Mini Willows Day Nursery

Inspection of Mini Willows Day Nursery 93 Whitehorse Lane, London, Surrey SE25 6RA

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

p.1

The provision is inadequate

Weaknesses in leadership and management mean that children's safety and welfare are compromised. The provider fails to provide Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for each member of staff. Risk assessments are poor. Staff fail to identify hazards within the setting. The setting is cluttered and at times unsafe. For example, a climbing arch left propped up poses a hazard to children who could pull it on top of themselves. The provider does not ensure that staff use appropriate behaviour management techniques with all children. Children are not helped to understand when their behaviour is disruptive or to learn about appropriate boundaries. For instance, staff do not supervise children well enough. Children run unchecked, climb on chairs and jump on sofas unnoticed. This compromises their safety.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Nonetheless, staff are kind and welcoming. Children are settled and busy themselves. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are generally comforted and nurtured. Staff know children's likes and dislikes and do their best to provide care. However, although all children are allocated a key person, the weak teaching practice means that they do not fulfil this role well enough. In addition, children's good health is not promoted well enough.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Children demonstrate that they want to learn and focus during play. However, staff lack the knowledge and skills needed to support them to do so. Children's individual needs are not met, and too often they fail to receive the support they need. The curriculum plans for learning are not clear or ambitious for all children. This does not ensure that children make the best possible progress, and gaps in learning do not close quickly enough for some.

p.2

need to do better?

n There have been significant staff changes at the setting. There are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching of skills and knowledge between established and new or inexperienced staff. Leaders have not identified or provided some staff with the relevant coaching, training and support needed to improve their practice, although they have processes in place to do so. n Staff do not set clear expectations for children's behaviour or provide children with strategies to manage their behaviour for themselves. Behaviour management is inconsistent between the rooms and staff. Furthermore, staff fail to acknowledge that some of the causes of children's unwanted behaviour are due to lack of appropriate support in their learning. However, staff remind children to use manners and 'kind hands'. n The key-person system is ineffective. Due to recent staff changes within the nursery, staff and parents do not always know who their allocated key children

p.2

need to do better?

25 April 2023 or key persons are. This does not help staff to plan effectively for children's learning or to meet their individual needs. Additionally, this causes uncertainty for children and their families. n The provider does not have a clear intent for the curriculum. Staff do not have a good enough understanding of what the curriculum is and how they should teach it. They do not accurately assess children's learning and development needs. Staff do not always extend children's thinking. When children wander around the room and do not engage in purposeful play, staff do not successfully re-engage them in meaningful learning. This hinders children's learning. n Routines are well established, giving the children some consistency. Children know to wash hands before food and know it is time to nap after lunch. Those who sleep have their own sleep mats and sheets. Staff show care in rocking some children to sleep and are aware of how much sleep each child needs.

p.2

need to do better?

n Hygiene practices are inconsistent. For instance, staff wear aprons and wash hands when handling food. However, gloves are not always changed when dealing with toileting, leading to cross-infection. Staff have clear knowledge regarding the administration of medication. Accidents and incidents are recorded on the online app, and parents are notified by phone. n Strategies for working with children with SEND are not clear. The local authority special educational needs coordinator works with the nursery. However, information is not communicated with staff. This means children do not receive the support they need. n Risk assessments are not effective. Staff do not always organise the environment well enough to ensure that children have the space they need to try out and develop their ideas. This is because play resources are often cluttered. This limits children's space to explore and learn in a safe place.

p.3

need to do better?

n Parents state they are happy with the care their children receive and that their children enjoy attending the nursery. n Movement between rooms is supported by doing settling-in visits. This is helped by children being familiar with each other due to having time together each morning. However, school readiness is not a priority in the nursery. Strategies to promote independence are not evident, meaning children may not be prepared for the next step. n The leadership and management team is weak. Due to many recent staff changes, the team does not work together consistently well. The lack of an effective key-person system for some children and lack of supervision have led to weak practice.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders do not maintain effective oversight of the nursery. They do not fulfil their own roles and responsibilities to meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage. Staff do not adequately protect children. There are significant weaknesses in the arrangements to assess risks and supervise children. Staff do not recognise that, for example, children displaying unwanted behaviours could

p.3

Safeguarding

25 April 2023 place them or others in danger. In addition, not all staff demonstrate a secure knowledge of the possible signs and symptoms that indicate a child may be at risk of abuse.

p.3

Due date

identify and provide staff with the targeted coaching, mentoring and support needed to improve their practice 30/06/2023

p.4

Due date

improve staff's understanding of behaviour management strategies, so that they have a consistent approach to better support children's understanding of positive behaviour 30/06/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure there is an effective key-person system in place, so that all children have a key person and parents are aware of who their child's key person is 30/06/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure children's health and hygiene are promoted at all times and take all necessary steps to prevent cross- infection 30/06/2023

p.4

Due date

implement effective arrangements to support the individual needs of children with SEND in accordance with the SEND code of practice 30/06/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that staff have a thorough knowledge and understanding of their role and responsibility with regard to risk assessments, so that the environment is always safe and secure 30/06/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure all required documentation relating to suitability of staff is available for inspection, including DBS information 30/06/2023

p.4

Due date

25 April 2023 provide a curriculum that meets the needs of all children, so that children make the best possible progress. 30/06/2023

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number 2498915 Local authority Croydon Inspection number 10250071 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

p.6

inspection

Total number of places 59 Number of children on roll 59 Name of registered person BK Childcare Limited

p.6

reference number

Telephone number 07940290029 Date of previous inspection 13 July 2022

p.6

Information about this early years setting

Mini Willows Day Nursery in South Norwood registered in 2019. It is located in the London Borough of Croydon. There are 13 staff members, eight of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications from levels 2 to 5. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.

p.6

Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector played alongside the children and sought their views. n The inspector observed the quality of the education being provided across the nursery, both indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The deputy and staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a sticking activity in the toddler room with the deputy manager. n Parents spoke to the inspector and shared their views. n The deputy manager showed the inspector some nursery documents. n The deputy manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about each room. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views.

p.7

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.

p.7

Inspection activities

25 April 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.

p.7

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.8

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8