Bright Kidz Nursery

Inspection of Little Stars Day Nursery 24 Chancellor Road, Southend-On-Sea, Essex SS1 2AS

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

Children's health and safety is compromised. On the day of inspection, the provider was failing to meet the required staff-to-child ratios. In addition, there is no key- person system in place to support children's well-being.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are not challenged or engaged well enough, and staff do not build on what children know and can already do. At times, children are left to occupy themselves; for example while staff carry out routine tasks, such as cleaning tables after lunch. Staff do not engage with the children in any meaningful learning that is tailored to meet their individual needs. They do not support their play. The lack of interaction means children are not motivated or inspired to learn.

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The provision is inadequate

Children's behaviour is not managed well. Staff do not take into account children's age and stage of development. For example, when children display unwanted behaviour, staff repeatedly tell them 'no'. This does not support children's learning and ability to socialise with their peers.

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need to do better?

n The provider has failed to meet the requirements of the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage'. For example, the procedure for risk assessment is not effective. Hazards in the environment are not always identified and minimised by staff. As a result, not all areas of the premises are safe for children to use. n Current supervision arrangements are not robust. The manager offers staff some coaching and training. However, she does not provide effective ongoing support, so that staff have all the necessary skills to support children's learning and development well. n The quality of education is poor. Staff do not use the information they gather from assessments well enough to inform their planning for children. For example, where children are currently developing their speech and language skills, staff focus on recognising colour. This means that staff are not able to offer children the support they need to make the expected progress in their

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need to do better?

learning. n Toddlers take part in an adult-led sensory activity and explore the texture of soft whipped pudding. While some are not sure, other children enjoy feeling the texture of the pudding as they squeeze it through their fingers. However, staff do not use these opportunities well enough to support and extend this learning. n The key-person system is ineffective. The lack of stability in staffing has resulted in a number of weaknesses. For example, not all parents know who their key person is. This means that information about children's learning and development is not always shared effectively. Not all parents know how to

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need to do better?

8 October 2021 support their child's ongoing learning at home. n Younger children are not consistently encouraged to learn about managing personal hygiene or how to promote their good health. Staff do not always support them to wash their hands before meals. n Children's overall physical development is supported by staff. Children benefit from outdoor play and using climbing apparatus to help them build on their coordination and balancing skills. Pre-school children learn and practise skills, such as putting on their coats and shoes before going outside. n Toddlers independently look at books of their choice. At times, they show appropriate levels of concentration as they play imaginatively with the train set. n Parents comment that communication with the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) is good. The SENCO understands her role and effectively shares information with parents about children's development. She works

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need to do better?

successfully with other professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The weaknesses in leadership and management do not safeguard children. The premises are not consistently safe and risk assessments are poor. Despite this, staff have a suitable understanding of child protection. They understand what signs and symptoms would raise their concern about children's welfare and the procedures to follow to manage these. Staff are familiar with the whistle-blowing policy and local safeguarding procedures for reporting allegations. Staff are also aware of the indicators that a child is being exposed to extreme views.

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Due date

ensure that staff-to-child ratios are maintained at all times in order to meet the needs of the children 11/10/2021

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Due date

take action to implement an effective risk assessment to identify and minimise hazards to children's safety, including trailing hose pipe and adult scissors 11/10/2021

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Due date

8 October 2021 ensure all staff implement effective hand hygiene procedures to help prevent the spread of infection and promote children's good health 22/11/2021

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Due date

implement effective arrangements for the key-person system to help ensure all staff know their children well and to support their individual needs 22/11/2021

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Due date

support staff to help them improve their understanding of the learning intentions for children and the quality of their interactions with them, to challenge and extend children's learning more effectively as they play 22/11/2021

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Due date

ensure children's behaviour is managed in an age-appropriate manner, with particular regard to supporting children to understand expectations for acceptable behaviour 22/11/2021

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Due date

use information from parents and observations of children to plan and provide suitably challenging experiences, that capture individual children's interests and build on what they already know and can do. 22/11/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2590881 Local authority Southend-on-Sea Inspection number 10207353 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 40 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Bright Kidz Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07985145893 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Stars Day Nursery registered in 2020 and is one of two nurseries run by the same organisation. The nursery employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, two staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, two staff hold appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and one member of staff holds a qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 52 weeks of the year. Opening times are from 7am until 7pm. 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 setting received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and this has been taken into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they were doing in the nursery. n Staff spoke with the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector spoke to parents and took account of their views. n The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including the suitability checks of all adults 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

8 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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