Leap And Learn - Northstowe

Inspection of Leap And Learn - Northstowe C/o Pathfinder Primary School, Longstanton CB24 3DS

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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The provision is inadequate

The quality of care that children receive while at this nursery is inadequate. Staff do not show enough compassion for children's well-being. For example, they take walking babies out into a wet and cold garden with just socks on their feet. These babies already have coughs and colds. They end up spending a reasonable amount of time toddling around in soaking wet socks because staff have not considered the potential impact on their health and well-being.

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not receive a good enough early years education. Although children are generally happy, the quality of teaching and interaction in all rooms is poor. Staff move very quickly between activities because they need to deal with inappropriate behaviour, such as children running, throwing sand or not sharing. This means that little sustained learning takes place.

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The provision is inadequate

Some children demonstrate that they feel safe, for example as they show developing relationships with new staff. However, the lack of supervision of children and the ineffectiveness of risk assessments, mean that this sense of safety and security that children entrust to the adults caring for them, is misplaced. Children's safety is compromised.

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need to do better?

n Despite intensive support from the local authority, insufficient progress has been made since the last inspection to improve the quality of care and education provided. As a result, children do not gain the broad range of skills and experiences that they need to succeed in life, and school when the time comes. n Insufficient information is gathered about children's starting points. Observations are not made of children's learning frequently enough. The assessment of children's learning and development is not accurate. Progress checks for children between the age of two and three years are not completed. Support for children who experience delay in their development is not swift or effective enough to help narrow the gaps between them and other children. On a basic level, planning takes some account of children's interests. However, it does not reflect individual children's learning priorities to help them to make good progress.

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need to do better?

n The quality of teaching throughout the nursery is poor. For example, staff may sit down at a particular activity with children and begin to guide children's learning. However, very quickly they have to move away in order to redirect children's inappropriate behaviour. This means there is a lack of good-quality learning experiences. Some staff restrict children's creativity and expression of ideas. For example, as a child creates their own sand sculptures on the floor, they are instantly directed by staff to put the sand back into the sand tray. As a result, children lose interest in the activity and lack appropriate engagement.

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need to do better?

4 November 2019 Some children show a lack of respect for their friend's efforts because they do not receive sufficient challenge from staff to extend their own learning. n The manager and director do not monitor staff's practice. This is why the quality of the provision is poor. Staff supervisions are not prioritised. This means staff do not receive any feedback about their individual practice and how they can make necessary improvements for the benefit of the children they care for. Recruitment procedures are suitable. A log of complaints is maintained with the required details. n The key-person system is ineffective. Key persons do not ensure that children's care is tailored to their individual needs. For example, children's noses constantly run, babies are not encouraged to have a drink with their snack, and they do not wear appropriate footwear outside given the inclement weather. The room where babies sleep is very cold and they do not settle for a sleep in a cot with

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need to do better?

cold sheets. n Children are ready for their snacks and lunch and sit with their friends to eat. However, staff do not model good manners, have high expectations of the children or use the opportunity for good-quality interaction. For example, some staff flick food from the spoons that they are using to serve children's food onto their plates at lunchtime. Most children, including the eldest, only have a fork to eat their lunch with. This does not prepare children with the basic skills they will need for school. n Parents receive an appropriate range of information when they collect their children. However, there are no systems set up to share information with other providers when children attend more than one early years setting. This does not promote consistency or continuity for children. n Children's growing independence is not sufficiently promoted or nurtured by staff. Staff are more concerned with completing routine tasks rather than

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need to do better?

enabling, encouraging and praising children's independence skills. n Outdoor areas for all age groups of children provide a wide range of interesting resources. n Nappy changing procedures have recently been reviewed. These ensure that children's nappies are frequently checked and changed when required.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Risk assessments are ineffective. Plastic carrier bags and aprons with long ties are accessible to unsupervised children in one of the toilets in a pre-school toilet cubicle. There is a bottle of washing-up liquid accessible to pre-school children at the front of a counter. These items pose a significant risk to children's safety. Staff deployment is, at times, poor. Staff are not alert to where children are or what they are doing; this includes when toddlers access toilets unsupervised. Accidents are not always seen, which means parents do not get an accurate account of what happened. During the inspection, a pre-school child was able to access a nursery mobile phone and watch a pre-loaded video about 'pirates' for a few minutes without a member of staff noticing. While the inspector was assured and confident

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Safeguarding

4 November 2019 that there was no risk of children accessing unsuitable material, it means that staff do not always think about where they leave things and whether they can be reached by children.

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Safeguarding

Staff have an appropriate understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and who to report any concerns to. All staff have undertaken safeguarding training since the last inspection.

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Due date

take all reasonable steps to ensure that children are not exposed to risks and that their safety is given the utmost priority 18/11/2019

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Due date

ensure that children are adequately supervised at all times and that the deployment of staff enables them to meet children's needs and ensure their safety 25/11/2019

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Due date

ensure that the room used by babies for sleeping is fit for purpose with regards the temperature so that they are able to sleep and rest comfortably 25/11/2019

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Due date

improve the effectiveness of the key- person system so that each child's care is tailored to meet their individual needs and fully support their well-being 30/12/2019

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Due date

implement effective arrangements for the supervision of staff to provide support, coaching and training that significantly improves the quality of teaching and fosters a culture of mutual support, teamwork and continuous improvement 30/12/2019

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Due date

enable a regular two-way flow of information between providers if a child attends more than one setting 30/12/2019

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Due date

4 November 2019 ensure that ongoing assessment involves the regular observation of children to understand their level of achievement across the areas of learning, interests and learning styles 30/12/2019

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Due date

use information from observations to accurately identify children's progress and, where children experience delay, ensure that effective support is implemented to help them to make good progress 30/12/2019

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Due date

ensure that planning for individual children's learning takes account of their starting points, individual needs and stages of development so that they make good progress and enjoy challenging and enjoyable experiences in all areas of learning 30/12/2019

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Due date

review children's progress between the ages of two and three years, and provide parents and/or carers with a short written summary of their child's development in the prime areas 30/12/2019

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Due date

improve the quality of teaching throughout the nursery so that staff guide children's development through warm, positive interaction, and enable children to make good progress and fulfil their potential. 30/12/2019

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should:

n recognise when children can do things for themselves and give them more opportunities and time to develop their independence skills n ensure that staff guide children through mealtimes with positive interaction and provide good role models during this social experience.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY550417 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10112875 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 1 to 4 Total number of places 76 Number of children on roll 86 Name of registered person Leap And Learn Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01954 584804 Date of previous inspection 4 June 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Leap and Learn - Northstowe registered in 2017. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6pm each weekday, with the exception of bank holidays. The nursery offers funded early education places for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are 23 members of staff employed to work with the children, including the manager and one director. Of these, 15 have appropriate childcare qualifications at level 2 or 3. One member of staff has a qualification at level 6.

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Inspection activities

n This inspection was carried out as part of a risk assessment process, following information received by Ofsted. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

4 November 2019 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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