Eversley Nursery School

Inspection of Eversley Nursery School Eversley Nursery School, 32 Penkett Road, Wallasey CH45 7QN

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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 is compromised at this setting. This is because leaders and managers are not taking all reasonable steps to ensure that children are not exposed to risks. Staff do not consider what action they need to take to ensure the children's safety. As a result, children take unsafe risks, such as climbing on furniture. Furthermore, staff do not consistently help children to manage their own risks and behaviour. For example, children throw toys in frustration and at each other. This behaviour is ignored by staff. Recruitment and vetting procedures are not robust. Leaders and managers do not ensure that they have all the necessary information to decide if the staff are suitable.

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The provision is inadequate

There are gaps in children's learning and development. The curriculum is not consistently applied across the setting. Staff do not have consistently high expectations for children's learning or behaviour. Despite these weaknesses, children are happy and play well with their friends. Children learn some ways to keep themselves healthy. They have nutritious home-cooked meals. Some staff encourage the children to pour their own drinks and serve themselves at mealtimes. Children start to develop their independence skills as they attempt to put on their coats to play outdoors.

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need to do better?

n The provider does not have adequate vetting processes in place to ensure the suitability of new staff. Leaders and managers do not ensure that effective identity checks and vetting processes have been completed. This means the suitability of some staff cannot be verified. This does not ensure that children are cared for by staff who are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their roles. n Following a recent significant incident, where a child was able to leave the premises unsupervised, leaders and managers have taken some action. This included updating risk assessments and fitting additional locks to the garden gates to improve security. However, staff fail to identify and minimise risks to children indoors. For example, children climb on chairs and tables to look over the balcony. This is not challenged by staff. The inspector had to intervene as staff do not ensure children's safety. n There have been significant changes in staff and management in the last year.

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need to do better?

As such, this is still a relatively new team. During the inspection, the inspector was informed that the manager and deputy manager are both leaving within the next few weeks. Consequently, there is not a cohesive or stable staff team. Furthermore, arrangements for staff supervision and support are not effective. Therefore, staff do not have the knowledge and skills to bring about changes in practice. n Staff have access to online training courses. The manager said that all staff are

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need to do better?

30 January 2023 to complete refresher training on the curriculum, and how children learn. However, this has not commenced. Induction training is available to all new staff. However, leaders and managers do not always ensure that training has been effective. For example, they do not ensure that staff have understood and retained the information that they have been given. Therefore, there are gaps in staff's knowledge and understanding, in particular around allergies, learning intent and behaviour management. n The manager has a curriculum in place with a particular focus on communication and language and mathematics. However, this is not being implemented across the nursery. Furthermore the curriculum is inconsistent and is not always ambitious, coherently planned or sequenced to meet children's individual learning needs. Some staff are unsure what they want children to learn and the next steps in their learning.

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need to do better?

n Staff do not always support all children to develop high levels of engagement or involvement in activities. Some children wander from one space or activity to another very quickly. Staff facilitate children's play. However, they do not plan purposeful or meaningful learning experiences for children to support them to extend their learning. Therefore, children do not make the progress they are capable of. n Staff do not provide any explanation to children about the difference between right and wrong or support children to understand the impact of their actions. For example, children are told 'we do not do that', with no discussion as to why. Therefore, children are unable to understand the consequence of their behaviour or how this affects others. n Staff read to children. However, some children quickly become distracted. Staff are not adequately trained to support children's communication and language

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need to do better?

skills. Staff do not engage in meaningful interactions with children and do not always give children sufficient time to answer their questions. This results in stilted one-sided conversations, that do not help children express themselves. Staff do not encourage the appropriate use of dummies. Some children have dummies in their mouths for long periods of time. This hinders their ability to practise their speech. n There is a special educational needs coordinator in place, but she has not received training for this role. Therefore, she is not able to fully support the children and staff. The plans of support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are inconsistent. Some staff do not understand all the children's needs, especially their sensory needs. This results in some children walking around the room not engaged in anything purposeful. n Several parents were not aware of who their child's key person is or their actual

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need to do better?

role. That said, staff communicate with parents through an app. This provides parents with an update on what their children have done at nursery.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers are not able to demonstrate how risks are being managed

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Safeguarding

30 January 2023 effectively. The risk assessments in place are not effective in informing staff practice. This failure to respond and poor awareness of risks does not keep children safe or help children to develop an awareness of their own safety. That said, staff understand safeguarding practice and who to report concerns to. The designated safeguarding leads have some understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They have implemented spot checks and questions to help staff think about their role and what action they would take if they were concerned about a child or a colleague.

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Due date

ensure effective systems are in place that determine that people looking after children are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their roles 15/02/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure there are appropriate systems in place for the supervision of staff and managers and that this is effective in fostering a culture of continuous improvement 15/02/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that the key-person system is effective and that every child's care is tailored to meet their needs 15/02/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that staff have appropriate systems to manage children's behaviour 15/02/2023

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Due date

take all reasonable steps to ensure children are not exposed to risks, identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, when and by whom those aspects will be checked, and how the risk will be removed or minimised 15/02/2023

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Due date

ensure that there are effective systems in place to support all children with SEND and that staff are suitably trained to meet children's needs. 15/02/2023

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Due date

ensure there is a challenging curriculum, which is consistently implemented to provide enjoyable experiences for children in all areas of learning, that consider the individual needs, interests, and development of each child. 31/03/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2660781 Local authority Wirral Inspection number 10275735 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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Total number of places

Number of children on roll 48 Name of registered person Eversley Nursery School Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01516380004 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Eversley Nursery School registered in September 2021. The setting employs 12 members of staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one at level 4. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm all year round.

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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 manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the setting. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. 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 the deputy manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting.

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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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