Pipsqueaks

Inspection of Pipsqueaks Harris House, North Road, Queenborough, Kent ME11 5HA

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

Breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements have a significant impact on children's safety, learning and development. Staff do not have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities in how to keep children safe. The quality of teaching and children's overall experiences are variable. The provider and staff do not have a secure understanding of the curriculum. They are unsure of the best way in which to use assessment and planning to support children to make progress. Despite this, most children behave well, and older children are often happily engaged in play.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff provide activities that excite and engage older children, such as looking at shadow puppets with torches and going on a bug hunt in the local park. However, the poor organisation and implementation of the curriculum means that while children do enjoy these activities, they do not meaningfully support children to make progress in an identified area.

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The provision is inadequate

Babies actively and independently explore the resources and form bonds with their key person. They enjoy going up and down the slide and playing with sensory boards. However, staff do not provide learning opportunities to engage babies. They often wander and flit from toy to toy, as there is little staff interaction and few activities provided to engage them meaningfully.

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need to do better?

n The provider has not ensured that staff have a secure knowledge of safeguarding procedures and practice. Staff have poor knowledge of how to identify a child at risk and lack the understanding of how to deal with different safeguarding incidents. In addition, staff do not understand the procedures for managing allegations made against staff. Furthermore, the provider fails to obtain references or maintain records of all the suitability checks she completes on staff when they are appointed. This significantly compromises children's safety and welfare. n The provider's vision for the curriculum is weak. Staff do not know how to use their knowledge of the children to plan effectively for what children need to learn next. The learning environment and planned activities tend to be based on what staff think children will like, with little focus on children's next stage of development. While older children do concentrate and engage with the activities

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need to do better?

on offer, they lack purpose. As a result, activities do not meet the children's individual needs. Babies spend a large proportion of their time playing with self- chosen activities, where their interest is not sustained, and they are not challenged in their learning and development. n Staff support older children in developing new vocabulary and supporting their

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need to do better?

9 November 2022 understanding. For example, they introduce the words 'prickly', 'roots' and 'patterns' when looking at plants and snails. However, some babies spend long periods of time with a dummy in their mouth, which limits their ability to communicate and support emerging speech. n Staff are not as thorough as they could be in finding out about children's cultural backgrounds and home languages. Parents supported the nursery children to celebrate Baba Marta, but beyond this staff are not sure which cultural or religious festivals children celebrate. Although children who speak English as an additional language are developing a good command of English, they are not supported to develop and use their home language in their play and learning. n Sometimes, staff support children to be independent and build resilience. Older children are allowed time to find the correct jigsaw puzzle pieces, with gentle

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need to do better?

encouragement from staff. They are supported to have a go at using a pencil sharpener, before staff then appropriately model and explain to them. However, this is not consistent. At other times, staff put children's coats and wellington boots on for them with minimal interaction or any encouragement. n Staff supervision is not yet effective in quickly identifying and addressing all areas of need. The provider has made steps to begin to identify weaknesses in the curriculum and her staff's knowledge. She has identified some training to address these weaknesses. However, this has not been quick enough to ensure there is continuous improvement to the quality of children's care and learning. n Parents say that they feel their children are happy at nursery and that they are making new friendships. Staff inform them what their child has enjoyed at nursery that day, but they are not aware of their next steps or areas of learning.

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need to do better?

They are not given ideas on how to support children's learning further at home. This does not ensure that parents are effectively involved in their child's learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider does not ensure that staff fully understand their responsibilities to keep children safe. Staff demonstrate a basic understanding of some signs and symptoms of abuse but are unsure of who to contact and what to do in certain safeguarding incidents. Furthermore, staff are unsure who to report concerns to if they are worried about adults working with children and staff allegations. This puts children's safety and welfare at risk. In addition, there is not a rigorous recruitment process in place. Leaders do not show a secure understanding of how to ensure staff suitability before they start at the nursery.

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Due date

ensure all staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding, including areas that give cause for concern about a child's welfare and the appropriate action to take 30/11/2022

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Due date

ensure all staff have a clear knowledge and understanding of the appropriate action to take in the event of an allegation made against staff, including the role of the local authority designated officer 30/11/2022

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Due date

implement and follow appropriate procedures to seek suitability checks for all staff working with children, including seeking information about previous employment 30/11/2022

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Due date

develop effective partnerships with parents, to consistently create a two-way flow of information to support children's learning at the setting and at home 30/11/2022

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Due date

provide staff with effective coaching, support and supervision, to ensure they have the skills and understanding to carry out their roles and responsibilities, with particular regards to providing quality learning and development experiences for children. 30/11/2022

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Due date

ensure that children who speak English as an additional language are fully supported to explore their home language and learn about their cultural heritage 30/11/2022

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Due date

9 November 2022 design and implement a curriculum that meets the needs of children who attend the nursery and has clear aims and focus to consistently challenge children to make progress in their learning and development. 30/11/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY257399 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10145699 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 44 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person Harris, Lindsay Susannah

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reference number

Telephone number 01795 666420 Date of previous inspection 15 December 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Pipsqueaks is a privately run nursery. It registered in 2003 and operates from a two-storey building in Queenborough, Isle of Sheppey, Kent. The nursery is open each weekday, from 7am to 6pm, for approximately 50 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are seven members of staff, six of whom hold recognised early years qualifications. One member of staff has qualified teacher status.

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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 provider and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The provider and inspector carried out a joint observation and spoke with staff. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n Parents shared their views on the nursery with the inspector.

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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

9 November 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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