The Learning Nursery

Inspection of The Learning Nursery The Learning Nursery, Grange House, 75 Beoley Road West, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 8LY

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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

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The provision is inadequate

Due to weaknesses in some staff's safeguarding knowledge, there is a risk that some child protection concerns and allegations might not be managed effectively, specifically around contacting relevant safeguarding professionals.

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not make good enough progress at this setting. The curriculum is not ambitious and is based on themes rather than children's next steps in learning. Staff place too much emphasis on the promotion of maths and literacy through formal activities, and not enough consideration on the prime areas of learning, such as communication, social and physical skills. For example, staff ask children to sit down when they arrive to complete some writing worksheets. Furthermore, children attending the setting with special educational needs/disabilities (SEND) or those who speak English as an additional language do not receive appropriate support. As a result, some children struggle with the curriculum on offer, which they demonstrate through occasionally being unsettled or unenthused by the activities planned.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite this, children are familiar with the daily routines of the setting and like time when they can choose what they would like to do from the resources available. Parents report that children are happy to attend. Children are encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle, including access to fruit snacks and physical outdoor play. Children's dietary requirements are considered. This promotes some aspects of their health and well-being.

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need to do better?

n Managers do not have a secure and appropriate oversight of the whole nursery. This means they are not well placed to support the development of staff knowledge and practice. Regular meetings with staff are carried out, however, these are not used to identify weaknesses in practice to help improve outcomes for all children. n Despite access to online professional development courses, some staff have insufficient safeguarding knowledge. Some staff are not confident with the processes of what to do if they have concerns about a child or a colleague. Furthermore, the manager is the only member of staff who holds a paediatric first-aid certificate, however, she is known to have been absent recently. Therefore, there is not always a qualified paediatric first aider on site. This does not contribute to keeping children safe. n Staff's interactions with children are not purposeful enough. Pre-school and toddler children are cared for together due to low numbers of children attending.

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need to do better?

However, the activities and the environment are not differentiated for each age group. Activities are heavily adult-led but interactions from staff are not effective

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need to do better?

28 November 2022 in moving learning forward. For example, children make snowmen, using pre-cut snowmen shapes. There is no scope for children to create freely or to deviate from doing what is presented to them. n The curriculum and processes around children's learning are not established. Staff plan activities but the key learning required by the children is not considered. The prime areas of learning are not being promoted or supported at an appropriate level. Children sit for long sessions with a focus of singing songs linked to letter sounds and children lose interest. In addition, toddler room children receive packs of activities to aid their move to pre-school that are heavily focused on maths activities. Therefore, children do not build on their prior knowledge and make limited progress as learning is not accurately pitched at their level. n Children who speak English as an additional language receive ineffective

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need to do better?

interactions that do not further their vocabulary. For example, staff ask these children questions that are over complicated or fail to differentiate the learning for them. These children do not make sufficient progress. n The provision for children with SEND is not good enough. Staff do not always recognise potential additional needs quickly enough. Managers are not familiar with children's needs and what support is required. Some children's individual targeted plans are not followed and utilised during daily practice. Therefore, children with SEND do not make sufficient progress and their needs are not always met. n Staff support children's hygiene routines. Children are encouraged to wash their hands before eating and after they have been to the toilet. n Overall, two-way collaborative working with parents is weak. For example, managers discuss using an online learning journey but acknowledge that parents

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need to do better?

do not engage with it and the verbal information shared is limited. Therefore, parents do not have sufficient knowledge about their child's learning to be able to extend this at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Despite the fact staff can talk about key signs of child abuse or neglect, and know who the setting safeguarding lead person is, some staff are not knowledgeable enough in this area. This is because they do not all know and understand their responsibility to make referrals to local authority safeguarding professionals regarding possible concerns about children or their colleagues outside of the setting. Furthermore, there is not always a member of staff on site with a paediatric first-aid certificate. This does not help to safeguard children. Recruitment processes are suitable and newly appointed staff are appropriately vetted when they initially start. The premises and environments are risk assessed and all known health and safety hazards are minimised. This helps to promote some aspects of children's welfare.

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Due date

ensure that all members of staff have a secure knowledge of how to report safeguarding concerns about a child or a colleague outside the setting to relevant professionals 19/12/2022

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Due date

improve the quality of teaching, so that staff's interactions are purposeful and promote better outcomes for all children 16/01/2023

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Due date

embed a curriculum that recognises the importance of the prime areas of learning and ensure that staff take actions to prioritise these to help build on what children already know and can do 16/01/2023

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Due date

improve the provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, so that any concerns are recognised quickly, and strategies of support are implemented routinely 16/01/2023

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Due date

improve strategies for supporting children who speak English as an additional language, so that their communication and language development is supported appropriately during daily practice 16/01/2023

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Due date

ensure leaders and managers have a thorough oversight of the quality of the nursery and staff practice, so that they are able to utilise this to fully support all staff and improve the provision 16/01/2023

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Due date

enhance the collaborative working with parents and adopt further strategies to share two-way information about their children's learning and development 16/01/2023

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Due date

28 November 2022 ensure that there are sufficient members of staff that hold a paediatric first-aid certificate, so that there is always at least one appropriately qualified member of staff on site. 16/01/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY415854 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10235457 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 The Learning Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01527 61234 Date of previous inspection 17 March 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The Learning Nursery registered in 2010. The nursery opens Monday to Friday term time only. Sessions are from 8am until 5.30pm. The nursery employs four members of childcare staff. Of these two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors Natalie Herbert Josephine Heath

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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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual/registered individual 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 a joint observation of an activity with the manager.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

28 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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