21st Centurykidz Day Nursery

Inspection of 21st Centurykidz Day Nursery Emerald Street, BLACKBURN BB1 9QJ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Children arrive at the nursery happy and eager to start their day. Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, parents are unable to enter the premises. However, as children are greeted by familiar faces, they enter with ease. The new manager is highly qualified. She leads a team of enthusiastic staff. However, although leaders have a strong vision to create and deliver an ambitious curriculum, what they want children to learn is not consistently implemented across the nursery. This means that children do not make the progress that they are capable of.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff plan some interesting activities that children enjoy. Younger children delight in exploring new textures and sensory materials. Babies experiment with sand and edible icing sugar. Toddlers use toy animals to make prints in paint. They are starting to link their actions to the marks they make. Older children are creative and imaginative. They choose items from around the room to use in their play. Boys construct a model car. They pretend to drive the car using a circular mat 'steering wheel' and proudly wave to their friends.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are well cared for. Enough staff are on hand to help and support them. However, staff do not always identify and remove hazards as swiftly as possible. Nonetheless, as staff are mostly deployed with the children and staff-to-child ratios are maintained, this reduces the risk to children. In the main, children behave well in relation to their age. Staff make learning fun and, overall, weave in some key aspects that children need to learn.

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need to do better?

n Staff receive mandatory training and some training that is specific to the age group they work with. Leaders have recently begun to provide more individualised professional development for staff. This is to help to develop their skills and understanding of the curriculum. However, leaders have not ensured that all staff follow risk assessment procedures. On the day of the inspection staff had not identified or taken steps to remove possible hazards, such as standing rainwater, a broken chair and damaged toilet seat in the older children's rooms, broken plant pots and trailing wires. n Staff often ask questions in quick succession without giving babies time to answer. Staff do not model the correct pronunciation of words to ensure that toddler's hear and start to use correct language. Nonetheless, staff working with older children encourage the use of rich and purposeful language. As they make a dough mixture, the oldest children use vocabulary, such as 'ingredients,

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need to do better?

measuring' and use descriptive words to tell others what they are doing. Children are beginning to form some recognisable letters. Staff help to them to

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need to do better?

13 July 2021 develop their finger grip through large and small scale threading activities. This helps to prepare them for early writing. n Overall, relationships are strong and respectful. However, staff are not always consistent in how they deal with children's behaviour. This leads to confusion as children do not fully understand what is expected of them. For example, babies throw sand and are praised but then are told not to do so. When children disagree over a toy, they are not always encouraged to resolve their conflict and take turns. This means they do not always know what behaviour is acceptable. n Some aspects of the curriculum are promoted well. For example, staff skilfully support children's understanding of the world. Staff teach children about places of worship such as mosques and churches. This helps them to start to recognise some of the similarities and differences between themselves and others. To

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need to do better?

teach children about care and empathy for living things, staff purchased a nursery pet and children considerately attend to 'Pancake the hamster'. However, while leaders have a clear intent for how to promote key areas of the curriculum, they have not ensured that all staff can deliver it consistently. n Staff work closely with parents and outside agencies to ensure that children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities develop well. Leaders also act with integrity to ensure that disadvantaged children receive the care that they are entitled to. For example, free meals are provided to children in receipt of funded places. This helps to ensure that there is no barrier to their attendance. n Partnership with parents is a key strength. Parents spoken to comment that within the local community, the nursery is highly regarded. Parents are updated and can contribute towards children's learning, even with the restrictions due to

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need to do better?

COVID-19. Parents value the online application and some even say that communication has improved. n Staff have welcomed the new manager and the ambition she brings. However, they say that, on occasion, the workload is too much. Staff comment that the required ratios are met but due to a recent bout of sickness, which required some key staff to stay at home, children have been unsettled. As a result, group activities, care and comfort took priority, rather than focusing on individual children's learning. Leaders are aware of this and are taking steps to lessen the workload. For example, they are reducing paperwork by using online systems. The provider had not notified Ofsted that there is a new nursery manager. However, he has followed safer recruitment procedures to ensure that the manager is suitable to work with children. This helps to remove possible risks to children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider ensures that all staff are well trained and are able to respond to any child protections concerns. They are confident in the procedures to follow in the event of an allegation about a colleague. Staff, including trainee staff, are aware of some of the wider aspects of child protection, such as witchcraft, breast ironing and also how to spot signs that children are being subjected to radicalisation. This

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Safeguarding

13 July 2021 shows they keep up with new information and the potential dangers in the local area. Vulnerable children in particular are well protected. During the pandemic, staff continued to provide support to the families of children who did not attend. For example, they made regular telephone calls.

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Due date

improve risk assessment procedures to ensure children are not exposed to unnecessary risks and help staff to identify and minimise potential hazards to protect children's safety. 10/08/2021

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should:

n strengthen staff professional development to ensure that they can implement a precisely sequenced curriculum, this is particularly in relation to supporting younger children's communication and language skills n be more consistent with behavioural expectations so that all children understand why rules are in place and follow expected boundaries n take steps to reduce staff workload and give them more time to deliver a purposeful curriculum.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY500055 Local authority Blackburn with Darwen Inspection number 10201878 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 47 Number of children on roll 45 Name of registered person 21st Century Kidz Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01254681899 Date of previous inspection 8 February 2019

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Information about this early years setting

21st Centurykidz Day Nursery registered in 2016. The nursery employs nine childcare staff. Of these, seven hold early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am until 6pm, all year round. 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 has received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. 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 quality of teaching was observed indoors and outdoors and the inspector assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector conducted a learning walk with the nursery manager and the intent of the curriculum was discussed. n The inspector evaluated an activity with the nursery manager. n Regular meetings were held with leaders. n Relevant documentation was checked and discussed, such as policies and procedures, the inspector reviewed the setting's self-evaluation and checked evidence of staff suitability. n Parents' views were obtained. n Children and staff were spoken to throughout 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

13 July 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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