The Oxford Nursery Eynsham

Inspection of The Oxford Nursery Eynsham 49 Witney Road, Eynsham, Witney, Oxfordshire OX29 4PL

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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 generally feel safe in the care of staff. However, there are potential risks, which means their safety and well-being are not fully assured. Most children settle quite easily. They are welcomed by familiar staff who know them well. However, due to ongoing staffing issues beyond the management's control, there are some inconsistencies in the key-person approach. This has an impact for some children, including their learning. For example, sometimes newer children become unsettled when they are not with staff they have become attached to. Children mostly behave well and they receive appropriate guidance from staff when needed.

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The provision is inadequate

At times, children experience some positive learning experiences. For example, older children used their knowledge of numbers to identify and count out different amounts of pine cones. In addition, they took part in a small-group activity that helped support their listening skills and sharing of their ideas. However, at other times, staff interactions are sometimes not fully effective to challenge children's learning further. Furthermore, some staff do not implement the curriculum intentions securely, for example to promote children's independence. This means children sometimes do not consistently build on their skills and knowledge.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite these weaknesses, children do enjoy interesting activities and they have access to a good range of resources. For example, outside, children played creatively with mud, vehicles and different types of containers. Babies and young toddlers enjoyed exploring paint and used twigs to make marks. Younger children mostly show confidence in exploring their environment and resources. The management team identifies gaps in children's learning. They signpost parents to relevant professionals to seek further advice and work with any professionals involved.

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need to do better?

n The management team has failed to identify some potential risks to children. This compromises children's safety and well-being. For example, the management team has not identified the risks of staff sometimes changing children's nappies upstairs out of sight and hearing of other staff. This puts staff at risk of possible allegations and does not safeguard children. In addition, the main fire exit door for the baby room has broken. The management team is addressing this and has ordered a new door. However, alternative exits have not been fully assessed to ensure staff can easily and swiftly evacuate children in the event of an emergency. For example, other direct exits from the room are blocked and the key to the door is not kept nearby. n The manager models good practice to other staff with her interactions and support for children's learning. She has a clear understanding of the curriculum

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need to do better?

18 October 2021 intent. However, this is not implemented as well by all staff. The staff supervision arrangements are not fully effective, although the management team does have ongoing discussions with staff to help support them. The management team recognises staff supervision meetings are 'ad-hoc' and sometimes spontaneous. This does not help support staff to consistently develop and improve their practice. This includes the quality of their interactions and teaching to ensure these are at a consistently good level. However, staff do feel well supported. They say the management team listens to them and is supportive of their well-being. Staff also have access to online training, which they are expected to complete regularly. This helps them gain some of the skills and knowledge they need. However, some newer staff are unclear about safeguarding referral processes outside of the nursery. n There have been recent ongoing staffing issues. This has had a huge impact for

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need to do better?

the management and staff team, children and parents. Despite this, the management team has maintained required ratios of staff to children. For example, they have at times reduced opening hours and the numbers of children they care for. They have ensured that there are familiar staff present when parents and children arrive. The management team has kept parents informed about the staffing difficulties. They have also taken steps to address staffing issues, including advertising for new staff. The absence of staff has had an impact for the key-person approach, which has become inconsistent. This, at times, has impacted on some children's sense of security, which does not help them to play and learn as well. n Children are, overall, cared for in a suitably maintained, clean and hygienic environment. Staff remind children to wash their hands and they regularly wash their own hands. If children show signs of illnesses, such as coughing, staff take

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need to do better?

action quickly. For example, parents are asked to collect their children and to take appropriate steps, such as testing for COVID-19. However, some staff, at times, are not alert to keeping children's noses clean and regularly free of mucus. For example, the manager was observed to remind staff to clean children's noses or do this herself when she entered a room. This does not help to minimise the spread of possible infection. n The management team has identified the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children. They have considered the support children need, for example supporting behaviour expectations to sit down to eat. Children are offered healthy food and drinks throughout the day. At times, staff encourage children's independence appropriately, for example older children choosing and spooning their own snack onto their plates. However, learning intentions are sometimes not implemented by staff well enough to ensure all children build on their skills

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team has not identified potential risks to children. This does not ensure children are safeguarded, for example at some nappy change times or in

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Safeguarding

18 October 2021 the event of an emergency evacuation. Most staff, including the designated safeguarding lead, have a good awareness of signs and symptoms that would raise their concerns about children's welfare and how to manage these. Newer staff, although aware of some indicators that would raise their concerns, lack a clear understanding of safeguarding processes outside of the nursery. Staff supervise children appropriately, for example when they eat or when they are in the garden. The management team follows effective recruitment procedures to check staff's suitability to work with children.

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Due date

ensure risk assessments identify and minimise potential dangers to children and staff, particularly in relation to nappy changes and evacuation procedures, ensuring emergency exits are clear and easily accessible 01/11/2021

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Due date

ensure there is a consistent key-person approach to provide children with settled relationships, particularly new children, and support children's learning more securely 15/11/2021

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Due date

ensure new staff receive training about the safeguarding policy so that they gain a confident understanding of the procedures to follow in the event of concerns about children's welfare, in particular who to refer concerns to outside of the nursery 01/11/2021

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Due date

ensure staff are provided with effective supervision and coaching to develop their quality of teaching, to support children's learning at a consistently good level 15/11/2021

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Due date

ensure children's good health is consistently promoted, in particular to minimise the spread of infection. 01/11/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number 403347 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10210137 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 52 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Acacia Care and Education Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01865 884468 Date of previous inspection 10 August 2016

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Information about this early years setting

The Oxford Nursery Eynsham registered in 2001. It is one of three nurseries run by Acacia Care and Education Ltd. The nursery is located in the village of Eynsham in Oxfordshire. It is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education to children aged two, three and four years. There are eight members of staff employed to work with the children. The management team holds qualifications that include a foundation degree and qualified teacher status. A further four staff hold qualifications between level 2 and 6.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and took that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspection was carried out following Ofsted's risk assessment process. n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk of the nursery and explained the curriculum intentions. n The manager and the inspector observed and evaluated an activity together. n The inspector gathered details about the information shared with parents, and spoke to a parent by telephone to gain their views. n Children's activities, play and routines were observed by the inspector. The inspector interacted with children during the inspection.

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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

18 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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