Sandfield Park Private Day Nursery

Summary of outcome

All early years providers must meet the legal requirements in the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage, which you can find at www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2. If we find that a provider is not meeting the requirements, we can take action to ensure they put matters right.

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Summary of outcome

During December, January and February 2022, we received eight individual concerns that the provider was not meeting some of these requirements. On 2 March 2022, we carried out an unannounced inspection. The report and inspection outcome will be published in due course.

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Summary of outcome

Following the inspection, on 2 March 2022, we suspended the provider's registration at this setting because we believed that children may be at risk of harm. Suspension allows time for the provider to take steps to reduce or eliminate the risk of harm to children. The provider has a right to appeal against a suspension. The provider may not provide childcare for which registration is required while the suspension is in place and may commit an offence if they do so.

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Summary of outcome

On 11 March 2022, we served a welfare requirements notice. This is a legal notice that requires the provider to take the actions below within the timescales set out.

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Summary of outcome

ensure fire exits are clear and unobstructed so children have a clear means of escape in the event of an emergency

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Summary of outcome

ensure the premises are clean and fit for use, particularly with respects to the milk preparation kitchen and children's bathrooms

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Summary of outcome

ensure risk assessments procedures are secure enough to identify hazards within the environment which pose a serious risk to children, such as heavy falling shelves, trailing wires, broken glass and blocked fire exits

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ensure all children are allocated a key person who understands their individual needs and supports their emotional health and development

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Summary of outcome

ensure you meet staff:child ratios in order to meet the needs of children ensure staff are deployed effectively to meet the needs of all children and to help ensure children are not placed at risk, for instance by playing with water in toilet bowls

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Summary of outcome

ensure hygiene procedures are robustly implemented in order to reduce the risk of germs spreading and protecting children's health, particularly with regards to staff washing hands, clean food preparation areas and children washing hands

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ensure all children, including babies, access the outdoor environment every day

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

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Summary of outcome

ensure 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

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Summary of outcome

ensure policies and procedures are implemented consistently and effectively, especially with regards to risk assessment and child protection

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ensure all staff have an understanding of whistle blowing procedures and how to use them if they feel children are at risk of harm

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ensure 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

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

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Summary of outcome

On 23 March 2022, we carried out an unannounced monitoring visit. We found that the provider had taken prompt and effective action to address the identified breaches of requirement. Improvements had been made to the premises; fire exits were unobstructed, the milk kitchen had been refurbished, the premises had been cleaned, and all previously identified hazards had been removed. This action has helped to ensure children are kept safe. We also found that improvements had been made to an outside play area, which staff say helps them to be able to take babies outside every day. Steps had been taken to recruit additional staff and to improve the deployment of staff. This helps to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of staff who are able to meet the needs of the children, maintain appropriate levels of supervision and to be able to meet their responsibilities as a key person. We found that staff had an increased awareness of the importance of good hygiene

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Summary of outcome

to help prevent the spread of infection. We also found improved systems for maintaining records of attendance, to help ensure the safe evacuation of all children in an emergency. We found that steps had been taken to refresh all staff's knowledge of child protection issues and safeguarding procedures. Furthermore, we found improved arrangements to support staff well-being. The period of suspension had been used to prioritise staff training and teamwork to support improvement. We found that the provider has an increased focus on monitoring the quality of provision and the effectiveness of leadership and management, to help them ensure that all requirements continue to be met and improvements sustained.

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Summary of outcome

During the monitoring visit, we informed the manager and provider of additional information received by Ofsted, which raised new areas of concern. The manager provided details of an internal investigation and we carried out a regulatory telephone call. We found that the provider was not meeting some of the requirements but had already taken action to put this right. A review of procedures for the identification and assessment of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the setting had taken place. Action had also been taken to ensure that there is a suitably trained coordinator for SEND in place. Monitoring of the implementation of assessment procedures and communication to plan how to meet children's needs had been improved, and identified gaps in provision had been addressed. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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Summary of outcome

We are satisfied the provider has met the safeguarding and welfare actions raised at the inspection and we have lifted the suspension of registration. We are also satisfied with the action taken to address the breaches of requirement relating to special educational needs. We will consider the impact on children of all action taken at the next inspection.

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Summary of outcome

The provider is still registered with Ofsted.

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Publication of complaints

We publish details of complaints made against childminders, home childcarers and childcare providers where we or the provider have taken action in order to meet legal requirements.

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Publication of complaints

We publish details of complaints on our website for a period of five years.

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Publication of complaints

For further information about the complaints process please view the Concerns and complaints about childminders and childcare providers leaflet .

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