Mother Town Day Nursery

Inspection of Mother Town Day Nursery Little Munchkins Day Nursery, Hamil Road, Stoke-On-Trent ST6 1BB

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety and well-being are not assured. Staff whose suitability cannot be fully verified are left alone to work unsupervised with children. This leaves children at potential risk of harm. Ineffective record keeping means that despite assurances that one person is on the premises who holds an appropriate paediatric first-aid qualification, there is no evidence to support this.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are not supported to engage effectively in their learning. Consequently, many display challenging behaviour, and staff are not able to manage this. Children squabble and fight, as they are not being taught to self-regulate their behaviour. This leads to children pushing and hitting one another, which results in accidents and injuries to children and children being hurt. Staff deployment is not effective and does not keep children safe. Accidents go unnoticed and, due to staff being overwhelmed, the appropriate records are not kept.

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The provision is inadequate

Children have access to a wide range of resources, and the environment is bright and welcoming. However, staff do not have the appropriate training and skills to be able to deliver the intent of the provider's curriculum effectively. This means that some children do not have any interaction with staff while they are at nursery, as they play alone during activities. A secure outdoor space means that children can strengthen their large-muscle skills as they run about and climb.

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need to do better?

n The provider failed to notify Ofsted of significant changes to their health that may impact on their suitability. This is an offence. As a result, Ofsted has been unable to assess any implications this may have for children and staff. n The provider and deputy manager are included in the ratios, and this has led to significant weaknesses in leadership and management. Ineffective monitoring systems have not identified that the quality of teaching is inadequate. While staff confirm that supervision meetings are completed, these have been unsuccessful in highlighting weakness in teaching practices. The provider fails to provide effective coaching, mentoring and support to staff to improve their teaching practice. Training, which is accessed by some staff, is not shared, to improve the professional development of other staff. n Staff do not have the appropriate training and skills to manage children's poor

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need to do better?

behaviour. They do not recognise what constitutes a restraint. Consequently, children have been restrained unnecessarily, without a record being made. For example, children who do not want to go and wash their hands are picked up by staff against their will. This causes children to become very upset. Staff do not teach children what is right or wrong so that children can learn from their mistakes. Behaviour is managed by staff shouting 'no' or 'get down' or, on

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need to do better?

30 January 2023 occasion, just shouting 'down' when children climb on furniture. n The provider has failed to follow safe requirement procedures and does not have an effective system in place to obtain appropriate checks to ensure that staff are suitable. Appropriate documentation for the safe and efficient management of the setting is not maintained and is not available for inspection. For example, staff who are new do not have any written records about them in place. In addition, the provider does not record information to evidence that appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service checks have been obtained for all staff. This is unsafe practice and does not keep children safe. n The ratio requirements do not allow staff to consistently work directly with the children. This is because staff are required to complete auxiliary tasks, such as preparation for lunch. In addition, there is no additional cover for staff when

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need to do better?

they take their breaks. The requirement for appropriately qualified staff is also not met. This means that the quality of teaching is inadequate, as staff are not able to successfully deliver the curriculum. It further impacts on the children, as staff have lots of children to care for, all with different abilities. Staff cannot cope and spend their time trying to manage behaviour and not providing positive teaching interactions for the children. Children are not gaining the skills required for their next stage of learning. n Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is inadequate. Staff do not support children to join in activities or access the curriculum on offer. They are unsure how to support children with SEND to make the best possible progress. This leads to chaotic and unsafe behaviour. Children run around outside with no socks and shoes on. They climb on furniture

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need to do better?

and jump on each other. However, appropriate referrals to outside agencies to seek additional help and support for children with SEND and their parents are made. n The key-worker system is ineffective. Not all staff know the children well enough. This leads to activities being provided that do not meet children's individual needs or next steps in learning. Staff try to make children wear aprons when painting, despite children's obvious distress. This continues until children become too distressed to continue with their chosen activity, and they leave without accessing the activity and any learning on offer. n The provider understands that a strong focus should be placed on communication and language skills. However, staff are not effective in promoting children to gain these skills. Some children are not spoken to directly, and conversations are not held with them. Others are only asked questions requiring a one-word answer. Children are not exposed to a rich range of

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need to do better?

vocabulary. n Staff read stories to children. Children are familiar with the story of 'Goldilocks and The Three Bears'. They enjoy filling in some of the missing words that staff leave out for them. Staff do try to enhance children's learning of the story, as they initiate some activities within the home corner to retell the story. However, children soon lose engagement when other children's behaviour starts to disrupt their learning. n Children learn some good hygiene practices. Staff encourage children to wash their hands before they eat snack and lunches. However, children are not always

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need to do better?

