Little Learners Nursery

Inspection of Little Learners Nursery Bayton C of E Primary School, Bayton, Kidderminster, Worcestershire DY14 9LG

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is inadequate

The significant weaknesses in leadership and management put children's safety at risk. The provider fails to take every precaution to ensure children's safety. She does not ensure that the manager and staff understand their role and responsibilities to keep children safe and maintain confidentiality of information. Risk assessment is poor. The manager and staff do not complete thorough checks to identify and eliminate all possible hazards to children.

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The provision is inadequate

However, children arrive happily at the nursery. A key-person system is in place. This provides continuity for children and the opportunity to form close bonds with staff. However, the quality of teaching is variable. This hinders the progress that some children make. Staff support children to develop their independence. Children make choices about where they want to play and have their own ideas about what they want to do. For example, they fetch tools to squash and chop materials with which they are constructing. They gain the skills they need to manage their personal care routines and show independence at mealtimes, such as pouring their own drinks.

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need to do better?

n The provider has a poor understanding of the requirements of the 'Statutory framework of the early years foundation stage'. She has failed to identify breaches of the legal requirements and does not acknowledge the importance of meeting these. n Staff have access to regular supervision and training. However, this is insufficient to ensure that the manager and staff are effective in their roles. They do not fully understand how to risk assess to keep children safe, respond to safeguarding concerns and to continuously improve their teaching skills. n The manager does not take every precaution to ensure that information is restricted to those staff who have a professional need to know. They have failed to meet the legal requirements that exist to ensure confidentiality and to protect the privacy of children. n The planning for children's learning is not consistently good. Staff provide children with some interesting and enjoyable activities that engage them well.

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need to do better?

For example, children concentrate as they construct with sugar cubes and discuss with staff how they resemble an igloo. However, staff do not make good use of their observations of children's achievements or assessment information to inform their planning. They do not consistently identify what they want children to gain from activities to ensure that the learning experiences target children's development needs effectively. n The educational programme is variable. For example, the curriculum for children's physical development is well thought out and progressive. Children

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need to do better?

6 January 2023 enjoy access to a wide variety of activities and equipment, which help to enhance their physical skills. This includes using pedal bikes and opportunities for more adventurous play, such as climbing trees, and using rope swings. However, the support for children in other areas is less effective. n The manager and staff adopt some positive strategies, such as distraction, to manage children's behaviour. However, staff's understanding of appropriate behaviour management methods is inconsistent. For example, when children present challenging behaviour, some staff explain that they expect children to sit on a chair for a minute or more to think about what they have done. This contradicts the manager's view that such a method is only used for very challenging behaviour when other strategies have not worked. This inconsistency in staff's understanding could have an impact on children's self-

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need to do better?

esteem and how they learn to regulate their own behaviour. n Overall, the provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. For example, the provider ensures that one-to- one support is provided for children when this is needed and recommended by outside agencies. When children present delay in developing their communication skills, staff implement interventions and role model language effectively. This creates a language-rich environment and helps children to gain new skills. n Children develop their mathematical knowledge and explore numbers and concepts as they sing songs and rhymes with props. They talk about shapes they see. Children use the language of number in their play. For example, they express their ideas as they build towers and suggest that the towers will be 'taller than nursery'. n Parent partnerships are effective. Staff have regular discussions with parents to

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need to do better?

keep them informed about children's progress. Parents feel well informed about any accidents children might have. When children first start, parents meet with staff to discuss children's needs.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The provider, manager and staff understand some signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect and how to report these. However, some staff have a poor understanding of the 'Prevent' duty guidance and the potential indicators that a child may be at risk of harm. The safeguarding policy does not set out the correct procedures to follow should an allegation be made against a member of staff. This means that they are not able to respond to concerns or allegations in an appropriate and timely way. The provider and manager do not understand their duty to inform the Disclosure and Barring Service when they believe that a member of staff has harmed a child. Furthermore, they and some staff have a poor understanding of risk assessments and potential hazards to children's safety, including the security of the premises. Staff expect children as young as two to understand that a sign with a 'red hand' means that some areas of nursery are not

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Safeguarding

safe and out of bounds to them. At times, staff leave internal doors open. When

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Safeguarding

6 January 2023 staff leave the kitchen unattended, open doors mean that children can wander in and access unsafe items left out on the surfaces. Chemical cleaning products are stored in the staff toilet and the door is also left open. If children wander into other areas, a fire exit opens out onto an unsecured area leading to the car park and road. This means that potential risks to children are not identified or managed effectively. Children's safety is not assured.

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Due date

implement effective risk assessment and take all reasonable steps to ensure children in your care are not exposed to risks, with particular regard to the security of the premises and access to areas of the nursery that are unsuitable for children 03/02/2023

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Due date

improve the safeguarding policy to ensure that it clearly sets out the action to take in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff 03/02/2023

p.4

Due date

train all staff, including the designated safeguarding leads, to ensure they understand the safeguarding policy and procedures and have up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues, with particular regard to managing allegations and the 'Prevent' duty 03/02/2023

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Due date

improve knowledge and understanding of the requirements under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, and the duty to make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service where a member of staff is dismissed (or would have been, had the person not left the setting first) because they have harmed a child or put a child at risk of harm 03/02/2023

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Due date

6 January 2023 ensure that information relating to children is handled in a way that ensures confidentiality 03/02/2023

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Due date

support staff to undertake appropriate training and professional development opportunities to ensure they offer quality learning and development experiences for children that continually improves. 03/02/2023

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Due date

improve the use of children's assessment information to plan and provide learning experiences that precisely focus on what children need to learn next and to help them to achieve their learning goals 06/04/2023

p.5

Due date

improve the curriculum to ensure that all children are well supported to learn to manage their feelings and behaviour and in keeping themselves and others safe. 06/04/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 205287 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10269613 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 24 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Bunn, Judith Kathlyn

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reference number

Telephone number 01299 832855 Date of previous inspection 1 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Little Learners Nursery registered in 1997 and operates from premises in the grounds of Bayton Church of England Primary School, in Bayton, Worcestershire. The provider employs eight members of childcare staff, six of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 3 to 4, and one holds an early years teaching qualification. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round, from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery provides out-of-school childcare.

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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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager 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 special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. 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.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out joint observations of an activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

6 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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