Linden Tree Nursery School

Baby Room 18 Old Town, Clapham, London, SW4 0LB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26 January 2017 5 November 2012

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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 Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision is inadequate

 Children's welfare and safety are compromised. Staff are not always vigilant enough to keep children safe and well supervised.  The owner does not understand her responsibility to make Ofsted aware of changes to who is managing the nursery.  The manager does not ensure that staff monitor children's progress effectively. The quality of assessment, including the progress check for children aged two years, is inconsistent and does not help ensure that teaching is targeted precisely to match children's needs. Children do not make as much progress as possible.  Staff do not always give older children enough time to think and talk about what they are doing.  The manager fails to recognise breaches of the requirements for the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register, and the negative impact of these on children's care and learning.

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It has the following strengths

 There is an effective key-person system and children form strong relationships with staff.  Staff help children to use their imaginations. For example, they encourage them to build with construction materials.

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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:

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Due Date

 ensure children are directly supervised at all times to ensure their safety 10/02/2017

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Due Date

 improve knowledge of the requirement to inform Ofsted about any change to the person who is managing the provision 10/02/2017

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Due Date

 improve monitoring of staff's practice and provide more support for them to improve their skills, with particular regard to their ability to assess children's progress 10/02/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that ongoing observation and assessment, including the required progress check for two-year-old children, are used to identify children's levels of ability and to plan more effectively for their future learning. 10/02/2017

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 develop further the quality of staff communication with children to consistently encourage children to think and talk about what they are doing  strengthen self-evaluation to ensure that it accurately identifies all weaknesses, including breaches in requirements, to improve the quality of provision.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children and staff playing indoors and outdoors.  The inspector and manager participated in a joint observation.  The inspector spoke to parents and children.  The inspector reviewed a sample of documents.  The inspector spoke to staff about safeguarding and supervision.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is ineffective. Staff are not always vigilant enough to keep children safe. During the inspection a child opened the stairgate and left the pre-school playroom unnoticed. Staff were not aware the child had left the playroom until they were alerted by the inspector. The child was found on the stairs without adult supervision. Staff have a secure understanding of how to identify and report concerns about a child's welfare. The owner has not informed Ofsted that some of the previous managers have left the setting and did not notify when the new manager started, as required. The manager does not monitor and support staff well enough to ensure that they are able to implement an effective and regular assessment system for all children. This limits her ability to monitor all children's progress effectively. The manager does not make effective use of self- evaluation to identify breaches of requirement. However, some improvements have been

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

made to the provision. For example, staff have made changes to the learning environment to ensure resources are more easily accessible for children to promote their growing independence. The manager has built effective links with other early years services and professionals in the local community who give the nursery additional support when necessary.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Planned activities are not matched precisely enough to individual children's learning needs to help them make good progress. There are inconsistencies in staff's ability to accurately assess children's development and use this information to plan effectively for each child. In addition, some progress checks for children aged two years do not highlight emerging concerns, as required. Staff in the baby room help very young children to explore using their senses and model good language. For example, they provide opportunities for water and ice play, and encourage children to repeat and learn new words. Staff help toddlers to develop their physical and mathematical skills. For example, they provide opportunities for them to weigh and mix ingredients during a cooking activity. Staff take children on a wide variety of outings, such as to local parks, the fire station, the library and grocery store. This helps children to develop their understanding of the world.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

The weakness in safeguarding means that children's safety and well-being cannot be assured. Staff help children to learn about healthy lifestyles and promote their physical development. For example, they encourage them to play outdoors and take older children on regular trips to the local park. Staff praise children effectively. This supports children's emotional well-being and self-esteem well. Staff generally communicate well with parents. For example, they share information about babies' and toddlers' daily routines using a communication book. This helps to ensure continuity in children's care.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children enjoy their time in the nursery. They make sufficient progress and are adequately prepared for their future move to school. They independently choose from a range of resources that interests and motivates them to explore their environment. Very young toddlers and babies develop their physical skills. For example, they build with blocks and enjoy messy play, such as an activity with warm water, balls and cups. Older children are confident and proud to show others what they have made.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY387820 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 1058888 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 27 Name of registered person Baby Room Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 5 November 2012 Telephone number 0207 498 9450

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reference number

Baby Room registered in 2009. It is one of four nurseries run by Baby Room Nurseries Limited and operates from Clapham, London. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6.30pm, for 51 weeks of the year. There are eight members of staff. Two members of staff hold early years teacher status, one member of staff holds qualified teacher status, four members of staff hold qualifications at level 3 and one member of staff holds a qualification 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

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