Chestnut@Chesterton

Chestnut@Chesterton Green End Road, Chesterton, CAMBRIDGE CB4 1RW

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Inspection date 20 December 2018 Previous inspection date 23 November 2017

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3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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3

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This is a provision that requires improvement

n Managers do not always accurately record investigations and outcomes of parental complaints. In some cases, when managers have put actions into place to help resolve identified issues, they have not been maintained. This has resulted in further complaints of the same nature. This is particularly evident in Class 3. n The method used to supervise staff is not effective. It lacks rigour in identifying and tackling staff underperformance, to help improve teaching skills and raise the standard of staff practice. n In parts of the nursery, staff do not regularly check children's toilet and washing areas to help ensure that all aspects of hygiene standards are maintained. n The quality of teaching is variable. Children's specific next steps for their individual learning are not consistently identified by staff. Children are not sufficiently challenged during their play, activities and explorations. n Communication with parents is not always effective. For example, parents report that

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This is a provision that requires improvement

they are sometimes unclear about their children's daily progress and are unable to identify who managers and leaders are. n Daily routines, such as preparing snacks, frequently limit the time some staff spend supporting children.

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It has the following strengths

n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff work closely with external professionals to help promote children's development. n Children who speak English as an additional language are welcomed into the nursery. They are greeted in the language spoken in their homes during the daily welcome song.

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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 ensure that all complaints are followed up and that investigations and outcomes are clearly recorded 07/01/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

make sure that staff supervision arrangements are effective in offering support, coaching and training and that any underperformance is swiftly identified and managed 07/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure all hygiene requirements are upheld so that areas used by children are fit for purpose. 07/01/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n add more challenges to children's self-chosen and adult-led activities that focus on accurate next steps in learning, to help them make at least consistently good progress n strengthen communication methods with parents to help provide clarity of staff roles and responsibilities, and to help enhance continuity in children's care and education n review the management of daily tasks, such as preparing snacks, to help reduce interruption to children's learning opportunities.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspection was carried out as a result of a risk assessment, following information received by Ofsted. n The inspector had a tour of all areas used by children, including the nursery building and the scout hall. The inspector viewed activities in the nursery and garden, and spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector held meetings with representatives from the providers and the manager. The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector checked the evidence of the suitability of staff and viewed a range of documents, including records of complaints, children's attendance registers, staff supervision notes and children's assessments. n The inspector spoke to a small number of parents. She took their views and those of others recorded in questionnaires into consideration.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

Over the past year, there have been considerable changes in staff, including managers, deputy managers and room leaders. These have contributed to inconsistencies in leadership. Outcomes to previous parental complaints have not been fully recorded in line with statutory requirements. In addition, initial changes made following some complaints have lapsed. Providers have begun to address weaknesses, however systems for supervision lack rigour to help swiftly identify staff underperformance. Training opportunities do not target weaknesses to help improve standards in the nursery. The manager and providers have begun to enhance self-evaluation. For example, the manager holds meetings with each class team and encourages each team to set its own improvement plans. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff know how to report concerns they may have about children's welfare. The providers follow robust

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

recruitment procedures to help ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Although staff use information they gather to identify next steps in children's learning, this is not always accurate. Staff fail to add sufficient challenges to children's self-chosen and adult-led activities. Appropriate numbers of staff are deployed in each room to meet statutory requirements. However, staff do not always manage their time well. Frequently daily routines, such as preparing snacks, reduce opportunities staff have to support and teach children. Despite this, children make steady progress in their learning. Staff follow children's interests. Babies enjoy exploring the texture of flour with their hands. This helps them to develop their hand muscles. Older children work together to construct castles and cars from wooden blocks. They begin to consider size, shape and space to help develop their mathematical skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children are not encouraged to adopt good hygiene routines. At times, staff fail to replenish paper towels for children to use after washing their hands. Routines to maintain the cleanliness in Class 3 have lapsed. This contributes to poor examples for children to begin to learn how to keep themselves healthy. Levels of communication with parents are variable. Some key persons fail to update parents regularly about what children have been doing. Parents are sometimes unsure of the roles of members of staff and cannot identify the manager or her deputies. Children settle well in the nursery. Parents are encouraged to bring in familiar comforters that children use when they settle for sleep. The kind staff form close bonds with children, helping them to feel secure. Children respond well to staff praise which contributes to their good behaviour.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children enjoy their time in the nursery and happily explore the environment. They learn to share equipment and independently select items that interest them. From a young age, children learn to put on their own boots and coats. They respond well to questions that staff ask them, taking time to think about their answers. Children begin to recognise numbers and letters. They are curious and keen to try to complete tasks for themselves. When the time comes, children have acquired skills that will help them learn at school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY467388 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10089173 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 - 9 Total number of places 99 Number of children on roll 176 Name of registered person Chestnut Nursery Schools Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 23 November 2017 Telephone number 01223728390

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reference number

Chestnut@Chesterton registered in 2013 and is located in Chesterton, Cambridge. The nursery operates Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 6.30pm. The nursery currently employs 26 members of staff, 17 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The manager holds a qualification at level 5. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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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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