Little Learners Nursery

Little Learners Nursery Total Fitness, Prenton Way, North Cheshire Trading Estate, PRENTON, Merseyside, CH43 3DU

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 October 2016 29 January 2013

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Inadequate 4

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate 4

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

p.1

This provision is inadequate

 The ineffective key-person system and poor deployment of staff, means that children's well-being is compromised and their individual care and learning needs are not always well met.  Staff in the baby room do not have effective procedures in place to frequently check sleeping children, especially for those who prefer to sleep in pushchairs. As a result, children's safety for those children who wish to sleep in this way is compromised.  Staff do not keep an accurate record of children's attendance in the nursery. This potentially places children at risk.  The quality of teaching is inconsistent. Continuous professional development opportunities are not effective in improving the quality of staff's teaching and interactions with children. This has a significant impact on the quality of the provision as a whole.  Staff do not use the information gained from observations and assessments of children

p.1

This provision is inadequate

to plan suitably challenging activities that are tailored to their individual needs and interests. As a result, some children become bored, disengaged and disruptive.  Staff in the room for children aged between one and two years do not provide a suitable quiet area for the children should they wish to sleep or relax.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Staff work with parents to ensure a two-way flow of information about children's care and learning. Parents comment that they are happy with the information shared regarding their child's progress.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and the Childcare Register the provider must:

p.2

Due Date

 ensure that staff implement effective procedures to frequently check all children while they are sleeping and specifically those who prefer to sleep in pushchairs 10/10/2016

p.2

Due Date

 ensure that staff keep an accurate record of children's attendance 10/10/2016  ensure that staff are deployed effectively and that the key-person system meets the individual needs of all children who attend the nursery 24/10/2016

p.2

Due Date

 ensure that observations and assessments are used effectively to plan suitably challenging activities which meet children's individual needs, interests and stage of development and challenge them to make progress in their learning 07/11/2016

p.2

Due Date

 ensure that staff receive the coaching, training and support that they require to improve their teaching, in order to effectively promote all children's learning and development. 07/11/2016

p.2

Due Date

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

p.2

Due Date

 provide a suitable quiet area in the room for children aged between one and two years should they wish to sleep or relax.

p.2

Inspection activities

 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about this provider.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and the area manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation, safeguarding arrangements, staff deployment the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to staff, parents and children during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspector had a tour of the premises.

p.3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The management team does not have a secure enough knowledge of safeguarding requirements. The management team has already identified some weaknesses in the nursery and have started to make some steps to improve the overall quality. The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. Following a recent incident regarding children being left to sleep unsupervised, the manager has started to take some steps to improve these procedures. However, there is not yet an effective system in place to frequently check the children who prefer to sleep in pushchairs. This means that children's safety is compromised. The system for ensuring that all children's attendance in the setting is recorded is not effective. Staff have failed to maintain accurate records of children's attendance on a number of occasions. This potentially places children at risk in emergency situations. However, staff are trained in child protection. Their understanding

p.4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

of the local procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child or a member of staff's practice is secure. Most of the staff are qualified and the manager carries out supervisions to identify training opportunities and improve their practice. However, these systems are not effective as the quality of teaching in the setting is weak. Children do not benefit from good quality interactions with staff to effectively support them, in order to make good progress in their learning.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Staff complete regular observations of children and they record any progress they make on a tracker. However, not all staff use this information to plan effectively to support all children's learning. There are variations in the planning of quality experiences of different age groups of children. For example, babies enjoy their time in the nursery. They explore a variety of textured materials, such as leaves and natural objects to stimulate their sensory experiences. However, this is not the case with other age groups. Children in the rest of the nursery do not engage in stimulating and challenging experiences that support them to make progress. Children quickly lose interest in activities as they are not tailored around their individual interests or needs. The quality of teaching differs across the nursery. Teaching in the baby room is good. Staff interact with babies as they blow bubbles and, in return, the children watch as they fall to the ground. They use simple

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

actions for the babies to follow. However, in the rest of the nursery, staff do not demonstrate a good enough understanding of the different ways in which children learn. Many of the staff simply supervise children at their chosen play activity and their interactions are limited. This does not support children to develop a thirst for learning new skills or building on existing ones.

p.4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Although the manager takes positive steps to ensure that staff ratios are maintained in the nursery, staff sickness and other absences mean that the deployment of staff to meet these ratios is ineffective. This is currently impacting on the efficiency of the key-person system and does not meet children's individual care and learning needs. Children benefit from settling-in sessions which are flexible and tailored to meet children's needs. Parents complete an All about me book prior to children starting at the nursery which provides appropriate information about the child's needs prior to starting at the nursery. Staff use positive strategies with the children. For example, behaviour rules have been implemented and children show that they are aware of the rules. Children learn about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle by having healthy snacks and lunches. Menus are varied and dietary requirements are catered for. The environment is adequately resourced and is equipped to

p.4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

meet the needs of all children in most of the rooms. However, there is not a suitable area in the room for children aged between one to two years who wish to relax or sleep during the day. This means that children's care needs are not fully met within this room. Older children are supported to become independent and manage their own personal care routines. All children have suitable opportunities to access the outdoor area. This helps children to develop some physical skills.

p.5

Outcomes for children are inadequate

Children make insufficient progress as the quality of teaching is inconsistent throughout the nursery. However, older children build secure friendships as they play cooperatively and work together. They are confident when speaking in a group, which also helps to support their communication and language skills. However, not all children are developing the key skills to help prepare them for their next stage of learning.

p.5

Setting details

Unique reference number EY448921 Local authority Wirral Inspection number 1074640 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 - 4 Total number of places 53 Number of children on roll 167 Name of registered person Little Learners Nursery School Ltd

p.6

reference number

Date of previous inspection 29 January 2013 Telephone number 01516094631

p.6

reference number

Little Learners Nursery was registered in 2012. The nursery employs 24 members of childcare staff. Of these, 14 hold appropriate early years qualifications at both level 3 and level 4. Three members of staff hold qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday and all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.7

reference number

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

p.7