Casa dei Bambini Day Nursery

Inspection of Casa dei Bambini Day Nursery St. Johns Hall, St. Johns Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 0HF

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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

Children's health and safety is not assured because there are breaches of requirements in relation to safeguarding that undermine children's health and welfare. Furthermore, children's well-being is compromised as staff fail to ensure that risk assessments are implemented effectively. For instance, staff do not identify when outdoor equipment is too wet and slippery for children to climb. They fail to quickly take action when informed that furniture is broken.

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The provision is inadequate

The quality of education is supported well, leading to good outcomes for children. Children enjoy a broad and balanced curriculum, which considers their interests and next steps in learning. Staff have high expectations for all children in their care. There is a strong focus on supporting children's communication and language skills. This includes those children who are learning to speak English as an additional language. Children display positive behaviour and know what is expected of them. They have appropriate manners and say 'please' and 'thank you'. Children listen and show respect to others.

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The provision is inadequate

Although parents do not enter the nursery because of COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions, staff make every effort to talk with them about their children. Staff support parents to share information about their children's development and exchange regular updates about their progress on a digital platform. Parents report that their children look forward to the days that they attend. Children demonstrate that they feel happy and secure. In particular, babies are settled and form strong attachments with their key person, who supports their emotional well-being effectively.

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need to do better?

n This inspection was brought forward to look into concerns around food hygiene, health and staff deployment. At inspection, it was found that staff do not ensure that the premises and equipment are safe and suitable. For example, staff do not demonstrate how they are managing safety and do not take all reasonable steps to ensure that children are not exposed to the dangers presented by broken furniture or a wet slide. Staff fail to act quickly when children drop food onto the floor and put it into their mouths. This means that children's well-being is undermined. n Leadership is weak. The manager does not ensure that all staff have a good understanding of the nursery's safeguarding procedures. Some staff lack knowledge of how to notify relevant agencies with statutory responsibilities without delay. This means that the team are unable to work together successfully and fail to protect children from potential harm. This puts children

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need to do better?

28 June 2021 n Staff generally take part in discussions with the manager to support their professional development. However, the monitoring of staff performance does not focus sharply on identifying and sharing strengths in teaching. The provider fails to fully consider ways to further develop the manager's personal effectiveness and the quality of staff practice. n Staff understand child development well and the importance of building on what children know to prepare them for the next stage of their learning. Staff ensure that the experiences children receive are meaningful and help progress their knowledge and skills. For example, staff interact well to encourage younger children to solve problems as they position cube pieces and select the correct shape to add to the tower. Older children show curiosity and patience as they independently solve challenging geometric shape puzzles. n Staff working with the babies and toddlers plan some stimulating activities and

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need to do better?

set out enjoyable resources. For instance, staff encourage younger children to use animal figures to explore paint and they encourage them to observe the marks these make in the tray, which the babies enjoy. Staff support toddlers' communication skills effectively. They repeat what children say and respond clearly to their words or babbles. n Children are confident and independent. They are consistently offered choices, for example, about which activity they would like from a wide range of accessible resources. Older children butter their own crackers at snack time and help to wipe the tables and wash up their plates at lunch, developing good coordination and physical skills. n Staff provide a well-organised learning environment. They provide children with various experiences in the nursery to help to narrow any gaps in their learning. Children take responsibility for rolling their mats out for a yoga session and are

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need to do better?

mindful of others' space. Staff link physical movement effectively to children's interests to engage them fully. For example, staff retell the familiar story of 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt', which children translate into physical actions. Older children enthusiastically offer their ideas for different moves.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff's safeguarding knowledge is varied. Some staff do not fully understand their own roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. For instance, staff do not know what to do if they need to escalate a safeguarding concern outside of the nursery. Although the manager ensures that staff receive relevant training, she does not check that all staff have a secure knowledge of safeguarding. This means that staff cannot be relied upon to safeguard children's welfare. Furthermore, risk assessments are not implemented effectively to keep children safe. Despite this, staff have a sufficient knowledge of the basic signs of abuse and neglect. Leaders ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children and carry out appropriate checks to ensure that they remain suitable.

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Due date

ensure that all staff know how to implement the setting's safeguarding policy and procedures and are confident in how to make a referral if concerned about a child's welfare 14/07/2021

p.4

Due date

implement rigorous risk assessments to ensure that any potential hazards are identified and removed in order to maintain children's safety, with particular regard to wet and broken outdoor equipment 14/07/2021

p.4

Due date

review hygiene routines to ensure that necessary steps are taken to prevent the spread of infection, with particular regard to snack times and mealtimes 14/07/2021

p.4

Due date

ensure that all staff, including the manager, receive effective support, coaching and training to fulfil their roles, to identify and target weaker aspects and improve their personal effectiveness. 14/07/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY297374 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10195871 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 47 Number of children on roll 40

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Name of registered person

Hartley House Montessori Limited T/A Eco Montessori

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reference number

Telephone number 01962 855412 Date of previous inspection 7 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Casa dei Bambini Day Nursery is one of two settings run by Hartley House Montessori Ltd. It registered in 2004 and is in Winchester, Hampshire. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm all year round. It receives funding to provide free early education for three- and four-year-old children. The nursery employs 11 members of staff. Of these, three are qualified at level 6 and three hold an appropriate qualification at level 3. The nursery operates in line with the Montessori method of teaching.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and has taken this into account in their evaluation of the setting. n This inspection was carried out as part of a risk assessment process. n The inspector assessed how well leaders and staff understand and implement the setting's policies, and how they monitor children's learning. n The inspector observed activities in the two main base rooms and garden. She talked to staff about the progress individual children are making. n A joint observation was carried out by the inspector and the manager. The inspector observed interactions between staff and the children and the impact these have on children's learning. The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children. n A meeting was held between the inspector and the manager. The inspector

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Inspection activities

reviewed relevant documentation, including staff qualifications, staff records and evidence of paediatric first-aid training. The inspector had a discussion about the evaluation of the setting and plans for improvement. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection.

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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

28 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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