Twizzle Tops Day Nursery

Twizzle Tops Day Nursery Roaring Meg Retail Park, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 1XN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 June 2017 19 May 2014

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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 compromised. Recruitment and vetting procedures fail to fully check the suitability of all staff working directly with children. In addition, there is no named deputy to take charge in the manager's absence.  Children's behaviour is not managed appropriately. Staff do not consistently implement the behaviour management procedure.  Induction procedures are not robust enough to ensure that temporary staff have a clear understanding of how to protect children in their care, with particular reference to knowledge of children's individual dietary and specific needs.  The quality of teaching is poor and staff practice is not sufficiently monitored. Staff do not adapt the activities and experiences to suit the age and stage of development of children taking part.  Children's individual needs, interests and particular stage of development are not used to plan challenging and stimulating activities and experiences to support children's

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It has the following strengths

 All children have daily opportunities for fresh air as they explore their environment. They visit local woodland and green space areas on regular walks with staff. Children also enjoy the adjacent soft-play centre where the development of their physical skills is encouraged.

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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 the safety of children by implementing robust recruitment and vetting procedures, with particular reference to obtaining a criminal records check for staff working directly with children 20/07/2017

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Due Date

 ensure there is a named deputy who is capable and qualified to take charge in the manager's absence 20/07/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that staff manage children's behaviour appropriately and consistently 20/07/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that all staff receive appropriate induction training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities 20/07/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that monitoring of staff's practice, as part of performance management, effectively supports them to improve their personal effectiveness and deliver good-quality teaching 20/07/2017

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Due Date

 consider the individual needs, interests and stages of development of each child and use this information to plan challenging and enjoyable experiences to promote their learning and development. 20/07/2017

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Inspection activities

 Ofsted inspected this provision as a result of a risk assessment, following information received about this provider.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector accompanied staff and children on a walk to the local woodland area. The inspector completed two joint observations with the nursery manager.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. She spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. The management team has not completed the required recruitment and vetting procedures for all staff. For example, temporary staff working to cover staff sickness or holidays on a regular basis have not had any suitability checks completed. This compromises children's safety and welfare. Furthermore, the setting operates for some hours each day without a named deputy to take charge in the absence of the manager. Induction procedures for temporary staff are not sufficient. For example, children's individual dietary and specific needs are not known by temporary staff working with this age group. Staff knowledge and understanding of safeguarding is suitable. They attend yearly training to update their knowledge and ensure that they are aware of what to do in the event of a child protection concern. Staff know the procedure to follow if they have concerns. The management team follows the correct

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

procedures for dealing with concerns and complaints. All details are recorded and investigated appropriately. Appropriate adult-to-child ratios are met. The manager plans ahead with staff rotas to ensure that the qualification requirements are met and staff deployment is suitable. However, the quality of teaching is poor. There have been some changes to the management team during a period of long term staff leave. This has had a negative impact on the monitoring of staff practice, which is not effective. For example, the organisation of daily routines, such as mealtimes, are chaotic with staff not knowing what their individual roles and responsibilities are. Supervision and appraisal meetings take place regularly but recently these have not been effective in supporting staff to promote children's learning and development. The manager has comprehensive action plans and future development strategies prepared to make changes on her return to work

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

and the staff team is keen to support her to improve the setting.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Children are not engaged in activities that are challenging or stimulating enough. Staff complete regular observations of children during their play and they provide activities for them to take part in. However, these activities are not reflective of children's interests or next steps in learning. Assessments, including regular summaries of children's progress, are carried out by staff. Outings are routinely planned to ensure that children have opportunities for daily exercise but there is limited structure or organisation to the remaining parts of the child's day. This means children wander aimlessly from one activity to the next. Staff interact with children and on occasions, they extend their learning. For example, they ask some open-ended questions during a building activity. However, children's individual needs and interests are not effectively considered. Children's individual next steps in learning are not sufficiently planned for. They explore different

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

materials, such as paint and water and staff interact with them, however, children gain very little from these. Staff encourage pre-school age children to create marks in a range of different textures and congratulate them when they write their names. Staff are not aware of children's individual stages of development and they are not supporting their ongoing learning. Children are not provided with challenging or stimulating activities that take into account their individual stages of development.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's behaviour is not managed effectively. They demonstrate inappropriate behaviour, prompted by a lack of stimulation. They move from activities quickly and on occasions, argue over toys and resources with other children. Children eat a healthy diet of food which includes fresh fruit and vegetables, cooked on site. Children's personal, social and emotional development are generally supported through praise and reassurance. Children build some bonds and attachments with staff and they have formed some friendships with other children. Partnerships with parents are suitable. Staff talk to parents each day and share basic information to keep parents informed of their children's routines. Some parents comment that they are happy with the feedback and support given to their children by their child's key person. Staff carry out regular risk assessments. For example, before taking children on outings. They complete sufficient checks to ensure that

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

they take the things they need and that staff staying at the nursery are fully aware of their whereabouts at all times. Young babies and children have regular opportunities to access water throughout the day and they have their basic care needs generally met, in relation to nappy changing and sleep routines. Staff clean areas used by the children to ensure that healthy lifestyles are supported and young babies have individual bedding and blankets. Children are independent and make choices from the selection of toys and resources available to them.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Overall, children are not supported well enough to make sufficient progress given their starting points. However, children do gain some skills that are important for when they start school. Children, including those who receive funding, are not reaching their expected milestones and are not prepared for their next stage in learning. Young babies listen attentively as staff read a story. They enjoy exploring and chasing bubbles while out of the setting. Pre-school children practise their mathematical skills as staff encourage them to count and subtract as they build towers with bricks.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY463752 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1100851 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 60 Number of children on roll 69 Name of registered person Partyman World (Lakeside) Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 19 May 2014 Telephone number 01438842447

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reference number

Twizzle Tops Day Nursery registered in 2013. The setting employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The setting operates from three rooms within a multi-activity play centre and is accessible through the main entrance of the activity centre. There is no designated outdoor play area but daily access to fresh air is accommodated through the use of local walks and parks. The setting opens Monday to Friday, all year round, from 7am until 7pm. 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

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reference number

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reference number

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