Ready Steady Grow

Inspection of Ready Steady Grow 171 Elwick Road, Hartlepool, Cleveland TS26 9NP

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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 provide a nurturing and welcoming environment for children. Children leave their parents with ease, eager to see their friends. They have access to a good range of resources provided by staff. However, staff do not provide a clear curriculum that is well thought out and carefully sequenced. It does not challenge children to build on what they know, understand and can do. The quality of teaching across the nursery is variable. This has some impact on the progress that children make.

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The provision requires improvement

Despite this, children have strong bonds with staff. This helps them to feel safe and secure. Children relish the time they spend in the well-resourced garden area. Older children look for insects with their magnifying glasses. They squeal with delight as they find a worm in the mud. Babies make music with a ladle and a tin drum. Staff sing along to the 'Grand Old Duke of York' as children tap the drum. Toddlers enjoy propelling themselves on balance bicycles and making marks with large chalks. This helps them to develop their large-and-small muscle skills. Staff have suitable expectations for children's behaviour and children are beginning to understand the rules of the nursery. Older children understand the nursery rules, such as 'kind hands' and 'listening ears'.

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need to do better?

n The leadership team have an appropriate understanding of the curriculum. There are some aims for children to achieve as they move through the nursery. However, the curriculum is not specific enough. It does not provide sufficient challenge for children. For example, during a large-group activity, some children had to wait a long time for their turn. They quickly lost interest and disengaged from the activity. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff work closely with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, and teachers from specialist schools. This helps to support these children to make the best possible progress. n The setting has been through a challenging time in recent months. Changes to staffing have had an impact on the quality of teaching and learning. The leadership team provides supervision meetings, and staff have attended

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need to do better?

mandatory training. However, leaders do not focus on staff's professional development or provide the coaching and support they need to develop their teaching skills. As a result, children are not benefiting from high-quality adult interactions. n Relationships with parents are positive, and a strength of the setting. Parents are happy with the care that they receive. The explain that they feel involved in their children's learning. Parents describe the staff as 'lovely' and 'warm and

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need to do better?

15 March 2023 welcoming'. n Generally, staff support children's communication from an early stage. They encourage babies to copy words and sounds, and name items that they play with. Staff sing and read children's favourite stories, such as 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. However, within the younger rooms, babies and toddlers, who are settled, have dummies in their mouths for long periods throughout the day. This impacts on the development of children's communication skills. n Staff provide a good range of home-cooked, healthy meals. They talk to children about the importance of eating a healthy diet. Children regularly access the garden area, where they run, jump and climb on the nursery apparatus. This helps children to develop their large muscles, balance and coordination. n Overall, staff help children to develop some independence skills. For instance, older children freely choose toys to play with and serve themselves at breakfast.

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need to do better?

However, there are times when staff complete tasks for younger children without encouraging them to try themselves. For example, putting on their own shoes and coats, or wiping their noses independently. This prevents children from developing greater independence in their self-help skills. n Staff are positive role models. They support children to share and take turns. Staff manage minor disagreements swiftly and positively. They use praise to highlight children's good behaviour. Children are developing good manners. n Staff in the pre-school room develop children's literacy skills well. For example, they foster children's love of books. Children enjoy listening to 'What the Ladybird Heard'. They excitedly recall all the types of animals from the book. Staff support children to recognise their names and initial letter sounds, when they are ready for this stage. This helps to develop some of the skills needed for

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff understand their role and responsibility to keep children safe. They attend regular training to keep their knowledge up to date. Staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and know what action to take, should they have such concerns. Staff have good knowledge of safeguarding including the risks that may indicate a family is being exposed to extreme views. Staff know the correct procedures to follow if an allegation is made about a member of staff. There are effective arrangements to check the ongoing suitability of staff. Staff carry out regular risk assessments. This helps to keep children safe.

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Due date

15 March 2023 review and improve the curriculum, so that it clearly sequences the knowledge and skills that children need to develop and engages children in meaningful learning 14/04/2023

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Due date

provide training, mentoring and coaching for staff, to improve weaker aspects of staff knowledge of the curriculum, and to ensure they offer high-quality teaching and learning experiences for every child. 14/04/2023

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should:

n review the policy on the use of dummies, to provide younger children with more opportunities to develop their communication skills n support staff to plan more effectively as children move between activities and the daily routines, to enable them to be as independent as they can be and to make the best possible progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY430611 Local authority Hartlepool Borough Inspection number 10276428 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 55 Number of children on roll 73 Name of registered person Ready Steady Grow Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01429890729 Date of previous inspection 14 July 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Ready Steady Grow registered in 2011 and is situated in the Eldon Grove area of Hartlepool. The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and five members of staff hold a level 2 qualification. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am until 5.45pm, all year round. It 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 The deputy manager, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. 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 Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager and the inspector evaluated an activity together. 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

15 March 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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