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Early years · Early years inspection (CIF)

Ducklings Limited

Inspected 23 Mar 2017 · published 11 Apr 2017 · URN EY537956

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Summary

Inadequate

Sarah Dimsdale

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Group verified

    Ducklings Limited

  • Group reference verified

    RP910109

  • Inspection date verified

    23 Mar 2017

  • Inspectors verified

    Sarah Dimsdale

  • Leadership and management verified

    Inadequate

  • Outcomes verified

    Inadequate

  • Overall effectiveness verified

    Inadequate

  • Personal development, behaviour and welfare verified

    Inadequate

  • Teaching, learning and assessment verified

    Inadequate

  • Postcode verified

    M24 1NY

  • Name on report verified

    Ducklings Limited

  • URN verified

    EY537956

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of the report with the evidence highlighted

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

  • OverallInadequate
  • Leadership and managementInadequate
  • OutcomesInadequate
  • Personal development, behaviour and welfareInadequate
  • Teaching, learning and assessmentInadequate

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

−73Very criticalmore positive than 8% of reports of this type graded Inadequate
OutstandingGoodMetRINot metInadequate

Reads more critically than most reports of this type graded Inadequate.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praisepositiveeffectivesafewell supportedconsistentlyclearlysecureimproving
Criticismweakpoorfalling behindnot alwaysweaknessesnot yetunacceptablelimited

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improveLeadership positive critical
  • Findings570w−87
  • Leadership140w−61
  • What needs to improve202w+25

Strengths

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No standout praise found.

Concerns

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Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
6
Words of findings
897
about usual (typical 907)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 48, typical 48
Average sentence
15 words
Next steps
8
typical 7
Hedged sentences
7%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 40%Leadership 10%What needs to improve 14%About the inspection 37%

Full report text

Ducklings Limited Langley House, Middleton, M24 1NY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 March 2017 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

 Staff have a weak knowledge and understanding of the early years foundation stage framework. The quality of teaching is poor and activities lack challenge. Staff do not work closely enough with parents and other professionals to support children’s care and education. As a result, outcomes for children are poor.  Systems for the planning of activities and assessing children’s progress are not fully in place. As a result, staff are unable to clearly identify when children are falling behind in their learning and development.  Not all staff interact well with the children in their care. This does not help to ensure that all children receive a positive experience at the nursery.  Staff do not always manage children’s behaviour to ensure that they develop a suitable awareness of what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. This does not help children to feel safe and secure.  Systems for the performance management of staff are not yet fully developed and well-

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This provision is inadequate

targeted enough to help staff to improve their practice.  Opportunities for children to learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others are limited. As a result, children are not developing a good understanding about the wider world.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff have a suitable safeguarding knowledge and the premises are regularly risk assessed for hazards. This helps to keep children safe from harm.

p.1

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

 improve staff’s knowledge of the early years foundation stage to enable them to support children to make the best possible progress 01/05/2017

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Due Date

 develop systems for assessing children’s progress and monitor the progress that children are making to identify when children are falling behind in their learning and development 01/05/2017

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Due Date

 improve systems for the planning of activities to ensure that activities are challenging enough and include the next steps to support children's development and school readiness 01/05/2017

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Due Date

 develop staff’s practice to ensure that all children’s individual needs are well supported and that children receive positive interactions with their carers 01/05/2017

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Due Date

 increase links with parents, other settings and professionals to ensure that there is a cohesive approach to supporting children’s care and learning 01/05/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that all staff consistently manage children’s behaviour to ensure that children learn the differences between right and wrong 01/05/2017

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Due Date

 improve systems for the performance management of staff to ensure that supervision is effective and helps staff to improve their practice 01/05/2017

p.2

Due Date

 provide opportunities to support children to learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others. 01/05/2017

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector toured the premises and observed children and staff in each of the playrooms and the outdoor area.  The inspector reviewed systems for the planning and assessment of children and reviewed a wide range of documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of guardians and reviewed the results of parent questionnaires.  The inspector reviewed the nurseries action plans and spoke with the nursery owner and manager at length.

p.3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is effective. Staff are suitably qualified and are trained in safeguarding. As a result, they are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and are familiar with whistleblowing procedures. This helps to keep children safe. Leaders and managers have used action plans to identify the weaknesses in staff's practice. However, many staff are newly employed including the acting nursery manager. As a result, systems for improvement are still in their infancy and have not yet had time to transpire into practice. The programme for the performance management and monitoring of staff is weak and has not yet been effective in improving staff's practice with the children. The quality of teaching is weak. While the nursery holds regular parents evenings, it has yet to work closely with parents and other professionals to fully support children’s care, learning and development.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

The quality of teaching is weak. Staff plan activities for the children, however, planned activities are not challenging enough to support children's development and school readiness. Pre-school children take part in some creative activities. However, teaching strategies are weak, for example, staff either ask lots of questions of the children without allowing sufficient time for children to respond or their interaction with the children is minimal and children wander aimlessly. Staff do not regularly observe the children in their care and assessments are often incomplete. This does not ensure that staff can identify easily, when children are at risk of falling behind. In the baby room children are often disengaged and quickly lose interest during activities. This does not support children to develop a positive attitude towards learning.

p.4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's individual needs are not fully supported. For example, children that do not participate in the snack time, receive very poor care and interaction from staff. Staff busy themselves with routine tasks and are not always knowledgeable about children's dietary requirements. Staff do not always provide children with guidance on how they should behave. As a consequence, children's behaviour is poor. Resources and activities do not support children to learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others. As a result, children do not learn about the wider world. Children receive regular opportunities for fresh air and exercise and snacks and meals are of a healthy variety. This supports children to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.4

Outcomes for children are inadequate

Outcomes for children are poor. Systems for assessing children’s progress are weak. Staff and managers do not sufficiently monitor the progress that children are making. This does not help them to identify when children are falling behind in their learning and development. As a consequence, the gaps for children with additional needs are not closing quickly enough. While funding for children in receipt of pupil premium is used for example, to purchase mathematical resources, the weaknesses in staff's teaching means that these resources are not used effectively.

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number EY537956 Local authority Rochdale Inspection number 1086811 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 45 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person Ducklings Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07582506452

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reference number

Ducklings Limited registered in 2016. The nursery currently employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and two hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 2. One member of staff is unqualified. The nursery opens from 7.30am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, all year round, with the exception of bank holidays and one week at Christmas. 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

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 .

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reference number

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

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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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