Cheeky Monkeys Colchester

Cheeky Monkeys Colchester William Harris Way, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8WJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 4 May 2017 17 October 2013

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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

 Staff are not always effectively deployed. At times children do not receive sufficient support in their learning. As a result, not all children achieve as well as they could.  Systems to assess what children know and can do are not rigorous enough. Staff do not ensure that they collect sufficient information when children first start and they do not pass on information about what children have achieved when they move rooms. Consequently, activities lack focus and do not support children to make the best possible progress.  The environment is not well organised. There is a lack of resources for older children to follow their own interests and experiment with different ways of doing things. It does not support children’s early reading skills and ability to solve problems.

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It has the following strengths

 Disabled children and those with special educational needs are supported appropriately. Staff work together with parents and other professionals to ensure that children's individual plans support their needs and help them to make some progress.  Children are starting to learn about the world around them. They attend weekly trips to local parks and forests where they take part in activities, such as den building and insect hunting.  Staff form positive partnerships with parents and other agencies. They provide information for parents and encourage them to attend sessions at the local children's centre to help support their children’s development and learning at home.

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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 staff are more effectively deployed so that children receive high-quality interactions throughout the day and that their learning is consistently well supported 31/07/2017

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Due Date

 make better use of the information gained from observations so that staff plan activities that are sufficiently challenging and engage children, including those who are new to the setting 31/07/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that children are provided with stimulating and engaging activities and resources that promote their interests, help them to learn to play independently and experience a good level of challenge in their learning. 31/07/2017

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery’s self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The leadership team do not ensure that staff are deployed effectively. Staff are often engaged in tasks, such as cleaning, and tidying away toys and are not directly working with the children. As a result, children are sometimes left to occupy themselves and are not engaged by staff or provided with sufficient resources. The setting is going through a period of significant change, including new staff that have yet to be fully inducted into their roles. The manager has evaluated the quality of the provision and is aware of the weaknesses in practice. She has developed an action plan which staff are aware of and working towards. Regular supervision meetings are held with all staff to identify areas for development. Safeguarding is effective. Staff can identify the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and know the action to take if they have a concern. Appropriate systems are in place to ensure that staff are suitable to fulfil their roles. Staff are aware of their

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

responsibility to report any changes that may affect their suitability.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff take too long to make the initial assessments of what individual children know and can do. The quality of teaching is variable for different ages of children. The learning of those children who have attended for longer periods of time is well supported. Babies develop secure communication skills. Staff mimic their babbles, repeat familiar words and are at the babies’ level. Children develop their large physical skills as they learn to navigate the uneven ground in the garden and use apparatus, such as the slide. Staff encourage children to recognise numbers, think about what comes next in a sequence and encourage children to use language, such as big and small.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

On occasions toddlers and older children find it hard to pursue their interests and seek attention from staff. This is due to the lack of stimulating and engaging resources provided. For example, when children are enjoying building a tower with plastic bricks, they ask staff for more so they can build a castle. The children are told there are no more and they will have to wait until later. As a result, children lose interest and do not build on what they already know. Babies are supported well to settle and are provided with stimulating and engaging resources. Staff encourage parents to bring in photos of family and friends from home. Staff use this effectively to calm and soothe babies when they are upset. Staff encourage children to share and use good manners. Children are provided with plenty of opportunities to experience fresh air and physical exercise. Children form appropriate bonds with their key person and friendships with each other.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children develop appropriate mathematical skills. They are encouraged to recognise and write numerals and they start to understand simple adding and subtraction methods. Children are generally prepared for the next stage in their learning, including starting school. However, the lack of resources and ineffective staff deployment impacts on the quality of interactions provided by staff and as a result, children do not all make good progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY425653 Local authority Essex Inspection number 1086016 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 66 Number of children on roll 121 Name of registered person The Childcare Personnel Company Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 17 October 2013 Telephone number 01206 574402

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reference number

Cheeky Monkeys Colchester was registered in 2011. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports disabled children and those with special educational needs.

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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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