Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Eltham

Inspection of Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Eltham 1 Alderwood Road, London SE9 2JY

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

Breaches to some of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the early years foundation stage compromise children's overall well-being. Most children are happy and content in the care of staff. Their personal care needs are respected. However, key-person arrangements for some babies are ineffective. For example, some staff do not know their key children well enough to ensure that their individual needs are met consistently. Furthermore, some routines in the baby room do not ensure that children's emotional security is well supported. For example, after lunch, staff prioritise tidying-up tasks over the needs of the children. As a result, some of the babies receive limited interaction from staff prior to their rest time and often have to wait for their needs to be met.

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The provision is inadequate

The quality of the curriculum is not good enough. Older children have positive attitudes to learning and are well prepared for the next stage in their learning and development. However, there are inconsistencies in teaching, particularly for the youngest children. Although staff in the baby room observe and plan for individual children's learning, they do not always implement them well enough to ensure their steady progress. As a result, the curriculum intent for some babies is not clear or ambitious. Moreover, the organisation and layout of the indoor and outdoor spaces for babies does not consistently meet their learning needs effectively. For example, some staff do not make the most of the outdoor environment that is specifically designated for babies. They squeeze too many activities into one area, which means some children do not fully engage as there is not enough space for them to play or move around freely. This hinders their ability to make good progress in

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The provision is inadequate

their physical development. Furthermore, some accidents that occur in this area go unnoticed by staff. Consequently, children's safety is not always assured.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and managers are committed to tackling poor staff performance when it occurs. Supervision meetings are held with staff and performance plans are implemented where appropriate. However, despite these measures, some staff still lack a secure knowledge of how to fulfil their role and responsibilities effectively. As a result, poor practice among some staff continues. This impacts on children's overall health and safety. n Leaders and managers are keen to make improvements across all areas of the nursery. For example, systems to monitor the quality of teaching are in place. However, leaders and managers fail to swiftly identify weaknesses evident in some areas of the curriculum. Consequently, targeted support to close the gaps for some of the youngest children is not securely embedded in practice. n Most children develop good communication and language skills. For example, staff read familiar stories to children to develop their listening and attention

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need to do better?

24 November 2021 skills. Younger children enjoy an array of songs during circle time. In addition, staff use skilful questioning to encourage older children to share their thoughts and ideas. However, support for children who speak English as an additional language is not as robust as it could be. Although staff obtain key words from parents, opportunities for some children to use their home language during play are few. n Overall, the nursery is welcoming and inclusive. Babies enjoy cuddles during story time, which promotes a sense of contentment. Toddlers develop their early literacy skills, as they make patterns with vehicles in shaving foam. They hold meaningful conversations with staff as they role play being doctors. Pre-school children are keen to learn. They expertly describe how to make their special 'bat stew', which gives them a sense of pride and achievement. However, weaknesses in the curriculum mean that some children do not make swift

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need to do better?

progress in some areas of their development. n Children behave well. For example, older children manage their feelings and emotions through ongoing discussion and receive positive praise from staff. This helps children to develop confidence and have high self-esteem. However, the emotional needs of some babies are not met consistently. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff work closely with parents and the designated special educational needs coordinator at the nursery. Comprehensive plans that are tailored to meet children's additional needs ensure that children receive timely interventions when necessary. n Children's health needs are promoted well. For example, staff gather detailed information about children's individual dietary needs. They follow robust procedures to ensure that children with allergies and special dietary requirements are met. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents comment that they are happy with

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need to do better?

the nursery and have opportunities to contribute to their child's ongoing learning and development. This helps to support the continuity of children's care and education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Suitable safeguarding policies and procedures are in place. Staff have attended safeguarding training. They understand the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, including those in danger of being exposed to extreme behaviours or views. However, in practice, leaders and managers have not followed their own child protection procedures when dealing with allegations against staff. For example, they failed to report initial concerns about staff conduct to Ofsted within the required timescale. In addition, the provider did not inform Ofsted of the action taken regarding these concerns. This is a breach of requirements. Furthermore, some staff fail to understand how their poor behaviour or conduct impacts on children's emotional well-being. These weaknesses mean that children's safety cannot be assured.

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Due date

implement an effective key-person system and support staff in their role to meet the care and learning needs of babies 28/01/2022

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Due date

ensure the safeguarding policy and procedures are followed at all times, including when dealing with allegations against staff 28/01/2022

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Due date

ensure arrangements for the supervision of staff and monitoring of practice are robust, so that staff are clear about their duty to always exhibit professional behaviour when working with children 28/01/2022

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Due date

review the organisation and planning of the indoor and outdoor environments for babies to maximise opportunities to extend their physical skills 28/01/2022

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Due date

review the curriculum for babies both indoors and outdoors, so that it is ambitious and clearly identifies what children intend to learn; this includes the effective use of information gathered during observation and assessment so that children reach their full potential 28/01/2022

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Due date

strengthen systems to support children who speak English as an additional language, so that they have more opportunities to use key words in their home language during play 28/01/2022

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Due date

strengthen systems to monitor and evaluate the curriculum to swiftly identify weaknesses in practice and raise the quality of education 28/01/2022

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Due date

24 November 2021 ensure that staff are always vigilant, so that accidents that occur to children on the premises are dealt with in a timely manner. 28/01/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY553599 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 10174727 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 59 Number of children on roll 97 Name of registered person Little Learning Academy Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 020 3802 8811 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Eltham registered in 2018. It is located in Eltham, in the London Borough of Greenwich. The setting is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6.30pm for 51 weeks of the year. Sessional care is also offered Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 1pm and 1pm to 6.30pm. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. The majority of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider 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 the evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector conducted a joint observation of a planned activity. n The inspector spoke to the staff about their role and responsibilities. n The inspector completed a learning walk with the manager and discussed the curriculum for all children. n A range of documentation was viewed by the inspector, including safeguarding policies and procedures. n The inspector took account of the views of parents.

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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

24 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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