Karetakers Day Nursery

Inspection of Karetakers Day Nursery Drayton Road, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST3 1EQ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Staff greet children and parents warmly and children enter the nursery happy and eager to play. Despite weaknesses in the educational programme, children have a positive attitude to learning and enjoy playing with a wide range of resources. Children develop their small-muscle skills as they manipulate dough and scoop sand into buckets. They learn some basic skills. However, the quality of the curriculum is inconsistent and not sufficiently challenging. Consequently, not all children are making as much progress as possible. Staff do not have enough regard for the different ages and stages of children within the room and do not cater for their individual needs. In addition, at times, children's good health is not promoted and risk assessments of some areas are not consistently implemented.

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The provision requires improvement

Overall, children behave appropriately and are polite. They learn to share and take turns. Children listen to songs and rhymes and use simple words to talk to adults and each other. Children enjoy outdoor play. They hold a parachute between them and flap it up and down excitedly. Early mark-making skills are emerging as children make marks with pens and paint. Children develop sound relationships with staff and each other. They learn to take turns and share resources.

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need to do better?

n Staff supervisions are taking place. However, these do not effectively identify areas for professional development to help to strengthen staff's understanding of their roles and responsibilities, improve practice and help raise the quality of provision for children. n Staff do not focus enough on what children already know and can do. They do not provide a curriculum that is tailored to what individual children need to learn next. This means that planned activities do not offer appropriate levels of challenge for all children or help them to make good or better progress. That said, children benefit from the positive interactions with staff and enjoy a range of experiences. n Children are encouraged to identify different colours. They find out what happens when the colours are mixed together. For example, they stir water mixed with cornflour and food colouring together using spoons. n Staff support children to develop early literacy skills. They share stories with

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need to do better?

children individually and sing songs. Staff sit on the floor with a large book laid out, so children can see easily. Staff use expressive sounds and body language to enhance the story. n Children enjoy the healthy food that is cooked on site. However, children are not supported to gain some of the social skills required for their next stage in life. For example, staff do not support children to use cutlery at mealtimes. n Children's independence is not always supported. For example, staff carry out

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need to do better?

8 February 2023 tasks for children that they could do for themselves. They wipe children's noses for them and hand out plates and cups at mealtimes. However, children do attempt to serve themselves their pasta and pour drinks from a large, full jug. n Parents share positive comments about the setting and the information that is shared via the online application that is used. Parents are kept up to date with what their children are learning. n Children's behaviour is generally good. Staff are aware of the reasons when children's behaviour occasionally becomes inappropriate. Children are encouraged to use manners and say please and thank you as they play. n Some health and hygiene practices are in place. However, some practices are not stringently implemented to ensure children's good health and well-being is supported at all times. For example, staff sweep sand up from the floor and place it back into the sand pit. Not all staff wash their hands after wiping

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need to do better?

children's noses. n Risk assessments are in place. However, occasionally risks are not recognised swiftly enough. For example, the water in taps that children access is too hot. However, this was acted on immediately by the manager and strategies were put in place to minimise the risk to children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand their role and responsibility to keep children safe from harm. They can identify the signs of abuse and neglect and know the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. Staff teach children how to be safe within the rooms. For example, staff teach children not to run inside. Staff are suitable and induction procedures are robust. Ratios are maintained and children are supervised well. Staff deployment is effective to keep children safe. Some risk assessments are carried out. However, at times these are not wholly effective. That said, when risks to children's safety are recognised, such as hot water in the taps, procedures are immediately put in place to reduce the risk to ensure that children are always safe and well.

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Due date

implement an effective curriculum and ensure staff plan and deliver learning experiences which consistently build on what children already know and can do 31/03/2023

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Due date

8 February 2023 strengthen risk assessments to ensure that they are robust and children are not exposed to risks 10/03/2023

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Due date

support staff to undertake appropriate training and professional development opportunities that ensure they offer quality learning and development experiences for children that continually improve. 31/03/2023

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should:

n implement hygiene practices more effectively, to meet the needs of children and support their good health n support staff to recognise when to help children to develop independence in their self-care routines.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 224654 Local authority Stoke-on-Trent Inspection number 10265213 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 104 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Karetakers Private Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01782 331167 Date of previous inspection 30 May 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Karetakers Day Nursery registered in 1994 and is in Longton, Staffordshire. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications from level 3 to level 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30 until 5.30pm. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting 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 senior manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager. 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 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

8 February 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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