Playtime Nursery - Staines

Inspection of Playtime Nursery - Staines The Thames Club, Wheatsheaf Lane, Staines-Upon-Thames, Surrey TW18 2PD

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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

Babies' safety is compromised because some staff involved in the preparation and serving of snacks and meals do not fully understand their responsibilities. As a result, fruit served at snack time is not always chopped in a way to minimise the risk of babies choking.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff expectations for children are not consistently high enough. Some staff do not successfully implement a curriculum to focus precisely enough on helping children achieve what they need to learn next. Some activities set up for children's learning lack a clear purpose. As a result, where staff practice is weaker, children do not spend sufficient periods of time engaged in meaningful learning. On occasion, in the toddler room, the environment appears chaotic and children do not respond to requests by adults, for example when they are asked to tidy up for lunch. This does not help children to make good progress in their development.

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The provision is inadequate

Overall, children are happy and settled within the setting. Staff are warm and caring. They treat children with kindness and respect. Children have ample opportunities to develop their physical skills and get lots of fresh air and exercise in the garden area. Babies make the most of the space to persevere with their newfound walking skills. Older children have fun climbing, running and balancing. Children of all ages particularly love role play in the mud kitchen. They concentrate on scooping mud into baking trays to make cakes for each other and staff.

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need to do better?

n Staff undertake regular assessments of children's development and there are overall intentions for children's learning. They demonstrate through discussion that they know children well. However, staff do not consistently plan and implement a well-sequenced curriculum to help children make progress where it is most needed. For example, they focus on supporting some children to learn how to share and take turns when they do not yet have the speech and level of understanding to achieve this. Furthermore, where children demonstrate that they are strong achievers, staff do not plan activities to provide them with greater challenge. This does not help children to consistently make the progress in their learning they are capable of. n The manager holds regular supervisions with staff and spends time in the rooms observing practice. Staff feel well supported and have opportunities for training. However, not all staff are secure in their understanding of how to implement a

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need to do better?

curriculum which meets children's needs sharply enough. The manager does not always recognise this, which impacts on how well she can coach and support staff practice. As a result, on occasions, children spend periods of time flitting between activities with little learning taking place.

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need to do better?

4 October 2021 n Staff do not consistently make the best use of their interactions with children to support and extend their learning. For example, on occasions, staff ask closed questions and do not allow children sufficient time to gather their thoughts and respond. Staff do not always read to children who show a clear interest in looking at books, to support their speech development. They fail to recognise cues that children are keen to continue reading and looking at pictures, and try to move them on to other activities. Nonetheless, where practice is stronger, children's learning is better supported. For example, older children guess what changes will happen to water when they add oil and food colouring. Staff provide children with opportunities to test their theories out. Children are highly interested as they watch what happens and talk about how the water is changing. n The organisation of some of the daily routines does not support children's

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need to do better?

development effectively overall. For example, children spend significant amounts of time doing very little while they are waiting for their meals. In the toddler room, staff tend to take on a supervisory role rather than providing opportunities for children to develop their communication and social skills. Nonetheless, staff encourage older children talk about the colours, textures and tastes of the fruit they eat for dessert. Older children grow in independence as staff encourage them to self-serve their meals and tidy their plates away after eating. Staff remind children to stay hydrated and wash their hands regularly, which helps them to learn how to support their health. n Partnership with parents is not consistently good. The manager does not always take prompt and effective action to address concerns or worries raised by parents in respect of their own child's development. Nonetheless, staff share

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need to do better?

information about children's development with parents online. They also offer daily feedback about the care and activities provided to their children. The manager works closely with other professionals to support children where there are identified special educational needs and/or disabilities. n Children behave well and even younger children are beginning to understand expectations. Minor disagreements are dealt with sensitively and effectively by staff. This helps children to learn and understand how to share resources with their friends. They also learn about the impact their behaviour can have on others. Pre-school children wait patiently while other children have their turn during activities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Some staff involved in the preparation of food for babies are not clear about their responsibilities to make sure food does not pose a choking hazard. Furthermore, printed guidance for reference in the kitchen area lacks clarity and detail. Staff have a clear understanding of the signs which could indicate a child is at risk of abuse. They can confidently explain the reporting procedures to follow if they have concerns. Overall, the environment where children play is safe and secure. Staff follow clear procedures to keep children safe while playing in the garden.

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Due date

train all staff involved in the preparation and serving of meals to understand food safety in respect of choking hazards 29/10/2021

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Due date

improve the use of planning so that children are consistently provided with challenging and enjoyable experiences that help them to make progress where it is most needed 31/12/2021

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Due date

provide effective coaching and support to staff to ensure their interactions with children provide them with sufficient challenge and meet their individual needs more effectively 31/12/2021

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Due date

improve the organisation of daily routines, such as meal and snack times, to ensure children are purposefully engaged in learning 31/12/2021

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Due date

ensure prompt communication with parents who share concerns and worries about their child's development, and support them to continue their child's learning at home. 31/12/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY470941 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10209199 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 44 Number of children on roll 47 Name of registered person St Charles Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01784457514 Date of previous inspection 23 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Playtime Nursery - Staines registered in 2013 and is based in Staines, Middlesex. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 11 staff who work directly with the children. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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 The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection to find out their understanding of the curriculum, how they support children's learning and their understanding of their responsibilities to support children's learning. n The manager carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the inspector. 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 Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

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

4 October 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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