The New Westmere Day Nursery

Inspection of The New Westmere Day Nursery 78 Vicarage Lane, BLACKPOOL FY4 4EL

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is inadequate

The nursery has been through a period of disruption. Several long-serving members of staff have left and have not been replaced. The provider's oversight of the nursery is not good enough. This has led to a significant decline in standards at the nursery. As a result, there are several identified breaches to requirements. Some of these have been raised with the provider before and have a significant impact on children's care and learning.

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The provision is inadequate

The curriculum is poorly designed and very narrow in focus. Leaders and staff do not have high enough expectations for all the children. This is because staff are not deployed effectively to implement the intended curriculum and to provide children with adequate supervision. For example, at the inspection, children aged 17 months to four years were re-grouped into the pre-school room. Although older children engage in some table-top activities with staff, younger children are left wandering around the room with no purpose and begin to climb on furniture. Staff place babies at risk because they fail to ensure that the learning environment is suitable. For example, babies access small glass pebbles and place them in their mouths.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff speak to children in a calm and positive manner. Children go to staff for help and support. However, staff do not help children understand how to manage their own feelings and behaviour. As a result, children are not gaining the skills to be tolerant and patient. For example, they do not understand the need to wait their turn and share the resources and toys. Leaders have made some changes to the nursery since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Children are dropped off and collected at the door and they part from their parents with ease.

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need to do better?

n The provider and staff do not take all necessary steps to minimise risks to children. This places children at significant risk of harm. Staff fail to notice a trailing wire from a plugged-in appliance in the pre-school room. In the bathroom, items such as toilet cleaner and a gel air freshener are left within easy reach of the children. Although the setting is clean, staff use harsh chemicals such as bleach to clean the dining room floor. This hazardous substance is not suitable for use around children and poses a health and safety risk. n Staff do not implement a robust medication procedure, particularly with regards to children who require long term medication. Staff fail to check with parents the ongoing arrangements for such medication. In addition, staff do not ensure that any medication brought into the nursery is stored safely and recorded as is required. This places children at significant risk of harm.

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need to do better?

19 October 2021 n The provider does not ensure that staff receive regular coaching and supervision. In addition, she does not monitor closely enough the training that staff receive. As a result, staff do not have the skills needed to fulfil their individual roles and are not supported to improve their practice. For example, the provider has not made sure that the person she has appointed as deputy manager has the knowledge and experience for the role. As a result, the quality of the provision is inadequate. n Staff have a poor understanding of how children learn. They are not able to identify learning intentions which meet the individual needs of the children. Staff do not provide children with enough high-quality experiences. Their interactions with children are weak. Children quickly lose interest in activities and leave. Consequently, children are not making adequate progress across all areas of learning.

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need to do better?

n Staff do not model words well enough to help children become confident communicators. Staff mispronounce some words. This does not help children build on their vocabulary. Staff implement some useful strategies, for example repetition through one-to-one activities to help children develop their speech and language. However, these are not implemented as successfully during small- group times. As a result, children are not supported to extend their speaking and listening at these times. n Leaders have not acted quickly enough to manage changes to some children's key person. As a result, there is no member of staff identified to monitor and plan for these children's learning. Children do not make the progress they are capable of. In addition, babies do not get the support they need. This is because staff are busy with older children in the room. Babies are expected to fit in with the routines of older children. They become tired, restless and upset when

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need to do better?

playing outdoors. This does not support their emotional well-being. n Older children enjoy experiences such as writing with felt-tip pens. They engage in creative play, for example making water environments using toy sea creatures. However, staff fail to adapt these activities to meet the needs of younger children. As a result, these children are pushed out of the way and ignored by staff as older and more confident children take over the activity. In the main, the curriculum is poorly designed and is not sequenced in a way that supports children to achieve the next steps in their learning. n Staff take time to gather some useful information about children from parents and carers at the start of their placement. However, staff do not use this information well enough to help them plan for children's learning and to support them to make the best possible start to their education. n Children enjoy jumping in puddles with staff. During this activity, staff help

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need to do better?

children to practise their mathematical skills. For example, they count out how many jumps they complete and recite numbers to 10 and beyond.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders do not create an environment that is safe for the children. Some staff do

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Safeguarding

19 October 2021 not have a secure understanding of safeguarding. They are unfamiliar with how to identify the signs or take appropriate steps to protect children should they or their family members be drawn into radicalisation or extremism. This places children at significant risk of harm. Staff do know how to identify other signs and symptoms of abuse and they know what to do should they have a concern about a colleague's conduct. Staff hold a relevant paediatric first-aid qualification. Arrangements for children who have special dietary requirements are managed well.

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Due date

ensure that all staff fully understand the safeguarding policy and procedure and have the knowledge and skills to identify when children or their families may be at risk of radicalisation and extremism 12/11/2021

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Due date

implement a robust procedure for medication and ensure that all staff implement this effectively 12/11/2021

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Due date

ensure that risks to children, both indoors and outside, are identified and swift action is taken to minimise and remove these to keep children safe 12/11/2021

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Due date

ensure that staff are deployed effectively to meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety 12/11/2021

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Due date

ensure that cleaning products are safe for use in an early years setting and do not pose a risk to children's health 12/11/2021

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Due date

ensure that staff deal with children's behaviour in a way that helps them to understand how their actions affect others and helps them to wait their turn and share toys and resources 12/11/2021

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Due date

19 October 2021 ensure that all staff receive regular coaching and supervision to help them fulfil the responsibilities of their roles, improve their practice and strengthen their teaching skills 12/11/2021

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Due date

implement an effective key-person system to ensure that each child's learning is tailored to meet their individual learning needs and provides consistent partnerships with parents. 12/11/2021

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Due date

improve early assessment arrangements to take account of what children already know and can do at the start of placement, to help children make the best possible start to their education 12/11/2021

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Due date

ensure that staff develop the skills and knowledge needed to promote children's communication and language skills effectively. 12/11/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY346048 Local authority Blackpool Inspection number 10146241 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 78 Number of children on roll 58 Name of registered person Olyness Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01253 764740 Date of previous inspection 31 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

The New Westmere Day Nursery registered in 2007. The nursery employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, one member of staff holds a relevant level 4 qualification, two staff hold a level 3 qualification, and one member of staff holds a level 2 qualification. One member of staff is unqualified. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year, excluding bank holidays. Sessions are from 8am until 5.30pm. 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 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 The inspection was carried out following the risk assessment process. n The deputy manager joined the inspector on a learning walk to discuss the curriculum and children's learning. n The inspector spoke to the children, staff and the provider throughout the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the relief manager on the day of the inspection. n Parents shared their views on the setting 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

19 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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