Little Bears Nursery

Little Bears Nursery Little Bears Day Nursery, 6 Northcroft Lane, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 1BU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 July 2018 28 February 2018

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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 has not made sufficient improvements since the last inspection.  The provider does not implement an effective safeguarding policy or ensure all staff have a secure understanding of wider safeguarding matters. Staff are unable to identify and respond to possible indicators of radicalisation and extremism. The lead safeguarding officer does not understand her responsibility to safeguard children.  The arrangements for the induction of all staff's practice are weak. Some new staff are not inducted properly on their roles and responsibilities to ensure they have an up-to- date knowledge of current safeguarding practice. This compromises the children's safety.  The provider has failed to ensure that all staff have sufficient support, supervision and training to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. In addition, there is not a suitable deputy who is capable to take charge in the manager's absence.

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This provision is inadequate

 Teaching is not consistent throughout the nursery. Staff in the toddler room do not engage purposefully with children, to provide consistently good learning experiences.  Systems for tracking different groups of children do not monitor children's progress carefully and the provider does not put swift interventions in place to help children catch up and achieve as well as each other.

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It has the following strengths

 Babies enjoy moving around and explore their surroundings with confidence.

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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

 implement up-to-date policies to ensure all staff, including those new to the provision, understand safeguarding procedures 09/08/2018

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Due Date

 ensure managers are able to support all staff to gain up-to-date knowledge of wider safeguarding matters and concerns that link to the 'Prevent' duty guidance 09/08/2018

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Due Date

 provide effective supervision and induction for all staff, to support, coach and train to ensure they understand their roles and to promote the interests of the children 09/08/2018

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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 09/08/2018

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Due Date

 ensure that all staff receive induction training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities. 09/08/2018

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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 the educational programmes effectively and improve the quality of staff interactions to raise the standard of teaching, particularly in the toddler room 09/08/2018

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Due Date

 develop systems to identify and address more accurately how any gaps in individual children's learning, or groups of children, are closing. 09/08/2018

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the three main base rooms and garden.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including planning and a selection of the setting's policies and children's records.  The inspector held meetings with the provider, who is also the manager of the nursery. She spoke with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective. The provider has not taken necessary steps to secure all staff's knowledge of safeguarding procedures. She does not support staff well enough to help them all understand how to identify and respond to wider child protection matters. For example, staff do not have sufficient awareness of how to protect children from extreme behaviours and views. Some established staff have attended safeguarding training and know whom to report any concerns to beyond the manager. New staff and agency staff are unable to identify important indicators that a child may be at risk of harm and do not know what to do if they have concerns about a child's well- being. This places children's safety at significant risk. The manager has addressed some of the actions raised at the last inspection and is beginning to identify other areas to improve. However, the arrangements for induction, supervision and training of staff

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

remain ineffective and do not address gaps in staff's safeguarding knowledge and raise the quality of teaching to a consistently good level. Some staff are ill-prepared to carry out their roles and responsibilities and do not receive adequate support. The provider ensures that staff working with children are suitably qualified or experienced, and staff are vetted appropriately. There are sufficient paediatric first-aid trained staff to cover in each base room. However, the provider has not appointed a suitable deputy manager to take charge in the absence of the manager, and fails to meet all legal requirements. Furthermore, some weaknesses in the monitoring of assessments have not been addressed to help close the gaps in children's learning. Parents speak positively of staff. Although the manager and staff reflect on aspects of practice, they have not identified all weaknesses to raise the overall quality of the provision.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

The quality of teaching is not good enough, overall. Some staff working with children do not have a secure understanding of the way children learn and, at times, they disrupt children's play. Children, particularly those in the toddler age room, do not experience good-quality teaching. For example, on the day of the inspection, children were frequently interrupted in their play to carry out routine tasks. Children already engaged in a construction activity lost interest and started to run around the room. Staff do not make the best use of activities and opportunities to encourage children to solve problems and think for themselves. Furthermore, recent staff changes and weak staff supervision mean that staff do not offer consistently good learning experiences for all children. Staff provide some appropriate activities to support older children's mathematical development. For example, children enjoyed exploring objects to count and increase their knowledge of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

shapes and numbers in their play. Overall, children in the pre-school room are prepared for their move to school. Staff support babies' exploration of colours and textures. For example, they have fun mixing flour, colouring and oil together. Staff model language to encourage babies to stretch, squash and pull their dough apart. Staff generally observe children's learning and track some of their progress. However, leaders do not sufficiently identify or address gaps in different groups of children, to help swiftly close the gaps in learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

The weaknesses in leadership and management and staff's safeguarding knowledge mean children's welfare is compromised. Staff offer appropriate support for children to keep themselves and others safe. For example, toddlers learn how to climb up and down the small climbing frame safely. Older children help staff assess safety at mealtimes, and say, 'you can choke when you talk with food in your mouth'. Staff complete regular safety checks and monitor sleeping babies to help keep them safe. Children have opportunities to exercise daily and enjoy outdoor play. Staff provide clear guidance and explanations to help children learn to manage their behaviour effectively. Children's emotional security is initially addressed appropriately with a settling-in procedure that is agreed with parents.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Children do not all make the progress of which they are capable. Toddlers do not become independent learners as most activities are adult led and do not give children the opportunity to follow their interests and test their ideas. Not all children are consistently motivated to learn and staff fail to sustain their concentration. For example, some children tend to occupy themselves rather than actively learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY439036 Local authority West Berkshire (Newbury) Inspection number 1132913 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 54 Number of children on roll 60 Name of registered person Tejo Kaur

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 28 February 2018 Telephone number 0163544184

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reference number

Little Bears Nursery re-registered with the current owner in 2012. It is located in Newbury, in Berkshire. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6.30pm all year round. The nursery receives funding to provide free early years education to children aged two, three and four years. There are 10 members of staff who work with the children. Of these, five hold relevant early years qualifications.

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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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