Bright Kidz Nursery

Inspection of Little Stars Day Nursery 24 Chancellor Road, Southend-On-Sea, Essex SS1 2AS

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety and emotional well-being are compromised. Managers and staff do not effectively risk assess the premises to ensure children's safety. Children are frequently directed by staff in a negative way. They often use language, such as 'sit down', and 'stop that'. Children are not provided with exciting or challenging learning experiences. As a result, many children become bored and restless, which can result in them rolling around the floor or not paying attention to the staff's instructions. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language are not well supported. They are frequently seen wandering aimlessly with little or no interaction from adults. When staff do intervene and provide an activity, it is often pitched inappropriately for the stage of development of the child. For example, staff encourage children to complete puzzles that spell words. The staff name the letters but do not teach the

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The provision is inadequate

sounds appropriately, so that children's literacy is effectively promoted.

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The provision is inadequate

Arrangements for babies to sleep are not appropriate. The cots are positioned directly next to each other, creating a potential safety and cross-infection risk. Despite this, babies are cared for by staff who, generally, attend to their needs and create a calm environment. Their communication and language is promoted by staff speaking clearly to them, responding to their babbles and singing songs as they change their nappies. Toddlers are often moved from their base room to be cared for in the baby room or pre-school room to ensure that the correct adult to child ratios are met. This is not conducive to securing children's emotional well- being.

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need to do better?

n While some progress has been made to meet the requirements since the last inspection, this is not sufficient. There is no clear leadership within the nursery. The manager is new to the role and is in the process of learning how to lead and manage the staff team. Many of the staff team have recently started working at this setting. Some have moved from the sister setting owned by the same provider, which has recently temporarily closed. As a result, staff are in the very early stages of forming an effective team. The arrangements for staff supervision, coaching and monitoring are not effective enough to ensure that staff are well supported in their role. n Staff working with the older children do not provide a curriculum that is challenging and meets the needs of the children. They spend much of the time rounding the children up and giving them negative instructions. As a result, they do not manage children's behaviour in a positive way and children's behaviour

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need to do better?

and attitudes to learning are poor. n Staff do not demonstrate a good understanding of how to keep children safe.

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need to do better?

21 March 2022 The emergency escape from the garden is through a side gate. Staff place old tyres and activities in large trays in front of the gate. As a result, emergency exits are not kept clear at all times. Babies' cots are positioned directly next to each other. This means that babies could reach into the child in the next cot. It also poses a hazard with regards to cross-infection, for example, of coughs and colds. n Staff do not give careful enough consideration to how the environment is organised in the pre-school room. For example, at snack time, staff do not provide sufficient tables and chairs for all of the children present. When this is identified, children are removed from their snack while additional furniture is put in place. Children are reminded to wash their hands constantly throughout the day. However, staff do not move the water tray that inhibits them from reaching the sinks and taps.

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need to do better?

n Staff do not support children with SEND well enough. While there are plans in place for these children, they often wander with little or no adult interaction. In addition, staff make no effort to fully support children who speak English as an additional language, for example, by creating opportunities for them to use their home language in play. n While the adult to child ratios are met, this is sometimes at the detriment of the younger children attending. For example, in order to manage numbers, the toddler children are, on occasions, cared for in either the baby room or pre- school room. This does not create a sense of belonging or security for those children. There are weaknesses in the key-person system, with some staff demonstrating limited knowledge about the children in their care, including their age.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The lack of effective risk assessment means that children's safety, especially in the case of an emergency, is compromised. The provider fails to keep appropriate records relating to any action taken to seek advice or make a referral to the appropriate safeguarding authority. As a result, it is not possible to determine whether concerns about children's safety and well-being have been followed up. Staff and managers do, however, demonstrate appropriate knowledge of the main types of abuse and the symptoms that would alert them to a child being mistreated or abused.

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Due date

put in place effective arrangements for the supervision of staff to provide support, coaching and training for all staff, including the manager 18/04/2022

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Due date

ensure staff understand how to manage children's behaviour in an appropriate way and use clear positive language to help them to understand how to manage their own feelings 18/04/2022

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Due date

ensure that risk assessments are thorough and take into account all aspects of the provision, including emergency evacuation and arrangements for sleeping babies 18/04/2022

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Due date

ensure that the premises and equipment are organised in a way that meets the needs of all children 18/04/2022

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Due date

ensure that arrangements for children with SEND are effective and that those children receive appropriate levels of interaction to enable them to progress and develop 18/04/2022

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Due date

ensure that the lead practitioner for safeguarding understands their responsibility to liaise with the local statutory services agencies and with the local safeguarding partners and to maintain a record of the outcome of any referrals 18/04/2022

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Due date

ensure that the key-person system is effective and helps to ensure that every child's learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs. 18/04/2022

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Due date

21 March 2022 provide opportunities for children whose home language is not English to develop and use their home language in play 18/04/2022

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Due date

implement an effective curriculum that takes into account children's interests, needs and developmental stage, to provide challenge and to capture children's imaginations. 18/04/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2590881 Local authority Southend-on-Sea Inspection number 10212925 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 40 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Bright Kidz Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01375806142 Date of previous inspection 8 October 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Little Stars Day Nursery registered in 2020 and is one of two nurseries run by the same organisation. The nursery employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, five staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Opening times are from 7am until 7pm.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector viewed all areas of the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed their curriculum and what it is that they want their children to learn. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation together. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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 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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