Funtrain Day Nursery

Inspection of Funtrain Day Nursery 9 and 9A Hamilton Street, Birkenhead, Merseyside CH41 6DL

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

p.1

The provision requires improvement

Children are happy and content to move around the setting choosing what they would like to play with. They engage in small-group activities and show interest in the sand and water play. However, the quality of teaching is variable. Staff are confident to plan a range of experiences that children enjoy. For example, babies engage in water play and older children compare the size of dinosaurs and explore the texture of soil. However, staff are less confident about how to use these interests to extend children's understanding and knowledge through their teaching. The curriculum is not sufficiently ambitious or well planned to ensure children engage consistently in high-quality learning.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

On the whole, children behave well. For example, children are reminded to use 'kind words' and take turns. However, older children do not always receive clear and consistent messages from staff about why some behaviours are not appropriate. Children do not consistently learn about rules and boundaries and why it is important to follow them.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

The manager and staff have adapted routines, in view of the pandemic, to promote the good health of children attending. Currently, parents do not enter the building during drop-off and collection times. However, children are greeted by their key person which helps them settle.

p.2

need to do better?

n Positive key-person relationships are built from the outset. Staff work hard to get to know each child and their families well. They gather information from parents on children's care needs on entry. This helps staff to cater for individual needs and supports children to settle quickly. This supports children's personal, social and emotional development. n Leaders have some understanding of what they want children to learn over time. Newly developed systems help staff to plan activities that support children's interests. However, some activities lack challenge and children are not provided with consistently high-quality teaching or learning opportunities. This means at times, children walk around the environment without purpose. n The arrangements for supervision, training, and support in place for staff are not effective enough. For example, leaders do not review what staff have learned during training, and do not consistently monitor teaching in rooms.

p.2

need to do better?

Consequently, staff are not supported to deliver a challenging curriculum. n Staff do not consistently support children's early language development. This is especially evident in the baby room. For example, staff use immature language and do not model the correct pronunciation of words to develop children's vocabulary further.

p.2

need to do better?

24 June 2022 n The special educational needs coordinator identifies children who are showing signs of delayed development. They work in partnership with other professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Additional funding to support individual children is used well. For instance, children benefit from resources that promote exploration and curiosity. n Staff are aware of children with known food allergies, including food preferences. Overall, children are offered healthy food options, such as a variety of fresh fruit for their snack. However, children do not always wash their hands at appropriate times during the day. Therefore, staff do not always ensure that good hygiene practices are followed. n Staff provide some opportunities for children to gain independence skills. For example, babies are encouraged to feed themselves and older children are shown how to use cutlery. However, not all staff encourage children to extend

p.2

need to do better?

these independence skills further. For example, older children have drinks poured for them and are supported to put on their shoes. This means that children do not have consistent opportunities to build independence. n Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their physical skills and expand on their experiences from home. For example, children enjoy daily exercise as they play outside and have opportunities to use the soft-play area to extend their physical skills further. Children have opportunities to practise their early writing skills. For example, they enjoy using chalks outside and enjoy colouring pictures. n Staff support children's early mathematical skills. For example, younger children join in with counting songs. Older children are supported to recognise numbers and are encouraged to count along with staff as they play together. This means that children's emerging mathematical skills are supported.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff have access to child protection training. They understand the policies and procedures they would follow in order to safeguard children. Staff demonstrate adequate knowledge of signs and symptoms of abuse. The premises are secure. Procedures are in place to ensure unfamiliar people are not permitted to enter the nursery. When required, the manager understands the importance of working with outside agencies to support families and to monitor children's well-being. Staff undertake mandatory first-aid training. This helps them to administer first aid appropriately and keep children safe in the event of an accident.

p.3

Due date

24 June 2022 implement a curriculum that supports the development of all children and meets their individual needs 29/07/2022

p.3

Due date

ensure that behaviour management techniques are consistently applied by all staff to better support children's understanding of positive behaviour and help them to understand rules and boundaries, especially in the pre-school room 29/07/2022

p.4

Due date

strengthen the monitoring of staff's performance to improve their practice, increase their knowledge of the curriculum and their interactions with the children. 29/07/2022

p.4

should:

n promote children's communication and language skills further, especially in the baby room n support staff to implement effective hygiene procedures and teach children why these are important n make the most of opportunities during routines and activities, to enable children to develop their independence skills further.

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number EY310371 Local authority Wirral Inspection number 10219720 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.5

Registers

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

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 55 Name of registered person Fun Train Day Nursery

p.5

reference number

Telephone number 0151 647 0482 Date of previous inspection 23 August 2016

p.5

Information about this early years setting

Funtrain Day Nursery was registered in 2005. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one at level 2. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. They close for one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.5

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. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children throughout the day and evaluated the impact on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to parents and took into account their views. n A joint observation of the quality of teaching was conducted and evaluated by a senior member of staff and the inspector. n A leadership and management meeting with the leaders of the setting was held to discuss safeguarding arrangements and to sample documentation.

p.6

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.

p.6

Inspection activities

24 June 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.

p.6

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7