Scallywags Day Nursery (Girton)

Inspection of Scallywags Day Nursery (Girton) 48 Cambridge Road, Girton, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB3 0PJ

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

Children receive poor-quality care and education at this nursery. Staffing is not organised to meet their individual needs. As a result, numerous incidents go unnoticed by staff and these have a significant impact on children's safety and well-being.

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The provision is inadequate

When children are happy, it is because they are being cared for by consistent and familiar staff or have the confidence to seek those they know. Some children, specifically those in the baby room, get very upset as they seek the attention and comfort of their key person, and this request is not always met.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff do not have high enough expectations about what children can learn and do. For example, well-qualified staff in the older children's room make play dough with children. However, staff make this almost completely by themselves and any involvement by children is short lived and mundane. This does not support children to make the progress they are capable of and to fulfil their potential. Children are not helped to have a positive attitude towards learning because the environment, especially in the baby room, is chaotic. There is a lack of rich learning opportunities offered to children. This is because staff are otherwise occupied or do not have the skills to deliver them. For example, some staff do not know basic nursery rhymes that children request to sing.

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need to do better?

n Staffing arrangements do not ensure children's safety and welfare. Numerous incidents occur, such as children rubbing sand into their eyes, receiving a bump to the side of the head and having accidents in the garden. These go unobserved by staff until they are pointed out to them. n The environment in the baby room is chaotic at best. Staff focus on dealing with incidents, upset children or routines. The focus is not on providing children in this room with rich learning opportunities and enjoyable early years experiences. Although there are various activities out for them, such as flour play, the reality is that children's learning is, in the main, incidental. Children actively seek the face of an adult they know as they become upset at the number of unfamiliar staff. This does not support children's personal and emotional development. n The manager is knowledgeable and experienced. She is clear about what she

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need to do better?

wants children to learn during their time at this nursery. However, this is not achieved because the manager is not supported by a sufficiently qualified, experienced and knowledgeable staff team. Staff working in the older children's room rely on interaction with the more confident and articulate children. This means those children who are not as confident or articulate enjoy less opportunities for interaction with staff.

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need to do better?

29 September 2021 n Staff plan an appropriate curriculum which is based on the skills and knowledge that individual children need to learn next. However, the implementation of this is poor. Children are not effectively and consistently supported to develop, consolidate and deepen their knowledge, understanding and skills through rich learning opportunities. This is because the learning environment is chaotic with too little valuable or beneficial interaction from staff. n Staff in the baby room use baby sign to help children to communicate and some children respond voluntarily. Some older, more articulate children respond to questions that they are asked and can recall characters and events in stories. This helps with some aspects of their communication and language development. n Appropriate hygiene routines are in place. Children are encouraged to 'catch' their cough. Children enjoy a nutritionally balanced range of meals and snacks.

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need to do better?

Staff are aware of any allergies or dietary requirements and communicate this to each other as they serve food to children. n Some older children are curious, inquisitive, observant and share good relationships with other children. For example, older children help the younger children in their room to construct models, and offer motivation as they ask, 'Do you want to try and fit it together?' However, staff do not always promote and extend children's creativity. For example, they show limited interest as a child shows them the 'magic wand' they have made, instead ushering the child to join in a different activity. n The manager is unable to fulfil her specific managerial roles and responsibilities. For example, there is no appropriate forum for regular staff supervisions to enable staff to discuss confidential or sensitive issues, either about their personal effectiveness or in relation to the children they care for.

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need to do better?

n Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is appropriate. Staff have an overview of children's needs and work appropriately with parents and other professionals to support these.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Ineffective staffing arrangements mean that children's safety and welfare are significantly compromised. Staff have a reasonable understanding of the signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect. They also have knowledge of wider safeguarding issues, such as extremism and female genital mutilation. Staff understand what they must do if they have concerns about a colleague's behaviour. This protects children, should there be a specific safeguarding concern.

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Due date

ensure that staffing arrangements meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety and high levels of well-being 13/10/2021

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Due date

make arrangements for the regular supervision of staff so that they have opportunities to discuss any confidential issues and receive coaching to improve their personal effectiveness 13/10/2021

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Due date

make effective use of the information gained about children's individual needs, interests and development to provide a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child 13/10/2021

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Due date

ensure that staff's interaction with the older children supports and promotes the learning needs of those children who are younger, less articulate and less confident so that the gap between them and their peers does not widen even more. 13/10/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY297989 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10208892 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 42 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Busy Bees Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01223 277400 Date of previous inspection 10 May 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Scallywags Day Nursery (Girton) registered in 1994. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status and three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3. Five members of staff are unqualified. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year, closing for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting 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 setting. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n Children spoke to the inspector about the activities they were doing. n The inspector spoke with the manager, nursery improvement manager for Busy Bees and the interim area director for Busy Bees about the leadership and

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Inspection activities

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

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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

29 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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