Millies House & Nursery Preschool

Inspection of Millies House & Nursery Preschool 344-346, Fulham Palace Road, London SW6 6HT

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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

p.1

The provision is inadequate

Children's safety cannot be assured at this nursery. The nursery is going through a challenging time with regards to staffing. The provider does not always meet statutory qualification and ratio requirements. This impacts on children's safety, learning and development.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are not always supported to develop their curiosity. Too often staff interrupt children as they explore, by telling children 'no' without explaining the reason for this. This impacts on children's curiosity and desire to explore the environment around them. Staff do not have high enough expectations of what children can learn and achieve in all areas of the curriculum. This means that children do not make enough progress in their learning and development while at nursery.

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The provision is inadequate

Children form close bonds with a few permanent members of staff, such as the deputy manager and the third in charge. These staff get down to the child's level and interact warmly with them as they play. However, too often other staff simply give children instructions such as 'get down from there'. This does not help children to develop their communication skills or to form bonds with these staff members. Therefore children do not always develop positive attitudes to learning.

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need to do better?

n There has been a high turnover of staff and there are a high number of agency staff at the setting. The provider is not meeting the legal requirement that at least half of all staff hold qualifications in childcare. Additionally, the provider does not meet staff to child ratios all of the time. Therefore, there are not enough staff with the necessary skills and understanding to provide a good level of care and education to the children. n Leaders do not implement an effective key-person system. Each key person has too many children whose care and learning needs they are responsible for. This does not allow staff to carry out the role of the key person well. At times, key persons can speak about children's likes and interests. However, they rarely understand each child's next steps in their learning journey. This means that they do not plan learning opportunities for children to meet these next steps.

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need to do better?

This has an impact on the progress the children make. n Staff physically handle or move children too often without their consent. For example, when some children go to sleep, at times staff pat them firmly on their lower backs to send them to sleep. On other occasions, staff remove children from equipment without explaining what they are doing. This does not help children to understand how to display positive behaviour, or that they have autonomy over their own body. It also impacts on children's self-esteem.

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need to do better?

13 December 2022 n Leaders do not implement an effective programme of learning for communication and language. Staff have low expectations for what children can achieve in their language development. They do not always speak in full sentences to children. Instead, staff sometimes use single word commands such as 'do' when asking children to carry out a task. This does not help children to widen their vocabulary or develop their sentence structure. Staff read stories to children who show an interest in books. However, staff do not consider how to expose all children to new language by listening to stories throughout the day. n Staff do not provide enough opportunities for children to be physically active. They do not consider how to support children to develop specific skills in their physical development such as climbing, balancing and jumping during daily play. This does not help children to develop their physical skills or their overall fitness

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need to do better?

levels. n Leaders have a clear intent for what they would like children to achieve through the curriculum. However, they do not share these intended learning outcomes with all staff consistently, so staff do not plan how to help children achieve these outcomes. Therefore, children do not make enough progress in their learning. n Leaders have a programme of training in place to support the professional development of staff. They also carry out individual supervision meetings with staff. However, leaders do not use these meetings to address weaker or unsafe practice. This means that staff are not able to successfully fulfil the requirements of their role. n Leaders work hard to build parent partnerships. Parents describe effective processes for new starters to settle in well to nursery. Parents value the verbal communication at handover, and pick up and the warm and friendly nature of permanent staff. This helps children to transition easily between home and

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have some understanding of necessary safeguarding processes and procedures and know where to turn for advice if necessary. Staff understand the processes to follow if they have a concern about a child. However, leaders and staff do not confidently identify colleagues whose practice is not in the best interests of children. This includes staff who physically move or handle children without their consent. This means that staff do not follow whistle-blowing procedures consistently. It also means that poor practice which could put children at risk of harm, such as physically moving or handling children unnecessarily, continues unchallenged. This does not prioritise the safety and well-being of children.

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Due date

ensure that at least half of all staff, excluding the manager, hold at least an approved level 2 qualification 03/01/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that the statutory requirement regarding ratios is met at all times 03/01/2023

p.4

Due date

put effective arrangements in place to support, coach and train staff to enable them to fulfil the requirements of their role 20/01/2023

p.4

Due date

train staff to identify concerns about a colleague's practice and to follow whistle-blowing procedures. 03/01/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that staff meet children's sleep and care needs in a safe and gentle way 03/01/2023

p.4

Due date

implement an effective key-person system, so that key person understands their key child's next steps and how to support them to achieve these 20/01/2023

p.4

Due date

implement an ambitious and effective curriculum for communication and language 20/01/2023

p.4

Due date

implement an ambitious and effective curriculum for physical development. 20/12/2022

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number EY425467 Local authority Hammersmith & Fulham Inspection number 10266975 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.5

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 53 Number of children on roll 69 Name of registered person Childcare and Learning (Cranbrook) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 02073819523 Date of previous inspection 11 December 2018

p.5

Information about this early years setting

Millies House & Nursery Preschool registered in 2001. It is located in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The nursery is open from 7.30am until 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, and closed for one week between Christmas and New Year. There are seven members of staff permanently employed to work with the children. Of these, five hold childcare qualifications. The nursery also utilises agency and bank staff. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years old.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the pre-school 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 manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with leaders. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing within the setting. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector had discussions with staff and parents and took their views into account. n The inspector held discussions with leaders about nursery practices and procedures. n This inspection was carried out following Ofsted's risk assessment process.

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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

13 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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