Footsteps Day Nursery

Inspection of Footsteps Day Nursery 95 Lyminster Avenue, BRIGHTON BN1 8JL

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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

Weaknesses in safeguarding practice mean that children's safety and well-being are put at risk. The provider does not ensure that staff can identify possible indicators of abuse or the correct process to follow if there is an allegation made against a member of staff. This compromises children's safety and well-being.

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The provision is inadequate

Unsettled babies are not supported consistently to build secure emotional bonds with their key persons. Some staff do not know each child's care routines and how to support them. Staff provide some comfort to unsettled babies with cuddles and reassurance. Older children explore their environment and initiate their own play. They show confidence when choosing resources and deciding where they want to play. However, some staff do not allow children to follow their own interests.

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The provision is inadequate

Overall, the children are not receiving a good enough level of support in their learning. There are times when they experiment with paint, explore sensory play activities and enjoy being creative. Children enjoy climbing and balancing in the garden and running around with their friends. However, the quality of teaching is variable, and children are not sufficiently challenged. Without support from staff to engage in activities, children sometimes lose focus, and their behaviour deteriorates. For instance, children throw puzzle pieces on the floor. As a result, children are not making the progress they are capable of.

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need to do better?

n Staff lack knowledge and understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. Although all staff have had safeguarding training, some do not know the procedure to report a safeguarding concern. Furthermore, some staff, including the designated safeguarding lead (DSL), have a poor understanding of identifying signs that a child may be at risk, including from extreme views. This compromises children's welfare. n The manager has a clear oversight of the curriculum intent for each age group across the setting. However, these aims are not clearly understood by the deputy manager and some members of the staff team. In addition, the quality of teaching is inconsistent. Some children receive little interaction or support. For example, staff do not understand when children would benefit from more encouragement or challenge to extend their learning. Despite the weaknesses in teaching, some staff successfully provide regular activities aimed at promoting

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need to do better?

children's communication and language. For example, children sit and listen to stories and are keen to talk about past events and make wider connections. For example, children recall when a visitor came to the setting with a 'guide dog'. n Some staff do not manage children's behaviour appropriately. They use physical interventions, such as holding children's wrists, and physically remove them from

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need to do better?

26 August 2022 play before exploring other options to support transitions. n The key-person system is ineffective. Although children have a key person, staff shortages sometimes mean staff work across the provider's different settings. As a result, at times, children are supported by staff who do not know about their individual needs or next steps of learning and development well enough. This has a particularly significant impact on the emotional well-being of babies. Some babies become distressed and unsettled for long periods. n Deployment of staff is not always effective. At times, some transitions during the day are disorganised. For example, older children line up and wait to go in the garden for lengthy periods while staff fulfil other duties. As a result, children become unsettled and do not receive appropriate support to extend their learning experiences. n Children enjoy the healthy meals provided for them. They sit together and talk

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need to do better?

amongst themselves. Older children serve their own meals and independently find their water bottles. Staff encourage younger children to feed themselves and blow their food. This helps children to become independent in managing their self care. n Although some staff feel well supported, supervision is poor in identifying and addressing weaknesses in the quality of teaching and the lack of safeguarding knowledge. This means that gaps in some staff's knowledge and understanding are not identified. As a result, some staff are not getting enough support to help them improve their skills and practice, and children's safety is compromised n Parents speak positively about the care their children receive from the staff. They feel staff are happy and caring. Staff share information with parents regarding their children's day and progress. However, they do not always share children's next steps with parents and are therefore unable to support their

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff do not have a secure understanding of child protection risk factors, particularly those related to aspects of safeguarding, such as the 'Prevent' duty. Staff have attended training, but this is not fully effective. Some staff are not aware of who the designated safeguarding lead is. In addition, staff do not understand the procedures for managing allegations made against staff. Therefore, children are not protected.

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Due date

26 August 2022 ensure all staff understand the safeguarding policy and procedure and are able to demonstrate a secure knowledge of how to identify and report child protection concerns, including whistle-blowing procedures 26/09/2022

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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 and risk of radicalisation, in order to provide support, advice and guidance to other staff when required 26/09/2022

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Due date

implement effective arrangements to assign every child a key person who ensures that learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs 26/09/2022

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Due date

improve communication with parents to ensure they are well informed about their children's key person, development and the ways children's learning can be supported at home 26/09/2022

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Due date

ensure staff are deployed effectively at all times to meet children's individual needs and emotional well-being 26/09/2022

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Due date

ensure that all adults working with children understand and follow appropriate procedures for managing children's behaviour 26/09/2022

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Due date

improve the quality of teaching to ensure that all children are effectively challenged to make good progress in all areas of their development. 26/09/2022

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should:

n improve the organisation of some elements of the daily routine to reduce unnecessary disruption and to avoid excessive waiting time for children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY472844 Local authority Brighton and Hove Inspection number 10250639 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 61 Number of children on roll 61 Name of registered person Footsteps Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01273 508 533 Date of previous inspection 17 August 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Footsteps Day Nursery registered in 2014 and is situated in Brighton. It is open each weekday, from 7.45am to 6.15pm, for 52 weeks of the year, except for public holidays. There are 10 members of staff, of whom five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one holds a qualification at level 2. The nursery provides funded free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 this into account 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 deputy manager, manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and the children. n The inspector carried out joint observations of a group activities with the manager. 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

26 August 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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