Gaggle Nursery And Preschool

Gaggle Nursery And Preschool The Cottage, Lower Station Road, Dartford DA1 3PY

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Inspection date 24 September 2018 Previous inspection date 30 January 2017

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate 4 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate 4 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4 Outcomes for children Inadequate 4

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The provision is inadequate

n Staff do not have a suitable understanding of their responsibilities in regards to safeguarding children. They have a minimal knowledge of current safeguarding guidance. This has a significant impact on children's safety and well-being. n The provider has failed to ensure that staff are adequately qualified to meet the ratio and qualification requirements. n Staff do not consistently manage children's behaviour. They do not fully support children to learn what is acceptable. Therefore, children do not behave well or develop skills to enable them to deal with situations in positive ways. n An unsatisfactory key-person system means that children's individual care needs are not effectively met. This has a negative impact on children's well-being. n The quality of teaching differs greatly between staff. Their interactions with the children are weak. Staff fail to recognise opportunities to extend children's learning.

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The provision is inadequate

n Staff's assessments of children's progress are variable and can lack precision. Some gaps in children's learning are not addressed at the earliest opportunity, meaning not all children are given every opportunity to progress. n On occasion, some staff are too quick to do things for children. They do not fully recognise opportunities when children could be learning to do things for themselves. n At times, staff do not organise group times to ensure all children taking part are fully and consistently engaged.

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It has the following strengths

n Children benefit from daily opportunities to play in the fresh air when they explore the outdoor play areas.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action: We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to: Due date ensure all staff have a full and thorough understanding of all safeguarding matters, and are alert to their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children and protect their welfare, including the 'Prevent' duty guidance and reporting allegations of possible abuse and neglect 26/10/2018

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure the ratio and qualification requirements are met at all times 26/10/2018

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure strategies to manage children's behaviour are embedded in practice and used consistently by staff 26/10/2018

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

implement an effective key-person system to ensure that every child's care and learning needs are effectively supported. 26/10/2018

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date improve staff support and the quality of teaching, to ensure all staff recognise opportunities to extend children's learning, to ensure their individual learning needs are met 26/10/2018

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

implement an effective system of observation and assessment to ensure all staff accurately recognise children's achievements and any gaps in their development, so their next steps in learning can be swiftly identified and supported. 26/10/2018

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n This inspection was carried out following the risk assessment process. n The inspector observed interactions between the staff and children in the inside space and the outside environment. n The inspector spoke to key people and viewed individual children's development records. n The inspector gained feedback from parents and children and considered their views. n The inspector spoke to the director and manager at different times throughout the inspection, to discuss practice and to invite them to complete a joint observation.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is ineffective. The provider has not ensured that all staff have a sufficient understanding of their responsibilities in keeping children safe. For example, despite recent training staff have a limited understanding of safeguarding legislation, such as the 'Prevent' duty. They have a poor knowledge of the signs that may cause concern and the procedures and processes to follow to record and report any concerns. This puts children's welfare at risk. The provider has sufficient recruitment processes to ensure the suitability of the staff they employ. The provider does not comply with the ratio requirements. Insufficient staffing arrangements mean that qualified staff are not appropriately deployed across the different age groups. This means that there are occasions when babies and young children are not adequately supervised by staff who hold the relevant skills and qualifications. At times, the needs of all children are not

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

sufficiently met. Staff attend training opportunities and the manager offers some mentoring. However, the programme of professional development is not used effectively to address any issues and help raise the quality of teaching to improve outcomes for children. Some self-evaluation takes place. For example, the provider gathers the views from parents. However, the provider shows an insufficient understanding of requirements and a concerning lack of awareness or acknowledgement of the significant weaknesses in practice.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

The quality of teaching is inconsistent. Staff fail to build effectively on children's skills or to extend their learning as much as they can. The lack of staff's interactions in babies' play means that opportunities to extend their curiosity and support their early skills are consistently missed. For example, staff watch as a baby initiates a game of hiding behind a see-through curtain. The baby smiles at staff, who ask if they are 'alright'. Staff continue to supervise the baby, with no other interaction, and the baby quickly loses interest. Children generally enjoy the activities on offer, and some staff do provide experiences which help to extend children's learning. For example, older children use their hands to explore foam and locate letters which they link to their names. Children show an emerging understanding of letter sounds. However, staff frequently fail to extend children's thinking and ideas. For example, children are keen to show and tell

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

staff they have made a 'lion' using play foam. Staff repeat this and children start to roar. Staff miss opportunities to develop this further and they move on quickly. Staff do not plan or lead group activities well. They do not consider the individual abilities and interests of the children participating. As such, group activities can continue for extended periods and children become disengaged and uninterested. For example, not all children are engaged in a group singing activity. Staff introduce a large number of songs, instruments and games. After a long period, some children try to move away to explore other resources and they are asked to return and 'sit nicely'. Staff fail to support children's learning needs appropriately, and they do not recognise some children's lack of involvement in the activity.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

The significant weaknesses in leadership and management have an impact on children's care and well-being. Inadequate staffing arrangements and the recent staff changes have had a detrimental effect on the key-person system. Staff are unable to support all aspects of children's personal, social and emotional development effectively. For example, there is some uncertainty between staff and parents as to which child is assigned to which key person. In one room the qualified staff member is the allocated key person for 18 babies, meaning they are stretched and unable to fulfil the key-person role sufficiently for all the babies and their families. Some children have had a large number of key people over a short period. The insufficient exchange of information between staff means that new key staff are unable to support children adequately. Staff do not give children sufficient opportunities to develop an understanding of appropriate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

behaviour. For example, when one child takes a toy from another, staff say 'no' and take the toy back, returning it to the first child. Staff miss opportunities to support children to manage their own behaviour and play well with others. Therefore, some children continually repeat inappropriate behaviours. At times, staff do not effectively encourage children to try and develop aspects of their personal care. For example, they automatically gather older children's coats and put them on the children. When children struggle with zips, staff quickly take over the task and do this for them. Staff complete regular risk assessments and ensure the setting is secure. They provide a range of healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. Children learn where food comes from through activities, such as planting and growing.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Not all children develop satisfactory skills to help them be ready and prepared for the move to school. Inconsistent interactions and teaching mean that too often staff fail to extend children's learning. However, some children are developing language and communication skills. For example, they confidently ask staff for different herbs they can add to their 'rainwater soup'. Children are not consistently supported effectively to make good or better progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY498708 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 10078615 Type of provision Full day care

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register

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Day care type

Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 73 Name of registered person Super Start Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 30 January 2017 Telephone number 01322838181

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reference number

Gaggle Nursery and Preschool registered in 2016. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 7pm from Monday to Friday throughout the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education to children aged two, three and four years. There are 16 staff working directly with the children. Eight staff hold qualifications at level 3. Eight members of staff are unqualified and seven of these are working towards qualifications, including 5 apprentices.

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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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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