Umbrella Nursery

Umbrella Nursery Thistley Hill, Melbourne Avenue, Dover CT16 2JH

p.1

Inspection date 26 July 2019 Previous inspection date 2 August 2017

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate 4

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

p.1

This provision is inadequate

n The provider does not carry out effective supervision sessions for the manager and staff to help identify any gaps in knowledge and skills and the support required. As a result, children's safety is compromised as staff do not maintain a safe environment and understand their responsibilities under the 'Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales 2015'. n The managers do not make sure that staff carry out thorough risk assessments to ensure resources and premises are well maintained. As a result, children's safety is at risk. n Teaching does not focus closely enough on what individual children need to learn next, particularly for older children who are not sufficiently challenged in their play. This has an impact on their readiness for school. n Staff working with older children do not plan engaging and challenging experiences which motivate them to learn and make strong progress across all areas of learning.

p.1

This provision is inadequate

n The managers do not have positive partnerships with parents. For instance, the provider does not inform parents about changes in staffing at the nursery and staff do not regularly share information on children's progress. n The provider has not informed Ofsted of a change of management at the nursery, which is a legal statutory requirement. n Staff do not use early years pupil premium funding effectively to improve outcomes for those children who are eligible.

p.1

It has the following strengths

n Children are kind to their friends and their behaviour is appropriate for their age.

p.1

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 implement secure supervision sessions to ensure the manager and staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and how to provide a safe and secure environment 30/09/2019

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure that any potential hazards are quickly addressed and thorough risk assessments carried out to ensure children play in a safe and secure environment 30/09/2019

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to enable them to provide quality learning and development experiences for older children 30/09/2019

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

make sure staff plan a stimulating and engaging environment for older children with experiences that challenge and motivate them to learn 30/09/2019

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

improve relationships with parents to ensure they are kept informed of any changes of staffing at the nursery and given regular information about their children's progress 30/09/2019

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure Ofsted is informed of any notifiable changes to the nursery, such as a change in manager. 30/09/2019

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

n make sure that early years pupil premium funding is used effectively to improve outcomes for those children it is intended for.

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspection was carried out following a risk assessment conducted by Ofsted. n The inspector conducted a joint observation of teaching in the garden with the manager. n The inspector sampled a range of documentation including staff files, complaints records, planning information and children's progress records. n The inspector observed staff interactions with children inside and outside and spoke to staff, children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector discussed the management of the nursery with the manager and head of quality and compliance from head office.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is not effective. The provider has not implemented effective supervision procedures to ensure that any gaps in staff knowledge and skills are identified and suitable support given to help them improve their practice. For instance, staff have a secure knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse and they are confident to report worries. However, there are gaps in their knowledge about how to help protect young children from radical views. The manager and staff do not carry out thorough risk assessments to ensure they remove any identified hazards in the environment, such as broken equipment and sharp edges on cut-down shrubs to maintain children's safety. The provider does not react quickly to information received about poor maintenance of the building to ensure children's safety and security are not put at risk. Staff working with older children do not effectively extend children's learning as they engage in

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

activities. Therefore, children are not suitably challenged and motivated to learn. For instance, staff do not make effective use of spontaneous events, such as children discovering spiders and bugs in the garden, to teach them about the world around them. Staff working with older children do not plan an environment that focuses on their interests and encourages them to engage in activities and become active learners. For example, dressing-up clothes are not accessible due to chairs being stored in front of them. There are limited resources to support children to develop an interest in early writing skills, and broken storage containers result in children not being able to safely access resources independently. Staff care for the children. However, they are not aware when children are not engaged in purposeful play. The manager is new in post and is aware of the strengths and areas for improvement within the nursery. However, she

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

requires additional support to enable her to prioritise actions she has identified to ensure she provides children and staff with a safe and secure environment. The managers have not established effective links with parents. There has been a high turnover of staff, particularly with the management of the nursery and staff working with the older children. However, parents have not been informed about these changes. Therefore, parents are not fully aware of who is caring for their children. Staff working with the older children do not effectively exchange information with parents on their children's progress and activities they engage in, to support home learning. The provider does not spend additional funding, such as early years pupil premium, in a timely manner to ensure those children the funding has been claimed for receive the benefit and any gaps in learning and development are narrowed. The provider has not followed the

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

requirements of the early years foundations stage to inform Ofsted of a change in manager at the nursery.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Despite staff qualifications, teaching does not meet the needs of the oldest children effectively. Some staff lack sufficient skills to extend older children's learning successfully. For example, staff do not provide them with opportunities to fulfil their learning potential, such as incorporating mathematical language to develop their understanding of numbers and quantity. Staff implement strategies recommended by other professionals to support children with additional needs. All children are confident and eager to explore the nursery environment. Younger children coming out of the baby room to play with the older children are very well supported and staff ensure they have appropriate activities to engage with to support their learning. Staff have a secure understanding of the children's stages of development. However, staff planning to meet the needs of older children do not focus on their next steps and provide stimulating

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

activities. Staff do not organise play areas and provide sufficient activities, to ensure older children are actively involved in their play and to extend their learning effectively. Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their physical skills. For instance, they play on large play equipment in the garden as well as going on nature walks to explore their local community.

p.5

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Staff do not provide children with a suitably safe environment where hazards are removed to maintain children's well-being. For instance, staff are aware of the broken door in the mud kitchen but have not removed it. They do not identify brambles hanging over fences where easels are set up. Staff do not plan a suitably stimulating and engaging environment. For instance, they place musical instruments in the book area where children who are exploring books and listening to stories are disturbed. Children are not focused on activities. For instance, older children copy the attention-seeking behaviour of the younger children to gain the attention of staff. Staff provide children with nutritious meals and snacks and are aware of how to meet the needs of children who have special dietary requirements.

p.5

Outcomes for children require improvement

Older children are not sufficiently challenged in their play and this has a significantly negative impact on their learning progress. Older children enjoy making 'potions' with friends in the mud kitchen. However, opportunities to develop their interest in mathematical language and learn new vocabulary are not utilised. Older children are not well prepared for the next stage in their learning and for the move to school. Babies and children with additional needs are effectively supported in their learning and play. For instance, they enjoy predicting what will happen as they place the sticks into the holes of the pop-up game and eagerly anticipate the character jumping out of the barrel. All children are confident and eager to listen to stories as they develop their interest in literacy.

p.5

Setting details

Unique reference number EY443819 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10116511 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.6

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 51 Name of registered person Alpha Nurseries Ltd

p.6

reference number

Date of previous inspection 2 August 2017 Telephone number 01304203040

p.6

reference number

Umbrella Nursery registered in 2012. It is one of 17 nurseries owned by Alpha Nurseries Ltd and operates in Dover, Kent. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, for most of the year. There are seven members of staff, five of whom hold a relevant childcare qualification at level 3 and one at level 2. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

reference number

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: www.ofsted.gov.uk/user .

p.7

reference number

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

p.7