Saffron Walden Nursery School

Inspection of Saffron Walden Nursery School Saffron Walden Nursery School, Shire Hill Industrial Estate, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3AQ

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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

Children's safety and welfare are put at risk due to weaknesses in leadership and management. The provider has failed to ensure they meet all the legal requirements of their registration. They have not informed Ofsted about significant changes to the leadership and management of the nursery. Ofsted has not received the relevant information about committee members, so that suitability checks can be carried out. There are inconsistencies in safeguarding knowledge across the staff team. In addition, the provider's recruitment procedures are not robust. They have not ensured that all staff are suitable to work with children.

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not benefit from meaningful learning opportunities. This is because managers do not have good enough knowledge of planning an effective curriculum to focus on children's development needs. As a result, children do not have the opportunity to make the progress they are capable of. Despite the inadequate planning of activities, children have fun and enjoy their time at the nursery. For example, babies enjoy sensory activities, such as investigating bubbles in soapy water. Older children engage in craft activities, such as hand printing, to create spider pictures. Children develop close relationships with the kind and caring staff. Children benefit from a welcoming environment.

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need to do better?

n The provider has not supported the managers to undertake appropriate training and professional development opportunities. As a result, managers lack the skills, knowledge and understanding to fulfil their roles effectively. n Managers understand the need to carry out safer recruitment checks, including obtaining a Disclosure and Barring Service check. However, this has not been completed for staff that leave and return to work at the nursery. This means that their suitability cannot be assured. n The provider has failed to notify Ofsted of changes to members of the committee, so that Ofsted can carry out suitability checks. Therefore, some active committee members have not been vetted to ensure they are suitable for their role. n The provider has not notified Ofsted of changes to those with oversight and management of the provision, including the nominated individual. n Managers do not demonstrate good knowledge of the curriculum or what they

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need to do better?

want children to learn. They are not able to give a clear overview of how they plan a purposeful curriculum with a clear intent for children's learning. As a result, children do not develop knowledge and skills in readiness for school. n Children's learning is organised around themes across the whole nursery. Staff place more emphasis on activities, rather than what they want children to learn. As a result, children do not benefit from incisively planned and sequenced

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need to do better?

17 November 2022 learning that supports their individual needs. n The induction process is weak. The provider and managers do not ensure that staff read and understand the policies and procedures before working with children. For example, some staff do not know the fire evacuation procedure. This compromises staff's safety and the safety and well-being of children. n Arrangements for staff supervisions are weak. The provider does not ensure that managers and staff are provided with coaching and support to help identify and address weaknesses in practice and improve their personal effectiveness. n Parents say that they are happy with the care their child receives at the nursery and staff share information about their child's experiences through verbal feedback and electronic communication. However, some parents do not know their child's next steps in learning and say that staff do not share this information with them regularly. This does not support a consistent approach to

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need to do better?

help children to make the best possible progress. n Children enjoy playing outside in the well-resourced outside area. They have access to a variety of activities, such as large sandpits, mud kitchens and a water wall. A designated den allows children to enjoy looking at books or engaging in quieter play outside. The canopied roof area means that children can play outside all year round.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider has not ensured that all those working with children are suitable to do so. They have not followed the procedure to allow Ofsted to complete suitability checks on all committee members. This means that children's welfare is not assured. Although staff are aware of the possible signs of abuse, some staff lack knowledge of other essential safeguarding requirements. Some staff do not know how to respond appropriately to any potential concerns they may have about children or the conduct of another member of staff. Not all staff can confidently talk about safeguarding issues, such as how they would identify and respond if a child was at risk of radicalisation. Staff carry out daily checks and risk assessments to ensure that the premises remain safe and secure.

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Due date

17 November 2022 take action to ensure all staff have up- to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues and know how to respond to any concerns they may have about a child or colleague's behaviour 15/12/2022

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Due date

provide effective support, coaching and training to all staff to ensure they have the knowledge, skills and understanding to fulfil their roles effectively; this relates particularly to the management team 15/12/2022

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Due date

improve recruitment procedures to ensure that all those working with children are suitable to do so 15/12/2022

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Due date

ensure Ofsted is supplied with the necessary information to be able to carry out suitability checks on all committee members 15/12/2022

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Due date

plan and implement a purposeful curriculum that supports children's learning needs and targets what they need to learn next to make good progress in readiness for future learning 15/12/2022

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Due date

improve induction procedures to ensure that all staff fully understand the policies and procedures, including the fire evacuation procedures 15/12/2022

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Due date

implement a programme of supervision for all staff, to monitor their practice and support their professional development 15/12/2022

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Due date

ensure that parents are kept up to date with their child's next steps in learning and understand how they can support learning at home. 15/12/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 650123 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10234595 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 49 Number of children on roll 68 Name of registered person Saffron Walden Nursery School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01799522108 Date of previous inspection 30 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Saffron Walden Nursery School registered in 1993. The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff, 12 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday during school term times. Sessions are from 8am to 4pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 managers joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. 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 a group activity with one of the managers. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. 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

17 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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