Kids Planet Nook Barn

Inspection of Nook Barn Nursery Nook Barn, Nook Lane, BLACKBURN BB2 4SN

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

The manager and owner fail to stay abreast of changes and concerns that are likely to impact a child's life. This means that where a child is faced with challenging situations at home, they do not have adequate support. Key workers have high expectations for every child with regards to their learning and development. However, the owner and manager do not keep staff up to date with any safeguarding issues affecting their key children. This means staff are not always well equipped to help. Regardless, children show resilience and drive as they explore the nursery and eagerly engage with activities. They are happy. Children support one another well. They cheer for their classmates and encourage them to 'try again' when they are not first successful.

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The provision is inadequate

For the most part, children benefit from the well-organised learning environment. Staff adapt activities successfully to promote children's current learning targets. However, during short, busy transition times in the pre-school room, staff become overwhelmed by the many roles they are expected to fulfil. This leads to a more disorderly environment where children run around and knock each other over and some children become upset. The manager and owner have made changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Children have adapted well to this. For instance, they say goodbye to their parents at the door and independently take their coats off, a new skill for most.

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need to do better?

n Failures in leadership and management procedures have a negative impact on children. The owner and the manager do not liaise effectively with other agencies to support the most vulnerable children. They also fail to equip key workers with the knowledge they need to assist children through emotionally challenging times. The owner and the manager make assumptions about children's home lives without gathering the proper information. This means children are not safeguarded well. n Children behave well and are keen to learn. Staff know their key children's levels of development well and plan a well-thought-out, challenging curriculum with this information. Babies begin to look through books and excitedly utter newly learned words, such as 'fish'. Toddlers listen carefully to instructions and complete complicated moves during exercise class. Pre-school children show impressive recall as they remember what they have learned about keeping

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need to do better?

healthy and brushing their teeth. They link fun activities to their own experiences, such as visiting the dentist. All children make good progress. n Children show high levels of resilience and respect for others. They rush to hug their friends if they fall over, and burst into cheers and clapping when they answer questions correctly. However, at times, children show apprehension

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need to do better?

21 January 2022 when faced with personal challenges, such as descending the stairs. Although staff offer encouragement, they do not provide more targeted support to help guide children. Regardless, children overcome these big steps successfully. They feel proud of their achievements, beaming with smiles when they reach the bottom. n Parents appreciate the staff, the manager and the owner. They comment that staff 'really do care for children and support them in the best possible way'. Parents are especially impressed with the 'constant, open communication' they receive from the nursery. They say this helps them to feel reassured that their children are happy and learning. The owner and manager build strong relationships with parents and encourage them to further support children's learning at home. n Staff feel happy and encouraged. Newer staff say that they benefit from the strong induction process and this helps them feel prepared for their roles.

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need to do better?

However, at times, capable staff struggle because the owner and manager have not deployed staff effectively. Staff are expected to juggle several jobs, such as speaking to parents, helping children use the bathroom and supervising a large group, all at once. This means the environment briefly becomes chaotic and children bump into one another and get upset.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The manager and the owner, as designated safeguarding leads, fail to safeguard children effectively. Although they have good safeguarding knowledge, they do not put this into practice when concerns are raised regarding children. The owner and manager do not place importance on remaining aware of ongoing issues that may impact a child's home life. They do not work effectively with other agencies to gather all of the necessary information needed to support children and their families. In addition, the owner and the manager do not have a full understanding of the processes to follow should an allegation be made against a member of their staff. Safeguarding arrangements are not effective enough to help keep children robustly safe.

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Due date

21 January 2022 ensure that all relevant staff are alert to any issues within a child's life that may cause concern and put appropriate plans in place in order to support children and their families when concerns arise 01/02/2022

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Due date

ensure staff are deployed efficiently at all times, particularly during busy periods, in order to maintain a calm and orderly environment and to meet the needs of all children 07/02/2022

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Due date

liaise effectively with outside agencies to help ensure that children are safe and protected from harm 01/02/2022

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Due date

ensure all designated safeguarding leads and senior staff understand the correct procedures to follow should an allegation be made against a member of staff, or should they have concerns about the manager. 07/02/2022

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should:

n consider ways to support children more acutely when facing overwhelming challenges, such as when developing the skills to navigate tricky physical pursuits like descending stairs.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY538462 Local authority Blackburn with Darwen Inspection number 10220393 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 54 Number of children on roll 92 Name of registered person Nook Barn Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01254 207676 Date of previous inspection 1 April 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Nook Barn Nursery registered in 2016. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of whom 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 8am until 5.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for 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, the manager and the owner discussed the curriculum and the impact it has on children's development during a learning walk. n During a joint observation, the manager and the inspector evaluated the effectiveness of staff practice together. n Staff, children and parents shared their feedback with the inspector, which contributed to the inspection. n Appropriate documentation was scrutinised, including documents pertaining to the suitability of staff. n Leadership and management discussions were held throughout the inspection, between the manager, the owner and the inspector.

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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

21 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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