Little Moors Farm Nursery

Inspection of Little Moors Farm Nursery Moors Farm Station Road, Hartlebury, Kidderminster, Worcestershire DY11 7YJ

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Inspection date: 6 July 2022 - 18 July 2022

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

There are weaknesses in the safeguarding practices at the nursery. Managers and staff acting as the designated lead practitioner for safeguarding do not follow the correct procedure when concerns are raised about children's safety and welfare. All children are allocated a key person. However, when children's key persons are absent, the manager does not ensure that information about children's specific individual needs is understood by the covering key person. This means that individual children's needs are not always met.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite this, children are happy and settled at this welcoming nursery. They arrive confidently, happily separating from their parents and quickly settling to an activity of their choice. Children have strong emotional attachments to the kind and caring staff. Children receive cuddles and comfort when needed. Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve. Children make good progress in their learning. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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The provision is inadequate

Babies enjoy sitting with staff, listening to a familiar story and singing rhymes. They confidently join in, pointing to the pictures in the book and moving their body to the actions of the rhyme. Toddlers enjoy using different tools to make marks in salt. Children use their imaginations as they dress up and pretend they are cats moving around the room. Pre-school children enjoy trips to the forest school area where they swing on rope swings and climb on rope ladders. Children play together cooperatively. They learn to take turns and share resources. For example, they play well during pretend play in the home corner as they take on different roles.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff fail to respond to child protection concerns correctly. Although the nursery has a suitable policy for dealing with such concerns, this is not followed. This compromises children's safety and well-being. n The key-person system is not effective. Staff covering other staff's absence are not given the necessary information about children to ensure they are effectively able to care for their individual needs. n The quality of teaching is good. Staff know children's educational needs well and plan appropriate activities that they know will interest and challenge children. They have a good understanding of how young children learn and develop. They make regular observations of children and use these to plan realistic and appropriate next steps for children's learning. n Children's communication and language skills are developing well. Staff engage children in meaningful conversations throughout the day. Children confidently

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need to do better?

chat to visitors and include them in their play. Children are developing a love for

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need to do better?

6 July 2022 books. Staff enthusiastically read stories, changing the tone of their voice to excite and engage children. n Parents spoken to on the day of inspection said that they are happy with the nursery and commented how much their children enjoy attending. They value how much fresh air and exercise the children get daily. Parents say that staff are 'fantastic'. The manager shares regular information with most parents. Information about the plans for toddlers and pre-school children's learning is shared on a weekly basis. This helps parents extend children's learning at home. Opportunities for younger children's parents to build on their children's learning at home are more limited. n Staff plan the learning environment well. This helps to motivate and inspire children to become involved in their learning. Children show great interest in the good range of activities and experience on offer. However, some parts of the

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need to do better?

daily routine, such as when children are moving between rooms and the outdoor space, could be better organised to keep children fully engaged. n Staff swiftly identify children who may be working below expectations. This, along with good partnership working with other professionals, means that children's educational needs are well met and children with SEND are successfully integrated into the nursery environment. n The nursery is situated on a working farm. Children have daily opportunities to go on walks around the farm, visiting the various animals. Children learn to keep themselves safe as they take managed risks when using the climbing wall and climbing on the gates to see into the next field. Staff give children gentle reminders, such as reminding them to use two hands when climbing and not climbing too high.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff have a poor understanding of safeguarding and child protection procedures. Although they have an appropriate policy in place, they do not take appropriate action when concerns about children's safety and welfare are raised. This means children are not safeguarded effectively. Having said this, managers and staff undertake robust risk assessments to ensure any safety risks in the nursery are identified and removed. Staff supervise children well. The manager follows robust recruitment procedures to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

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Due date

6 July 2022 improve managers' and staff's knowledge and understanding of the correct procedure to follow in the event of a child protection concern being raised 06/09/2022

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Due date

improve key-person arrangements, to ensure information about children's care needs is shared so new key persons have an accurate understanding of children's needs and are able to meet them effectively. 06/09/2022

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should:

n enhance the existing good partnerships with the younger children's parents so that they are all routinely supported to continue to build on their children's learning at home n review the organisation of some daily routines, particularly when children are moving between shared spaces, to keep children fully engaged.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2560321 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10233478 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 36 Number of children on roll 58 Name of registered person Kirby, Julia

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reference number

Telephone number 07932876450 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Moors Farm Nursery registered in 2019 and is situated on a farm in Hartlebury, Worcestershire. The nursery operates from 7am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round, except for a week at Christmas and bank holidays. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold qualified teacher status, two hold a childcare qualification at level 6, five hold a childcare qualification at level 3 and two are qualified at level 2. The nursery receives funding to provide free early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors Amanda Tompkin Amanda Tompkin

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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 and the manager completed a learning walk to understand how the setting operates and how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. She spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.

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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

6 July 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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