My First Word...Grows Up Portslade

Inspection of My First Word...Grows Up Portslade South Portslade Commumity Centre, Church Road, Portslade, East Sussex BN41 1LB

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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 welfare are compromised due to significant weaknesses in staff's knowledge and understanding of safeguarding practice and procedures. Although they have completed recent safeguarding training, staff do not understand the action to take if they have a concern about a child who may be at risk of harm. This has a significant impact on children's safety and well-being.

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The provision is inadequate

Babies' safety is not assured because some staff involved in the preparation and serving of snacks and meals do not fully understand their responsibilities. Staff fail to wash their hands when providing food. Babies wander around with food or pick up food that has been left on the floor. This does not safeguard children who have allergies or support the good health of babies.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff expectations for children are not consistently high enough. As a result, behaviour is not always managed appropriately. Staff do not successfully implement a curriculum that focuses precisely enough on helping children achieve what they need to learn next. Activities set up for children lack a clear purpose. For example, children are excited to have opportunities to plant seeds for mother's day gifts. However, staff do not utilise opportunities to teach children about the world around them.

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need to do better?

n The provider, who is also the manager and designated safeguarding lead for the pre-school, has failed to ensure that all staff have a secure knowledge of safeguarding practice. In addition, concerns regarding children are not stored or shared effectively to ensure the safe and effective management of the setting. n Staff, including student staff, do not know local safeguarding procedures. Staff are unclear of the action to take if they have concerns about children or adults working in the setting. n There have been recent ongoing staffing issues. This has had a huge impact on the day-to-day running of the nursery. Despite this, the provider has continued to hold regular supervisions with staff. Staff feel well supported and have opportunities for training. For example, all staff hold a relevant paediatric first- aid certificate. However, the provider does not monitor staff practice rigorously enough to promptly identify any weaknesses in teaching.

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need to do better?

n The provider and staff have failed to identify some potential risks to children. This compromises children's safety and well-being. For example, the environment is cluttered, and equipment is left out, restricting babies from moving around freely. In addition, bottles and cups containing milk are left in reach of babies. n Staff are not secure in their understanding of how to implement a curriculum

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need to do better?

22 March 2022 which meets children's needs. The provider does not always recognise this, which impacts on how well she can coach and support staff practice. As a result, learning opportunities are missed and children do not make the progress they are capable of. n The provider discusses how language and communication skills are a priority for the curriculum. However, staff do not consistently make the best use of their interactions with children to support and extend these skills. For example, staff place babies on their laps with dummies in their mouths. They fail to pick up on non-verbal cues from younger babies and do not provide sufficient interaction to support their well-being. Staff in the pre-school room take on a supervisory role with children. They miss opportunities to help children develop new vocabulary and practise the correct pronunciation of words. n Staff do not have high expectations for what children can achieve or fully

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need to do better?

understand how children learn and develop. Occasionally, staff do not show children kindness or patience when supporting them to regulate their behaviour. Despite this, older children show kindness to each other when their friends are upset and enjoy cuddling on the sofa to rest together. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not fully supported to make the progress they are capable of, due to weaknesses in the key-person system. The newly appointed special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has not prioritised opportunities to work with parents and other agencies to target support. As a result, children's individual needs are not always met. The provider has targeted the use of additional funding to support learning, but weaknesses in teaching mean that resources are not used to maximise learning opportunities. n Children thoroughly enjoy exploring the outside space, which has been well

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need to do better?

designed into a forest school. They have opportunities to climb trees, balance on planks and swing from tyres. Children delight as they run down the slopes as they notice their legs move faster. They enjoy working together to collect sticks to create homes for the insects they find living in the trees.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider, who is also the manager and the designated lead for safeguarding does not have a secure knowledge of safeguarding practice. She has failed to ensure that the staff have a secure understanding of the action to take if they are concerned about a child's safety or well-being. The weaknesses in staff's knowledge mean that there may be delays in referrals being made to the relevant agencies in a timely manner. The provider has failed to follow her own recruitment policy and has not completed the required checks to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

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Due date

ensure staff understand the setting safeguarding procedures, including having up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues and know how to respond to any child protection concerns in an appropriate and timely manner 15/04/2022

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Due date

ensure staff responsible to take the lead for safeguarding improve their knowledge and understanding of all safeguarding matters, including allegation management, in order to provide support, advice and guidance to other staff when required 15/04/2022

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Due date

maintain all required records in sufficient detail and share information with statutory agencies as necessary to ensure effective reporting and management of the setting 15/04/2022

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Due date

implement effective and robust recruitment procedures to assess staff's suitability and ensure all adults looking after children are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their role, including adults whose suitability has not been checked 15/04/2022

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Due date

provide effective coaching and support to staff to ensure their interactions with children successfully promote their language skills and provide them with sufficient challenge 15/04/2022

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Due date

implement an effective key-person system to ensure that each child's care is tailored to meet their individual needs 15/04/2022

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Due date

ensure risk assessments identify and minimise potential dangers to children and staff, particularly in relation to tripping hazards, and safety regarding food and drink 15/04/2022

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Due date

22 March 2022 implement effective arrangements to support children with SEND that are in line with the SEN code of practice. 15/04/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY554664 Local authority Brighton and Hove Inspection number 10230684 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 43 Number of children on roll 65 Name of registered person My First Word Grows Up Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07789812020 Date of previous inspection 13 August 2018

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Information about this early years setting

My First Word... Grows Up Portslade opened in 2018. It operates from a community centre in Portslade, East Sussex. The setting opens from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two-, three-, and four-year-old children. There are seven members of staff. Of these, two hold a relevant qualification at level 3 and three hold level 2 qualifications.

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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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The SENCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed 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

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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