The Nursery School

Inspection of The Nursery School Church Street, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 8AP

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

Children are not safeguarded effectively. The management team does not ensure that all safeguarding concerns are dealt with as required, and in a timely manner. In addition, managers do not ensure that all safeguarding concerns are recorded and monitored effectively to protect children's welfare.

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The provision is inadequate

Children enjoy their time at nursery. They are motivated and ready to learn. For example, children are fascinated by spirit levels, and staff support them to learn what they are used for. Children then use them to check that towers that they have built are level.

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The provision is inadequate

Children behave well. They are beginning to learn to share and take turns with support. For instance, children use sand timers to help them know when it is the next child's turn to use writing tablets. Children show good control as they draw detailed pictures and begin to write their names, forming recognisable letters.

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The provision is inadequate

Arrangements at the setting mean that children say goodbye to their parents at the door due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Children have adapted well to this new routine and arrive happily, settle quickly, and explore the resources and activities on offer. Staff are welcoming and friendly and have close bonds with the children.

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need to do better?

n Members of the management team do not record concerns they have about children's safety and do not share this important information with the relevant agencies. As a result, children are not adequately safeguarded and their welfare is at risk. n The manager and staff have a strong focus on promoting children's communication and language. Staff ask children questions and narrate what they are doing to promote speech and language. Children communicate well and learn to express their emotions, thoughts and ideas. For instance, while making play dough, they comment on the texture of the play dough and what they need to make it to the correct consistency. n Staff follow children's interests well and plan activities that move children forward in their development. For instance, children are engrossed as they investigate how to crack open pretend dinosaur eggs. They comment that they will need to think carefully about how to open them. Staff pose challenging

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need to do better?

questions and give children the time they need to think critically. This results in children working out how to open the dinosaur eggs for themselves. n Children have some opportunities to develop their independence. For instance, at snack time, they pour their own drinks and access resources themselves throughout the day. However, not all staff support children to be as independent

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need to do better?

27 September 2021 as they could be. For example, they sometimes complete self-care tasks that children could manage themselves, limiting what children can achieve independently. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported effectively. For instance, staff support emerging language skills well, using single words to describe what children are doing as they play. Staff work closely with other professionals to ensure children receive extra support. The manager ensures that they use additional funding appropriately, supporting children in what they need to learn next. n Parents comment that staff keep them informed about their children's learning. Staff provide enjoyable activities for children to do with their parents to continue their learning at home. The manager has created a community library, where parents can help themselves to a range of books, for children and adults.

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need to do better?

n Children benefit from regular exercise and outdoor play. They develop their core stability as they climb. The manager has designed the outdoor area to include a wide range of opportunities for children to develop their arm muscles in preparation for control in readiness for writing.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team has failed to follow appropriate procedures to act on concerns about children and has not acted promptly to protect them. Managers do not record or monitor concerns about children's welfare effectively enough, and therefore do not have a clear picture of what they know about children's welfare. Staff ensure the nursery environment is safe, indoors and outdoors. They have a clear procedure to ensure that the main entrance to the nursery is secure at all times. Leaders follow a robust recruitment process to ensure that those individuals working with children are suitable.

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Due date

improve understanding of safeguarding procedures to ensure that all concerns about children's welfare are accurately recorded and responded to in a timely manner 15/10/2021

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Due date

27 September 2021 improve the arrangements for monitoring safeguarding issues and liaise with the relevant safeguarding agencies to ensure appropriate action is taken at all times. 15/10/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY554397 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10174454 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 28 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Dex, Julie

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reference number

Telephone number 01242521944 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Nursery School re-registered in 2017 and is situated in Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire. It is open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, during term time only. The nursery employs five members of staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 3 to level 5. 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 setting and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector completed a learning walk with the nursery manager and they discussed the curriculum together. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n A joint observation of an activity was carried out by the inspector and the nursery manager. n Children spoke to the inspector about things they like to do at the nursery. n The inspector spoke to staff and held a number of discussions with the nursery manager. A sample of relevant documentation was viewed by the inspector, including first-aid certificates and risk assessments. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and read written feedback

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Inspection activities

provided. Their views were taken into account.

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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

27 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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