Sunny Day Nursery & Play Club

Inspection of Sunny Day Nursery & Play Club Middle Farm Barn, Middle Farm Way, Poundbury, DORCHESTER, Dorset DT1 3WA

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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

Staff's management of some children's behaviour is ineffective. They do not supervise the toddlers and pre-school children well enough or help them to understand the expectations and boundaries. This places children at risk of harm. For example, staff see toddlers repeatedly throwing sand in each other's faces and ask them to stop but then immediately walk away, so the toddlers continue. Pre- school children are not encouraged to use their manners, and staff do not notice or intervene when they become over-excited and boisterous. Many children, including those who require additional support, go for long periods without any interaction or direction from staff. They become unfocused, so their behaviour sometimes deteriorates and they hurt each other.

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The provision is inadequate

Weaknesses in the key-person system and the implementation of the curriculum mean that many toddlers and pre-school children do not receive enough support and attention to build on what they know and can do. Consequently, these children do not make good progress in their learning. While there are serious weaknesses in practice in most areas of the nursery, this is not the case in the baby rooms, where staff meet the children's individual needs appropriately. Babies form close bonds with familiar staff and enjoy regular cuddles. They are eager to take part in stimulating activities. They crawl and shuffle across the room at speed on their bottoms toward staff to listen to a story. Babies join in with songs, dance and clap along happily to music and copy the words they hear in stories. Staff support babies to develop their balance, coordination and muscle strength to stand and walk.

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need to do better?

n The provider and manager do not have a good enough understanding of how well the curriculum is implemented across the nursery, which has led to inconsistencies in practice. There has recently been a large number of staff changes in a very short period, including the appointment of a new manager. The majority of staff now working with the toddlers and pre-school children are new, unqualified and/or inexperienced. The new manager has identified some issues but has not yet had the time to make any changes. Arrangements to monitor and support the new staff have been ineffective in ensuring that they have the confidence, knowledge and skills to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. n Staff do not supervise toddlers and pre-school children sufficiently or take enough action to keep them safe. This is despite the fact that poor staff deployment was identified as a weakness earlier this year. Action taken to tackle

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need to do better?

this weakness has not been successful. Pre-school children eat the shaving foam that staff provide for them to explore with their hands. Although the children are instructed to stop putting it in their mouths, staff do not teach them why or

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need to do better?

17 April 2023 monitor the activity well enough and, as a result, children continue to eat it. n Staff do not always notice when children behave inappropriately and do not help children to learn the potential consequences of their actions. Staff do not see when some pre-school children repeatedly push and shove each other. They instruct children who swing on the stair handrails at the top of the stairs not to do this but do not discuss why. This does not support children's social and emotional development or help them to learn to keep themselves safe. n The key-person system is not effective in meeting the toddler and pre-school children's individual needs. Staff do not share important information about their key children with the staff who work with them. New staff are allocated key children but have not received any handover from former key persons. Some staff are not aware that they are the key person for specific children.

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need to do better?

Consequently, staff do not have the information they need to meet the individual needs of these children. n Staff working with toddlers and pre-school children do not provide a challenging and ambitious curriculum that builds on children's skills and previous learning. Children spend too long playing with the toys by themselves without support from staff to extend their learning. While some children play happily by themselves for long periods, others become bored and hurt and upset each other. Staff do not organise or tailor some group activities to engage and meet the needs of all children, so some children lose interest and wander away. n At times, staff model vocabulary for children and teach them new words, such as 'seagull' and 'dinosaur'. However, staff do not encourage children to speak often enough. For example, staff give instructions rather than having conversations with children and read books without supporting the children to share their

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need to do better?

thoughts and experiences. Children who need additional support and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are at risk of falling further behind in their education. Some children, including those with language delays, play or wander silently for most of the session, without encouragement to practise their speech. n Staff are friendly and work with parents to manage children's basic care needs and routines. Staff show respect to toddlers when asking if they can change their nappies and recognise quickly when babies need a nap. Toddlers are reminded frequently to try to use the potty. Staff are clear about children's individual dietary needs. Children benefit from nutritious, home-cooked meals. Poor staff deployment means that staff do not supervise the pre-school children when they serve themselves vegetables unhygienically from the food platters that all children access, using their forks that have been in their mouths.

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need to do better?

n Parents praise the advice and guidance they have received from staff to support their children's development at home, such as about toilet training and diet.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Weaknesses in staff deployment and the supervision of toddlers and pre-school children impacts their health and welfare. Staff do not notice quickly enough when

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Safeguarding

17 April 2023 children play with open windows and doors, repeatedly opening and closing them, putting children at risk of squashing their fingers. When staff do not supervise the toddlers and pre-school children closely or engage them effectively in their learning, the children become unfocused and their behaviour deteriorates. They hurt each other and become upset. The manager and staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of how to recognise and report child protection matters. They know what to do in the event of an allegation against a member of staff. The manager implements safer recruitment and vetting processes, including ensuring that children are not left unsupervised with staff who have yet to obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

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Due date

improve staff deployment and supervision of children in the toddler and pre-school rooms to keep the children safe and meet their needs 18/04/2023

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Due date

improve the monitoring, support and coaching for the staff and new manager so they have the knowledge and skills to fulfil their roles and responsibilities 08/05/2023

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Due date

implement an effective key-person system and ensure that staff know how to support the individual needs of all toddlers and pre-school children 08/05/2023

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Due date

improve staff support given to children who require additional help, including those with SEND, and ensure staff meet their individual needs 08/05/2023

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Due date

ensure staff have the necessary skills to help children to learn the boundaries expectations for their behaviour. 08/05/2023

p.4

Due date

improve the curriculum for toddlers and pre-school children to ensure staff focus more on their next steps in learning and help them to make progress 26/05/2023

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Due date

improve the quality of staff's interactions with toddlers and pre-school children to support the children's communication and language development effectively. 26/05/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY216520 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 10285291 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 178 Number of children on roll 217 Name of registered person Sunny Day Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0345 88 88 123 (Option 3) Date of previous inspection 5 April 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Sunny Day Nursery & Play Club registered in 2002. It operates from the village of Poundbury, in Dorset. The nursery is open from 7am to 6pm each weekday, all year round, excluding bank holidays. The nursery is in receipt of funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 18 members of staff who work with the children. Of these, 10 hold relevant qualifications at levels 2 and 3. Childcare staff are supported by a cook, kitchen staff, maintenance and administrative staff.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n This inspection was carried out as a result of a risk assessment, following information received about the provider. n The inspectors viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager took an inspector on a learning walk of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspectors observed the interactions between staff and children and the quality of education provided for the children, including during two joint observations. n Children communicated with the inspectors during the inspection. n The inspectors talked with parents and staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n An inspector spoke with the new manager about the leadership and

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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

17 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.

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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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