Furness Childcare

Inspection of Furness Childcare The Corner House, High Street, BARROW-IN-FURNESS, Cumbria LA14 1QY

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety is compromised due to the significant weaknesses in the leadership and management of the nursery and several breaches of the legal requirements. Children are put at further risk because the designated lead for safeguarding does not have adequate understanding of all areas of safeguarding, in particular allegations management. This is because the new provider has not ensured that the acting manager has the skills, knowledge or support required to fulfil her role.

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not benefit from consistently strong teaching from staff. This is due to the acting manager being solely room-based and, as a result, there is very little monitoring of the curriculum and the quality of education children receive. Furthermore, children are not benefiting from eligible funding to enhance their learning, as this has not been made available by the provider.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are happy and enjoy their time at the nursery. They are warmly welcomed by staff and quickly engage in the play and learning opportunities available. Children behave well and demonstrate social skills as they invite their peers to join in with them. Children have access to plenty of space to play and explore. However, the nursery building has not been suitably maintained. Various concerns, such as the broken heating system, have not been addressed by the provider. This means that the building is currently not fit for purpose.

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need to do better?

n The new provider has not ensured sufficient oversight is in place to maintain the safe and efficient running of the nursery and, as a result, they have failed to continue to meet the requirements of the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage'. Furthermore, Ofsted was not informed of changes to the directors of the governing body. This is a breach of requirements. n Systems for supervision are not in place. As a result, some areas of teaching are variable and there are some weaknesses in the implementation of the curriculum. These gaps in teaching have gone unnoticed. This is largely due to the acting manager being room-based and therefore unable to spend time observing practice and providing staff with the support and coaching they require. This also means that staff have not had informed and effective professional development opportunities to ensure they offer quality learning and

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need to do better?

development experiences for children. n Due to the lack of oversight of the nursery, the curriculum lacks sequence and does not fully set out clearly what children need to learn. As a result, some activities, although fun and linked to children's interests, are not sufficiently focused on building the skills children need to learn and develop. Despite

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need to do better?

19 January 2022 weaknesses in the curriculum overview from leaders, staff are aware of the skills individual children in their key groups need to develop. n Staff focus on communication and language. They use some effective techniques to promote children's vocabulary, such as offering a choice at snack time and integrating singing and rhyme into the everyday routine. However, this is not consistent and, on other occasions, staff are seen talking over children and asking questions from across the room. This inconsistency means children do not always benefit from high-quality teaching and learning opportunities. n Children attending with special educational needs and/or disabilities are given good-quality support. The nursery special educational needs coordinator is proactive in seeking intervention at the earliest opportunity. She works closely with the key persons, parents and involved professionals, to ensure a

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need to do better?

coordinated approach is maintained. n Partnership with parents is sound. Parents are happy with the nursery and speak positively of the staff team. They also comment on some of the skills their children have developed since attending the nursery. For example, parents comment on the variety of nursery rhymes their children have learned since starting at the nursery. n Children have access to large and spacious rooms, and an enclosed outdoor space with a small range of equipment for them to explore and navigate. However, the building has been poorly maintained and, as a result, the nursery premises are not fit for purpose. Ongoing issues with the heating system mean that the areas children have access to are very cold. This creates an uncomfortable environment for staff and children and causes distractions in children's learning. For example, children notice the room temperature as they tell staff their soft toys are cold.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider has failed to ensure the acting manager understands her role as the safeguarding lead. As a result, procedures for dealing with allegations against staff are not well understood. The acting manager's lack of knowledge of these safeguarding procedures also affects her ability to provide staff with the correct support, advice and guidance to protect children, particularly in the event of an allegation being made. However, other areas of safeguarding are well understood. For example, staff are able to identify areas and indicators of abuse and they are aware of the correct procedure to follow in reporting concerns. The premises are not fit for purpose. Although staff ensure children's safety through ongoing risk assessment, the heating system is not working and, as a result, the nursery is not maintained at a suitable temperature.

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Due date

ensure the designated lead for safeguarding has sufficient skills to give appropriate support, advice and guidance as required and in line with policies and procedures 16/02/2022

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Due date

put in place appropriate training and professional development opportunities for staff to ensure they offer quality learning and development experiences for children that continually improve 16/02/2022

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Due date

put in place arrangements for the supervision of staff that provide support, coaching and guidance, to raise the quality of education to a consistently good level 16/02/2022

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Due date

ensure the temperature of the building is maintained to a suitable level. 16/02/2022

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Due date

ensure that planning is focused more precisely on children's individual development needs and the skills they need to learn next, to support them in making progress in their learning 16/02/2022

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Due date

take action to ensure additional funding for eligible children is made available promptly, so staff can swiftly plan for and use the funding as needed. 16/02/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY239993 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 10219984 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 69 Number of children on roll 30 Name of registered person Furness Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01229 828444 Date of previous inspection 23 January 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Furness Childcare registered in 2003 and is situated in the centre of Barrow-in- Furness. The nursery employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 5.30pm. 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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The acting manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and discussions were held on the curriculum and intentions for children's learning. n Staff and children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager during snack time. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager about the leadership and management of the nursery.

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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

19 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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