-evaluation, evidence of the suitability of staff working and volunteering at the nursery, children's learning records, and policies and procedures.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is ineffective. The provider has failed to ensure staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe. Not all staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of harm and how to report a concern about a child's welfare. The provider does not follow adequate recruitment procedures. Some staff and volunteers do not have the required Disclosure and Barring Service check, so their suitability to work with children cannot be verified. The provider does not ensure staff ratios are met consistently and that there is a person with a valid paediatric first-aid qualification on site at all times children are present. These weaknesses compromise children's safety and welfare. The manager carries out annual appraisals and supervision meetings and has recently introduced some observations of staff's practice. However, she does not make use of the information gained to address all weaknesses in staff performance and identify further professional

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

development opportunities. The provider and manager do not evaluate the quality of the provision accurately to identify weaknesses in practice.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

The provider does not ensure the educational programmes are effective to ignite children's interests and challenge their learning. Monitoring of the quality of teaching, and of children's learning and assessment, is weak. The manager and staff do not track individual, or groups of children's, progress effectively to make an accurate assessment of what children know and can do. Staff do not assess older children's learning or complete the required progress checks for children aged between two and three years to inform parents of any gaps in learning. Staff do not carry out effective observations or plan challenging activities to extend children's learning. Children have some opportunities to develop their creativity and small physical skills. For example, babies enjoy painting and listening to familiar songs. Older children make play dough and build towers with bricks. However, staff do not take the opportunity to introduce other areas of learning to extend

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

these activities to meet the needs of most-able children.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's welfare is not assured due to the weaknesses identified in safeguarding, particularly in the lack of child protection knowledge and inconsistent recruitment procedures. Children behave well. Staff reinforce positive behaviour and encourage children to be kind to their friends. However, the lack of challenge and choice for children results in some becoming bored and restless. Some toys children are interested in do not work. Parents provide information about their children's likes and dislikes when they start. Staff know individual children well and help them form secure attachments.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Children do not develop the concentration, listening and perseverance skills they need for future learning. Staff do not help children, including those learning to speak English as an additional language, to build their communication and language skills. Children have a limited understanding of mathematical concepts. They do not acquire the basic skills they need for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY486499 Local authority Croydon Inspection number 1012198 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 18 Name of registered person The Children's Palace Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07960142915

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reference number

The Children's Palace Nursery Ltd registered in 2015. It operates from a converted residential building in Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon. The nursery is open from 7am until 7pm, Monday to Friday. There are eight members of staff; of whom, six hold qualifications at level 3 and one at level 2.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

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

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