Rascals Childcare Limited

Inspection of Rascals Childcare Limited Rascals Childcare Ltd, Huntingdon Hall, Talbot Avenue, RAYLEIGH, Essex SS6 9HP

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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

Children's welfare is compromised. Leaders and staff's knowledge of safeguarding is weak. All children do not consistently access a well-planned curriculum. Leaders and staff provide activities that do not always support all children's stage of development and interests. There is not enough support in place to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children's needs are not identified in a timely manner and support is not sought or implemented.

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The provision is inadequate

Children have a choice of resources and activities both inside and outside. They play with play dough, moulding it into shapes that represent the theme and story they are following. Children play independently as they wash the dolls. They pump the play bath to make the shower work and sprinkle the water over the dolls. They play in the shop, sharing their biscuits with staff and visitors. However, some children who are not confident enough to play independently, wander around looking for reassurance.

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need to do better?

n Staff do not have clear learning intentions for each child. Therefore, children's learning needs are not consistently met. For example, when children start, staff do not obtain sufficient information about children's likes and dislikes, or what stage they are at in their learning and development. This results in staff not knowing how to fully support children from the start. n Leaders have identified a special educational needs coordinator for the nursery. However, leaders have not ensured that the coordinator has sufficient knowledge or understanding to identify when a child is falling behind in their learning or how and when to seek additional support. This means some children do not make good progress in their learning. n Staff develop children's language development. They sing nursery rhymes and read stories. Young children excitedly sing along and copy the actions. Staff encourage children to choose what songs they want to sing. Older children have

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need to do better?

a real interest in books. They bring different stories to visitors to read to them and sit and listen intently. n Staff encourage some independence in children. Children choose the activities they want to play with. They are encouraged to select their own fruit at snack time and pour their own drinks. n Staff do not consistently follow good hygiene procedures. They do not always encourage children to wash their hands after playing outside and before meals. Staff do not clean the children's changing mat between nappy changes. This does not promote children's health and well-being or reduce the risk of cross- contamination. n Staff encourage children to follow a routine. For example, children are

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need to do better?

20 February 2023 encouraged to sit for registration and story time. Older children are given the responsibility of calling the register and welcoming their friends. Staff do not forewarn children when there will be a change in routine, which results in some children becoming anxious and tearful. n Children are allocated a key person when they join the nursery and when they transition from one room to another. However, the key-person system is not robust. Staff do not always have a full understanding of children's needs or an adequate knowledge of children's stage of development. This has an impact on their learning and development and well-being. n Although leaders have arrangements for staff supervisions and provide time for meaningful discussions, they do not ensure that some staff's professional development is focused sufficiently on improving their teaching skills. n Parents speak highly of the staff. They state that their children are happy and

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need to do better?

have grown in confidence since attending. Staff send parents regular updates of what the children have been doing and give verbal feedback at the end of the day. n Children role play in the pretend kitchen. Staff provide children with daffodil flowers. They discuss the flowers with children and explain that daffodils come out in spring. They discuss the seasons and that flowers grow when it is warm. This helps children to learn about the world around them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders do not have a clear understanding of safeguarding procedures. They are not aware of the role of the local authority designated officer and local reporting procedures. Staff do not fully understand the whistle-blowing policy or process. They are unsure of what to do if there was an allegation made against a member of staff or the leadership team. Some staff do not fully understand safeguarding issues such as the 'Prevent' duty. Leaders carry out suitability checks on staff to ensure children continue to be cared for by suitable people. Staff carry out daily risk assessments to reduce risks to children's safety.

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Due date

improve leaders and staff's safeguarding knowledge, particularly with regards to the local authority safeguarding and reporting procedures and dealing with allegations against staff 01/05/2023

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Due date

20 February 2023 ensure that staff are aware of safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty, and their responsibility to minimise the risk of harm to children 01/05/2023

p.3

Due date

provide the designated special educational needs coordinator with the required knowledge for their role so that arrangements going forward are in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and these are effective 05/06/2023

p.4

Due date

establish an effective key-person system that meets the needs of all children 01/05/2023

p.4

Due date

develop the curriculum to ensure it clearly identifies what it is that all children need to learn, how this reflects their individual needs and offers appropriate challenge, to help them make at least good progress 05/06/2023

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Due date

ensure good hygiene procedures are followed to ensure the health and well- being of children is maintained. 01/05/2023

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should:

n help children to understand the rules of the setting and when play is about to end n improve teaching skills to help support children in building on what they already know and can do.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY299101 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10264806 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 40 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Rascals Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01268 786893 Date of previous inspection 27 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Rascals Childcare Limited registered in 2005. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and two hold a qualification at level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year. Opening times are from 7.30am to 6.30pm. 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 nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector had a tour of the premises and discussed what leaders want children to learn. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity. n Leaders shared a sample of documents with the inspector. This included evidence about the suitability of those working with children.

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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

20 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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