Fordfield House Nursery & After School Club

Fordfield House Nursery & After School Club Fordfield Road, Millbrook, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 2HZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 May 2017 15 January 2015

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3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 Staff qualifications have not always been suitably checked. Although some staff have received basic training, their qualification is not recognised as full and relevant at level 3. Therefore, at times, there are not enough suitably qualified staff to care for babies at the nursery.  The records of children’s attendance are incomplete, inconsistent and inaccurate. As a result, there is not a reliable daily record of the names of children, their hours of attendance and their key person to demonstrate that required ratios are consistently met.  Senior staff do not demonstrate a good understanding of the statutory requirements for the number of qualified staff to young children. Young children sometimes move between rooms and there are not enough suitably qualified staff to care for them.

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It has the following strengths

 Despite the weaknesses in the organisation of staff, children are making good progress in their learning and development. The staff who care for them know them well and provide them with interesting and varied activities.  There are effective settling-in arrangements in place. Parents are encouraged to meet with their child’s key person and they build strong relationships with families. Parents share photographs of important family events, such as moving home and staff speak to children about these. Parents take an active role in children’s learning.

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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 that staff are suitably qualified to undertake their given roles 01/06/2017

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Due Date

 maintain an accurate record of the names of children being cared for, their hours of attendance and the name of each child's key person 01/06/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that staffing arrangements always provide children with suitably qualified staff to care for them and meet their learning needs. 01/06/2017

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Inspection activities

 This inspection was prioritised after a risk assessment process.  The inspector and co-inspector observed children's learning activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on their learning. The inspectors spoke to staff, parents and children.  The inspectors carried out a joint observation with the manager. A meeting was held with the manager.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff, children's learning records, registers and staff records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff know the signs and symptoms that children are at risk of harm. They know the correct procedure for passing on any such concerns to the Local Safeguarding Children Board. There is a secure entry system at the nursery. Visitor's identity is checked and staff carry out risk assessments and take suitable action when required to keep children safe. Required records are not always maintained well. The daily register is not completed suitably. The manager is unable to demonstrate that correct adult-to-children ratios are maintained at all times. Furthermore, because staff qualifications are not suitably checked and verified, the required number of qualified staff are not always deployed in the baby room. The manager's lack of understanding of requirements means that when young children move between rooms, there are not sufficient qualified staff in place to care for them at all times. Staff evaluate their work, but

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

the weaknesses have a negative impact on the quality of provision.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Children learn in a variety of different ways. There are interesting themes for children, such as studying the work of famous artists, making dreamcatchers and building dens. Children are animated as they play and take full control of their learning, staff support them well in making choices. Staff know when to allow children to explore and discover. They use effective observations and assessments of children's development to identify their next steps in learning and help them to make good progress. Children go on adventures with staff as they collect items, such as catkins and sticks to use for painting and making marks. They learn about nature as they pick fruits from the edible hedgerow and work in the allotment. Children's development of physical skills is particularly strong. Swimming and tennis lessons help them to understand about how their bodies work.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Young children wake from sleeping and cuddle up with their key person. The weakness in staffing affects children's well-being as the staff who care for them do not always know how to meet their needs. However, staff are kind and caring and children are confident and articulate in expressing themselves. They enjoy sociable mealtimes and have plenty of fresh air and exercise. Well-planned activities help children to gain an awareness of others. Older children learn about children who live in different countries and explore the foods they eat, the animals they keep and the homes they live in. Children behave well.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress from their initial starting points. Older children develop the skills that they need to be ready for moving on to school. Children talk to each other and know that staff listen to them and their ideas.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 219075 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 1098077 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 90 Number of children on roll 96 Name of registered person Fordfield House Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 15 January 2015 Telephone number 01525 405 524

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reference number

Fordfield House Nursery registered in 1988. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for 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

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

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