Castle Stars Educational Day Nursery

Castle Stars Educational Day Nursery 109 Manor Drive North, New Malden, KT3 5PD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 8 May 2018 15 May 2017

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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 provider's system for ensuring staff are suitable to work with children is inadequate. Although the provider conducts some suitability checks, she is unable to confirm that all staff hold a relevant Disclosure and Barring Service check and are medically fit to work. This compromises children's safety.  Staffing arrangements are poor. The deputy manager is currently on maternity leave and the provider has not found a suitable replacement to deputise in her absence. On occasion, some staff fail to arrive for work, resulting in the provider working alone. This limits her ability to focus on individual children's needs and meet these sufficiently.  Staff do not adequately record children's hours of attendance. This has an impact on how well staff can monitor children's attendance and ensure their safety accurately.  Parents are unsure of who some staff are, including the name of their child's key

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This provision is inadequate

person. This limits how well information is shared about children's needs.  The provider fails to organise and make available all the required records for inspection.  Processes for monitoring, assessing and planning for children's learning are weak. This hinders staff from offering suitable activities to ensure children make sufficient progress.

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It has the following strengths

 Children behave appropriately and develop friendships with their peers. They enjoy selecting from a range of different resources.

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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 there is a named deputy in place who is capable and qualified to take charge in the provider's absence 22/05/2018

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Due Date

 ensure the key-person system is effective and tailored to meet each child's individual needs, and builds good relationships with parents 08/06/2018

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Due Date

 implement effective staffing arrangements to meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety 08/06/2018

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Due Date

 maintain an accurate daily record of the names and hours of attendance of all children being cared for on the premises 08/06/2018

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Due Date

 implement effective systems to ensure that any person caring for, or in regular contact with children is suitable, which must include obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and following up concerns about any health issues 08/06/2018

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Due Date

 ensure all required records are easily accessible and available for inspection at all times 08/06/2018

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Due Date

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 monitor children's progress effectively from the outset, and promptly address any gaps in their learning and development 08/06/2018

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Due Date

 improve the use of information gained from observations and assessments to plan and provide suitably engaging and challenging activities that meet children's individual needs. 08/06/2018

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the setting, indoors and outdoors. She also spoke to the provider and the children at appropriate times.  The inspector observed activities and care routines over two days.  The inspector spoke to two parents and considered their written views.  The inspector reviewed a sample of documentation and records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is ineffective. Processes to monitor and review staff suitability are weak. The provider does not have an effective system to ensure all required records are easily accessible. This means she is unable to quickly identify which staff hold appropriate suitability checks, which places children at risk of harm. Although the provider meets child- to-adult ratio requirements, she does not have suitable processes to ensure reliable staff are available to cover in an emergency, particularly as the deputy manager is currently on maternity leave. The provider is unable to fully support children's learning and care needs due to weaknesses in the staffing arrangements. The provider understands aspects of her provision are weak and has sought advice from other professionals to help her evaluate her setting. However, she has failed to address weaknesses identified in previous inspections relating to breaches in the key-person system, maintaining accurate

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

attendance records and assessment. Some training and coaching have been offered to staff, for example, to support them with planning activities for children. However, these have not made a significant impact on improving the quality of teaching and learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Although the provider observes and assesses some aspects of children's learning, she fails to use this information to track children's progress adequately from the start, and to get a clear overview of any gaps in learning. On occasion, the provider is able to offer some engaging activities to support children's needs. However, as other staff are not present, she is unable to spend quality time with each child to focus on their learning. When engaged in an activity with the children, the provider asks some challenging questions. However, she is unable to provide consistently high-quality teaching as she also needs to complete other management tasks. Therefore, children at times become distracted and wander aimlessly. The provider plans some activities based on the children's interests. However, she recognises that staff do not adequately focus on how they can use what they know from observations and assessments to provide suitably challenging activities.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

This limits opportunities for children to make sufficient progress.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's safety is compromised due to weaknesses in the leadership and management of the setting. Although there is a key-person system in place, parents do not know who their child's key person is. This means key information is not always shared and, due to irregular staffing, children are not able to build such close emotional attachments. In addition, weaknesses in monitoring staff suitability and maintaining accurate attendance records have a significant impact on assuring children's welfare. Children are gaining some independence, such as when they pour their own drinks and help prepare fruit for a snack. Their confidence and self-esteem are supported when the provider praises them for their creative work.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Due to weaknesses in staffing arrangements and assessment, children do not make sufficient progress in their learning and at times they lose focus and become inattentive. Children do not receive consistent support and challenge to build the skills they need for their future learning. Despite this, some children are willing to have a go at new activities and listen to instructions. They sit patiently when listening to a story and some children confidently share their ideas.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY475454 Local authority Kingston upon Thames Inspection number 1099369 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 25 Number of children on roll 7 Name of registered person Castle Stars Educational Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 15 May 2017 Telephone number 07754455231

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reference number

Castle Stars Educational Day Nursery registered in 2014. It is located in New Maldon, Surrey. The nursery operates from 8am to 6.30pm from Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and two weeks over Christmas. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs three members of staff. Of these, one holds early years professional status and two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and level 3.

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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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