The Mulberry Tree Holiday Club

Inspection of The Mulberry Tree Holiday Club Kingsmead school, 6-12 Bertram Drive, Wirral CH47 0LL

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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

Children are not kept safe in this pre-school. They are exposed to several hazards. This includes radiators which are extremely hot and may cause injury, trailing wires, discarded and broken equipment, large kitchen knives, sharp vegetable peelers and cleaning products that are left in the reach of children. Staff are not effectively deployed. This means that at various times during the day, particularly in the morning, children are left unsupervised. This puts children at risk, due to the hazards in the spaces they use. Children are exposed to significant damp in the building, due to external water leaks. Despite leaders and staff being aware of the damage this has caused to the flooring, particularly the carpet, children still sit and play in this area. This puts children's well-being at risk.

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The provision is inadequate

Children have no privacy when they are being changed for personal care needs. The door to this area has been removed and other staff and children frequently walk past or attempt to enter this area when it is in use. Furthermore, large brackets stick out of the door frame causing further risk to children. Children's behaviour in this pre-school is, at times, poor. They become bored due to the lack of purposeful opportunities planned for them and do not benefit from clear rules or boundaries to follow. Therefore, children do not learn positive behaviour and conduct. Staff do not have high enough expectations for children's learning. Therefore, children are not making the progress they are capable of.

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The provision is inadequate

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents now drop off and collect their children from staff at the door. Children part from their parents with ease and settle quickly in pre-school.

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need to do better?

n The provider has failed to take prompt and effective action to ensure the premises are safe and suitable for children, this includes structural issues to the premises. However, the provider has continued to care for children in this environment. This demonstrates poor understanding of how to keep children safe. n Children's health is compromised in this pre-school. For example, the premises and equipment are unclean, children play on and eat off carpets that are ingrained with dirt, and the rubbish bins in corridors that children access are overflowing. The hot water supply has been restricted, which means that children and staff do not have immediate access to hot running water to maintain effective hygiene and prevent the spread of infection. n Staff fail to identify risks to children. They do not prevent children accessing unsafe areas of the premises. For example, staff do not check areas for potential

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need to do better?

hazards before children move into them. This results in children having to walk

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need to do better?

4 March 2022 among old cans and bottles in the field. This exposes children to a risk of serious harm. n The curriculum is weak and does not support children to make the progress they are capable of. There are limited resources and learning opportunities available for children. Therefore, most children move around the pre-school from one area to another and rarely engage in anything meaningful. That said, the deputy manager is knowledge about how young children learn and has plans to develop the curriculum in the future, however, this is yet to be implemented successfully. n Children are making adequate progress with their communication and language development. Staff have all recently attended training to help them support children's speech. However, staff are yet to fully embed the strategies that they have learned. Therefore, not all children are ready for their next stage in learning. n Children do not learn how to keep themselves safe. They often run inside and

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need to do better?

jump and climb on furniture. This makes the environment chaotic and dangerous. That said, children do have positive relationships with their key person. They go for cuddles when they need some comfort. n Children have access to an outdoor play area. They enjoy running around and play on the large climbing equipment. This helps them with their balance and coordination skills. However, staff have yet to implement a curriculum that includes outdoor learning. Therefore, children who learn best in this environment are not thriving in their learning. n Staff do not plan sufficient opportunities for children to learn what makes them unique. However, children are starting to learn about some other cultures. For example, they visited a local Chinese restaurant for Chinese New Year to support them to learn about different foods. n Parents comment on areas of the provision they are happy with, for example the large outdoor play area.

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need to do better?

n The deputy manager is the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) for the pre-school. She is aware of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The SENCo has good relationships with other professionals. Children with SEND have tailored plans in place. However, staff do not always follow these effectively. Therefore, these children are not always making the progress they are capable of.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Risk assessments are completed by an external company. However, these are not effective, as the provider is unable to implement the actions set. This puts children at significant risk of harm. In addition, leaders and staff fail to understand the fire risk assessment. They put children at further risk of harm when they continuously prop open the fire doors, in the event of a fire the intention of these doors is to contain and reduce the spread of the fire. Staff are not carrying out regular checks of the indoor and outdoor environment, exposing children to a dangerous environment. Staff have an adequate knowledge and understanding of

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Safeguarding

4 March 2022 safeguarding. They know some of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff know how to correctly report concerns regarding the welfare of children. Staff are trained in paediatric first aid. They accurately record and share accidents with parents.

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Due date

take prompt and effective action to respond to risk assessments of the premises that identify significant safety and structural issues 01/04/2022

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Due date

ensure all staff understand the fire risk assessment and that fire doors are used appropriately 01/04/2022

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Due date

ensure regular checks of the indoor and outdoor environment are carried out to remove or minimise hazards that children are exposed to, including cleaning products, broken equipment and large, sharp kitchen knives 01/04/2022

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Due date

ensure staff are effectively deployed and children are well supervised at all times 01/04/2022

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Due date

ensure children's health is not compromised by exposure to significant damp within the building, unclean premises and equipment and dirty carpets 01/04/2022

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Due date

ensure staff and children have access to hot running water to maintain effective hand hygiene practises and prevent the spread of infection 01/04/2022

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Due date

ensure there are suitable hygienic changing facilities for carrying out the personal care needs of children 01/04/2022

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Due date

ensure there is a curriculum in place that is challenging and meets the individual needs of all children, including those with SEND. 01/04/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2598355 Local authority Wirral Inspection number 10229261 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 35 Name of registered person The Mulberry Tree Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07516508872 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Mulberry Tree Holiday Club registered in 2018 and moved premises in July 2020. It employs six members of childcare staff, five of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 3 or 6. The setting is open all year round with the exception of bank holidays. The setting operates a before- and after-school club which is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 9am and 3pm until 6pm during term time. There is a holiday club which is open Monday to Friday from 8am until 6pm during the school holidays. It also operates a pre-school which is open 7.30am until 6pm all year round.

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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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff, children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and

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Inspection activities

outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager.

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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

4 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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