Early Stage Care

Inspection of Early Stage Care 20a Darnall Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S9 5AB

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is inadequate

The provider and manager do not demonstrate the capacity to improve the quality of the provision. They have not acted to tackle areas of weakness identified at the last inspection. There are no effective and consistent arrangements for monitoring staff's practice. Consequently, children continue to receive a poorly planned curriculum that does not meet their individual learning needs.

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The provision is inadequate

Since the last inspection, there has been no improvement to the key-person role. Staff still do not ensure that every child's learning is tailored to meet their individual needs and sometimes their expectations of what children can achieve are too high. They do not assess children's abilities on entry. Some children have attended the setting for two years, but staff still do not know about their development needs. Consequently, they do not provide learning that builds on what children already know and can do.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff are qualified, but they do not use their knowledge and skills well enough to provide children with high-quality learning experiences. Children do not make good progress. They do not have good opportunities to develop the skills they need for the next stage of their education, such as school. That said, children show that they are happy in the care of staff. Toddlers display some good behaviour. However, their play lacks focus because activities available to them are not purposeful and do not capture their interests. Staff do not implement effective hygiene practices to prevent the risk of cross-infection.

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need to do better?

n Staff do not have an accurate assessment of where children are in their learning or what they need to learn next. This means they provide activities that are too challenging, and their expectations of what children can achieve are too high. For example, staff name colours for toddlers while encouraging them to post pieces of coloured paper through holes in a cut out 'Christmas tree'. However, they expect toddlers to name and match colours correctly. This is not appropriate to their age or stage of development. n On the day of the inspection, the inspector observed that the manager allows staff to sit in the office with her, bringing toddlers they are caring for with them. This is not an appropriate play environment for young children. This demonstrates the lack of thought that the manager and staff give to supporting and enhancing children's learning experiences while they are at the nursery. n Following observation, assessment and planning training carried out by the local

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need to do better?

authority, staff have very recently started to observe children's play. However, they do not know how to use this information to identify children's next steps in learning. As a result, planning lacks focus and children are not provided with

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need to do better?

11 December 2019 purposeful play that supports their individual learning needs. n Staff do not provide children with a good range of adult-led and child-initiated activities that support their development across the seven areas of learning. Children do not make the best possible progress and are not prepared well enough for their future education n Staff do not gather information about children's skills before they start at the nursery. They do not consistently inform parents of their child's next steps in learning, so they are able to continue with their child's learning at home. n The key-person system is ineffective. Staff who provide cover in rooms when key persons are absent do not know enough information about the children they are working with. As a result, children do not receive good levels of support to promote their care and learning. n Staff do not inform parents or other professionals if children's progress is less

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need to do better?

than typical, such as an identified speech and language delay. As a result, support is not sought in a timely way to provide children with the additional support they need. Consequently, gaps in their development do not narrow quickly enough. n Although staff complete a progress check of children between the age of two and three years, this information is not accurate. Staff are unable to identify and plan for children's next steps precisely because assessments of children's progress are of poor quality and inaccurate. n Staff do not implement effective hygiene practices to prevent the risk of cross- infection. They do encourage toddlers to wash their hands after they have had their nappy changed, nor do they wash their own or toddlers' hands before food. Staff do not promote children's independence in self-care so that they have the skills they need for their future education. n Although the manager completes supervision meetings with staff, there is no

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need to do better?

effective and consistent monitoring of staff's practice. Staff are not supported well enough to raise the quality of their teaching. They are keen to interact with children. However, the lack of suitable direction from the manager means staff are not improving their practice, knowledge and abilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff with lead responsibility for safeguarding do not know the procedure to follow in the event of an allegation against the provider or manager. Consequently, they cannot give effective support, advice and guidance to other staff on this specific safeguarding issue should the need arise. This significantly compromises children's safety. Furthermore, all staff, including the manager and provider, have a poor knowledge of wider child protection issues, such as breast ironing and county lines. Despite this, staff have improved their knowledge of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse since the last inspection.

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Due date

ensure staff with lead responsibility for safeguarding children understand the procedure to follow in the event of an allegation against the provider and/or manager so that they can give effective support and guidance to others should the need arise 07/01/2020

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Due date

improve all staff's knowledge of wider safeguarding issues and ensure they are able to recognise when a child may be at risk of harm and know how to respond in a timely and appropriate way 07/01/2020

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Due date

implement effective arrangements for monitoring the practice of staff and managers to provide appropriate support, coaching and training to improve their skills and promote continuous improvement 07/01/2020

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Due date

implement effective hygiene procedures for staff and children and take necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection. 07/01/2020

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Due date

improve the key-person system to ensure children's care is tailored to meet their individual needs at all times and build successful relationships with parents so that they are consistently informed about their children's care and learning 11/03/2020

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Due date

11 December 2019 use information about children's individual needs, learning styles and stage of development, to ensure each area of learning and development is implemented through planned, purposeful play and a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities, to challenge children and fully support their good progress in all areas 11/03/2020

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Due date

encourage parents to share information about their child's skills and abilities on entry and ongoing, and share information regularly with them about their child's progress and what they need to learn next, to enable parents to continue children's learning at home 11/03/2020

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Due date

complete regular and accurate assessments that give a clear overview of the progress that children make, including the progress check between the age of two and three years and provide parents with a short written summary 11/03/2020

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Due date

seek support promptly from other relevant professionals where appropriate to support children who are not achieving at the typical levels for their age, particularly in communication and language. 11/03/2020

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY557211 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 10115827 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 13 Total number of places 33 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Early - Stage Care Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01143276405 Date of previous inspection 10 July 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Early Stage Care registered in 2018. The nursery employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one holds level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector carried out a learning walk with the manager and discussed how the curriculum is delivered.

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Inspection activities

11 December 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

11 December 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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