Smileys Creche

Inspection of Smileys Creche Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Charles Hastings Way, WORCESTER WR5 1DD

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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's safety and well-being are not assured. Staff do not have a sufficient knowledge and understanding of child protection issues to promote children's welfare effectively. Children's safety is further compromised as the manager has failed to ensure that mandatory training, such as paediatric first aid, is updated in a timely manner. This means staff do not have up-to date knowledge or skills to provide children with the care they may need in a medical emergency.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite this, the management team have adapted some aspects of their practice during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure children and their families' well-being. Parents are not invited into the nursery at drop off and collection times. Instead, handovers are completed at the door. Children quickly adapted to this new routine and arrive happy and eager to begin their play. Children form positive relationships with staff. Babies and young children demonstrate they feel secure, as they play together with staff and climb on their lap for a cuddle.

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The provision is inadequate

Overall, weaknesses in management's monitoring of teaching and how staff implement the curriculum mean that children do not make sufficient progress in their development. That said, children enjoy participating in an appropriate range of activities and are acquiring some skills to help them move forward in their learning. They listen attentively to stories and join in with action songs. Children develop early friendships with others and are learning to share and take turns. They make independent choices about the resources they want to play with.

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need to do better?

n The leadership and management of the nursery are weak. They do not have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibility to safeguard children. Although the management team encourage staff to read relevant policies and attend some training, they do not ensure that staff fully understand the nursery procedures or the training they attend. Some staff have an insufficient knowledge and understanding of the known indicators of child abuse or the action they should take in the event of a concern. n Staffs knowledge of the 'Prevent' duty guidance is poor. The management team have not ensured staff receive all aspects of safeguarding training they need. As a result, they are not alert to the possible signs and symptoms that a child is at risk of being drawn into situations which could cause them harm. n Managers have failed to secure refresher paediatric first-aid training for staff, despite being aware certificates expired in November 2021. Managers have

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need to do better?

secured relevant training for their staff to start in the week commencing 7 February 2022. But, as a result, the nursery does not meet the legal requirement to ensure that at least one person holds a current paediatric first-aid certificate,

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need to do better?

4 February 2022 and is on the premises and available at all times when children are present. This means children's safety is compromised. n Children's planned next steps are not precise enough, as staff identify resources to support children's interests, rather than what they intend for children to learn next with regards to their development. This hinders the progress children make. The manager and staff plan a curriculum based on weekly themes. For example, they provide a range of developmentally appropriate activities to support children to learn about cultural celebrations, such as Chinese New Year. Staff observe children as they play and make some plans for their future learning. n Children, generally, enjoy the activities on offer. They learn about space and measure as they fill and empty different-sized containers with scented water. Children develop the small muscles in their hands in readiness for writing as they

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need to do better?

enthusiastically squeeze, knead and roll dough. They learn to link letters and sounds and announce 's is for slithery snake'. Young children develop hand-to- eye coordination as they carefully stick sequins to paper. n Managers and staff have identified children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Partnerships with external professionals have been established. This helps ensure these children are offered some support. However, weaknesses in the curriculum, staff's teaching and education provided, as already mentioned, are consistent for these children as well. This means that these children do not make as much progress as possible and are not supported well enough to catch up. n Although staff seek information from parents about children's care needs and routines when they first begin to attend the nursery, they do not gather enough information on what children already know and can do at home. This means

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need to do better?

staff are not able to effectively plan to move children forward in their learning from the very start. That said, staff form positive relationships with parents. They talk to them at the beginning and end of the day and share information about children's care needs and achievements. Parents comment on the 'lovely staff' and 'how hard staff have worked during the COVID-19 pandemic'. n Despite the fact the management team work alongside their staff team on a daily basis, they have not identified weaknesses in practice. They are yet to establish focused professional development plans to improve staff knowledge and skills, and raise the quality of teaching to a consistently good level. That said, the management team work closely together and want to provide high- quality care and education for all. They reflect on their practice and have some plans in place to improve the quality of the provision. For example, to complete

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need to do better?

appraisals for all staff and to improve the outdoor area.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager has not kept all relevant training for staff up to date, including safeguarding and paediatric first aid. The manager does not ensure that staff have a secure understanding of safeguarding, in line with local procedures. As a result,

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Safeguarding

4 February 2022 safeguarding practice is weak and does not protect children from harm. Staff supervise the children when playing, both indoors and outside. The nursery has a secure entry system, which means only authorised persons can enter the building. Staff carry out daily checks on the premises to ensure children play in a safe environment. For example, they remove any broken toys or resources.

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Due date

improve staff's knowledge and understanding of the known indicators of abuse and the action they should take in the event of a concern 28/02/2022

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Due date

provide training and support for staff to improve their knowledge and understanding of relevant safeguarding issues, including the 'Prevent' Duty and ensure they know what to do if they have a concern about a child's welfare 28/02/2022

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Due date

ensure at least one person holds a current paediatric first-aid certificate and is on the premises and available at all times when children are present 28/02/2022

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Due date

ensure children's next steps in learning are precise and identify what they need to learn next to support them to make the best possible progress 28/02/2022

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Due date

seek more detailed information from parents about what children already know and can do when they first start, in order to plan play activities to move children forward in their learning from the outset 28/02/2022

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Due date

provide all staff with appropriate training and professional development opportunities to improve the provision and ensure they offer quality learning and development experiences for all children. 28/02/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY239760 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10218200 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 50 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Smileys Creche Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01905760416 Date of previous inspection 23 October 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Smileys Creche registered in 1996. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold a relevant early years qualification at level 3 and one holds level 5. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 6.45am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This is the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken this into account in her evaluation of the setting. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss activities and intentions for children's learning. n The inspector and manager discussed and evaluated a learning activity together. n The inspector spoke to staff, children and parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

4 February 2022 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

4 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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