Little Legs Nursery

Inspection of Little Legs Nursery 6 Rochford Road, Southend On Sea SS2 6SP

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety is compromised. The provider notified Ofsted within the required time scale about two recent occasions when children have not been supervised well enough to keep them safe and protected. Following these incidents, action was taken to improve some aspects of children's safety and the supervision of children. However, despite these improvements, managers and staff do not carry out thorough enough risk assessments to ensure children's ongoing safety. Bottles of children's unlabelled sun cream, while removed during the inspection, were stored in a box in the children's bathroom at their height. A number of the mats used for the babies and younger children to rest on are torn, exposing the inner foam and creating a risk of cross contamination. Baby room staff have not noticed that a wooden table is broken, resulting in a potential hazard for babies fingers to be caught in the gap.

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The provision is inadequate

Children's learning and development are not always effectively promoted. Staff do not consistently provide children with stimulating and challenging play opportunities. As a result, some children become restless and squabble over toys. At times staff's interactions with children are poor, as their attention is frequently diverted while they manage these minor disagreements. Despite this, some children enjoy their time at the nursery. Babies play contentedly with a selection of toys and resources. They move freely around the baby room babbling and using single words and gestures to make their feelings known.

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need to do better?

n The provider has failed to monitor the provision well enough to ensure that managers and staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities with regard to providing a safe, secure and risk assessed environment. They have not ensured that key persons maintain an effective two-way-flow of information with parents, to enable them to keep abreast of changes in some children's needs and abilities. As a result, some key persons fail to plan the environment well enough to manage children's changing needs. n Children's privacy is compromised when using the toilets in the pre-school room, as there are no partitions between the toilets, creating one open space. Senior managers recognise that the organisation of space does not fully meet children's needs, however, they have not taken action to rectify it. n During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdowns, staff kept in touch with children who were not able to attend the nursery. They read stories over social media

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need to do better?

sites and regularly spoke to parents to support them in continuing their child's education at home. n Although there are inconsistencies in the provision for children's learning, children enjoy developing their fine motor skills. For example, they squeeze and

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need to do better?

14 September 2021 manipulate play dough during a 'dough disco' session. Staff use appropriate language to support them in this play, such as pull, twist, push and squish. Children follow staff's modelling and have the opportunity to suggest different ways of manipulating the dough. n When appropriately engaged, older children take part in discussions with staff about what they are making with their play dough. They talk about making pizza and the various ingredients they are going to use. Some staff use these interactions effectively to promote children's communication and language skills. n Some children participate in planned and spontaneous singing sessions. They join in with their favourite songs and rhymes and do the associated actions. n Parents spoken to at the time of the inspection say that they are happy with their child's care. Those who had children at the nursery previously, felt that their children had been well prepared for school. Some parents comment on the

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need to do better?

effectiveness of the application that they can log into throughout the day, to obtain an update on how their child is doing, what they have eaten and how long they have slept for. Parents of children who have recently started at the nursery say that the settling-in procedures have been effective and that their children are really enjoying their nursery experience. n Babies' personal needs are sensitively met. Staff speak to babies while changing their nappy and encourage them to point to a visual prompt, indicating a song or rhyme they want to sing while their nappy is being changed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety is compromised as a result of ineffective assessment of risk. Staff regularly update their knowledge of child protection, for example through training, questionnaires and during team meetings. Staff and managers talk confidently about the types of abuse and the signs that would alert them to a child being abused or mistreated, including wider safeguarding issues, such as radicalisation. All staff have easy access to the relevant contact numbers they may need for other agencies who manage safeguarding concerns. The management team carries out effective recruitment procedures to ensure that all new staff are appropriately vetted and suitable to work with children. New staff complete an induction programme that prepares them well for their responsibilities with regards to safeguarding children.

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Due date

14 September 2021 ensure that key persons liaise with parents to familiarise themselves with children's changing needs and abilities to ensure that children remain safe and well cared for 08/10/2021

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Due date

carry out effective risk assessments to ensure that bedding used for children to rest on is in good condition and suited to the age of the child 08/10/2021

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Due date

ensure that risk assessments are thorough and effectively identify and manage all risks to children 08/10/2021

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Due date

ensure that managers and staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, including how to identify and manage risks 08/10/2021

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Due date

consider the needs, interests and development of each child and use the information known about each child to plan challenging and enjoyable learning experiences 08/10/2021

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Due date

develop further staff's knowledge and understanding of how children learn to ensure that they fully understand how to engage and stimulate children's play and learning. 08/10/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY472435 Local authority Southend-on-Sea Inspection number 10206854 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 30 Number of children on roll 48 Name of registered person Little Legs Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01702808989 Date of previous inspection 19 June 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Little Legs Nursery registered in 2013. The nursery employs eight childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are between 7am and 6.30pm. 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 provider received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The deputy manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the deputy.

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Inspection activities

n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

14 September 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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