A's Pre-School & Day Nursery

Inspection of A's Pre-School & Day Nursery 25-27 Horns Road, Ilford, Essex IG2 6BN

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

p.1

The provision is inadequate

Leaders do not ensure that children's care and learning needs are met. Staff do not provide meaningful and engaging learning opportunities that help children to make progress. Children aged under two years frequently wander without purpose, because there is little to interest them. Older children keep themselves occupied at a basic level. For example, by stacking bricks or rolling cars backwards and forwards. However, their levels of engagement and concentration are generally low because activities lack sufficient interest or challenge. On occasions where children do show curiosity in resources, staff fail to recognise this and lack the skills to extend children's learning.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Staff are poorly deployed by Leaders. This does not support children's well-being or provide consistency in their care. For instance, staff working with children aged under two years are moved to a different room mid-session. This causes children who are settling in to become distressed and cry. However, all staff are consistently kind and respectful towards children.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Children have a basic understanding of right and wrong and generally behave well. They show independence with personal skills and are enthusiastic about caring for themselves. For instance, older children use the toilet independently and serve themselves at lunchtimes.

p.2

need to do better?

n The owners lead and manage the setting. They describe their vision for what they want children to learn. However, they have not put in place an ambitious curriculum to support children's progress in the seven areas of learning. Staff plan and deliver activities for children which provide little challenge. Leaders fail to address the poor quality of teaching. As a result, children do not learn and achieve as much as they could. n The systems for supervising staff are not effective. Leaders say that they provide guidance, for example for managing children's behaviour. However, this is not evident in staff practice. Leaders report difficulty in recruiting staff to replace those who have left the setting. Therefore, pressures on remaining staff are high. Some say they have a large number of key children and find it difficult to know them all well. Other staff comment that they lack sufficient knowledge and

p.2

need to do better?

experience to fulfil the roles they have been given. However, staff generally enjoy their work and feel valued by leaders. n The key-person system is not effective. Children are assigned a key person who gains information about them and liaises with their parents. However, when staff are absent, there is not consistent support for their key children. This has a negative impact on children's emotional well-being and makes it difficult for

p.2

need to do better?

24 August 2021 them to bond with staff. Parents say that they are happy with the nursery and appreciate the daily feedback from staff. However, the information passed on to parents does not always give enough detail to reflect the children's actual experiences in the setting. n Staff talk about how they intend to support children's communication skills, for example by singing songs and reading stories to them. In practice, this support is poor. For instance, during these group times, staff do not ensure that all children can see and hear properly. Staff do not remove toddlers' dummies to help them develop their speech. They do not adapt their language to match children's understanding or give them time to respond to questions. This means that children, including those who speak English as an additional language, do not progress as well as they could. n Staff provide some guidance for children's behaviour. However, this is often

p.2

need to do better?

done in a negative way and does not help children to manage their behaviour and emotions. For instance, when children squabble over the building blocks, staff tell them to pack these away, rather than teaching them to share. n Children have some positive experiences at the setting. For instance, babies like sitting with adults to sing songs and older children enjoy drawing pictures. However, staff expectations of children are not high enough. For instance, staff praise pre-school age children for naming the colours on a xylophone. Children enjoy their approval but already know the names of colours. Staff do not build on this further, therefore the children learn nothing new.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff receive regular training to ensure that they have a good understanding of a wide range of safeguarding issues. This includes how to identify and report signs of abuse. They know what to do if they have concerns about the behaviour of adults working with children. The premises are clean and hygienic. Any potential risks to children's health and safety are assessed and managed appropriately. Leaders carry out robust checks when recruiting staff to help ensure that they are suitable to work with children.

p.3

Due date

24 August 2021 implement an effective key-person system that tailors each child's care and education to meet their individual needs, and builds secure relationships between children and their carers 08/11/2021

p.3

Due date

introduce effective arrangements for the supervision of staff, that promotes continuous improvement of staff skills and knowledge 08/11/2021

p.4

Due date

raise the quality of teaching to ensure all staff offer each child sufficient challenge and fully support their language and communication skills consistently 08/11/2021

p.4

Due date

enable staff to provide an exciting and appropriately challenging curriculum, that builds on what children know and can do, so that they make good progress. 08/11/2021

p.4

should:

n improve how staff support children's understanding of behavioural expectations and boundaries, so that children learn to manage their strong feelings and solve disagreements independently.

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number 2521341 Local authority Redbridge Inspection number 10203896 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 75 Number of children on roll 17 Name of registered person A's Nurseries Limited

p.5

reference number

Telephone number 07956 123 723 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.5

Information about this early years setting

A's Pre-School & Day Nursery registered in 2019 and is situated in the London Borough of Redbridge. The nursery operates from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday all year round. It employs 12 members of staff including managers. One of the managers is qualified at level 4, and other staff hold relevant childcare qualifications at levels 3, 2 or 1. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years.

p.5

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 this into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspection was carried out as a result of a risk assessment, following information received about this provider. n The inspector completed a learning walk with one of the managers, to discuss how the curriculum is implemented and organised. n The inspector observed the quality of education and staff practice and assessed the impact on children's learning and progress. n One of the managers jointly observed a planned activity with the inspector, to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning. n The inspector held discussions with staff, parents and children and took account of their views. n A meeting was held between the managers and inspector, to discussed issues

p.6

Inspection activities

such as staffing and the evaluation of the setting. n A sample of documentation was reviewed by the inspector, including recruitment and induction records, safeguarding procedures and other documents relating to health and safety matters

p.6

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.

p.6

Inspection activities

24 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.

p.6

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7