Building Blocks Kids Nursery

Inspection of Building Blocks Kids Nursery 413 High Road, Cac Building, London N17 6RD

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

The recent changes in staffing affect the overall effectiveness of this early years provision. Many children do not have an established key person to help them settle and feel emotionally secure. In addition, staff do not always deploy themselves adequately to ensure children's safety and to meet their individual needs. Some children are unsettled and often on the outskirts of play and activities. The quality of education is inconsistent and, at times, ineffective. The provider does not implement a curriculum that is ambitious or clear for staff to follow. Areas of the indoor and outdoor play areas are not well organised or planned to support children's learning and development. This results in children not always engaging, as they become restless and bored. Younger children are sometimes seated in chairs that are too low for them, so they struggle with their posture and cannot reach the activities on the table. Risk assessments of the environment and

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The provision is inadequate

resources have not been completed effectively. This means children's safety and well-being are compromised.

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The provision is inadequate

Although staff know about some areas of children's individual learning needs, they do not provide teaching that supports children well enough. In particular, not all children receive sufficient support for their communication and language development. Staff do not know how well children are progressing or whether they need additional support. This puts all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, at a disadvantage. Staff do not consistently extend children's language or pick up on their attempts to speak. This means children, sometimes, do not hear enough language to help them further develop their vocabulary and sentence structure. In addition, children do not receive an adequate level of challenge. Staff do not seek basic information from parents for children who speak English as an additional language, including about languages spoken at home or any key words they can use in the setting. These weaknesses

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The provision is inadequate

do not promote effective partnership working or support children who are learning English as an additional language. As a result, children are not making sufficient progress in their learning.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite the weaknesses, children arrive at the nursery happy and confidently leave their parents. Staff greet them warmly and some children show that they are content in their care, as they seek reassurance from them. Children are active and ready for a new challenge. They behave appropriately as they learn to negotiate with one another during play. The newly appointed manager has started to role model how to lead focused activities with staff. This includes during circle time, so that children are engaged. The manager provides props to encourage children to sing and bring the story to life. Children actively take part, moving their bodies and proudly saying their names.

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need to do better?

22 March 2022 n The provider does not monitor the provision effectively. Prior to the new manager being appointed, weaknesses in practice have not been identified. Staff have not benefitted from effective supervision, training and support to help them improve the quality of their teaching and individual effectiveness. n The newly appointed manager does have high expectations of staff's performance. She has plans to offer targeted support to ensure staff develop and improve their skills. However, this is in the very early stages. Some of the required documents are not readily available for inspection. This includes for staff suitability and qualification certificates. The provider and manager expressed their commitment to make improvements after breaches were identified at the inspection. n Children enjoy playing in sand and with foam in large trays. They use tools to scoop and pour, and watch the mixture trickle through the containers. They are

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need to do better?

developing problem-solving skills, as they work out how to balance on the climbing frame and negotiating the space as they follow each other in a circuit. n Staff say their well-being is supported with care and consideration. The provider and new manager demonstrate a caring approach towards staff. New staff now have regular meetings as part of their induction, which helps them settle in to their roles. However, the provider and manager recognise that some staff have not had frequent supervision and that they are not yet on target with providing these meetings. As a result, some staff are not getting enough support to help them improve their skills and practice. n The areas used for children are not all clean and hygienic and risk assessments are not thorough. All areas of the setting require a deep clean. Furniture, including the nappy changing unit, are not clean and group rooms floors and doors are not well maintained or clean. This poor hygiene practice does not

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need to do better?

promote the good health and safety of children. n The provider's risk assessments are not effective. Staff do not carry out regular fire evacuations or identify all potential hazards to eliminate them and maintain children's safety. This includes broken resources and furniture with sharp edges and staples exposed, which may put children's safety at risk. In addition, children use adult height sinks in the bathroom. They are required to stand on plastic steps that are insecure on tiled floors that are slippery. n Although staff carry out assessments of children's development, they are not always clear about what they want children to learn. Staff do not implement a curriculum that focuses precisely on helping children to work towards their next steps in learning. Activities they plan lack learning intentions and children soon lose interest. n The required progress check at two years to share with parents and other

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need to do better?

professionals has not been completed for any of the children currently attending the setting. Children who speak English as an additional language are not always well supported. This isolates children and does not help them settle, form attachments and develop their communication skills. Furthermore, it does not help children, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who may need extra support. n Although some parents are happy with the nursery, partnership with parents,

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need to do better?

22 March 2022 overall, is poor. Some parents say that staff do not communicate with them about the progress their children are making or inform them about learning at home. Many parents have no contact with their children's key person. Parents who speak English as an additional language have not been included adequately in their children's learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Risk assessments are not thorough and fire evacuations have not been completed regularly enough. This has a significant impact on children's safety. Poor practice does not promote the good health and safety of children. The provider fails to ensure documents used to verify the suitability of adults who work with children are available for review, in order to promote children's welfare. The newly appointed manager has identified areas to improve, that includes regular meetings with other professionals to share information effectively and keep children safe. However, poor risks assessments, staff deployment, and staff's insufficient knowledge of safeguarding procedures are not currently adequate and this puts children's health and safety at risk.

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Due date

ensure all staff gain an up-to-date knowledge of local safeguarding partnership procedures, including where and when to report concerns about children and where to report any allegations 12/04/2022

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Due date

keep clear records of staff qualifications and the identity checks and vetting processes that have been completed 12/04/2022

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Due date

ensure the safety of children, staff and others on the premises in the case of fire or any other emergency, including an emergency evacuation procedure and regular fire drills 12/04/2022

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Due date

22 March 2022 ensure that the premises and outdoor spaces are fit for purpose and suitable for the age of children cared for, including the activities provided on the premises, and comply with requirements of health and safety legislation 12/04/2022

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Due date

improve hygiene and cleaning practice within the nursery to help minimise the spread of infections, to keep the children and staff healthy and safe 12/04/2022

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Due date

establish effective key-person arrangements, so that children's individual needs are met and children develop a strong relationship with a consistent familiar person 12/04/2022

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Due date

complete a progress check when children are aged between two and three years and provide parents with a written summary of their children's development, including any areas where their progress is less than expected. 12/04/2022

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Due date

take reasonable steps to provide opportunities for children to develop and use their home language in play and learning and ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to reach a good standard in the English language 29/04/2022

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Due date

ensure that play equipment is organised both indoors and outdoors in a way that meets the needs of children, with particular regard to ensuring a wide range of interesting and challenging play activities 29/04/2022

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Due date

22 March 2022 provide children with access to a broad curriculum, so they can acquire knowledge, understanding and skills to help them make the best possible progress and become successful learners. 29/04/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2510438 Local authority Haringey Inspection number 10216543 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 45 Number of children on roll 12 Name of registered person Building Blocks Kids Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07956518732 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Building Blocks Kids Nursery registered in 2019 and is located in the London Borough of Haringey. The setting cares for children Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6.30pm 51 weeks of a year. There are six members of staff including the manager. Of these half hold qualifications from level 2 to level 5. The nursery receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 following Ofsted's risk assessment process. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the intentions for children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and the children, and spoke with staff at appropriate times. n The manager completed a joint observation with the inspector and evaluated the impact on children's learning. n The inspector held a meeting with the Nominated Individual and manager and viewed a range of documentation.

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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

22 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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