The Annex

Inspection of The Annex 32A Lyttelton Road, Stechford, Birmingham, West Midlands B33 8BH

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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

The environment is loud and chaotic, and learning opportunities are very limited. Children, including babies, do not have a key person to ensure their needs are met. This has a negative impact on their care and learning. Activities are not matched to children's interests or learning needs. Children quickly become bored, disengaged and wander around aimlessly. Although the manager identifies those who require additional help and seeks support from outside agencies, she does not ensure that the environment is conducive to supporting these children. Because of this, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not receive the support they need. Overall, children do not develop a positive attitude towards learning.

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The provision is inadequate

Behaviour is not effectively managed throughout the nursery. Children throw objects, such as wooden blocks and stones. They push each other, hit out and pull hair. During group activities, they roll over other children, run around and are generally disruptive. They are not helped to learn about right and wrong.

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The provision is inadequate

Babies are not provided with opportunities to make the progress they need in their learning and development. They are looked after in a large room, which caters for children up to the age of three. When awake, they are carried around throughout the day, while staff organise the older children in the group. Children's safety is not assured, for example babies are not checked regularly during sleep times.

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need to do better?

n The manager, who is also the owner, does not manage the nursery effectively. She has not ensured her own or staff's safeguarding knowledge is up to date. She was not able to provide evidence that at least one person with a current paediatric first-aid qualification is on the premises at all times when children are present. Furthermore, record keeping is poor and not all records are accessible. Complaints are not recorded as required. This means children's welfare is not assured. n The manager does not monitor staff practice and, consequently, has failed to identify the poor teaching and learning. There are no systems in place to coach and mentor staff to support them to improve their skills. n The key-person system is inadequate. Children do not have allocated key persons to ensure their needs are met at all times. Children's emotional development is not supported and staff are unsure of what children need to

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need to do better?

learn next. n The manager and staff do not manage children's behaviour effectively. Children do not have a clear understanding of the behaviour that is expected from them. This results in a disorderly, chaotic environment, which disrupts learning and

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need to do better?

26 April 2022 does not help children to feel safe or support their emotional well-being. Accident records viewed by the inspector are linked to poor behaviour. For instance, children are not taught about safety rules during activities indoors when staff provide beanbags and heavy rubber rings for older children to throw and roll. Visitors, who are a short distance from a small baby, are hit several times. n Staff do not engage with babies in a meaningful way. Interactions are poor and limited to some basic care. Babies do not benefit from a separate room and, as a result, staff are too busy organising older children in the group to allocate time to babies. This includes not checking on them frequently enough when sleeping. Babies are not provided with opportunities to practise and develop their physical skills, such as crawling and walking, as they are carried around when they are not asleep or in a high chair. There is inadequate support for babies to develop

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need to do better?

their language skills. For example, staff do not spend time supporting babies to make sounds and use gestures. They do not read stories or sing songs. n The manager does not ensure a well-sequenced curriculum covering all areas of learning is in place. Assessment of children's progress is not monitored. For example, babies do not have access to resources to enable them to learn to make independent choices. They do not have opportunities to explore and investigate. Children in the room for children up to three years are not provided with activities that match their learning needs, age and abilities. n Staff do not have high expectations for children's learning. Significant weaknesses in teaching means that children do not make the progress they are capable of. Children are not provided with good quality learning experiences. In the under three's room, staff place some wooden blocks and puzzles on the

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need to do better?

floor. These resources do not link to all children's interests. As a result, some children wander aimlessly as they disengage. Outdoors, children use a slide and trampoline. There are no other resources or experiences offered, so children spend a lot of time waiting for their turn, arguing or crying. n In the room for children aged over three, more appropriate activities are provided and some children attempt to engage. However, due to the behaviour management weaknesses already mentioned, their learning is regularly interrupted.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager does not ensure that all staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding. Staff do not know how to identify the possible signs and indicators that a child may be at risk of harm from abuse, including female genital mutilation and child exploitation. This means that staff are unable to protect children from potential harm in a timely manner. Children's safety is not a high priority. Babies are not checked often enough while sleeping. Due to issues with behaviour management, and a lack of evidence of staff holding necessary first-aid qualifications, accident records were sampled. These indicate that the number of accidents are high and children have been frequently hurt by other children or

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Due date

ensure all staff, including the manager and designated safeguarding leads, are able to identify signs of possible child abuse and neglect and know how to respond in a timely and appropriate way 10/05/2022

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Due date

demonstrate that at least one person who has a current paediatric first-aid qualification is on the premises at all times when children are present to ensure children's safety 10/05/2022

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Due date

ensure each child, including those with SEND, has an identified key person who is fully aware of and can meet their individual care and learning needs at all times 10/05/2022

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Due date

ensure staff manage children's behaviour in an appropriate way 10/05/2022

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Due date

ensure babies under two are cared for in a separate room dedicated to their age group 10/05/2022

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Due date

ensure babies are frequently checked while sleeping to ensure they are safe 10/05/2022

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Due date

provide support and coaching for all staff to ensure that they have appropriate knowledge, skills and understanding to fulfil their roles and responsibilities 10/05/2022

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Due date

improve record keeping and keep a written record of any complaints and their outcome and ensure records are accessible when required. 10/05/2022

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Due date

provide staff with training, support and coaching to raise the quality of their interactions with children and improve their teaching skills 10/05/2022

p.5

Due date

ensure accurate assessments are made of all children's learning and use this information to provide activities and experiences that are challenging and stimulating and support children to make good or better progress 10/05/2022

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Due date

ensure that the curriculum is implemented effectively to build on what children know and can do and meet their needs, so all children benefit from good quality learning experiences 10/05/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY297165 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10219506 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 48 Number of children on roll 34 Name of registered person McNally, Joanne

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reference number

Telephone number 0121 603 8245 Date of previous inspection 7 September 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The Annex registered in 2003. It employs eight members of childcare staff, five of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 to level 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery offers out-of-school provision, including a holiday club, and receives funding to provide free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting 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 setting. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk to understand how the setting operates and how the curriculum is organised. The manager and the inspector carried out a joint evaluation of an activity together. n The manager and the inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, deputy manager and staff throughout the inspection. She looked at relevant documentation, including qualifications and first-aid certificates, and viewed evidence of the suitability of

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Inspection activities

those working with children. n The inspector took account of parents spoken to on the day. She also spoke to children about their experiences 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

26 April 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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