Little Shadows Childcare

Little Shadows Childcare 40 Hillmorton Road, Rugby, CV22 5AD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28 November 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 Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision is inadequate

 Children's safety is compromised. Risk assessments are ineffective. Kitchen equipment is not stored safely, hot pipes are accessible to children and the outdoor play area is not fully secure.  All required records are not readily available at inspection. This is with specific reference to a record of all staff members' Disclosure and Barring Services checks. Therefore, children's safety is compromised.  Staff are not consistently motivated to inspire and ignite children's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. At the beginning of the day, there are very few resources for children to choose from.  The two-way flow of information with parents about their children's learning and development is not fully effective. Staff do not share all that they know about children's next steps in learning with their parents.  Systems for monitoring staff practice are not fully effective to ensure staff adopt a consistent approach to supporting children's learning and development.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff share warm relationships with the children and interact with them during their play. Children are settled, happy and enjoy attending.  Staff support children to learn how to behave. Staff give regular, gentle reminders about their expectations for behaviour in the setting. Children receive praise and reward for their achievements.

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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

 take all reasonable steps to ensure that children are not exposed to risks 30/11/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that all required records are readily available 30/11/2017  make sure that staff consistently inspire and ignite children's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning 30/11/2017

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Due Date

 improve partnerships with parents to establish a better two-way flow of information about children's learning and development 30/11/2017

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Due Date

 develop the procedures for monitoring staff practice to ensure that opportunities for children to learn and develop are consistently good. 30/11/2017

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Inspection activities

 This inspection was carried out as a result of a risk assessment, following information received about this provision.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. She conducted joint observations with the provider.  The inspector discussed teaching methods with the provider.  The inspector held meetings with the provider and the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. Risk assessments are not robust enough to ensure children's safety in the playroom and the outdoor play area. There is a microwave in the playroom and some areas of the garden are not secure. Furthermore, some of the required records to show the suitability of staff are not available for inspection. That said, both senior staff have attended higher level safeguarding training and risk assessments are secure for outings. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the different types of harm and neglect and the associated signs and systems. They are confident about the reporting procedures they must follow in the event of a concern about a child in their care. Self-evaluation is not fully effective in identifying all areas that require improvement, although the provider has recently taken action to increase the storage of confidential information. Staff access training to keep their knowledge on administering

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

paediatric first aid up to date. The premises are suitably clean. Partnerships with other providers have been established. There is a good two-way flow of information for children attending two settings. However, partnerships with parents are not fully developed. The sharing of information about children's next steps and how parents can support their children's development at home is not wholly successful. Parents are happy with the service they receive. They especially appreciate that their children are cared for in a small group and by a consistent staff team.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Children are not making as much progress as they can. Lack of staff motivation and uninspiring activities at the beginning of the day restrict the progress children make. That said, adult-led activities provided later in the session provide children with appropriate levels of challenge in relation to their interests and next stage in their development. Children use tools, such as hammers and screwdrivers, and safely learn how to bang nails and turn screws into blocks of wood. Their mathematical development is enhanced and they learn to recognise numbers. Staff support this learning by explaining to them that number four next to another number four makes 44. Some of the children's work is displayed, which helps them to have a sense of belonging.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's overall safety and welfare are compromised due to weaknesses in leadership and management with regard to safeguarding practice and procedures. However, children enjoy plenty of fresh air each day and have fun racing and chasing one another in the outdoor area. Staff help them to understand about foods that are good for them and the importance of eating a healthy diet. Children learn about how to keep themselves safe. Staff explain to them why it is important to wear safety glasses during some of the activities.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children are developing some skills in readiness for their future learning as they move on to pre-school and school. They learn how to follow instructions and diagrams in booklets to create train tracks. Children like to involve staff in their games, for example, when they build train tracks together. They confidently use tape measures to measure wooden blocks, tables and their own height. However, staff practice is not fully effective in supporting children's learning all of the time.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY546517 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 1118050 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 8 Name of registered person Little Shadows Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07716589903

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reference number

Little Shadows Childcare registered in 2017. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am until 5pm, during term time only. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery employs three members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and 4.

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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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