Pinecones Nursery School

Inspection of Pinecones Nursery School Unit 5, Kingsdown Business Park, Salcombe Regis, Sidmouth EX10 0PD

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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

Safeguarding practice is weak at this nursery. The manager does not have a secure enough understanding of all safeguarding procedures, such as the correct process to follow if there is an allegation made against a member of staff. Sometimes, she fails to share relevant safeguarding information with other agencies. Additionally, the manager has not identified that staff lack sufficient understanding of broader safeguarding issues. This compromises children's safety and welfare significantly.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff do not receive adequate support and coaching to enable them to perform their roles and responsibilities to a consistently good level. The manager has ineffective procedures for checking the quality of staff's practice. Although she provides staff with some supervision meetings, these are infrequent. In addition, she has not identified weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum. Not all staff are skilled enough to be able to engage children fully during small-group activities, and their teaching does not hold children's attention sufficiently. At these times, children lack motivation to learn.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are happy and behave well. They show that they feel comfortable in the care of staff and form warm relationships with them. Older children confidently request resources that they wish to play with. Staff give babies lots of cuddles, which supports their emotional well-being effectively. Children have ample opportunities to develop their physical skills and get lots of fresh air and exercise in the garden area. Older children climb and enjoy riding bikes. Babies who are beginning to walk benefit from negotiating different levels and are physically active in their play. They move around while balancing on low-level soft furniture, and show increasing coordination and control.

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need to do better?

n The manager lacks a clear oversight about the quality of the provision, and weaknesses in safeguarding put children's welfare at risk. The manager, who is also the designated safeguarding lead, does not follow procedures accurately to report allegations made against staff to her local safeguarding partnership. Furthermore, she has failed to ensure staff understand the nursery's safeguarding policies and procedures fully. As a result, staff are not aware of how to identify and respond to concerns relating to wider safeguarding issues. n The manager does not support staff to improve their teaching skills effectively. Consequently, some staff do not always understand how to engage and support children's learning consistently. For example, in the pre-school room, staff fail to notice when some children lose interest and concentration during an active story time, particularly when they cannot see the picture book. As a result, some

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need to do better?

children become disengaged and wander off.

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need to do better?

24 February 2022 n The manager knows what she wants children to learn over time in order for them to be ready for school. However, teaching is varied, and staff do not implement the expected curriculum learning intentions well enough for older children. For example, occasionally, staff are unsure of what they want children to learn next. They do not routinely share information with each other about what children should be learning next, which does not ensure that staff consistently build on what children know and can already do. n Parents speak positively about the nursery. They praise how accommodating the staff are and say their children enjoy attending. Staff share information with parents regarding their children's day and progress. For example, they provide regular updates during collection times, and through daily contact books and electronic learning journals. Staff give parents ideas on how to further support

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need to do better?

their children's learning at home. n Children demonstrate consideration for their friends. For example, older children invite their friends to join in with their play. Children respond well to gentle reminders from staff about taking turns. n Children follow suitable routines to help promote their good health, such as handwashing before eating. Staff sit with children during mealtimes and encourage their independence. Older children pour their own drinks, and toddlers find their own drinking cup when they are thirsty. n At times, staff support children's communication and language skills well. Babies babble away happily as staff gently float chiffon scarfs over them. Staff talk to babies during this play and introduce new vocabulary. Older children speak with increasingly long sentences. Staff work closely with other professionals to put appropriate support in place for children with special educational needs and/or

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need to do better?

disabilities. For example, they use pictures and gestures to support children's understanding of language.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Despite the manager being aware of her duty to report concerns regarding the welfare of a child, she has failed to respond promptly to information concerning a member of staff, in line with the guidance and procedures of the local safeguarding partners. Although the manager ensures that staff receive relevant training, she does not check that all staff have a secure knowledge of safeguarding. Some staff do not have sufficient understanding of how to recognise concerns that children may be vulnerable to wider safeguarding matters, such as extreme views or female genital mutilation. The manager implements appropriate recruitment processes.

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Due date

ensure the designated safeguarding lead practitioner follows the correct procedure in the event of an allegation made against a member of staff 10/03/2022

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Due date

ensure all staff know how to recognise concerns relating to wider safeguarding issues 10/03/2022

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Due date

improve the support and coaching for staff to ensure all staff understand how to engage and support children consistently 17/03/2022

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Due date

improve information sharing between staff to enable them to target all children's individual learning more consistently, especially in the pre-school room. 17/03/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY551114 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10226682 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 36 Number of children on roll 56 Name of registered person Pinecones Nursery School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01297680587 Date of previous inspection 29 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

Pinecones Nursery School registered in 2017. It is a privately owned nursery, situated in Salcombe Regis, Devon. The nursery is open on weekdays from 8am to 5pm, all year round, except for two weeks at Christmas, one week at Easter and one week in the summer. There are 12 members of staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status, one holds early years professional status, one holds a qualification at level 6, five hold a qualification at level 3, and two hold a qualification at level 2. The nursery receives funding to provide free 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 This inspection was carried out as a result of a risk assessment, following information received about the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector took account of parents' views through their verbal and written feedback.

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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

24 February 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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