Hedgehogs Chatham Day Nursery

Inspection of Hedgehogs Chatham 1a Hills Terrace, Chatham ME4 6PX

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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 Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

Children enjoy their time at nursery in the company of caring staff. Children are keen to involve staff in what they are doing. For example, they share their achievements of building a train track. However, the organisation of the setting, particularly when children transition between inside and outside, at times becomes hectic. As a result, some children become unsettled and staff struggle to support all the children's needs.

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The provision requires improvement

Children receive suitable support to help to learn about their behaviour. Staff work well with parents to ensure that they are consistent in their approach. As a result, children begin to implement the rules of the setting and learn about how their actions affect others. Children form close relationships with each other. For example, older children learn to cooperate and take turns as they play. Younger children ask after each other when their friends have gone to have their nappy changed.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff are aware of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's development. There is an understanding about what children need to learn. However, the new team need further support to implement this and raise the quality of teaching. At times, some children need further input to help engage in learning to extend their skills. As a result, progress is not consistent for all children.

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need to do better?

n Recent changes in staff and difficulties in recruitment mean that the staff team is new. The leadership team are aware of the developments needed within the setting. The new manager has plans in place to help develop the setting further. Staff receive suitable supervisions to help support them and new staff begin to access training. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive appropriate support. For example, staff understand the individual support children need and communicate this well within the team. Staff work well with external agencies to seek guidance to aid their practice. Additional funding is used well to enable children to have more support to meet their individual needs. n Staff build suitable links with parents to support children to settle. Parents state that staff are caring and have good discussions with them about their children. However, staff have not extended their discussions with parents about how to

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need to do better?

further support children's individual cultural heritage and learning of their home language. This impacts on children's overall learning about themselves and further support for their language development. n Children have good opportunities to develop their physical skills. Staff use outdoor space well. For example, children who like to learn best outside have

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need to do better?

29 November 2022 regular opportunities to do so. Children learn to challenge themselves physically as they balance on beams and learn to carefully step along a ladder. Staff use these times well to help children to learn about their own safety and abilities. n Staff are aware of the importance of supporting children's communication and language development. They talk to staff through play and introduce new language. Children share what they are doing and learn about different ingredients when making play dough. However, due to some of the organisation within the setting, noise levels can be loud, which impacts on how staff can support children's learning. n Children benefit from a range of opportunities to make marks with pencils, sand and exploring mud. They like to talk with staff about what they have done and receive positive responses. This supports their good relationships with staff. However, staff do not manage routines well enough. Some children become

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need to do better?

upset as they come in from the garden, which negatively impacts on their personal, social and emotional development. n The quality of children's learning experiences varies. Not all staff are able to confidently identify when children need their learning extended and, at times, children become bored. This means that children are not always able to show positive attitudes towards learning and develop their skills consistently. Children do not always learn the range of skills needed to help them prepare to start school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are confident in their safeguarding knowledge. They have completed training to ensure that they are clear on what may give cause for concern about a child. This includes concerns about female genital mutilation and the signs that show a child has been exposed to radicalisation. Staff know what to do if they have concerns about the conduct of a colleague. Staff know the steps to follow to share concerns with their internal designated lead and with the local authority. Staff complete suitable risk assessments to help keep children safe.

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Due date

develop the quality of teaching to ensure that children receive consistent support to develop their skills and make consistently good progress. 02/01/2023

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should:

n improve the organisation and transitions within the setting to fully support children's personal, social and emotional development n build the partnership working with parents to further support children's cultural backgrounds and learn more about children's language abilities when they speak more than one language.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2630754 Local authority Medway Inspection number 10259105 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 74 Name of registered person Hedgehogs Childcare (Kent and Medway) Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01634 953743 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Hedgehogs Chatham registered in 2021 and is in Chatham, Medway. The pre- school receives funding for free early education sessions for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school is open during term time only, Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm and offer earlier sessions from 8am and later sessions until 4pm. There are nine members of staff, six of whom have relevant early years qualifications to level 2.

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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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual and the executive leader about the leadership and management of the setting. 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 inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the executive leader. n The inspector spoke to parents to gain their views.

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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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