Fresh Steps Day Nursery

Eaton Park Nursery School The Old Saddlery, Bluebell Road, Norwich, NR4 7LG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 July 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

 Leaders and managers have failed to implement effective systems to ensure the safety of the premises and equipment. This fails to keep children safe from harm.  The physical environment is not organised or appropriately resourced, in each of the playrooms and the garden. As a result the learning and development needs of individual children are not met.  Staff are unable to plan and provide a varied range of activities due to a lack of resource. As a consequence some valuable learning experiences are not promoted.  Information from the assessment of children's learning is not always accurate and is not used well to help children to make the best possible progress.  Self evaluation is not effective. Leaders and managers have not addressed key weaknesses promptly or engaged effectively with the staff team to implement well focussed improvement plans. Weaknesses identified by Ofsted during an investigation

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This provision is inadequate

visit in January 2016 have not been addressed effectively.

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It has the following strengths

 Children form secure attachments with adults. They are warmly welcomed upon their arrival. As a result children and staff develop close relationships.  Children generally behave well. Staff are consistent in their approach to behaviour management and provide children with clear boundaries.

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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

 ensure that the premises and equipment are fit for purpose at all times and do not pose a risk to staff and children 20/07/2016

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Due Date

 review the process for risk assessments to ensure that any risks identified by staff are promptly addressed by the management team. Risk assessments should identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, when and by whom those aspects will be checked, and how the risk will be removed or minimised. 20/07/2016

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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

 review and improve the planning and presentation of activities to encourage children to explore, investigate and develop their own ideas for doing things, in accordance with the three characteristics of effective teaching and learning 30/09/2016

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Due Date

 gather assessment information that reports what children already know, understand and can do, prior to starting at nursery. Ensure observation and assessment of children’s learning and development is accurate and up to date, and that this information is used to plan appropriate learning experiences for each child 30/09/2016

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Due Date

 establish clear action plans and develop a thorough self-evaluation system to identify and prioritise weaknesses. 30/09/2016

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed activities in the playrooms and the outdoor area.  Inspectors spoke to members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspectors made observations of the environment and the equipment.  An inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspectors took account of the views of the parents whose children attend the nursery.  The inspectors looked at children's records, planning documentation, evidence of the 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 ineffective. Despite staff identifying some risks within their individual rooms, the management team have failed to ensure that that any identified safety hazards are addressed to ensure the safety of children. There are numerous risks inside the nursery and within the garden. Some of these safety concerns were identified at a visit to the nursery earlier in the year. For example, broken radiator cabinets. The managers report that these were repaired and have broken again. This further demonstrates the management’s lack of ability to adequately maintain safety within the nursery. There have been a significant number of staff changes over recent months and satisfactory recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that staff are suitable for their role. However, performance management is not rigorous; supervision of staff does not effectively support staff to take up professional development opportunities,

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

aside of completing mandatory training, such as first aid and safeguarding. Staff are knowledgeable about the signs and symptoms of abuse and know what action to take if they have a concern about a child in their care.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Provision across all seven areas of learning is planned within each of the three playrooms and outside, but staff fail to deliver these plans to effectively support children’s learning. There is insufficient equipment, and resources available are not presented in a way that captures children’s attention, encourages them to investigate or concentrate for any length of time. For example, children do not have access to a wide range of good quality reading materials; some that are available are torn and poorly presented. Basic resources, such as glue, paper and sand have not been replenished, following use. Similarly many of the pencils are blunt and access to paint is limited. The role play, and other imaginative play areas, are not equipped with resources or set out to help children to explore and develop skills in expressing themselves.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Despite this, staff engage warmly with the children and at times they question children effectively, listen to children during activities and endeavour to support them in their learning. For example, children in the baby room are supported by staff to explore the feel of shaving foam with their fingers when it is sprayed onto the table. Children in the toddler room, learn to follow directions as they mirror the actions of a member of staff, while singing familiar songs. At lunchtimes, older children learn about good table manners from staff, and have opportunities to be independent.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Initial assessments of children do not consider what children already know, understand and can do prior to beginning at nursery. Starting points to inform children’s future learning are not established. Staff in the toddler room undertake progress checks of two- year-olds and share these with the children’s parents. However, other assessments of children are not always kept up to date. Some do not show an accurate assessment of how well children are developing or clearly identify those who are falling behind in their learning or who need additional support. As a result, children’s learning priorities are not identified swiftly enough and there is not a sharp enough focus on helping children to acquire key skills, in readiness for the next steps in learning and the move on to school.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

The welfare of children is compromised due to the weaknesses in leadership and management. The environment, both indoors and outside is not well maintained or stimulating. Children are not provided with a wide enough range of activities to keep them interested and challenge them in their learning. Children’s behaviour is managed effectively. Staff are good role models. They are calm, caring and encourage the children to share, take turns and show kindness to each other. Staff are welcoming to parents and keep them informed about their children’s daily care. Children are sensitively supported when making the move onto the next room within the nursery, or the eventual move onto school.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Overall, children, including those with English as an additional language and children in receipt of additional funding, are not supported well enough to become successful learners. Although children are confident, inquisitive and eager to learn, weaknesses in the learning environment, the quality of teaching and the accuracy of assessment mean that children are not making as much progress as they could.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY495101 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 1053233 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 0 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 89 Name of registered person Ljp Trading Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01603454300

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reference number

Eaton Park Nursery School was registered in 2015. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks a year and sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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

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