Millie's House Nursery and Pre-School

Inspection of Millie's House Nursery and Pre-School 163 New Kings Road, LONDON SW6 4SN

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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

Children do not receive a good enough level of care and learning at this nursery. They are keenly welcomed as they arrive. However, because there are frequent changes to staff, they are regularly looked after by people that they barely know. Furthermore, staff are moved between rooms during the day, so that the consistency for children is reduced even further. As a result, children who are new to the setting find it difficult to settle and build secure emotional bonds with staff. On occasion, babies and younger toddlers become very upset, because their needs are not consistently and carefully considered by a key person.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite the significant weaknesses, most children enjoy being at the nursery. They have access to a range of activities and resources, which they can choose from independently. They enjoy outdoor play in the nursery garden or at a nearby park. However, staff do not know enough about children's development to consistently extend their learning. Children who need extra support do not receive the timely help that they need, to make the progress that they are capable of. Children show positive behaviour most of the time. However, staff do not consistently teach them about the consequences of their actions and help them to moderate their behaviour.

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need to do better?

n The nursery has been through a period of instability, during which there have been several changes to the manager and staff. A new manager and leadership team are in place. They describe how they plan to bring stability to the nursery and improve the quality of the provision. They have identified areas of weakness and have set out ambitious aims for the nursery. However, it is too soon to judge the effectiveness of these. n The manager plans to implement regular supervision for staff, to help them develop their professional skills. However, this is not yet imbedded in practice. Staff regularly update mandatory training and their understanding of safeguarding is good. However, they have not been given effective support to develop other areas of their professional knowledge. Therefore, the quality of teaching is inconsistent, and interactions between staff and children are often weak. For example, staff do not use questioning effectively to encourage

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need to do better?

children to develop their critical thinking skills. n Parents are generally happy with the nursery and praise the staff for being kind and caring. However, some parents say that there have been frequent changes to their children's key person. Therefore, the support for their children's learning has been inconsistent. Parents also say that they are not well enough informed about their children's progress. Consequently, they are unsure about how they can support this at home.

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need to do better?

20 October 2022 n Leaders understand the curriculum and know what they want children to learn. However, most of the staff are not able to implement a robust curriculum, due to poor staff deployment and weaknesses in their professional knowledge. Therefore, children do not make good enough progress in their all-round development. n Assessments of children's development are weak. Staff complete the required progress checks when children are aged between two and three years. However, these do not always accurately reflect what children know and can do. Consequently, gaps in children's learning are not swiftly identified. n Although all children are allocated a key person, the weak practice and poor staff deployment means that they do not fulfil this role well enough. For instance, key persons are sometimes too busy organising routines and temporary staff to give children the specific support they require.

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need to do better?

n Staff lack understanding of how to promote positive behaviour. Although they intervene quickly to solve disagreements between children, they do not help them to manage their own feelings and behaviours. For example, staff do not explain the risks involved if children throw toys. n Children learn about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. They follow good hygiene routines and enjoy healthy meals and snacks. Staff encourage children to become independent with their personal care. For instance, children become adept at serving their own food and drinks at mealtimes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders do not prioritise children's emotional security. Therefore, not all children feel safe and secure at the setting. Staff receive regular safeguarding training and are aware of the signs of abuse and neglect. They understand the procedures to follow, should they have concerns about the welfare of a child or the conduct of a staff member. This includes the processes to involve other safeguarding agencies, to help protect children. Leaders and staff assess the environment to remove and reduce potential hazards. There are robust recruitment processes, to help ensure staff's suitability.

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Due date

20 October 2022 implement an ambitious and challenging curriculum, to help all children, including those who are not making the progress expected, to engage well and make the best possible progress in their learning 02/12/2022

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Due date

ensure that support and supervision arrangements for staff are effective, to improve the quality of teaching and promote the best outcomes for children 02/12/2022

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Due date

improve the systems for assessing children's learning and ensure that the required progress checks accurately reflect what children know and can do 02/12/2022

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Due date

deploy staff effectively, to ensure that they provide consistent support for children's emotional development, care and learning needs 02/12/2022

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Due date

strengthen the key-person system, to ensure that all children's care and learning experiences are tailored to their individual needs, and keep parents informed about their children's progress 02/12/2022

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Due date

help staff to develop consistent and effective strategies to promote children's positive behaviour. 02/12/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY454751 Local authority Hammersmith & Fulham Inspection number 10238833 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 74 Number of children on roll 24

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Name of registered person

South West London Nursery Company Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 020 7731 0440 Date of previous inspection 20 December 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Millie's House Nursery and Pre-School registered in 2012. The nursery is open each weekday, from 8am until 6pm, for most of the year. The provider employs 10 members of staff. Of these, six have early years qualifications. One member of staff holds a level 6 qualification and other staff are qualified at level 3 or level 2. The nursery offers funded early education for children aged three and four years.

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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 of the setting. n The deputy manager showed the inspector around the nursery premises. She explained the curriculum and how the provision is organised. n The inspector observed the quality of the education and considered the impact on children's learning. This included a joint observation with the manager. n Leaders met with the inspector to discuss issues such as recruitment and staff supervision. They ensured that relevant documents, including staff's suitability checks and paediatric first-aid certificates, were available for the inspector to view. n Parents, staff and children shared their views and experiences with the inspector, at appropriate times during the inspection.

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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

20 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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