30 January 2023 given opportunities to be independent. Snacks and lunch are given out to them, and their drinks poured. The majority of children can find their own coats and shoes, but staff put these on for them, with little encouragement for children to try themselves. Staff do little to encourage children to take care of their own needs, such as wiping their own nose. n Parents comment that staff are friendly and that their children enjoy coming to nursery. Some also said that communication could be improved. Nevertheless, the deputy manager provides termly reports on children's progress, and there are plans to introduce parent evenings. Some children take reading books home so parents can support their learning at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider does not take all necessary steps to keep children safe and well. Staff do not have sufficient knowledge and understanding of safeguarding to ensure children's safety. They have some understanding of signs and symptoms that may indicate that a child is suffering abuse. However, staff are not clear on the procedure to follow to report concerns to agencies with statutory responsibilities if the designated safeguarding lead at the nursery failed to make appropriate referrals. They also do not know where they would find the relevant details to make these referrals. Staff knowledge of female genital mutilation and 'Prevent' duty is variable. This means that children are not fully protected and safeguarded from harm. When accidents happen, staff are unable to complete appropriate records immediately, as their attention is taken trying manage the children and their challenging behaviours. This means that some accident records are not

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Safeguarding

completed, and parents are not informed. This does not promote the good health of children.

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Due date

ensure all staff have an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of safeguarding, which includes knowledge about children who may have been subjected to (or are at risk of) female genital mutilation, and 'Prevent' duty 17/02/2023

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Due date

30 January 2023 train staff to be able to implement the safeguarding policy and procedure, which includes knowledge of the procedure to follow to report concerns to agencies with statutory responsibilities 17/02/2023

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Due date

implement effective safer recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff, and any other person who may have regular contact with children, are suitable 17/02/2023

p.5

Due date

ensure you record information about staff qualifications and the identity checks and vetting processes that have been completed, including the Disclosure and Barring Service check reference number, the date a check was obtained and the details of who obtained it 17/02/2023

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Due date

ensure you do not allow people whose suitability has not been checked to have unsupervised contact with children 17/02/2023

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Due date

ensure staff have the appropriate training, support and skills to raise the quality of teaching to at least good 17/02/2023

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Due date

ensure staff understand their roles and responsibilities to deliver an effective curriculum that meets the learning needs of all children, including those with SEND 17/02/2023

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Due date

implement an effective key-person system to ensure children's care is tailored to meet their individual needs 17/02/2023

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Due date

ensure at least one person who has a current paediatric first-aid certificate is on the premises and available at all times when children are present 17/02/2023

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Due date

ensure staff deployment is effective in ensuring children's safety 17/02/2023

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Due date

ensure qualification ratios are adhered to at all times 17/02/2023

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Due date

30 January 2023 ensure you keep a written record of accidents or injuries and first-aid treatment, and inform parents and/or carers of any accident or injury sustained by the child on the same day 17/02/2023

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Due date

ensure staff are suitably trained and can manage children's behaviour in an appropriate way 17/02/2023

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Due date

ensure you maintain records for the safe and efficient management of the setting and that these are accessible and available for inspection. 17/02/2023

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Due date

plan and implement a curriculum that is designed to give children, particularly the most disadvantaged, the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life 03/03/2023

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Due date

plan and implement more precisely activities that are in line with children's interests and next steps so all children make good progress in their learning 03/03/2023

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Due date

review the curriculum for communication and language and help staff to build on children's emerging language skills by enriching their exposure to new vocabulary and giving children more opportunity to respond in sentences. 03/03/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2644959 Local authority Stoke-on-Trent Inspection number 10276916 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 34 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Hamil Road Pre-School LTD

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reference number

Telephone number 01782698390 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Mother Town Day Nursery registered in 2021. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, and two are unqualified. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 8.30am until 3.30pm. 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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The deputy manager and inspector completed a short learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. The deputy manager had to be included in ratios, which impacted on the learning walk. 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 observed the interactions between staff and children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out joint observation of a group activity with the deputy manager. 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

30 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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