First Place Nursery

First Place Nursery 1 Falconer Road, BUSHEY, WD23 3AQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 7 December 2016 30 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

 Children's safety is not always protected. Risk assessments of the play areas are ineffective and sometimes staff forget to record children's hours of attendance.  Children's transitions between rooms within the nursery are not always managed well. Some children do not benefit from a key person to support their needs and learning.  Not all children benefit from regular assessments of their skills. Therefore, teaching does not accurately promote their development across all areas of learning. Children are not effectively prepared for school.  Partnerships with parents are not fully developed as staff do not obtain information from them about children's learning at home. Staff also fail to work with other settings that children attend. Children do not benefit from continuous support for their needs.  Children's good health is not promoted effectively. Toilets are left dirty for long periods of time and then used again by children. Staff miss opportunities to teach children

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This provision is inadequate

about good hygiene.  Staff do not make good use of information about children's cultures and religions. Children have limited opportunities to learn about each other and their community.  The managers do not provide staff with effective guidance and coaching. Staff deployment is ineffective and a number of statutory requirements are not met, these have a negative impact on children's safety, care and learning.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff have a good understanding of child protection procedures. They know the steps to follow should concerns arise. Staff participate in regular safeguarding training.  Children exercise and develop physical skills while exploring a range of play equipment in their rooms and in the garden. They enjoy daily outdoor play and fresh air.

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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

 implement effective risk assessments of the indoor and outdoor play areas to ensure children's safety at all times 23/12/2016

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 review the deployment of staff to ensure that children are adequately supervised and daily tasks completed 23/12/2016

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Due Date

 keep a daily record of children's hours of attendance to ensure their safety in the event of an emergency 23/12/2016

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 ensure that all children have a key person to tailor care practice and learning to their needs 23/12/2016

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 complete regular assessments of all children's skills to identify and promote their individual next steps in learning so that they make good progress 23/12/2016

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 plan regular activities that promote children's skills and interests across all areas of learning, in preparation for school 23/12/2016

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 maintain a two-way flow of information with parents about children's learning to provide continuous support for their needs 23/12/2016

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 develop procedures to exchange information about children's learning with other settings that they attend 23/12/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that facilities for children are suitable and hygienic, with particular regard to the toilet used by older children, and use every opportunity to teach children about the importance of good hygiene 23/12/2016

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Due Date

 promote the cultural backgrounds, religion and home language of all children in order to teach them about themselves, others and about their community 23/12/2016

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Due Date

 coach, supervise and guide staff's practice to ensure that they fully understand their role in promoting children's safety, care and good progress in their learning. 23/12/2016

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed activities both indoors and outside.  The inspectors spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the day and held meetings with the manager, deputy and room managers.  The inspectors carried out a number of joint observations of activities with the room managers.  The inspectors looked at children's records, planning documentation and a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures.  The inspectors spoke to some parents and took account of their views.  The inspectors discussed the self-evaluation process with the managers.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. Procedures in place to minimise potential risk to children are not effective. For example, staff carry out risk assessments of the outside play area when children are already playing in the area. This does not ensure children's safety. Furthermore, children's hours of attendance are not consistently recorded. Staff are not effectively deployed. This is reflected in extensive complaints from parents. Managers supervise staff's practice and identify underperformance. However, records inspected show that repeatedly, over a period of time, safeguarding and welfare requirements have not always been met. Management is poor and staff do not have appropriate monitoring and coaching. Policies are in line with current legislation and shared with parents. However, partnerships with parents are not fully developed. Staff also fail to work with other settings that children attend. The qualified staff participate in

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

training. However, teaching is inconsistent and children are not safe at all times.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Across the nursery, teaching practice is too variable. Staff working with babies and toddlers make regular assessments of children's learning and plan for their next steps in learning. Young children learn to transport rice between containers. Toddlers prepare a tea party to extend the story of the week. However, teaching for older children is inadequate. There are long gaps in children's assessments and the planning for their learning. These children's needs are not effectively targeted. For example, children participate in a painting activity but soon lose interest due to the lack of challenge. Older children build a tower with blocks. When they disagree with each other, staff simply tell them to find something else to do rather than use the opportunity to extend their learning in many different ways. Qualified staff miss too many opportunities to teach older children important skills that they will need as they move on in their learning, for example, to

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

There are procedures to obtain information from parents about children's care needs and to invite parents to attend settling-in sessions with children, who settle well. Children move to other rooms within the nursery as they grow older. This is not always managed well. Some children do not receive consistent support for their needs and some do not have a key person. Children have nutritious meals and drinking water available. However, staff do not promote their good health. The toilet used by older children is unhygienic and children are not effectively guided to learn good hygiene practice. Staff work with parents to support children's behaviour. Children are praised and generally behave well.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

For children aged two years and over, the quality of activities and teaching is inadequate and, therefore, these children make insufficient progress given their starting points. This means that they are not well enough prepared for school. Babies' and toddlers' interests are promoted well. For example, they are interested in animals and visit the local pond to see the ducks. Toddlers explore props and books during reading sessions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY345571 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1064950 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 - 5 Total number of places 80 Number of children on roll 87 Name of registered person First Place Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 30 August 2013 Telephone number 02084219121

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reference number

First Place Nursery was registered in 2007. The nursery employs 31 members of childcare staff. Of these, 22 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3, including one with early years professional status, one with a foundation degree in early years and one with qualified teaching status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 8am until 6pm, all year round. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. The setting 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

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

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