Gifted Hands Nursery & Pre-school

Inspection of Gifted Hands Nursery & Pre-school Gaynesford Lodge, Blake Close, Carshalton SM5 1LJ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

Overall, children are happy, safe and well cared for. However, the quality of education is variable. Teaching is inconsistent as not all staff understand how to plan and implement the curriculum effectively. Nonetheless, children have a positive attitude to learning and willingly take part in daily routines and activities. Children are eager to see their friends when they arrive, and they settle quickly. Parents comment on the 'friendly' staff and appreciate the daily communication shared about their children. They report their children's social skills are developing well.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff interact with children in a kind and gentle way. Children behave well and have good relationships with staff and each other. Staff support and guide children to resolve minor issues and implement individualised behaviour support where needed. Children care about their friends. For example, they clap and compliment their friend's achievements. All children have an assigned key person. However, this system is not yet fully effective. This is partly due to recent changes in staffing. Children's emotional needs are nurtured and they are settled and content. Children are seen to smile and laugh often. However, some key persons do not understand their children's learning needs well enough to effectively plan for these.

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need to do better?

n The manager is passionate and has a clear and ambitious vision to provide good quality inclusive education for all. She assesses staff skills and knowledge through observations and regular supervisions. She welcomes other professionals, such as local authority advisors, to recommend improvements in practice. However, this is not well established enough to ensure that all staff have the skills and knowledge they need to support children to build on what they know and can do. n The curriculum is not consistently understood and implemented by all staff. For example, children's independence is not always fully maximised or supported. Sometimes, children's independent play is interrupted and directed by staff. This curbs their creativity and problem-solving skills. n The quality of interactions between children and staff is variable. Children engage well with the variety of activities on offer. Most staff model language,

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need to do better?

use repetition and introduce new vocabulary to support children's language development. However, on occasion, questions are asked in quick succession and younger children do not have the time they need to respond. At lunchtime in the toddler room, most staff are completing other tasks away from the children. This means children wait while they sit at the table for long periods with no meaningful interaction. n Babies feel safe and secure. They happily practise their walking skills, holding

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need to do better?

23 May 2023 onto the furniture. They concentrate with wonder when they hold up shiny bricks to watch the reflection on the wall. Their home routines are followed, and their physical needs are well understood. They are taken for a nap when tired and held securely when they are fed their bottle. n Children are offered a healthy, nutritious menu and have direct access to water. They learn good hygiene habits. For example, before meals, they wash their hands and put the paper towels in the bin. n Children enjoy physical play. They take part in action songs, using their whole bodies. They move freely around the playrooms and outdoors, developing coordination. Children use chalks in the garden to make marks to help develop their physical skills and represent their own ideas and thoughts. They manipulate and shape play dough, strengthening their fingers and hands. n Systems to identify and support children with special educational needs and/or

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need to do better?

disabilities are effective. The knowledgeable special educational needs coordinator knows the children well and has targeted plans in place that identify their individual needs. This supports all children to access all on offer. n Babies enjoy the opportunity to engage in messy play to promote their small- and large-muscle skills. They have fun exploring the cornflour as it drips between their fingers. They push wheeled toys, making patterns in the cornflour, and pat it making a splash.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Regular child protection training is completed by staff to keep their knowledge up to date. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child. They understand what to do if they have concerns about the conduct of another member of staff. The manager follows careful procedures when recruiting new staff, to check that they are suitable to work with children. Children learn about their own safety when they practise the fire drill. The setting is safe and secure.

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should:

n strengthen the key-person system to ensure that all parents are aware of their child's key person and that staff consistently have good knowledge about their key children n look more closely at the systems in place for monitoring staff teaching and practice, to raise this to a consistently good level n improve staff knowledge of how to implement the curriculum to ensure that older children's independence is maximised, and younger children's language development is effectively supported n review the organisation of the lunchtime routine in the toddler room to ensure

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should:

23 May 2023 that children are consistently involved in meaningful activities and experiences that support their continued learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2665799 Local authority Sutton Inspection number 10293095 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 80 Number of children on roll 56 Name of registered person Gifted Hands Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 02082558071 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Gifted Hands Nursery and Pre-school registered in 2022. It is located in Carshalton in the London Borough of Sutton. It is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm, all year round. There are 14 members of staff working with the children. Of these, eight have an appropriate early years qualification. The nursery receives funding for free early years education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 inspector observed interactions during activities and experiences, both indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n Parents shared their views about the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector and manager observed a session led by a member of staff. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk of the provision and talked to the inspector about their curriculum.

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Inspection activities

23 May 2023 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

23 May 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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