Hedgehogs Wayfield

Inspection of Hedgehogs Wayfield Hedgehogs Wayfield, Street End Road, Chatham, Kent ME5 0BG

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety is compromised as staff lack suitable risk assessment knowledge and a thorough understanding of safeguarding procedures. Moreover, staff do not consistently implement appropriate hygiene procedures. Weaknesses in practice mean that children do not benefit from a challenging curriculum. Children who speak English as an additional language are not supported well enough when they first start. Children do not have consistent opportunities to make enough progress in their learning.

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The provision is inadequate

The support for children's behaviour varies. Staff do not make it clear what they expect from children. For example, children explore paint in spray bottles. Staff provide suitable support to help children learn how to squeeze the trigger to support their physical development. Some staff encourage children to spray the fence and floor. However, while some staff laugh when they get sprayed with paint, others empty the bottle to stop children playing with it. This means children are not given consistent messages about how to behave well. Nonetheless, staff interact positively with children during play. Children play well alongside their friends, riding their bikes down the ramp in the garden, for example. Staff build bonds with the children who they care for. However, the key-person system is inconsistent. This impacts on children's personal, social and emotional development and the support they receive in their learning.

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need to do better?

n The care for babies is weak. Staff do not ensure that they deploy themselves well enough to meet the needs of the babies at all times. They do not implement suitable hygiene measures to prevent babies drinking from each other's cups or take action when it is pointed out that this has happened. Nevertheless, staff do interact positively with babies. For example, they read their favourite stories to them. n The provider does not ensure that they meet minimum staff qualification requirements. Too many staff do not have qualifications, and there are no qualified staff working with babies as required. This has a significant impact on the standard of practice in the setting, as the quality of teaching varies widely. As a result, not all children receive suitable support to be ready for their next move to school. n Risk assessments are ineffective. Staff do not recognise or minimise all risks within the setting. For example, there are a range of items stored on partition

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need to do better?

walls that separate the age groups, including full water bottles, which could fall on babies and young children. This comprises children's safety. n Children lack challenge in their play, which limits their learning opportunities. Staff identify areas for children to develop their skills. They support children's

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need to do better?

6 October 2022 communication well. For example, they talk to children as they play and help them to choose what to do. However, the quality of teaching varies significantly. The activities that staff plan do not consistently challenge children and hold their concentration to help them extend their skills. n The provider is aware of some of the areas in need of development, and the senior management team are keen to develop the setting. During the inspection, they corrected some areas brought to their attention. However, there are further areas that need to be addressed. This includes improving staff's knowledge of safeguarding procedures and ensuring there is a consistent approach to managing behaviour. Despite this, staff feel supported by the manager and receive supervisions to help develop their practice. n Children who learn English as an additional language do not receive enough support for their learning from the very start. Staff are aware of their levels of

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need to do better?

English; however, there are no strategies in place to support children. As a result, children struggle to understand and communicate effectively. n Partnership with parents varies. Overall, parents are happy with the setting. Staff build suitable links with parents where they can. For example, staff know about what children like to play with. Children each have a key person to support their needs during the day. However, there are no clear arrangements in place for the days that children attend when their key person is not present. Some parents are not sure of who their child's key person is. This limits the support children receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff do not all have a secure knowledge of the areas that could indicate a child is at risk of harm. They do not have a clear understanding of the action to take if they have concerns about a child in their care. Staff lack a suitable understanding of the role of the local authority designated officer and what concerns to share with them. The provider is aware of some of the gaps in staff knowledge and is providing opportunities for them to develop their skills. However, staff lack appropriate risk assessment knowledge. They do not consistently minimise risks in the environment to keep children safe.

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Due date

6 October 2022 ensure all staff have a secure knowledge of all areas of safeguarding that could impact on children's welfare and the procedures to follow to report concerns in order to keep children safe 28/10/2022

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Due date

ensure staff have a suitable understanding of the role of the local authority designated officer and are aware of how to report allegations made against staff 28/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that all staff identify all risks in the environment and understand how to minimise them to keep children safe 28/10/2022

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Due date

implement effective staffing arrangements, particularly in the baby area, to meet the needs of all children 28/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that qualification requirements are met and there is at least one member of staff who holds a level 3 qualification and at least half of all other staff hold a level 2 qualification throughout the setting to support the needs of children 28/10/2022

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Due date

implement a consistent behaviour management policy to support children to understand the rules of the setting and what is expected of them 28/10/2022

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Due date

implement appropriate hygiene procedures to prevent cross- contamination and promote children's health 28/10/2022

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Due date

embed the key-person approach to work with parents and ensure that there is a system in place to support children when their key person is not present to meet the needs of the children at all times. 28/10/2022

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Due date

implement appropriate strategies to support children who learn English as an additional language as soon as they start at the setting, to support their communication and language and overall development 28/10/2022

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Due date

implement a broad curriculum to ensure that all children receive the appropriate level of challenge to help them make consistent progress in all areas of their learning and development. 28/10/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2649668 Local authority Medway Inspection number 10257729 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 52 Name of registered person Hedgehogs Childcare (Kent and Medway) Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01634953743 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The provider registered in 2021 and is located in Chatham, Kent. The nursery is one of three settings run by the same provider. The setting operates 7.30am to 6.30pm, on weekdays, for 52 weeks of the year. There are 11 members of staff, 5 of whom all hold relevant early years qualifications to at least level 2. One member of staff is qualified to level 6. The setting receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first 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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The manager and the inspector jointly observed an activity and discussed children's learning. n The inspector spoke to staff during the inspection about their safeguarding knowledge.

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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 October 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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