Alphabet House Day Nursery

Inspection of Alphabet House Day Nursery 126 Nottingham Road, Long Eaton, Nottingham NG10 2BZ

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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 enjoy attending the setting and confidently separate from parents and carers. They are welcomed into the environment by the caring staff who provide a range of activities based on their current interests. However, the quality of education is not consistent throughout the setting. Not all staff are confident in extending children's learning in a purposeful way to support them to make good progress. Despite this, children enjoy the activities on offer, such as the marble run, and babies enjoy water play with natural resources.

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The provision requires improvement

Pre-school children confidently explore the outdoor area and enjoy building a 'pretend bus' from large wooden blocks, wheels and planks. Staff encourage discussions between the children as they work together to create seats and doors for the bus. Children develop close emotional attachments with staff. This helps them to feel safe and secure. Toddlers are kind to each other and share resources, such as glitter and paintbrushes, when painting a snowman. Children develop strong relationships with each other and cooperate when taking turns or building alongside each other. Pre-school children support each other when designing car ramps with guttering. However, staff do not always interact swiftly with the children to extend and challenge their learning. For example, babies struggle to complete shape-sorting activities independently, staff fail to immediately identify their frustration. As a result, they lose their initial interest and move on to other

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need to do better?

n The management team does not ensure that the monitoring and coaching of staff are not fully effective, which leads to weaknesses in teaching. The management team does hold regular supervision meetings, and staff comment that they feel valued and supported. However, not all staff have a strong understanding of enhancing children's learning. n Relationships with parents and carers are strong. Parents state that the setting has a 'home-from-home feel to it'. They state that they feel supported by the setting to implement their wishes, such as the use of 'real' nappies in the baby room. Parents are happy with the support their children receive when settling in, and speak positively of staff and children's interactions. Staff give feedback to parents at collection times and utilise an online learning journey to display observations with families. n Children have strong attachments with staff, this supports their emotional well-

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need to do better?

being. Babies venture over to activities knowing that a familiar adult is still within sight and is there for support. n Overall, staff take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of the children via risk assessments of the premises and resources. They conduct regular fire drills, and

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need to do better?

8 December 2022 fire doors are free from obstruction. However, the external fire steps present an identifiable risk in terms of not being flush to the property. The stairs have been certified as safe by an external contractor at a recent inspection. Staff also state they do not use them for fire drill practice. As such, they are do not pose an immediate risk to safety. n Children behave well and follow instructions and expectations of the setting. For example, toddlers help to tidy their room before accessing new activities. Staff encourage children who may be struggling through a calm and considerate approach. n On occasion, adult-led activities are too complex for younger children to understand, with an emphasis on completing a product. For example, when toddlers complete a painting of a snowman, staff have unrealistic expectations of what children may already know. Staff assume they can identify colours

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need to do better?

readily and follow complex instructions. Therefore, children become overwhelmed and disinterested. n Room leaders of the toddler and pre-school rooms highlight that they wanted want children to learn independence skills. Yet staff do not give children suitable opportunities to do things for themselves. For example, staff do not allow to try and take their lids off their yoghurt pot or pour out their own drinks. n Due to the weaknesses in teaching, children's learning is not always fully extended. For example, staff compliment children upon their ideas and achievements during play, but do not offer them new knowledge or skills to develop further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team and staff complete regular safeguarding training. All staff understand their responsibilities to keep children safe and protect them from harm. Staff have a clear understanding of how to report any concerns they may have regarding a child or member of staff. They can explain the whistle-blowing procedure and can identify the signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff have a good knowledge of wider safeguarding issues within society and the potential impact they can have on children. The setting follows a robust recruitment procedure to ensure the suitability of those who work with the children.

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Due date

8 December 2022 ensure the curriculum is implemented more effectively to build on what children already know and extend their learning further 12/01/2023

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Due date

strengthen staff supervision and monitoring of practice to readily identify gaps in teaching 12/01/2023

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Due date

ensure that all fire exits are suitable for evacuation purposes. 12/01/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY450539 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10235897 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 70 Number of children on roll 58 Name of registered person Forest Schools Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0115 9734442 and then 07971 191593 Date of previous inspection 10 March 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Alphabet House Day Nursery registered in 2012 and is situated in Long Eaton, Nottingham. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7am to 6.30pm, all year round. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 have relevant childcare qualifications at level 3 or above.

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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 and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke with staff during the inspection. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, both indoors and outdoors, and the impact on children's learning. n The inspector and sister setting manager completed a joint observation of an adult-led activity. n The inspector viewed the entire premises and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises with the deputy manager.

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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

8 December 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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