Little Explorers Nursery & Pre-School

Little Explorers Nursery & Pre-School Chorley Business & Technology Centre, Euxton Lane, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 6TE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 October 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

 The key-person system is not effective in the tots 2 and tweenies rooms. This has a significant impact on how children's individual care, health and well-being; and learning and development needs are met.  Not enough thought has been put into the development of the learning environment for children cared for in the tweenies room. Available space is not used effectively to support children's learning, and there are insufficient resources to stimulate children's enthusiasm to learn new skills.  Although staff receive some support and guidance, procedures have not been effective in highlighting and addressing the significant weaknesses identified.  The quality of staff's teaching and interactions with children is inconsistent, and at times poor. This is particularly so, for children being cared for in the tots 2 and tweenies room. Information gathered from assessments is not used well enough, as a result,

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This provision is inadequate

activities and play experiences do not support children to be engaged in high-quality learning opportunities.

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It has the following strengths

 Overall, outcomes for children in the pre-school room are much stronger. These children benefit from a very well organised play space and high-quality teaching and learning. As a result, these children are prepared for their next stage in learning.  Parent partnerships are in place. Parents express their appreciation in staff helping their children make progress in their development. They discuss they feel they are very well informed about their child's day and have access to electronic systems.

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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 the key-person system is effective in the tots 2 and tweenies rooms to meet all children's individual care, health and well-being and learning and development needs 11/01/2018

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Due Date

 ensure that the space available in the tweenies room is used well and that children are provided with sufficient resources 11/01/2018

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Due Date

 ensure that professional development is focused on raising the quality and consistency of staff teaching and interactions 11/01/2018

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Due Date

 ensure that the information gathered from assessments is used effectively to provide children in the tots 2 and tweenies room with activities that are precisely matched to meet their individual needs, interests and offer challenge. 11/01/2018

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed the quality of teaching in all age groups, during activities inside and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspectors looked at a sample of children's assessment records and discussed the systems for planning children's play experiences with key staff.  The inspectors completed two joint observations, one with the provider and manager in the tweenies room and the other with the deputy manager in the upper pre-school room.  One of the inspectors held a meeting with the provider and manager. They discussed systems for monitoring staff performance, safeguarding procedures and evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working in the nursery.  The inspectors spoke to children, parents and staff during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The provider and manager do not monitor the overall quality of the nursery well enough. Although, some weaknesses have been identified, actions taken have been ineffective, and additional legal requirements are not met. Some children's individual needs in the tot 2 and tweenies room are not met. Staff do not support their good health and well-being and the rate at, which children make progress is significantly hindered due to weaknesses in the quality of teaching and planned activities. The manager carries out some monitoring of staff practice through supervisory sessions and staff observations. However, the targets that are set as part of this process do not focus on addressing the significant weaknesses in teaching, particularly for the weaker staff. Despite these weaknesses, staff have received safeguarding training. Their understanding of the local procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child, or a member of staff's practice is secure. All staff have

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

completed paediatric first aid. This helps to ensure that staff can react to and give medical treatments quickly. Accident forms provide detailed information for parents. Staff review the environment daily to minimise any potential risks to children. Safeguarding is effective.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

A high proportion of the staff team are well qualified. However, the skills and knowledge they have learnt through training are not reflected consistently in the quality of their teaching. Some staff demonstrate a poor understanding of how to effectively promote children's learning, through high-quality interactions and activities. Practice is particularly weak in the tots 2 and the tweenies room. Some staff often take on a supervisory role and fail to engage purposefully with children. This leads to children becoming bored and disinterested, and they often flit from one thing to another, showing little signs of being sustained or enthused in learning new skills. Staff complete observations of children at play and use the information they gather to inform their assessments of children's attainment. However, not all staff make good use of the information they gather, and fail to plan activities and play experiences that support children to be engaged in high-quality

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

learning opportunities. That said, some staff make stronger use of their assessments and use them well to highlight any emerging gaps in children's development. The nursery special educational needs coordinator sources appropriate support and guidance.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Staff fail to meet all children's individual needs, particularly in the tots 2 and the tweenies room. All children are assigned a key person and a secondary key person in their absence. However, at times there are confusions as to who is responsible for meeting some children's individual needs. This means that some children are left in very wet clothing for periods of times and other staff fail to recognise the need to change them. Furthermore, children in the lower age groups are not supported to adopt hygienic practices. Many children have consistently runny noses, which staff do not attend to. On the whole, children do appear settled. However, they often seek attention from visitors as they receive little simulation and interaction from some of the staff present. The learning environment for children in the tweenies room is not effective or as well planned as the other areas of the nursery. This contributes to the weaknesses identified in quality

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

teaching, learning and assessment. Children have opportunities to play outdoors, in all weathers. This helps to promote their health and physical development. Given the weaknesses identified, children's behaviour is good. They make strong friendships with each other and enjoy seeking each other out to play games.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Outcomes for children are not consistently good. Children cared for in the tots 2 and tweenies room have poorer opportunities to make good progress in their learning and are not supported to reach their full potential. That said, children cared for in the lower and upper pre-school, thrive. They are confident individuals, who thoroughly enjoy their day. School readiness is promoted well. Staff teach children to become independent and take care of their personal care routines. Children learn and build upon a range of different skills. They are encouraged to discover, be imaginative, to play with each other and value each other views. Children enjoy developing their ICT skills as they begin to master the new touch screen computers. Children are encouraged to take part in story sessions whereby they develop their listening skills and begin to repeat key phrases of the story. Outcomes for these children are much stronger.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY539307 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 1114886 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 156 Number of children on roll 150 Name of registered person Little Explorers Nursery Llp

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01257 246040

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reference number

Little Explorers Nursery & Pre-School registered in 2016. The nursery employs 32 members of childcare staff. Of these; 27 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one with early years professional status, and one with early years teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Except for bank holidays.

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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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