Octopus Children's Daycare

Octopus Children's Daycare Burnham-on-Sea Community Infant School, Winchester Road, BURNHAM-ON-SEA, Somerset, TA8 1JD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 March 2018 18 November 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 Good 2

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Weaknesses in leadership and management compromise children's safety and welfare. The manager does not take all reasonable steps to safeguard children. She has not responded appropriately to signs that children may be at risk of harm. Information about potential safeguarding issues is not shared with staff working with the children to ensure that they are alert to any further concerns.  There are inconsistencies in how staff support children’s learning in some areas. For example, speaking in groups, being given time to think and respond to questions and recognising similarities and differences in the natural world.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff use all opportunities to help children of all ages to become independent. For example, young children help to clean the tables and learn to pour their drinks. Older children prepare their snack, wash up afterwards and sweep the floor.  All children make good progress in their learning. Staff seek good information from parents and other providers on children's starting points. They make good, regular observations of their achievements to plan challenging experiences that motivate children to learn. The management team monitors children's development successfully and takes effective action to narrow any gaps in learning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to:

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Due Date

 ensure the designated lead for safeguarding is able to identify, respond and report any signs of possible abuse and neglect in a timely and appropriate way 18/04/2018

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Due Date

 ensure all relevant staff have the information they need to enable them to identify and respond to the signs of possible abuse and neglect at the earliest opportunity. 18/04/2018

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke with staff, parents and children, and took account of the provider's development plans.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and carried out a joint observation.  The inspector checked safeguarding information and the safety of the premises.  The inspector sampled documentation, including policies and procedures, children's development records and planning.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is ineffective. Staff are aware of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a risk to children's welfare. However, the manager has failed to keep accurate records of any existing injuries to children and does not take prompt action to protect children from the possible risk of harm. Information is not shared with staff in a timely way to ensure that they are alert to any potential concerns about a child’s welfare. Staff establish partnerships with parents. For instance, they start forging positive relationships at home visits and provide a two-way exchange of information to be consistent in supporting children's learning. The manager has implemented regular opportunities for staff to develop the quality of their teaching. For instance, she enables them to observe each other's practice and discuss better ways of working. Through self-evaluation, the manager has improved the way that staff prepare children for school, such as providing more

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

activities to develop fine physical skills to support children's early writing. Staff training has enhanced children's literacy development. However, the manager has not identified or addressed weaknesses in reporting safeguarding matters in a timely manner.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff know their key children well and provide successful support to help them keep developing new skills. The room leader engaged the youngest children well in group activities and kept their experiences short and interactive. When children started to show signs of being distracted, she immediately changed to singing action rhymes, getting their full attention back again. Sometimes, however, staff do not give younger children the time they need to answer questions and they miss opportunities to encourage older children to speak. Since the last inspection, staff ensure children have good opportunities to practise their early writing skills, and older children write recognisable letters in their name. Staff plan an effective learning environment with a good range of resources that enables children to explore and experiment. For example, older children discovered they could suck fine sand through a pipette, but if they did not hold the pipette horizontally, then the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

sand ran straight out again. Staff help older children to gain a good understanding of their bodies, such as linking an x-ray with feeling the bones in their hand.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Weaknesses in leadership and management have a negative effect on protecting and promoting children's welfare. The manager and staff do not share information effectively to ensure that staff working with children are aware of potential concerns about their welfare. Nevertheless, staff help children to form effective relationships and are consistent in reinforcing positive behaviour. Staff respect children's wishes and support them well in valuing each other's opinions. Children enjoy healthy freshly cooked meals and snacks. They develop a good understanding of taking care of our planet, such as through recycling. Staff are sensitive to young children's emotional needs. For instance, they respond well to new children requesting their dummy when upset. They cuddle and reassure them, then get them involved in activities. Children then willingly give up their dummy, enabling them to speak and interact with others.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop good skills and a positive attitude to learning, which prepares them well for their next stage of learning and for school. Children count and recognise shapes through practical experiences. Older children have good support to order items by size, recognise numerals and understand about 'one more' or 'one less'. Children play together cooperatively and imaginatively. When observed by the inspector, older children negotiated different roles in their role-play hospital. Children dress up and gain good physical and self-care skills. Staff occasionally miss opportunities to help younger children to recognise similarities and differences.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY374124 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 1070999 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 2 - 4 Total number of places 58 Number of children on roll 83 Name of registered person Burnham Infants Pre School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 18 November 2014 Telephone number 01278 793331

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reference number

Octopus Children's Daycare registered in 2008. The group operates from a purpose-built children's centre within the grounds of Burnham-on-Sea Infant School, Somerset. The group opens each weekday from 8am to 5.30pm for 45 weeks of the year. The provision receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 20 members of staff, including a cook and an office manager. One member of staff holds early years teacher status. Eight members of staff hold an early years qualification at level 3 and five hold a qualification at level 2.

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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

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

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