Dean Close Little Trees Day Nursery, Hucclecote

Inspection of Dean Close Little Trees Day Nursery, Hucclecote 141 Hucclecote Road, Gloucester GL3 3TX

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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

Although children enjoy being at the nursery, their safety is compromised by staff's weak safeguarding knowledge. The designated safeguarding lead and some staff lack an understanding of effective safeguarding procedures. For example, some staff do not have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the signs which should cause a safeguarding concern to be raised. Although staff attend relevant training, the management team do not check whether staff understand the training that has been delivered.

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The provision is inadequate

Children play cooperatively alongside each other and begin to make strong friendships from a young age. They seek out their friends and initiate imaginary play. For example, they use props and assign each other roles, such as 'mummy' and 'daughter'.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff have high expectations for the children as they engage them in activities and extend their learning. For example, when children are building towers out of logs, staff remind them that they used 10 logs previously and encourage them to build a higher tower, counting as they go along.

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The provision is inadequate

Parents say goodbye to children at the door, due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Children have learned to adapt to the new routine and separate with ease from their parent. Particular attention is given to children who need a little extra support coming into nursery and, as a result, these children settle well.

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need to do better?

n Safeguarding practice is weak. The designated safeguarding lead has poor knowledge of the steps to take if an allegation is made against a person working with children. Although she understands when she needs to make referrals about staff, she does not fully understand the local safeguarding partnership's procedures for allegations management. n The management team do not effectively implement their mobile phone and camera policy. Although all permanent staff are aware that mobile phones and cameras can only be used in a designated area of the nursery, agency staff are not consistently informed of the policy. As a result, children's safety is compromised. n The management team have procedures in place to check staff knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures, however, they do not check whether staff understand wider safeguarding issues. This gap in staff knowledge means children are not effectively safeguarded.

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need to do better?

n The management team have a clear ambition for what they want children to learn as they transition through the nursery and leave to begin school. The

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need to do better?

18 August 2021 environment is set up to help babies settle and feel secure and for older children to learn skills, which prepare them for the next stage of their life. n Children show good levels of independence. They begin to use cutlery from a young age and older children take responsibility for their self-care, including using the toilet independently and changing their clothes. They learn to share with their friends and understand that some behaviour is not acceptable, for example snatching. n Children make good progress in their learning and development. The management team regularly monitor the accuracy of the observations and assessments that staff carry out. This allows them to monitor precisely the progress that children make and identify any gaps in children's learning. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents and other

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need to do better?

professionals to put plans in place to support their learning. Staff know the children well. They follow the relevant plans, which helps children to settle and make good progress in their development. n The management team and staff have a strong focus on promoting children's communication and language. Staff ask children questions and narrate what they are doing to promote speech and language. Children communicate well and learn to express their emotions. Staff make effective use of communication books that contain pictures for children who have limited speech and understanding. This helps them to understand the daily routines. n Parents are complimentary about the staff at the nursery. They are happy with the level of communication they receive through the nursery's online system. They feel confident to raise concerns should the need arise and feel that their concerns will be acted on.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The management team do not have sufficient oversight of staff safeguarding knowledge or their understanding of the nursery polices and required safeguarding practices. As a result, they have failed to identify that some staff do not understand wider safeguarding issues. For example, they are unable to identify signs that indicate a child or family may be at risk of radicalisation and other types of abuse.

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Due date

18 August 2021 ensure all staff, including agency staff, receive an effective induction, which includes the use of mobile phones and cameras within the nursery 27/08/2021

p.3

Due date

ensure the designated safeguarding lead understands and implements the local safeguarding partnership procedures, with particular regard to the allegations management procedure 27/08/2021

p.4

Due date

put systems in place to check that all staff understand and recognise signs that indicate a child may be at risk of harm and have up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues. 27/08/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY553142 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10204141 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 57 Number of children on roll 88 Name of registered person Dean Close Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01242 258086 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Dean Close Little Trees Day Nursery, Hucclecote registered in November 2017. The nursery offers care from 7.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday all year round except for bank holidays. The setting employs 17 staff. Two member of staff hold qualified teacher status. 11 members of staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3 and four members of staff are unqualified. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the management team and has taken that into account in the evaluation of the setting. n The deputy manager and the inspector had a learning walk across all areas of the nursery where childcare is provided. This helped to establish how the nursery delivers the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the staff interacting with children indoors and outside. She jointly evaluated a planned activity with the deputy manager. n The inspector held discussions with the management team, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. She took account of parents' views.

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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

18 August 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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