Starlights Daycare Nursery

Inspection of Starlights Daycare Nursery Link House, Bolton Road, Kearsley, Lancashire BL4 9BT

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

Since the previous inspection, there has been a decline in the quality of care and education. Following Ofsted's last regulatory actions, the provider has failed to sustain their planned improvements to risk assessment and hygiene procedures. Therefore, this inspection identified breaches to requirements that have been raised with the provider before. As a result, the provider continues to fail to ensure children's safety, well-being, and learning and development.

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The provision is inadequate

Weak leadership and management compromises children's care and education. The provider does not ensure that all staff have sufficient knowledge in all aspects of safeguarding. As a result, some staff are not confident in what they should do if they have a concern about a child or a colleague they work with. These weaknesses compromise children's safety and well-being. Monitoring and oversight of staff's practice are not good enough to ensure that the quality of teaching is of a consistently good standard. Staff do not consistently plan age-appropriate activities that build on what children can already do. Moreover, staff do not consistently support children's developing communication and language skills. This means that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are not making the progress that they are capable of.

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The provision is inadequate

Risk assessments continue to be poorly implemented by staff. This leaves children vulnerable to unnecessary risks indoors and outside. Basic hygiene procedures are poor. For example, children are left with runny noses and are allowed to play without washing their hands after using the potty.

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need to do better?

n Leaders do not ensure that the induction of new staff is completed, so that they have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. For example, mandatory safeguarding and child protection training are not accessed in a timely manner. As a result, some staff do not have the skills to recognise and deal with any child safeguarding concerns that may arise. This places children at risk of harm. n Staff fail to understand and implement effective risk assessments. Despite a risk assessment of the premises being completed, staff fail to notice, remove and report potential hazards. For example, the baby garden is not secure. The lock to the garden area is broken and has been this way for some time. There are choking hazards, such as small bottle tops and tiny pieces of broken toys, on the baby garden floor. Staff place items, such as a car seat and a mop and bucket, behind a fire exit door. Furthermore, staff serve children food that is too hot.

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need to do better?

This weak practice places children at risk of harm. n Leaders fail to provide staff with effective support and guidance. Staff do not

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need to do better?

29 March 2023 receive regular coaching and supervision to help them to improve their practice. Furthermore, while staff have access to an online training platform, leaders do not check that they have understood the training they have accessed. As a result, practice is weak and does not support children's learning and development. n Basic hygiene procedures are not embedded within the setting. Staff do not teach good hygiene practices or carry out routine times of the day well enough. For example, staff do not ensure that children wash their hands at key times. Additionally, staff do little to prevent children from sharing items that they have put in their mouths. This means that children are at risk of cross-infection and are not learning to stay healthy. n Intimate care procedures across the setting are poor. Pre-school children have their nappies changed on a mat in the hallway. Moreover, the adults' toilet is

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need to do better?

situated within the toddlers' toilet facilities. This means that when an adult occupies the toilet, toddlers have to use a potty in their playroom. These arrangements do not ensure children's privacy. n Despite drinking water being readily available to children through water dispensers in the playrooms, staff fail to encourage children to drink water and keep hydrated. Staff do not support children to develop positive attitudes to maintaining their oral and physical good health. For example, at lunchtime, children only have access to juice, and water is not offered as an alternative. n Staff do not implement effective routines that support children to develop positive attitudes. For example, children's play and learning ends abruptly when an alarm sounds for snack and lunch. Staff hurriedly tidy up, and children, including those with SEND, are told to line up with no explanation or support. Consequently, some children become frustrated as they wait for long periods of

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need to do better?

time in the line. This leads to outbreaks of unwanted behaviour, such as squabbling and fighting. As a result, children do not develop resilience and struggle to manage their emotions. n Staff do not promote children's communication and language well enough. Although staff sing songs and talk to children, they do not engage in consistently high-quality interactions. Furthermore, staff do not model the correct vocabulary to children. For example, they use words such as 'doggy' instead of 'dog'. Therefore, children are not learning to articulate themselves well. n Despite forging some links with outside agencies, in particular for children with SEND, staff do not implement individual or targeted learning plans robustly enough. As a result, children with SEND do not make the progress that they are capable of. n Children demonstrate nurturing bonds with staff. They arrive at the setting happy and are eager to start the day. They show some confidence with visitors.

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need to do better?

For example, children share their favourite book with the inspector. This demonstrates that children are developing some self-confidence. n Partnerships with parents are adequate. Parents speak highly of the nursery and are complimentary towards staff. Additionally, staff share some relevant information with parents about their child. This goes some way to supporting children's learning at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety is compromised. This is because staff have a limited knowledge and understanding of the setting's safeguarding, risk assessment, and health and safety policies and procedures. Leaders do not ensure that there are effective online safety procedures for the use of electrical devices, including cameras. As a result, the inspector was able to access social media platforms from all mobile devices used by all staff across the setting. This compromises children's safety. The arrangements for recruitment and vetting are secure. This ensures that children are cared for by suitable adults.

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Due date

ensure that all staff are trained to understand the nursery's safeguarding policy and procedures, including identifying signs and indicators of abuse and the procedures to follow should they have a concern about another member of staff 21/04/2023

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Due date

ensure that all devices used at the setting that have cameras have suitable restrictions 21/04/2023

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Due date

implement effective risk assessments that ensure that all staff identify and manage risks appropriately in a timely manner, such as items obstructing fire exits, potential choking hazards and the broken gate in the baby garden 21/04/2023

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Due date

provide adequate toilets, hand basins and suitable hygienic changing facilities to meet the care and privacy needs of all children 21/04/2023

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Due date

29 March 2023 ensure that all children have access to fresh drinking water at all times 21/04/2023

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Due date

ensure that all staff receive induction training in order to have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities 21/04/2023

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Due date

ensure that all staff are provided with effective training, support and coaching to understand their individual roles and responsibilities and to further improve their practice. 21/04/2023

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Due date

ensure that staff consider the individual needs, interests and development of all children, and use this to plan a suitable and enjoyable experience for each child in all areas of learning and development. 21/04/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY387035 Local authority Bolton Inspection number 10280162 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 66 Number of children on roll 126 Name of registered person Kids Corner Day Care Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01204 861 709 Date of previous inspection 26 September 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Starlights Daycare Nursery registered in 2009. It is situated in the Farnworth area of Bolton. The setting employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold recognised early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The setting opens from Monday to Saturday, 7.30am to 6.30pm, with the exception of bank holidays and one week at Christmas. The setting provides funded early education for 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 the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector provided the manager with feedback at intervals throughout the day. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing while at the setting. n The inspector spoke to the designated safeguarding lead about any safeguarding concerns. n The inspector spoke to the special educational needs coordinator about how they support children with SEND. n The manager carried out a joint observation with the inspector. n The manager and inspector carried out a learning walk together, and talked about the curriculum and what the manager wants children to learn.

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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

29 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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