Littleways Day Nursery

Inspection of Littleways Day Nursery 81 Albert Road, Levenshulme, Manchester, Lancashire M19 2FU

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Leaders and staff are proud of the rich, cultural diversity of this small and inclusive nursery. Leaders have a strong vision, based on what they want to achieve. They focus the curriculum on promoting children's personal, social and emotional development and communication and language. Leaders aspire to be good. However, activities that are provided are not always designed to give children the knowledge and skills they require right now. Children are not being helped to make the best progress possible.

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The provision requires improvement

Due to staff absences and a failure by leaders to implement effective contingency arrangements, some key persons are unaware of children's development. However, some consistent staff are on hand. This means that children do share warm relationships with friendly staff and, overall, children are secure, happy and safe.

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The provision requires improvement

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have maintained some of the new safety procedures. Parents continue to collect children at the main entrance. These arrangements do not appear to have affected children. They happily wave goodbye to their parents without hesitation, as staff greet them and welcome them inside each day. Children know the nursery rules and routines. For example, two-year-old children take their coat off on arrival and promptly wash their hands before settling down to play. Children use good manners. They use simple sign language to say please and thank you.

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need to do better?

n The key-person system is not fully effective. Staff are moved to work in other rooms or are deployed from the sister nursery to maintain staff-to-child ratios. Some staff are not sure which children they are responsible for. They are unaware of the skills that children already have and need to acquire. Activities, such as making Christmas cards, focus on the end product, rather than the creative and sensory process. Children are observed wandering around, not engaged in meaningful learning. Other children are set targets that they have already achieved. This does not help them to be prepared for what comes next. n Staff training and development requires improvement. A new training programme has recently been implemented. However, leaders have not monitored how effective this is. Some staff have not accessed any of the new training available. Staff say they would like some targeted training to develop

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need to do better?

their own skills. They say they want to be confident to meet children's specific learning needs. However, they are unsure of how to go about this. That said, staff do benefit from staff meetings and mandatory training, such as child protection and paediatric first aid. This helps them to keep children safe. n Partnership with parents varies. Not all parents know who their child's key

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need to do better?

23 November 2021 person is. Some parents are not aware of what children are learning. Parents have not received updates on children's progress for a significant period of time. However, other parents know that the nursery recently celebrated Black History Month. They say that they are amazed that pre-school children now know about Martin Luther King. One parent commented that her child had asked 'if they have a dream'. Parents do receive updates about what their child has eaten and activities they have enjoyed, such as an autumn walk. Parents often return to use the services of the nursery when they have a new baby. n Staff successfully promote children's independence. Babies inquisitively explore the environment. They choose from carefully placed low-level equipment and resources. They start to feed themselves using a spoon. Two-year-old children serve their own foods. Pre-school children are becoming more self-sufficient.

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need to do better?

They learn to capably climb the steep staircase. Staff provide help, if children need this, with any personal care routines. n Leaders are ambitious and reflect on practice using feedback from staff. Leaders seek advice and follow guidance from other professionals. This includes the speech and language team and an external adviser. This has helped them to make some improvements, such as how staff interact with children and how to improve the outdoor provision. However, leaders have not recognised some weaknesses in practice or ensured that all staff deliver the curriculum that is intended. n Children have high levels of self-esteem and confidence. Young babies are secure, even in the presence of visitors and staff from the other nursery. Babies wave and share toys with the inspector. Pre-school children laugh and joke with staff. They play cooperatively with friends in the role-play area. Older children

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need to do better?

study their reflection in a mirror. They use good pencil control to write their names and draw self-portraits. Children talk about themselves with positivity. They confidently recognise similarities and differences between their own and other children's eye and skin colour. n Leaders act with integrity. They ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language are included. Leaders ensure that adaptions to the regular routine are made and required resources are available. This helps them to ensure that children who need it most, have full access to the provision. All children are valued and individuality is celebrated. When children join the nursery with identified needs, the continued support and partnership working is strong. The manager, who is also the special educational needs coordinator, is working with staff when emerging needs are identified. However, she recognises that some

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need to do better?

staff are not as confident in building on and supporting children's next steps.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are confident in what to do if they have any concerns about a child in their care or the conduct of a colleague. They have the contact number for the local safeguarding partnership on their lanyards. Safer recruitment procedures are

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Safeguarding

23 November 2021 robust. This helps to ensure that staff who work with children are suitable to do so. Pre-school children complete their own risk assessments of the environment. Staff encourage them to consider the best way to use equipment and the consequences of using equipment incorrectly. Clear exclusion guidelines are followed in the event of any illness or infection. For example, leaders ensure that children who are poorly have their temperatures taken and do not attend the nursery until they are well again. The premises is secure. Staff only allow children to go home with someone other than the main carer with permission.

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Due date

improve the key-person system and ensure that parents know who their child's key person is 18/12/2021

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Due date

review staffing arrangements and improve staff deployment, so that key staff are available to meet the needs of children 18/12/2021

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Due date

ensure that all parents are updated with children's learning and development. 18/12/2021

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should:

n help all staff to implement a precisely sequenced curriculum, that builds on what children know and can do and gives them the knowledge required to make the best progress possible n strengthen staff professional development and monitor how effective this is to ensure that staff have the skills, capabilities and confidence to fulfil all aspects of their role.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY265472 Local authority Manchester Inspection number 10214341 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 34 Number of children on roll 52 Name of registered person Littleways Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0161 248 5889 Date of previous inspection 8 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Littleways Day Nursery registered in 2004 in Manchester. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round, with the exception of bank holidays. There are 11 members of staff who work directly with the children. Of these, seven members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery provides funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting has 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 quality of education was observed and the inspector assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector conducted a learning walk with the nursery manager. The intent of the curriculum was discussed. n The inspector evaluated an activity with the nursery manager. n Regular meetings were held with leaders. n Relevant documentation was checked and discussed, such as policies and procedures. The inspector reviewed the setting's self-evaluation and checked evidence of staff suitability. n The views of parents were obtained. n Children and staff were spoken to throughout 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

23 November 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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