Elm Grove Childcare Club

Inspection of Elm Grove Childcare Club Elm Grove First School, Elm Grove, WORTHING, West Sussex BN11 5LQ

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

There are significant weaknesses in safeguarding practice. The provider does not ensure that all staff have a thorough knowledge of child protection. The manager does not robustly check that all staff understand safeguarding policies and procedures. She does not ensure that all staff receive training and supervision that enable them to have a secure understanding of what to do if they are concerned about a child's welfare. This puts children's safety at risk. Staff use their personal mobile phones while away from the setting to record children's day and achievements. The manager does not recognise this as a potential safeguarding risk.

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The provision is inadequate

The manager ensures that the nursery is safe, through daily checks of the environment. She has also assessed some risks when taking children out of the nursery. However, rigorous risk assessments for all the locations that children visit off site have not been completed or shared with all staff, to identify and minimise potential hazards to children such as unsolicited interactions with strangers. This compromises children's safety.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff provide an interesting range of activities to motivate children's interests and support their future learning. They have high expectations for all children. Parents speak highly of staff, saying their children enjoy going to the nursery and are developing good social skills. Staff are good role models and give children clear messages about behaviour expectations. As a result, children behave well.

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need to do better?

n The requirements for children's safeguarding and welfare are not met. The manager does not make sure that safeguarding policies and procedures are regularly reviewed, updated and shared with staff to keep their knowledge and understanding of child protection up to date. This includes staff who work with the most vulnerable children. Weaknesses in staff training and supervision arrangements mean that gaps in staff's safeguarding knowledge are not identified or acted on swiftly enough to ensure the ongoing safety of all children. n The policy supporting the use of mobile phones is not fit for purpose. Managers have failed to recognise the risk of staff using their own mobile phones for work purposes. They have not considered that staff can share information with other adults, or the impact this could have on children's safety. n Despite weaknesses in leadership, the manager has a good oversight of the

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need to do better?

curriculum and strives to provide a good-quality education for all children. She carefully considers what children need to learn next and works alongside staff and parents to plan an array of exciting activities. This helps children to develop the essential skills they need for their future learning. For example, children

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need to do better?

22 January 2020 enjoy role play in the post office used for imaginative play. Children practise their emerging literacy skills as they write letters to each other, before 'posting' them in the postbox they have made. n Staff provide a good range of experiences to broaden children's understanding of the world around them. For example, children enjoy visiting a local care home. They like to join in with activities, such as a parachute game, with the residents. Children have fun going with staff to the beach and their allotment. They grow fruit and vegetables, which they independently prepare to eat at snack time. Children learn about healthy lifestyles and share food that they grow with their local community. n Outdoor play experiences are a daily occurrence for the children. They independently choose to play indoors or outdoors for most of the session, and move freely between the two areas. Children develop good strength and

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need to do better?

coordination skills, for example, as they dig in the sand, move rocks and stones, and balance across numbered log slices. n There are good partnerships with external agencies, such as health visitors and other professionals. Staff work closely to share information about children's care, learning and health needs. This provides effective continuity of care for children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They are positive role models who politely interact with colleagues to set a good example for children. All staff consistently use a 'red and green' card system to help children begin to understand the consequences of their behaviour. As a result, children learn to be patient, take turns and make 'good choices' during their play. This encouraging behaviour management helps children to feel safe and secure.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The provider has not developed consistently robust safeguarding procedures. Policies and procedures to promote children's safety, welfare and well-being are not always up to date. The monitoring of safeguarding has not identified weaknesses in some staff's knowledge. The manager has not taken effective steps to ensure that all staff are adequately trained to identify all possible signs of abuse and are able to implement the written safeguarding policy. The policy on the use of staff's mobile phones and cameras does not safeguard children effectively. The manager has failed to consider the potential risks posed by staff using their own mobile phones to record children's experiences. The manager has failed to implement risk assessments consistently, in line with the Health and Safety Executive, and share them with all staff, to ensure children remain safe when participating in off-site activities. However, the provider and manager make sure

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Safeguarding

that staff are suitable to work with children through robust recruitment procedures.

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Due date

ensure that the written safeguarding policy is up to date and reflects current changes to legislation and wider safeguarding concerns, and is routinely shared with parents and staff 24/02/2020

p.4

Due date

ensure that all staff are trained to understand the setting's safeguarding policies and procedures and have an up- to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues, including who to contact if they have a concern about a child 24/02/2020

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Due date

put appropriate measures in place with regard to the use of mobile phones and cameras, to help safeguard children, and ensure that staff adhere to this policy at all times 24/02/2020

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Due date

put in place effective risk assessments, and take action to minimise or remove hazards that expose children to unnecessary risks during off-site activities, ensuring these are routinely shared with all staff 24/02/2020

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Due date

strengthen the use of the supervision process to provide all staff with a more targeted individual approach towards their continuous professional development. 24/02/2020

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Setting details

Unique reference number 155347 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10066691 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 2 to 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person The Childcare Club (Worthing) Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07909 873507 Date of previous inspection 25 April 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Elm Grove Childcare Club registered in 2003. It operates from Elm Grove First School in Worthing, West Sussex. The nursery is open from 9am to 3pm each weekday during term time, with a breakfast club available from 7.30am to 9am and an after-school club from 3pm to 6pm. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 18 staff, of whom nine hold qualifications at level 3, one holds a qualification at level 2 and six are apprentices.The manager holds a relevant qualification at level 6, and the provider holds a qualification at level 5.

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Inspection activities

n During a learning walk, a discussion was held about how the early years provision was organised and how the manager plans the curriculum and experiences for children. n A joint observation was carried out by the inspector and the manager. The inspector spoke to the children and staff throughout the inspection. 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 took account of parents' views, both verbally and through written feedback. n The inspector viewed documents, such as evidence of suitability checks for staff. She looked at a range of policies, including for safeguarding and the use of mobile phones. The inspector also viewed qualification certificates and the first- aid certificates for all staff.

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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

22 January 2020 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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