Little Stars Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Stars Day Nursery 60 Ness Road, Shoeburyness, SOUTHEND-ON-SEA SS3 9DG

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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

Children's well-being and welfare is not adequately supported. Staff fail to manage children's boisterous behaviour, which puts them and others at risk. For example, older children frequently run about the pre-school room. They are bored and throw toys. Younger children have very limited activities to choose from, which means they also become bored. They push each other over and stand on resources, such as a wooden dolls' house. Children, particularly in the toddler room, do not have sufficient, good quality resources to excite and motivate them to play. Staff provide water, sand and dough but there is nothing else for when children are finished with the messy play.

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The provision is inadequate

Younger children and babies who become tired are taken upstairs to the baby room sleep area. The provider fails to ensure that staff are effectively deployed to supervise sleeping children. Instead, babies and younger children are left alone upstairs in a darkened room, out of sight and hearing of staff. This poses a significant risk to children's safety. Younger children do not have access to fresh drinking water. Their bottles are kept up on a high surface out of reach and not offered during the session. Children's individual needs, interests and stages of development are not used to plan activities. The educational programme is badly planned and mundane. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not supported. They fail to make progress.

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need to do better?

n The provider, who is also the manager, has an inadequate understanding and knowledge of the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage. She has failed to meet numerous legal requirements. The provider does not have the required experience to take on the role of manager. In addition, the provider has not ensured that there is a named deputy who is qualified and capable to take charge in her absence. n The provider has failed to ensure that staff understand how to minimise the risk of cross infection. Hot and cold food is left uncovered on surfaces that have not been cleaned and are in constant use as staff reach across food for tissues, documents, and gloves. Staff in the toddler room wear gloves but fail to change their gloves after wiping children's noses. They dispose of the tissue but then serve food to the children using the same gloved hand. When toddlers drop cutlery on the floor, staff pick it up. However, instead of replacing with clean

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need to do better?

cutlery, they quickly rinse and hand them back to children. This does not support children's good health. n Staff morale is low and, as a result, staff turnover is extremely high. Staff do not know the children very well in order to support them appropriately. The key- person system is not well embedded to offer a settled relationship for children.

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need to do better?

1 December 2021 This leaves children feeling uncertain and tearful. Staffing arrangements do not meet the needs of all children. For example, staff overlook the quieter children, as they have to manage the behaviour of the louder, more challenging children. In addition, staff do not ensure that children have access to activities that are age appropriate and fully engage them. n Partnerships with parents are not effectively managed. The provider generally meets children and their parents at the door in the morning and at collection time. She fails to check how children have been from their key person, which means parents are not given vital information about how their children have been while at nursery. This does not support continuity in their care and learning. n The provider fails to demonstrate a suitable understanding of the learning and development requirements. This means that she is unable to monitor and ensure

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need to do better?

that staff plan challenging and enjoyable experiences for every child. Staff do not know children's individual needs, interests and stages of development well enough to ensure that educational programmes support all children's progress in relation to their starting points. n The provider fails to ensure that Ofsted are notified of any significant events, which may affect the suitability of the early years provider. n The provider has not provided staff with effective supervision to ensure that they receive support, coaching and training. Staff do not have time to discuss any concerns they may have about their key children or aspects of their practice to develop further. Furthermore, the provider speaks to staff abruptly in front of children and visitors. Consequently, staff are unmotivated and unhappy. n The provider fails to maintain an accurate record of children's hours of attendance. She does not have a good enough understanding of other legal

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need to do better?

obligations, such as employment law and duty of care towards staff. For example, staff shortages mean that staff are only able to have a 10-minute break even though they have worked for more than six hours. This is below the legal entitlement. The provider has failed to inform the relevant environmental health department that the premises is under new ownership, as is required.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider is currently the designated safeguarding lead. However, she does not have a robust knowledge of the possible signs and symptoms, which may indicate that a child is at risk of harm. The provider does not have a secure understanding of current guidance, such as the 'Prevent' duty. She does not understand the dangers posed to children through radicalisation or drugs. Therefore, she is unable to take appropriate action in the event of a concern about a child in her care. Risk assessments are not completed prior to children going outside. The provider fails to monitor risk assessments and the environment to ensure all potential hazards to children are minimised.

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Due date

ensure the designated lead for safeguarding attends a child protection course in order to be able to identify, understand and respond appropriately to possible signs of abuse or neglect 21/12/2021

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Due date

implement effective supervision arrangements to ensure that staff receive support, coaching and training which fosters a culture of support and teamwork 21/12/2021

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Due date

take action to ensure the key-person arrangements offer a settled relationship for children and their parents 21/12/2021

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Due date

make sure the manager has at least two years' experience of working in an early years setting, or has at least two years other suitable experience 21/12/2021

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Due date

ensure there is a named deputy, who is capable and qualified to take charge in the manager's absence 21/12/2021

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Due date

take immediate action to ensure that staffing arrangements meet the needs of all children 21/12/2021

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Due date

ensure that children are always within sight and/or hearing of staff, including when they are sleeping 21/12/2021

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Due date

take all necessary steps to consistently promote the good health of children, including implementing effective handwashing procedures 21/12/2021

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Due date

ensure the youngest children have access to fresh drinking water 21/12/2021

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Due date

1 December 2021 improve staff's understanding of how to manage children's behaviour in an appropriate and consistent way 21/12/2021

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Due date

ensure that health and safety legislation is complied with, specifically hygiene requirements 21/12/2021

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Due date

take action to ensure that risk assessments identify all possible risks to children, with specific regard to the toddler room and outside spaces 21/12/2021

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Due date

improve existing arrangements to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported and helped to make good progress in relation to their individual starting points 21/12/2021

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Due date

improve partnerships with parents to ensure a regular two-way flow of information, which helps to support continuity in children's care, learning and development 21/12/2021

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Due date

improve understanding of the notification requirements to ensure that Ofsted is informed of any significant event which is likely to affect the suitability of the early years provider 21/12/2021

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Due date

improve understanding of other legal obligations which sit alongside the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage, in particular employment laws and duty of care. 21/12/2021

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Due date

ensure that children's individual needs, interests and their stages of development are effectively used to plan challenging and enjoyable experiences for every child 21/12/2021

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Due date

1 December 2021 ensure that educational programmes are ambitious and designed to support all children's good progress in relation to their starting points 21/12/2021

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Due date

review and improve resources, particularly for the younger children, to fully engage, motivate and excite them. 21/12/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2590879 Local authority Southend-on-Sea Inspection number 10216308 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 40 Number of children on roll 27 Name of registered person Bright Kidz Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01702290569 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Stars Day Nursery registered in 2020 and is one of two nurseries run by the same organisation. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, one member of staff holds an appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and two members of staff hold early years qualifications at level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 52 weeks of the year. Opening times are from 7am until 7pm. 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 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 all areas of the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. 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. n The provider and the inspector completed a learning walk together. The provider discussed their curriculum and what it is that they want children to learn.

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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

1 December 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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