The Dolls House

The Dolls House 6 New Walk, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE1 6TF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26 October 2016 9 August 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

 There are no individuals clearly identified as the manager, deputy manager or special educational needs coordinator. As a result, procedures are not consistently implemented to ensure the effective day-to-day running of the nursery and that children receive the support they need.  Induction procedures and ongoing performance management arrangements are not effective. There are gaps in staff's knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements.  The key-person system is not implemented effectively throughout the nursery.  Assessments of children's learning are not regular or accurate enough. Information that is gathered is not well used to inform planning and to enable all children to make the progress they should.  Some staff do not have a good enough knowledge of how to promote children's learning. As a result, the quality of teaching is too variable and is not matched to

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This provision is inadequate

children's individual needs.  Staff do not consistently establish clear starting points for children's learning. They do not use information from parents well enough to identify what children already know and can do.

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It has the following strengths

 Children participate in regular trips to local places of interest, such as the nearby museum.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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Due Date

 ensure that there are named, suitability qualified and experienced individuals identified as manager and deputy manager at the nursery 27/01/2017

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Due Date

 ensure induction training is effective so all staff fully understand the policies and procedures and are clear about their roles and responsibilities 27/01/2017

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Due Date

 improve safeguarding and child protection procedures and train, support, advise and guide staff to ensure they have an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of what these are 27/01/2017

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Due Date

 implement an effective key-person system to ensure that all staff work in partnership with parents, interact with children effectively, have a continuous awareness of children's interests and individual needs and promote their emotional well-being effectively 27/01/2017

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Due Date

 implement effective arrangements for the supervision of staff which provide training, support and coaching to foster a culture of mutual support, teamwork and continuous improvement 27/01/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that observation and assessments are used effectively to track precisely the progress of all children and ensure that planning meets their individual needs and leads to good quality teaching 27/01/2017

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Due Date

 identify a member of staff to act as a special educational needs coordinator 27/01/2017

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Due Date

 use information from parents more effectively to help establish clear starting points for children's learning. 27/01/2017

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and joined staff and children on a walk to the local museum. She assessed the impact teaching has on children's learning.  The inspector viewed all areas of the premises used by children.  The inspector carried out two joint observations with the area manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the area manager. She sampled documentation, including children's learning journals, staff supervision records, the nursery's self- evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to a number of parents, staff and children during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective. The undefined management structure within the nursery means that there are breaches in the statutory requirements that have a significant impact on children's safety, well-being, learning and development. Poor organisation means that there are gaps in the recruitment, vetting and induction procedures for staff. Staff are not sufficiently aware of their roles and responsibilities within the nursery. They are not effectively trained or supported by leaders, in order to ensure that they are up to date with local child protection procedures and guidance. Not all staff are confident in the action they must take should they be concerned about a child's welfare. They are unaware of their responsibilities, in relation to recent changes in guidance and legislation. The nursery does not have effective arrangements in place to support children who have special educational needs or disability. Leaders have not

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

identified a member of staff to act as special educational needs coordinator in the nursery. High enough regard is not given to the performance management of new and established staff. This means there are gaps in some staff's knowledge and the quality of teaching is too variable. Leaders have some systems in place to help them identify weaknesses in the nursery. However, they do not do enough to address areas that require improvement. A sufficient number of staff have completed paediatric first-aid training. They check the environment and resources to ensure that they are safe and suitable for children. They complete risk assessments for all outings, in order to identify potential risks and take appropriate action to minimise them.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Some staff do not know children well enough. Their observations of children's learning and development are not evaluative and do not always clearly identify what children need to learn next. Best use is not made of the information gathered from parents when children start. Staff do not always complete initial baseline assessments, in order to establish the starting points for children's learning. Staff cannot demonstrate that children are making progress in their learning. When staff do identify children's next steps in learning, they do not plan activities that match their individual needs or to ensure children make good progress. Teaching is not good enough. Some children are not well supported in their learning. Staff do interact with children and talk with them as they play but they do not always tailor their approach to capture all children's attention. Activities are not always well planned and often lack challenge. They fail to ignite children's interest and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

imaginations, and consequently children do not make good progress.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Leaders and staff do not pay enough regard to the implementation of the key-person system. Staff move between rooms and some are involved in managerial tasks. This limits the amount of time they spend with their key children. Very young babies' care routines are attended to by different staff members throughout the day. This makes it difficult for them to form secure attachments to a specific individual and has a negative impact on their emotional well-being. Settling-in procedures are agreed with parents. Generally parents and carers say that they are happy with the nursery. They feel that staff keep them informed about their child's welfare and learning. The move between this nursery and the sister nursery, where children over two years attend, is generally managed appropriately. Overall, children's good health is appropriately promoted. They play in the nursery garden and regularly enjoy walks to local places of interest. Staff work with

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

parents to ensure that children's dietary needs are met. All food is prepared on the premises and children enjoy a variety of meals and snacks throughout the day.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Weaknesses in leadership and management and in teaching mean that children are not well supported in their learning and development. Leaders do not monitor the progress of individuals or groups of children accurately enough. They are unable to clearly identify gaps in learning and therefore do not take timely action to address them. As a result, the progress children make is not good enough.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY273915 Local authority Leicester City Inspection number 1064505 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 2 Total number of places 51 Number of children on roll 33 Name of registered person The D.H. Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 9 August 2013 Telephone number 0116 2223570

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reference number

The Dolls House was registered in 2003. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for one week at Easter and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.45am until 6pm. There are nine members of staff working with the children, six of whom hold early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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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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