Sandfield Park Private Day Nursery

Inspection of Sandfield Park Private Day Nursery Sandfield Park Day Nursery, Sandfield House, North Drive, Sandfield Park, Liverpool L12 1LG

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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 Good

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The provision is inadequate

Children endure emotional distress at this setting. Significant dangers within the environment place children at risk of harm. As a result, we have suspended the provider's registration. Staff are placed under such extreme pressure by management that they cannot meet the needs of children, particularly babies and toddlers. This means that children spend huge portions of their day extremely upset and craving adult attention. Staff try their best but are unable to accommodate all children. Babies and toddlers wander around rooms crying and aimlessly flitting from one resource to the next. They colour their faces with markers and throw toys around in a show of frustration and boredom. Some children need to be held at all times because they feel so insecure in the chaotic environment. Not all children are allocated a key person. This means that staff within the rooms have no understanding of children's individual needs and are

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The provision is inadequate

unable to support them effectively. This is especially apparent when staff do not know what languages children speak. This is reflected in children's behaviour as they struggle to settle and chant that they want to 'go home'.

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The provision is inadequate

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents now only enter the setting in a limited capacity. Children have adapted well to this and generally enter happily. However, their positive attitudes soon waiver when they are confronted with rooms full of distraught children.

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The provision is inadequate

Little interaction is seen between younger children and their peers. This is due to the many distractions in the environment. Pre-school children do form good relationships with one another and with staff. They are excited to show the inspector some of their toys. Children enjoy running around chasing each other outside, and perfecting their skills on balance bicycles. In contrast, babies are not given any opportunities to engage in outdoor play.

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need to do better?

n The manager is incapable of identifying and rectifying serious issues in the setting. She does not take responsibility for the failings and weaknesses found on inspection. The manager often places blame on her staff, without recognising that they are placed under significant stress within their roles. This practice is not supportive of staff well-being. Staff are expected to operate well above the legal staff-to-child ratios. This places them in an impossible position, where, although they try, they cannot possibly meet the needs of children. Despite knowing that she does not have enough staff, the manager does not take appropriate steps to rectify this. This leaves children unsafe as they are not appropriately supervised. n Parts of the premises are unclean and not fit for use. This is particularly true for

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need to do better?

2 March 2022 the milk-preparation kitchen and children's bathrooms. The small kitchen where babies' bottles are prepared is dirty. Cupboards are lined with a build up of dust and grime. Children's bathrooms smell strongly of urine, have grubby floors and little toilet paper. This is not supportive of children's good health. n Serious hazards within the setting are not identified. Long, slack wires hang on the children's level in the younger children's rooms in the setting, some of which are attached to heavy equipment. Devices with smashed screens and glass bottles are within reach of children. Radiator covers are not always secure, exposing very hot surfaces that children can access. A shelf in the children's bathroom is partly detached from the wall. It is heavy and stacked with resources and cleaning bottles. The shelf sits directly above the baby and toddler changing table. All of these issues pose a significant risk of injury to

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need to do better?

children. n An up-to-date record of the attendance of children on the premises is not maintained. Children move from room to room within the setting and this is also not recorded. This means that staff do not always know which children or how many children are in their rooms. As a result, in the case of an emergency evacuation, staff would not have accurate information as to how many children are on the premises. Additionally, several fire exits in the setting are blocked, adding further danger. n Hygiene procedures are not robust. Staff do not always wash their hands when it is appropriate to do so. Children's hands are also not washed. Due to lack of supervision, children partake in unsanitary play, such as splashing in toilet bowl water. This does not support children's personal development or contribute toward their good health. n Children's learning and development is not well supported. Staff are too

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need to do better?

overwhelmed to provide a high-quality, well-thought-out curriculum. Little purposeful play happens in the setting. The exception is seen in the pre-school. Children in this room are often engaged in play with staff and their peers. They play with construction toys and enjoy a calm, organised environment.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager is not capable of fulfilling her role as designated safeguarding lead. She is aware of the correct procedures to follow, but this does not happen in practice. She does not notify the correct agencies when allegations are made against members of staff. Staff have good safeguarding knowledge. However, they do not follow whistle-blowing procedures when they identify that children are at risk of harm in the setting. The manager does not ensure that the setting is risk assessed effectively. This means that children are exposed to hazards that have the potential to cause significant danger or harm, such as unsafe furniture, strangulation hazards and broken equipment. Staff are overwhelmed within their roles due to failures within management. This means that they do not quickly identify safeguarding risks, such as parents using their mobile phones in the setting.

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Due date

ensure that fire exits are clear and unobstructed so that children have a clear means of escape in the event of an emergency 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that the premises are clean and fit for use, particularly with respect to the milk-preparation kitchen and children's bathrooms 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that risk assessment procedures are secure enough to identify hazards in the environment that pose a serious risk to children, such as heavy falling shelves, trailing wires, broken glass and blocked fire exits 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that all children are allocated a key person who understands their individual needs and supports their emotional health and development 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that staff-to-child ratios are met in order to meet the needs of children 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that staff are deployed effectively to meet the needs of all children and to help ensure that children are not placed at risk, for instance by playing with water in toilet bowls 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that hygiene procedures are robustly implemented in order to reduce the risk of germs spreading and to help protect children's health, particularly with regards to staff washing hands, clean food preparation areas, and children washing hands 21/03/2022

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Due date

2 March 2022 ensure that all children, including babies, access the outdoor environment every day 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that the manager is capable of fulfilling their role and responsibilities, particularly by identifying and addressing serious weaknesses within the nursery 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that an accurate record of children's attendance is kept at all times, in order for staff to know how many children are present in the event of an emergency evacuation 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that policies and procedures are implemented consistently and effectively, especially with regards to risk assessment and child protection 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that all staff have an understanding of whistle-blowing procedures and how to use them if they feel children are at risk of harm 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that designated safeguarding leads have a robust understanding of their roles and responsibilities, including the correct procedures to follow if an allegation is made against a member of staff 21/03/2022

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Due date

ensure appropriate arrangements are in place to support staff, in order to create an environment that reinforces a culture of teamwork and supports staff well- being. 21/03/2022

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Due date

2 March 2022 ensure that a well-thought-out curriculum, which meets the varying needs of children, is implemented in order to support children's ongoing development. 21/03/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 322416 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 10229783 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 195 Number of children on roll 175 Name of registered person Sandfield Park Private Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0151 228 4040 Date of previous inspection 6 June 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Sandfield Park Private Day Nursery registered in 2000. The nursery employs 23 members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 10 hold a level 3 qualification, five hold level 6, and four are unqualified. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. It 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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n Staff spoke to the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection and she took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the manager about 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

2 March 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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