Crescent Corner

Inspection of Crescent Corner 104c Halifax Road, Sheffield S6 1LH

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

Staffing arrangements are poor. The youngest children are cared for by unfamiliar adults and/or the least-qualified and experienced staff. Consequently, babies are frequently distressed and do not feel safe. Leaders do not check the suitability of adults to work with children before allowing them to have unsupervised contact. This places children at risk of possible harm.

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The provision is inadequate

The quality of education is poor. Adults often talk to each other, or sit back quietly, while children are playing. Adults sit on the floor and children sit next to them doing nothing. Adults say, 'Do you want to draw a picture or read a book or play? Erm, do you want to hop?'. Children do not respond; they lay on the floor and appear lethargic. Adults do not move from the floor or make any attempt to engage children in any of the activities listed. This does not stimulate children's curiosity, interest or excitement in any learning opportunities. As a result, children become bored and do not make good progress across the areas of learning.

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The provision is inadequate

Children's good health is not promoted. Adults and children do not always wash their hands, or clean surfaces, before preparing, serving and eating food. Adults do not wash their hands after changing children's nappies. Poor hygiene practices place children at significant risk of the spread of infection. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the provider has put in place a policy that parents will not enter the childcare rooms, in order to reduce the risk of the spread of infection. However, staff do not ensure that this is followed.

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need to do better?

n When babies are distressed, adults hold them on their knee or bounce them in baby chairs but do not talk to them. Adults do not engage children in back-and- forth interactions or introduce new words to children during play. For example, adults sit next to children who are exploring construction toys. They only speak a couple of times to ask children 'what have you got?' and 'what is it?'. Children do not respond. They are not encouraged to talk about their thoughts and ideas. As a result, they do not speak while they play and do not make good progress in their communication and language development. n All children are brought to the carpet. An adult writes an uppercase 'A' on a whiteboard and asks children what letter it is. They work through the alphabet from 'a' to 'z'. Some children can recall the letter names from memory and shout them out. The activity does not provide any challenge for them as they have

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need to do better?

already memorised the letters. Some children do not know the letters and do not join in. Adults do not say each letter name to model how they are pronounced. Children wander away or distract their friends because the activity is too long and too difficult for them.

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need to do better?

12 January 2022 n The key-person system is not effective. Some parents do not know who their child's key person is. Adults do not tell parents how they can share and support their children's learning at home. Staff from the provider's other settings come to cover staff shortages. However, they do not know the children. They are not given information about children's individual care and learning needs and so are unable to meet these. This leads to a chaotic environment where children are unable to engage in meaningful play or learning and feel unsafe. n The provider and staff do not do enough to identify and reduce risks to children. For example, children play near a fence that has sharp edges and splinters sticking out. At times, there is no one on the premises who has a current paediatric first-aid certificate. This means they would not be available to respond to an emergency. Adults do not keep records of all accidents, injuries and first

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need to do better?

aid given. Adults do not supervise children adequately. For example, they sit together at one side of the room or place themselves with their backs to children. This does not promote the good health of children and places them at possible risk of harm. n The provider does not maintain records of the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all staff and adults who have unsupervised contact with children. A daily record of the names of children being cared for and their hours of attendance is not consistently kept. Adults do not follow the signing in and out procedures. If there was an emergency, there would be no record of who was on site. n Adults who prepare food and drink do not have the required food hygiene training to do so safely. Fresh drinking water is not always available to all children. At snack and mealtimes, adults bring children drinks sometime after their food is served. This increases the risk of choking and does not meet the

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need to do better?

needs of children. n Procedures for checking the quality of staff's practice are poor. Newly appointed staff have not received induction and other staff have not been given specific feedback about their performance. Leaders have not identified that staff have a poor understanding of child protection procedures. Relevant support, training or coaching that will raise the quality of care and education has not been provided. n Staff do not manage children's behaviour appropriately. They shout instructions from a distance and tell children to stop being 'silly'. This does not support children to develop a positive sense of themselves or learn to manage their emotions. Staff do not support children to manage conflicts with their friends. For example, children who are tussling with each other during a whole-group activity are not noticed or addressed by staff, resulting in children becoming upset and their play and learning being disrupted.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff, including those with lead responsibility for safeguarding, have a poor knowledge and understanding of child protection. They would not be able to identify children who may be being abused or know what to do. The setting's

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Safeguarding

12 January 2022 safeguarding policy is not in line with local safeguarding partnership procedures. It contains out-of-date contact information for local statutory children's services. This means that staff do not have the information they need to quickly respond to safeguarding concerns. Staff do not know what they should do if an allegation is made against a member of staff. The recruitment processes and inadequate supervision of unchecked adults do not ensure the safety of children. Staff do not identify or address risks in the environment and, consequently, children are not kept safe from harm.

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Due date

ensure the safeguarding policy is in line with local safeguarding partnership procedures and that all staff know what to do if they have safeguarding concerns about a child 09/02/2022

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Due date

train all staff to understand the safeguarding policy and ensure they have up-to-date safeguarding knowledge, including what to do in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff 09/02/2022

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Due date

do not allow people whose suitability has not been checked to have unsupervised contact with children 09/02/2022

p.4

Due date

improve staff deployment to ensure that children are well supervised, kept safe from harm, and that their emotional needs are met 09/02/2022

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Due date

ensure each child has an identified key person who is fully aware of and can meet their individual care needs through effective and settled relationships 02/03/2022

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Due date

12 January 2022 appropriately assess possible risks on the premises and implement reasonable measures to manage those risks, including and ensuring all practices, equipment and premises are safe 09/02/2022

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Due date

keep a written record of accidents or injuries, and of any first-aid treatment given to children in your care 09/02/2022

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Due date

ensure that at least one person who has a current paediatric first-aid certificate is on the premises and available when children are present 09/02/2022

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Due date

implement effective hygiene practices that prevent the spread of infection, including handwashing before and after preparing or eating food and after nappy changing 09/02/2022

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Due date

always make fresh drinking water available and accessible to all children 09/02/2022

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Due date

provide food hygiene training to all staff who prepare and handle food 09/02/2022

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Due date

ensure children's behaviour is managed in an appropriate and consistent way, while always taking into account the age and stage of development of each child 02/03/2022

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Due date

implement effective induction and supervision arrangements that are effective in supporting, coaching and training staff to be able to offer quality learning and development experiences for all children 02/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that all necessary information is maintained regarding any adult working at the setting, or who has unsupervised contact with children, and records regarding children's attendance 09/02/2022

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Due date

12 January 2022 share information with parents and carers about how the early years foundation stage is delivered, the range of activities provided and how parents can support and share their child's learning at home. 02/03/2022

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Due date

ensure staff consider the individual needs, interests and developmental stages of children when planning and delivering activities, so that they build on what children already know and can do 12/03/2022

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Due date

improve staff's understanding of how to offer challenge to children and to stimulate children's learning so that they do not become bored and distracted from their play 12/03/2022

p.6

Due date

improve staff's understanding of how to support children's communication and language development. 12/03/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2595441 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 10217499 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 60 Number of children on roll 50 Name of registered person Cornerstone Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01142509777 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Crescent Corner registered in 2020 and is one of five early years settings owned by the same provider. It is situated in the Hillsborough area of Sheffield. The provision operates all year round from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays. There are currently five members of childcare staff employed, including the manager, four of whom hold early years qualifications at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. 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 their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The deputy manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to/communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an adult-led activity with the deputy manager and manager from one of the provider's other settings. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke to the deputy manager, a manager from one of the provider's other settings, and the manager, via video call, regarding the leadership and management of the setting.

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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

12 January 2022 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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