Tops Day Nurseries - Portsmouth

Inspection of Tops Day Nurseries - Portsmouth QUEEN ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL SOUTHWICK HILL ROAD, COSHAM, PORTSMOUTH, HAMPSHIRE PO6 3LY

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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 Good

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The provision is inadequate

The safeguarding and welfare breaches in requirements prevent children from having their overall well-being supported effectively. Leaders do not ensure all staff complete induction training to understand their roles and responsibilities when they start working at the nursery. As a result, this weakness compromises children's safety.

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The provision is inadequate

Some younger children are not settled into the nursery well enough, which at times hinders their emotional well-being. They become distressed when their key person is out of sight and other staff are not quick enough to soothe them. This prevents some children from developing a sense of emotional security. Despite this weakness, the overall curriculum is supported well, leading to good outcomes for children.

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The provision is inadequate

Children behave well and have high levels of curiosity and concentration in their play. For example, babies intently focus when handling and looking through transparent building blocks. Older children spend time noticing how bubbles make marks during water play.

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The provision is inadequate

Children access a well-thought-out curriculum which promotes them to express their ideas and thoughts for their play. This is supported by resources that promote their thinking and sense of exploration. For instance, babies are inquisitive when exploring a sensory basket of different household objects, and older children play together in the role play kitchen area with real utensils.

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need to do better?

n Leaders fail to ensure all staff have the appropriate skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively. Leaders do not ensure that all staff complete an induction, despite this weakness being previously raised with the nursery during an Ofsted regulatory visit. This puts children at risk. n Leaders do not monitor staff's ongoing knowledge effectively to ensure they know their roles and responsibilities to care for children. As a result, weaknesses are not addressed, hindering children's safety. n Staff do not put effective arrangements in place to ensure all children settle smoothly into nursery. For instance, when young children show signs of distress, staff fail to respond quickly to settle them at times. The nursery supports a gentle approach to meeting children's needs, for example asking children if it's ok to wipe their nose. This was observed to work well. Although staff work well with parents to understand a child's needs when they first start at the nursery,

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need to do better?

they are not always confident to replicate the child's home routines. This delays children from settling into their new surroundings.

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need to do better?

2 June 2021 n Leaders have a clear vision for the learning they intend children to gain when at the nursery. They understand child development well and the importance of building on what children know to prepare them for the next stage. Leaders share this vision well with staff to ensure the experiences children receive are meaningful and help progress their knowledge and skills. For example, staff support children to develop good levels of independence as they consider what measures they need to take before playing outside in the sun. Children make the decision that they need sun cream and apply their own with supervision from staff. Younger children develop good physical skills as they use water to fill and empty metal containers. Staff are skilled to use opportunities of children's interest to introduce early mathematical language such as 'heavy' and 'more'. n Children show care and consideration for their peers. They have good levels of

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need to do better?

discussion over their freshly cooked lunch. Older children discuss their similarities and differences when talking about what they will have for lunch. n Staff work closely with other professionals to obtain and share information about children's learning and development and overall well-being. This contributes to the good levels of progress children make in their learning. n Parents have been able to address concerns about the nursery with leaders and these have been actioned appropriately. This demonstrates that systems for managing complaints are effective. Parents compliment the support their children receive by staff to develop their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff's safeguarding knowledge is varied. They do not fully understand their own roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. For instance, staff do not know what to do if they report a concern about children's welfare and need to escalate this outside of the nursery. This is because leaders do not provide them with adequate induction and training. Staff also fail to understand the nursery's procedures to follow in the event of being concerned by the conduct of another staff member. This fails to ensure that a referral would be made in a timely manner. Consequently, staff cannot be relied upon to safeguard children's welfare. Leaders ensure all staff are suitable to work with children and carry out suitability checks to ensure they remain suitable.

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Due date

2 June 2021 take action to ensure all staff fully understand the setting's safeguarding policies and procedures in the event of needing to escalate a welfare concern about a child or allegation against a member of staff to external agencies with statutory responsibilities 18/06/2021

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Due date

ensure all staff receive induction training to enable them to know and understand their roles and responsibilities, with particular regard to safeguarding children 18/06/2021

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Due date

take action to ensure staff's knowledge and skills are monitored effectively so that gaps in knowledge are identified and tackled swiftly, with particular regard to safeguarding knowledge and enhancements to teaching 18/06/2021

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Due date

ensure arrangements for helping young children settle at the nursery meet their emotional needs effectively. 18/06/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY281231 Local authority Portsmouth Inspection number 10196780 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

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inspection

Total number of places 115 Number of children on roll 246 Name of registered person Tops Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 02392 215786 Date of previous inspection 14 January 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Tops Day Nurseries - Portsmouth registered in 2004 and operates from the grounds of the Queen Alexandra Hospital. It is open Monday to Friday from 6am until 8pm, all year round, except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. It receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 54 staff to work with the children. Of these, two hold early years professional status and 37 hold appropriate qualifications in early years childcare and learning.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the 2020-21 COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector and the manager carried out a 'learning walk' across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n One joint observation was carried out by the inspector and the manager to observe the quality of teaching. n The inspector held discussions with children, staff and parents at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector looked at a sample of documentation. This included staff suitability checks and inductions, risk assessments and safeguarding documentation. n A leadership meeting was held with the manager, quality manager and deputy manager.

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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

2 June 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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