Little Explorers Nursery

Inspection of Little Explorers Nursery Our Lady House Nursery, Hay Lane, Kingsbury NW9 0NG

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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

The quality of the curriculum is not good enough. Staff do not plan activities for children with a clear purpose to meet the next steps of individual children. Quieter children sometimes receive little attention and are too often unnoticed by staff. Therefore, children are not well prepared for the next stage of their learning, such as starting school.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Children form bonds with some staff. However, leaders do not ensure that staff use effective strategies to support children in managing their behaviour. There are too many occasions when children do not behave well. For example, children snatch toys or hurt their peers too often. This means that, at times, children do not feel safe and secure.

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not always understand the routines as they are not consistent and communicated clearly to children. For example, children do not always understand when it is time to sit down for snack or put their coat on to go in the garden. This feels chaotic for the children and does not provide them with the security of knowing what will happen next.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Children are not kept sufficiently safe in the nursery environment. They are at risk of infection as leaders have not yet implemented effective hygiene practices. Children are at risk of harm due to unidentified risks in the setting. For example, wires hang down in reach of the children, and radiator covers are broken.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have put a programme of training in place. However, they do not carry out individual supervision meetings with staff often enough. This lack of regular supervision meetings limits the opportunities that staff have for support, coaching and training. This means that some staff do not have the necessary skills to provide a high quality of care and learning to the children. n Leaders do not deploy staff well enough. At times, the provider does not meet the ratio requirements. On these occasions, there are not enough staff with the necessary skills and understanding to provide a good level of care and education to the children. This impacts on children's safety, learning and development. On occasion, staff are not deployed so that children are supervised well enough. This means that staff do not always notice if children have an accident or injury. n Staff do not always ensure that mealtimes support children to develop their

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need to do better?

social skills. Children do not always sit down together to eat their snack or meal. Some children continue to play during mealtimes or walk around as they eat their snack. This could put children at risk of choking. In addition, this does not allow staff to model table manners to children or allow children to participate in

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need to do better?

19 January 2023 important interactions as they eat. n Leaders do not ensure that mealtimes provide all children with enough food and drink. Some children do not eat enough to provide them with the nutrients they need to sustain themselves throughout their time at nursery. Staff do not ensure that children always have access to fresh drinking water. This could put children at risk of becoming dehydrated. n Leaders do not plan an effective curriculum for communication and language. There are too many occasions when children are left to play or wander around the room without staff supporting them to develop their communication skills. This means that children do not make good progress in their language development. Children who show delays in their language development are not always identified. Therefore, staff do not provide extra support and interventions to help these children successfully. n Staff do not provide enough opportunities for children to be physically active.

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need to do better?

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. In particular, babies have very limited opportunity for physical development. This does not help children to develop their physical skills or their overall fitness levels. Staff do not help children to learn important physical skills, such as putting their coats on. Staff do this for the children too often. This does not prepare children well for the next stage of their learning journey. n The key-person system does not support children's care and learning needs. At times, staff without sufficient experience and qualifications are given responsibility for the learning and care needs of a large number of key children. They do not have the knowledge to understand what each child's next steps are in their learning and how to help them to achieve them. This limits the progress

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need to do better?

that children make. n Leaders and staff build strong partnerships with parents. Parents appreciate the verbal feedback that they get when they collect their children. They value the approachability of leaders and staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders do not have a secure understanding of the necessary processes to follow if they have concerns about the well-being of a child. In addition, they do not understand the steps they must take if an allegation is made that a member of staff has harmed a child. This compromises the safety and well-being of children. Poor hygiene practices put children and staff at risk of infection. For example, children do not always wash their hands before eating. The staff bathroom is dirty. In addition, poor risk assessments impact on children's safety. For example, children walk around as they eat, putting them at risk of choking. Staff do not supervise children well consistently, putting children at risk of harm.

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Due date

ensure the lead practitioner understands the necessary processes to follow if there are safeguarding concerns, including when there are concerns that a child may be at risk and how to manage allegations against staff 27/01/2023

p.4

Due date

implement a robust programme of supervision for staff that supports them to understand their roles and responsibilities 27/01/2023

p.4

Due date

deploy staff in a way that keeps children safe at all times 27/01/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that children have enough to eat to sustain them while they are at nursery 27/01/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that all children have access to fresh drinking water at all times 27/01/2023

p.4

Due date

put effective hygiene practices in place 27/01/2023

p.4

Due date

implement clear and effective systems for managing children's behaviour 27/01/2023

p.4

Due date

implement robust risk assessments that identify potential risks or hazards in the childcare environment effectively, and take all reasonable steps to eliminate or reduce these risks. 27/01/2023

p.4

Due date

implement clear and consistent routines for children throughout the day to help them feel safe and secure 10/02/2023

p.4

Due date

19 January 2023 implement an effective and ambitious curriculum so every child makes progress, particularly for the prime areas of learning 10/02/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that each key person understands their key children's next steps and plans learning opportunities that support them to achieve these. 10/02/2023

p.5

Setting details

Unique reference number EY496651 Local authority Brent Inspection number 10265420 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Little Explorers Day Care Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07958200438 Date of previous inspection 2 May 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Little Explorers Nursery registered in 2016. It is situated in Kingsbury, in the London Borough of Brent. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, all year round, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery employs seven members of staff, five of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 Leaders 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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider.

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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

19 January 2023 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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