BEST Nursery and Extended Services (Langford)

Inspection of BEST Nursery and Extended Services (Langford) Langford Lower School, Church Street, Langford, BIGGLESWADE, Bedfordshire SG18 9QA

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is inadequate

Children are not provided with a curriculum that challenges or extends their learning. Staff sometimes overlook opportunities to extend their vocabulary. For example, during snack time, young children initiate conversation, but staff do not engage in discussion with them. As a result, children do not continue their interactions. Nevertheless, children appear happy. Staff do not consistently promote children's language development. Some children use comforters to help them settle on arrival, but staff do not remove these to encourage children to use their voices. Furthermore, staff do not support children who require additional help with their language development.

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The provision is inadequate

Children join in with the activities and experiences offered, some of which are interesting, but staff interactions are poor. Staff do not do enough to meet the learning needs of the children attending. They do not consider what children can do. This means that many of the activities and experiences do not maintain children's interests, help them to build on what they know already or develop new skills. For example, some children are easily distracted and become disengaged. On occasion, they run around the nursery, and their behaviour becomes challenging at times. Staff initially respond to this, but when, for example, children do not listen, staff stop trying to manage the situation.

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need to do better?

n The provider has failed to address some of the previous actions raised at the last inspection, and further significant weaknesses have been identified at this inspection. For example, staff are not supported to deliver a curriculum that consistently provides children with a good level of challenge. Some staff do not know enough about the children they care for. They do not plan for individual children, and they do not use assessment to understand children's starting points in order to shape their teaching and build on what children know. This affects children's individual care, learning and development and does not help to ensure that children are ready for the next stage of their learning. n The key-person system is extremely weak. Although there are plans in place for improvement, as a result of staff changes, there are children attending who are not assigned a key person. This means staff do not support children's emotional

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need to do better?

well-being, and some children fail to form secure attachments. In addition, staff do not know enough about the children to ensure that children's care is tailored to meet their individual needs. n Opportunities to support and extend children's communication and language development are limited. For example, some staff do not engage children in conversation. Not enough value is placed on stories and singing in order for children to hear a range of words and language. Nevertheless, when staff do

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need to do better?

30 November 2022 read a story while other staff tidy up for lunch, they introduce sign language, which supports all children to feel included. n Staff have a poor understanding of the areas of learning they teach and the way in which young children learn. Some staff do not demonstrate an understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Induction and ongoing training opportunities are not implemented to help staff improve their practice. Changes to the management and staff team have had a significant impact on the setting as a whole, resulting in low staff morale due to a lack of support from the provider. n Parental feedback is variable. Parents comment on their children being happy. With the introduction of an online diary system, they are more aware of what their children are doing each day. However, parents raise concerns about the staff changes, commenting particularly on occasions when their children are

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need to do better?

dropped off and parents do not recognise the staff. Furthermore, the provider does not inform parents of changes that affect them and their children. This raises concerns for parents and does not support effective partnership working. n Children have regular opportunities for fresh air and exercise. They take part in activities, such as making play dough, and use a good range of tools. This supports their physical development. n Children follow appropriate handwashing routines before mealtimes. However, staff do not support them to understand the importance of good health. For example, children do not know to cover their mouths or wash their hands after coughing and sneezing. This does not help to prevent the spread of infection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Parents are not informed of staff changes, including staff working directly with their children. As a result, some parents hand their children over at the front entrance to staff they do not know or recognise. This has a direct impact on children because they do not know staff well enough to feel safe and secure. Staff demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the process to be followed if they have concerns about a child or if they are concerned about the behaviour of adults working directly with children. However, they are not clear about the roles and responsibilities of other professionals who may be involved in safeguarding children.

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Due date

30 November 2022 take into consideration the individual needs, interests and development of each child, and improve staff interactions with the children to ensure that all children receive meaningful and challenging learning experiences that build on what they already know and can do 08/02/2023

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Due date

ensure staff use accurate information from assessments of children's learning to understand their starting points, level of achievement and interests, and shape teaching and learning experiences to reflect this 08/02/2023

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Due date

improve the curriculum for communication and language so that children benefit from a language-rich environment and make a faster rate of progress in this area of their development 08/02/2023

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Due date

ensure that all staff understand the roles and responsibilities of other professionals who may be involved in safeguarding children 08/02/2023

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Due date

implement an effective key-person system to ensure that each child's learning and care are tailored to meet their individual needs 08/02/2023

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Due date

ensure that all staff receive an appropriate induction and ongoing training and support to help them understand their roles and responsibilities 08/02/2023

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Due date

ensure that children's behaviour is managed appropriately 08/02/2023

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Due date

ensure that parents are aware of the staffing in the setting, the name of their child's key person and their role. 08/02/2023

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should:

30 November 2022 n improve handwashing routines to help children learn about their good health and appropriate hygiene measures.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY471343 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 10250593 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 31 Number of children on roll 113

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Name of registered person

Bedfordshire East Schools Trust Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01462 815637 Date of previous inspection 20 July 2022

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Information about this early years setting

BEST Nursery and Extended Services (Langford) registered in 2013. The setting operates from within the grounds of Langford Lower School. Opening hours are from 7.30am until 6pm, during term time only. The setting offers wraparound care for school-age children from 7.30am until 8.50am, and from 3.30pm until 6pm, during term time. There are seven staff members who work directly with the children, four of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 2 or above. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector held a learning discussion together to understand how the curriculum is organised. A further discussion was held with members of the wider leadership team. n The inspector spoke with children throughout the inspection. The inspector observed staff interaction with children during adult-led activities and reviewed this with the manager. n A number of parents spoke to the inspector. Their views and feedback were taken into account as part of the inspection. n The inspector reviewed a sample of the provider's documentation, including staff suitability, complaints record and first-aid qualifications.

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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

30 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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