Puddleducks Nursery

Inspection of Puddleducks Nursery 66a Wrest Park, Bedford MK45 4HS

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

There are breaches of requirements in relation to child protection that undermine children's safety and well-being. Leaders do not have robust procedures that ensure all possible patterns of harm are acted upon quickly.

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The provision is inadequate

Children enjoy their time at nursery. They settle quickly on arrival and engage in play that interests them. Children are well supported by the communication between staff and parents that helps to ensure their needs are met well. For example, parents inform staff that children have been listening to lots of nursery rhymes while at home during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Staff sing familiar songs to help comfort young children when away from their parents.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are very imaginative. Staff provide resources that help children extend their ideas. Older children use wands made with straws to turn each other into different animals. Younger children buy ice creams from staff and pretend to type on their laptops as they sit at tables. Older children concentrate for long periods of time to complete a task to their satisfaction. They develop skills they will need for the next stage of their learning, such as attending school. Babies explore a variety of sensory materials, sitting in trays to feel sand and porridge oats with their fingers and feet. This helps to develop their senses.

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need to do better?

n Weaknesses in the overarching safeguarding arrangements mean that children's well-being is undermined. Systems to identify patterns of concern, so they can be acted on swiftly, have not been implemented. n Staff help children to develop their social skills. For example, when toddlers build a tower, staff sensitively encourage children to wait their turn and praise them when they achieve this. Older children form special friendships with each other. n Children have good relationships with their key person. Babies crawl towards their special member of staff to seek comfort when they are upset. n Staff know children well. They use the information to plan for what children need to learn next and provide good quality education. Staff in the pre-school room build on what the children already know. For example, they talk about where a rocket might take you and what happens when you are in space. Staff gain children's interest and embed this learning further as children ask to be

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need to do better?

read non-fiction books about rockets and space. n Staff sing with children throughout the day, helping them to develop their listening skills. They encourage young babies to listen and move their bodies to the actions. Toddlers lay quietly as they pretend to sleep, waiting with excitement to jump up. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. If

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need to do better?

5 May 2021 children are not developing within age-related expectations, staff identify this quickly. They work with parents and other professionals to support the child as best they can. The staff use additional funding for children, so learning is well supported. As a result, children make good progress in their development. n Staff promote children's good health. Children wash their hands regularly and can explain the reason why. Staff initiate discussions about healthy food with the children who talk about what fruit they like. The on-site chef cooks healthy, balanced and nutritious meals. n Staff encourage children to participate in exciting physical exercise. Children cheer each other on as they race around the garden. Young children use their whole bodies as they stretch upwards and sideways to make marks with chalk on a board. This helps develop children's muscles and coordination. n The manager and owner encourage staff's professional development. Staff

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need to do better?

revisit their own learning about how to help children develop. They demonstrate they are committed to the profession and strive to provide a happy and stimulating place for children to be. Staff are ambitious and have high expectations for children's learning and the progress they can make. n Staff share regular updates about children's progress with parents on a digital platform. However, they do not consistently obtain more frequent updates about children's learning at home to use as part of children's ongoing assessment.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding officer does not have a clear overview of their role. They have failed to act on patterns of possible abuse or neglect in children attending the setting. This potentially puts children at risk of further harm. Despite this, staff have a suitable knowledge of the signs and indicators of abuse and neglect. They know how to report those concerns to the designated officer and relevant agencies.

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Due date

ensure the designated safeguarding officer has a clear overview of their role in order to safeguard children and to act on patterns of possible abuse or neglect 03/06/2021

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Due date

5 May 2021 make sure that all essential documentation relating to possible safeguarding concerns is managed effectively to help keep children safe. 03/06/2021

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should:

n work even more closely with parents to obtain continuous updates about their child's learning at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY549141 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 10143480 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 44 Name of registered person Rosedale Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01525861743 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Puddleducks Nursery registered in 2017 and is owned by a limited company that runs two other nurseries. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff; nine of whom are qualified and one of which is qualified to level 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager, senior staff and the inspector completed a learning walk of the nursery to discuss how they organise activities to meet children's needs. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The manager and inspector conducted a joint observation. n The inspector sampled relevant documents used to establish staff suitability to work with children. n Children spoke to the inspector about their time at nursery, such as their favourite things to do.

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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

5 May 2021 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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