Flitwick Day Nursery

Inspection of Flitwick Day Nursery 20 Steppingley Road, Flitwick, Bedford MK45 1AJ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

The quality of teaching remains variable. While children appear happy and settled, not all staff have the skills they need to help children to make consistently good progress. At times, staff focus too much on domestic routines and miss opportunities to engage positively with children, especially during mealtimes. Some group activities in pre-school are overly long and lack stimulation. Children become distracted and their behaviour deteriorates.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff provide children with interesting resources, such as lemons and limes, for role play, but then miss opportunities to encourage children to explore and investigate them. Older children are encouraged to be independent in their personal care. However, toilet facilities do not offer those children who are potty training enough privacy. Nonetheless, there is some good teaching practice in the nursery. For example, babies are nurtured well by competent and caring staff. They benefit from planned activities that attract their interest, such as using musical instruments.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff offer babies and younger children a comforting environment and meet children's care needs well. Teamwork in some rooms is more established than others and staff have a more in-depth understanding of children's individual learning needs. As a result, activities in these rooms more effectively reflect children's interests and aptitudes. Overall, children show a willingness to learn as, for example, they sift through sand for buried 'treasure'.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, the overall organisation of rooms and the deployment of resources have vastly improved. Children have calm and spacious areas to play and can easily access resources and equipment. During times when children choose their own activities, this has improved their learning experiences. Managers have plans underway to overhaul the nursery's gardens to give children better learning opportunities outdoors. n Overall, staff throughout the nursery work well with parents to find out children's interests from home. Parents are pleased with the nursery and most comment favourably on the communication they have with staff. They say staff support them well to settle their children in to the nursery. Parents who have children with additional needs, such as allergies, praise staff for being conscientious in meeting those needs. Parents have regular times to meet with staff and discuss children's progress.

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need to do better?

n Assessments of what children know and can do are not precise enough. In some cases, staff's aspirations for children's learning are not high enough. This results in staff not always offering children sufficient challenge and testing their

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need to do better?

27 November 2019 capabilities. For instance, during a cooking activity, opportunities were overlooked to extend children's understanding of recipes and ingredients. n Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have taken some steps to address weaknesses, such as implementing a new way of planning. However, recent further changes in management and staff means the ongoing drive to improve the quality of teaching has stalled. Arrangements for monitoring staff's performance have not had the time to become embedded. That being said, the new management team has insight into what needs to be done. Action plans have been devised and support meetings for staff are beginning to identify professional development needs. n Children's good health is supported well. They enjoy daily physical exercise in the nursery garden. Older children balance and climb, while younger children use trikes and scooters competently. Food is freshly cooked on site and children

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need to do better?

are offered varied and nutritious food choices. Staff teach children appropriate hygiene routines and talk about the importance of washing away germs. n Children develop the key skills they need for the next stage of their learning, including school. Older children learn to recognise their names and have opportunities to practise their early writing. Staff introduce younger children to numbers. They sing counting songs and play games that include shapes and colours. Overall, children listen well to stories and enjoy singing songs and nursery rhymes. n Staff monitor visitors to the nursery and make sure that anyone collecting children is authorised to do so. Daily checks of the premises and equipment help to identify and remove any potential risks. Staff teach children safe procedures, such as holding the handrail as they climb the stairs.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff have appropriate safeguarding training. They know and understand the procedures to follow if they have concerns that a child is at risk of abuse. The nursery procedures are prominently displayed so all are aware of their responsibility to protect children. The owners carry out robust checks on any new staff to make sure they are suitable to work with children. Staff are conscientious in supervising children to keep them safe.

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Due date

27 November 2019 support staff to develop their teaching skills and raise the level of children's achievements to a higher level 20/12/2019

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Due date

increase the accuracy of children's assessments to sharpen the planning of activities, raise expectations for children's learning and provide them with suitable levels of challenge 20/12/2019

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Due date

provide children with appropriate toileting facilities that offer them a suitable level of privacy. 20/12/2019

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY486612 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 10131537 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 0 to 4 Total number of places 84 Number of children on roll 77 Name of registered person Davidson-Roberts Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01525 718866 Date of previous inspection 11 June 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Flitwick Day Nursery registered in 2015. The nursery employs 22 members of childcare staff. Of these, 16 staff members hold appropriate qualifications between level 2 and level 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector and the manager completed a learning walk of the nursery to see how the provision is organised. n The inspector spoke with staff, children and parents during the inspection. n The inspector observed children and their interactions with staff to assess the quality of teaching and children's learning. She carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector met with the nominated individual and members of the senior management team to discuss management processes. Essential documents were checked, including evidence of the suitability of staff.

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Inspection activities

27 November 2019 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

27 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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