The Little Academy Day Nursery

Inspection of The Little Academy Day Nursery. Tillotson Road, Off Headstone Lane, Harrow, Middlesex HA3 6PS

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children are safe and happy and enjoy their time at the setting. Staff interact with children warmly as they play. However, leaders have not provided sufficient professional development opportunities to support staff to develop their teaching skills. Therefore, many staff do not have the skills to move children's learning on through these interactions. This means the progress that children make is variable. Children have frequent daily opportunities to enjoy outdoor play. They climb, jump, run, relax, ride bicycles and role play in the garden area. Children practise mark making in the sand tray and use different tools to draw and paint on a large board. This supports children to develop their physical skills.

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The provision requires improvement

Children enjoy joining in with circle time. This gives them a safe and relaxing space where they share experiences and express feelings. This helps children to feel secure in the setting and helps them to begin to understand their emotions. Children behave well. They show kindness to each other and staff praise children for this. Staff remind children to share and take turns in play. This specific praise of positive behaviours and reminders of expectations supports children in managing their behaviour. Staff teach children to manage their personal needs well. For example, children learn to sneeze into a tissue, dispose of this safely and sanitise their hands.

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need to do better?

n Partnership with parents is strong. Staff work hard to build a positive and respectful culture with the parents. Parents speak highly of the warmth of the staff. They comment that staff are approachable and communicate well with them about what their child does during their time at the nursery. n Leaders understand what children need to know at the different ages and stages of development. However, they have not put a clear and progressive programme of learning in place to help children achieve these outcomes. Therefore, staff do not always plan activities with a clear understanding of what children should learn from them. This means that progress that children make is variable. n Leaders ensure that staff receive regular supervision meetings in which they discuss staff's performance with them. However, leaders have not provided the necessary targeted professional development opportunities for staff to help them

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need to do better?

improve their teaching skills. Therefore, some staff do not yet have the necessary skills to deliver parts of the curriculum to a high standard. n Staff do not consistently deliver the communication and language curriculum effectively. Staff talk to the children, ask questions, and encourage problem- solving. For example, children make predictions about what will happen to objects during water play. This provides opportunities for children to think and work collaboratively. Some children enjoy exploring books independently or

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need to do better?

21 February 2022 listening to staff read stories. However, staff do not help children who need extra support with their communication and language to take advantage of these opportunities. Therefore, some children have not made enough progress in their communication and language skills to prepare them for the next stage in their learning. n Children form strong friendships and play well with their peers. For example, children enjoy sharing out play food in the role play area and giggle as they pretend to eat it together. Staff teach children how to be kind to their friends by sharing, taking turns and caring for others if they are sad. n Staff form close bonds with children. Children approach staff if they need comfort or reassurance throughout the day. They use their interests to plan activities for them. However, some staff cannot explain what key children know and need to know next. Therefore, they do not plan activities to support these

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need to do better?

children in making progress. n Children learning English as an additional language do not receive the support they need. Leaders do not plan effective strategies to help these children to make good progress in their communication and language development. n Staff encourage children to take appropriate risks in outdoor play. For example, they are challenged to climb and jump down from a raised climbing log. This supports children to understand what their bodies can do and can increase their self-confidence. n Leaders ensure all staff understand children's dietary requirements. They make sure that mealtimes are a sociable time where staff and children interact together. Children enjoy healthy and nutritious snacks and meals. This helps children to have a healthy start in life.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand the setting's safeguarding procedures and are aware of the signs that children may be at risk of harm. Leaders ensure that staff receive regular safeguarding training and display key-safeguarding information clearly. Secure systems are in place to drop off and collect children. Staff deploy themselves well to ensure all children are supervised at all times. Leaders conduct regular risk assessments to review the learning and play environment and ensure it is safe.

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Due date

21 February 2022 ensure that effective strategies are used to support children who learn English as an additional language 02/05/2022

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Due date

ensure that the key-person system is well embedded so that the key person understands what children know and need to know next, and plans learning opportunities for these next steps 02/05/2022

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Due date

identify inconsistencies in teaching and provide targeted support to improve this. 02/05/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY306769 Local authority Harrow Inspection number 10216670 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person The Little Academy Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 0208 421 2128 Date of previous inspection 16 November 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The Little Academy Day Nursery registered in 2005. It is situated in Hatch End in the London Borough of Harrow. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm and operates for 51 weeks of the year for children aged nil to five. The provider receives funding to offer free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are eight members of staff. Of these, two staff are working towards qualifications and the others have relevant qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 3.

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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 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 the children to learn. 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 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 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 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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