Bickerstaffe Lodge

Inspection of Bickerstaffe Lodge Bickerstaffe C of E Primary School, Hall Lane, Bickerstaffe, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 0EH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Children arrive at nursery full of energy and ready to learn. They develop good relationships with their key member of staff and learn how to make good friends. Children separate with confidence from their parents and skip happily into nursery. They are safe and learn how to use kind hands and feet. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn to share because staff carefully help them. Children keenly explore the nursery environment. For instance, they learn how to use their hands and fingers to squash and squeeze the play dough. Children develop their knowledge of the local area - for example, by taking a walk to see a friendly horse.

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The provision requires improvement

Even though children enjoy their learning, they do not benefit enough from some of the activities that staff organise. This is because not all of the curriculum is well thought out. Leaders do not consider clearly enough the knowledge that they want staff to teach the children. Staff's questions do not fire children's thirst for learning. Too often, staff use questions that children cannot answer. This means that children do not develop some of the language and thinking skills that they need.

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need to do better?

n Staff provide children with a range of interesting activities throughout the nursery, such as water with bubbles, paints and brushes and balance bicycles outdoors. Children are intrigued by the learning activities and want to explore. However, leaders have a patchy understanding of how to develop the curriculum to teach children key knowledge. Leaders depend too much on the staff to organise teaching, with limited guidance. Staff give too little attention to what they want children to learn. Children are not prepared as well as they should be for their next stage in their education. n Staff count with the children, using coloured balls, for instance. Children learn some of the language of number. However, staff do not teach some mathematics accurately to children. For example, staff make mistakes when teaching children what numbers look like when they are written down. Additionally, in some areas of learning, staff do not consider what some children

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need to do better?

already know. Some teaching confuses children because some learning is too complex, and some is too basic. n Staff read books such as the story of 'Five Little Speckled Frogs'. Children know this book well. They were excited to talk about the grubs that the frogs in the book eat. However, staff do not place enough importance on developing back- and-forth conversations with the children. This dampens children's willingness to engage in important talk. Some children lay down on the carpet in frustration and lose interest. n Staff's assessment checks of children's knowledge vary in quality. Staff do not

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need to do better?

29 November 2022 spot some gaps in children's learning and development. Consequently, staff do not refine the curriculum well to suit children's needs. n Children behave calmly. They listen well to staff and follow instructions. Children are kind to one another because staff help them to be thoughtful and to cooperate. However, weaknesses in the quality of some learning activities mean that children sometimes get bored. They then wander about the nursery with little focus. n Children learn about the importance of taking themselves to the toilet. Staff make sure that children wash their hands before eating. After arriving at nursery each day, children have a healthy breakfast together. They understand the value of eating fruit and cereals and drinking milk. n Staff link reasonably well with parents about their children's needs, including children with SEND. Nevertheless, staff do not share enough information with

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need to do better?

parents about what their children learn at nursery. n Staff meet with leaders to discuss their work. They find this useful and supportive and discuss children's welfare and well-being. However, leaders' support to staff makes too little difference to the quality of their teaching of the curriculum. The quality of children's education is variable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff know how to identify children who may be at risk of harm. They know their responsibilities to report concerns immediately. Leaders and staff understand the risks to children and how to keep them safe from harm. They check the nursery premises to ensure that children are safe. Children learn how to stay safe near the roads. Staff know the children well. They are tuned in to notice any changes in their behaviour that might raise concerns. Leaders receive training to ensure that they follow safe recruitment procedures when appointing new staff. They are aware that some children have specific food intolerances and are careful to make sure that these children's dietary needs are met.

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should:

n strengthen leaders' and staff's understanding of what to teach children and when n routinely check and monitor the practice of staff to enable them to know how to improve the quality of their work with children n enhance staff's knowledge of the areas of learning and how to teach the curriculum so that children's learning is more engaging and rewarding n improve the quality of assessment checks of children's learning so that staff can swiftly identify and address any gaps in children's knowledge.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY315683 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 10263755 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 30 Number of children on roll 16 Name of registered person Bickerstaffe Children's Services Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01695 720238 Date of previous inspection 11 May 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Bickerstaffe Lodge registered in 2005 and is run by a not-for-profit business. The nursery is based in the grounds of Bickerstaffe C of E Primary School. The nursery employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least level 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, term time only, from 8am to 4pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 deputy manager completed a learning walk together with the inspector of all the areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke to the nominated individual and other leaders about the quality of the provision. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n The inspector and the deputy manager carried out a joint observation of a mathematics activity. n Parents shared their views of the setting 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

29 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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