Playroom Day Nursery

Inspection of Playroom Day Nursery Playroom Day Nursery, Unit 6A, Sneckyeat Road Industrial Estate, Whitehaven, Cumbria CA28 8PF

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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 Inadequate

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The provision requires improvement

Children are happy, settled and show they feel secure as they confidently leave their parents and carers on arriving at the nursery. Staff are warm and friendly towards children, further promoting their emotional well-being. Children have access to a range of activities and resources. However, these are not always well matched to their individual needs. Some children lack engagement in their play and learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are keen to play outside. They enjoy stretching and pulling themselves up on the climbing frame, using a nearby tree to push off from the rope swing and digging in the mud to find worms. Children use number recognition to count different items and practise their imaginative skills in the role-play kitchen. However, the curriculum for children's communication and language skills is not effective. The manager does not support staff to gain the required knowledge and skills. As a result, teaching is inconsistent, and children do not make the progress they are capable of.

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The provision requires improvement

Children behave well. They play cooperatively and disagreements are quickly resolved, often without the need of support from staff. Children are growing in their independence. They enjoy tackling the task of cutting up their dinner with their knives and forks and pouring their own drinks.

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need to do better?

n There have been some positive changes since the last inspection leading to a small number of improvements across the nursery. The new leadership team demonstrates the capacity to continue to make improvements. However, due to gaps remaining in leadership and management, the impact of this is not evident across all areas of the nursery. n Staff are aware of children's next steps in learning and understand how to help children progress. However, staff do not always plan effectively to help children reach these next steps. For example, the activities set out to capture children's interest are not well matched to what children need to learn next. Children do not make good progress in their learning. n Support for children's communication and language is poor. Some staff talk to children frequently and ask questions. However, this is not carefully considered. For example, staff call out instructions from across the room meaning children

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need to do better?

cannot hear, or they fail to give children time to think and respond to questions asked. As a result, children are not developing the necessary skills in this area of their development. n Children begin to learn some mathematical concepts. They make sausages from dough and compare the lengths as they say, 'it's a long one!' Outside, they

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need to do better?

27 March 2023 enjoy counting during novel activities. They count to five and explore different number representation. This helps to provide children with sound foundations for later mathematical development. n Staff promote children's health well. Children enjoy a nutritious lunchtime meal and learn about how the jam on their pancakes at snack time is a 'treat'. This helps children to learn how to make healthy decisions about their own diet. Children have daily opportunities for outdoor play, further promoting their good health. n Support for children's independence is a strength at this nursery. Staff consistently encourage children to do things for themselves. Overall, children are motivated to carry out a range of tasks independently, supporting their confidence well. n Despite the manager's accurate assessment of weaknesses in staff practice, she does not take effective action to address the weaknesses identified. As a result,

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need to do better?

staff do not receive the coaching, support and guidance necessary to help raise the quality and effectiveness of their practice. n The manager has provided staff with some training opportunities in response to actions raised at the last inspection. However, this is largely focused on safeguarding and fails to address weaknesses in the quality of education. As a result, staff are not supported to gain the skills and knowledge required, and teaching is inconsistent.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are trained in safeguarding and demonstrate a firm understanding of their role in keeping children safe. Staff are alert to signs that a child is at risk of abuse and know who to refer their concerns to. The designated safeguarding lead oversees safeguarding well. She is aware of reporting procedures, including allegations against staff. The setting is secure, and children are supported well in promoting their own safety. Outside, they learn to safely navigate the tall, climbing equipment and how to be aware of others when on the tree swing. Visitors to the setting undergo thorough identification checks, further promoting the safety of children and staff.

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should:

n consider more precisely the individual needs, interests and development of each child when planning so that resources, activities and interactions from staff are more closely linked to what children need to learn next n strengthen the curriculum for children's communication and language and improve the quality of the way it is taught

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should:

27 March 2023 n respond to evaluations from monitoring of staff teaching and practice and take swift action to address gaps in the quality of the provision n provide staff with training and professional development opportunities that are more focused on specific needs of staff and children to ensure they offer quality learning and developmental experiences for children that continually improves.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY437625 Local authority Cumberland Inspection number 10260768 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 38 Number of children on roll 34

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Name of registered person

Charlotte Wood and Margaret Wood Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01946591119 Date of previous inspection 5 October 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Playroom Day Nursery registered in 2011 and is situated in Whitehaven, Cumbria. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff, five of whom hold appropriate qualifications from level 2 to level 5. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round, from 7.30am until 6pm. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of 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 Children spoke to and communicated with 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 The inspector spoke with the manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n A joint observation was carried out with the manager, during the lunchtime preparations. 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

27 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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