Kingsclere Day Nursery and Pre-School

Inspection of Kingsclere Day Nursery and Pre-School Forest Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 5SA

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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

Children's safety and well-being are not assured due to weaknesses in staff knowledge and practice. Weakness in the provider's knowledge of safeguarding has resulted in breaches of the welfare requirements. Staff are not deployed effectively within the nursery to enable them to meet children's needs. Pre-school children's behaviour is poor. At times, older children throw toys at each other, which causes their friends to become upset and cry. Staff recognise that some children's behaviour is challenging, but take too little action to address this. The key-person approach is ineffective. As a result, babies do not develop the bonds they need with key staff to help them feel safe and secure. Too often babies are passed between staff, including those who are unfamiliar to them. Younger children become visibly distressed and cry for long periods, despite staff offering babies reassurance with cuddles.

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The provision is inadequate

Leaders do not ensure that staff provide children with a curriculum that supports them to learn and develop well enough. At times, some learning is poorly organised and is incidental. For instance, pre-school children say they are bored and begin to roll around on the floor and engage in activities which are disruptive. That said, when staff organise purposeful learning, children engage well. For instance, toddlers learn about the names of different colours, to help support their speaking skills. Children enjoy a variety of activities, which support their physical development. For instance, older children play chase outside and toddlers practise making their way up and down the slopes to the slide. Children learn the importance of being safe in the sun. Staff teach them the benefits of applying sunscreen and drinking water regularly to rehydrate themselves.

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need to do better?

n Significant changes to the staffing have had an impact on the overall quality of the provision. Staff have left the nursery and new staff, including the manager, have joined. The manager is experienced and ambitious. However, she is hindered from achieving her vision for the nursery as she often covers staff absence and works directly in the rooms. The support she receives to help her implement changes is ineffective. The senior management team recognises the difficulties with current staffing issues and the overall impact this has on the quality of care and learning. Although they have identified ways to address this, they have not yet implemented these. Consequently, children's needs are not met. n Staff, including the manager, do not receive the coaching, supervision and support they need to identify and target gaps in their knowledge and skills. Weaknesses in some staff's practice have been identified, but not addressed.

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need to do better?

Changes to staffing within rooms means some staff's knowledge of what children

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need to do better?

13 June 2023 know and can do is variable. This results in a poorly designed curriculum, which does not meet children's needs. Some activities are not well planned to match children's abilities. When children wander around the room and do not engage in purposeful play, staff do not successfully re-engage them in meaningful learning. At times, staff do offer children some teaching opportunities, but this is too infrequent. Children are not supported to make the the progress they are capable of. n Staff deployment does not meet children's needs and the key-person system is ineffective. Staff who work with babies are kind and caring. However, they are often engaged in routines which limit the time they can spend with their key children. Bank staff do not engage well enough with children and this goes unchallenged. For instance, they gaze out of the window and do not talk to young children, to help build their language skills. Babies are often passed

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need to do better?

between staff. They do not benefit from the secure attachments they need to help them feel secure. This does not support children's emotional well-being, particularly as they settle. n Older children's behaviour is poor. Staff know that some children need extra help with their emotions. However, too little is done to support their personal, social and emotional development. When children become bored, they are disruptive and engage in play which upsets their peers. For instance, pre- schoolers snatch toys from each other. When quieter children move to areas to play, others chose to throw small bricks at them, which results in children being upset and they cry. That said, staff who work with toddlers help them to play alongside each other, as they share and take turns. n Parents state they are happy with the care their children receive and that their children enjoy attending the nursery. n Children gain secure physical development and are confident and capable in

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need to do better?

their growing skills. For instance, babies learn to crawl and pull themselves to stand. Pre-school children learn how to use scissors to snip paper and cut along lines. Toddlers confidently use spoons to feed themselves and drink from open cups, as they develop secure hand-eye coordination.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider's lack of knowledge of some of their responsibilities means that the approach to child protection is inconsistent. The provider, who takes the lead role for managing allegations, does not have a clear understanding of reporting allegations of harm to the local area designated officer and Ofsted within their policy timescales. This does not ensure children's safety. That said, staff in the nursery have a good knowledge of signs of abuse and the processes to follow, including those relating to allegations of harm. Overall, staff risk assessment is secure. However, staff do not recognise that, for example, children displaying unwanted behaviours could place themselves or others at risk of harm.

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Due date

ensure that leaders understand the correct procedures to follow should an allegation be made against a member of staff, including notifying relevant external agencies and Ofsted of the action taken, within the prescribed timescale 30/06/2023

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Due date

ensure all staff, including the manager, receive effective support, coaching and training to identify and target weaker aspects of knowledge and improve their personal effectiveness 30/06/2023

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Due date

implement an effective key-person system to meet all children's individual care needs 30/06/2023

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Due date

deploy staff effectively, to ensure that they provide consistent support for children's development, care and individual needs 30/06/2023

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Due date

put in place an effective approach to behaviour management, to ensure that children learn about acceptable behaviours 30/06/2023

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Due date

implement an effective curriculum that focus on what children need to learn or to be able to do next, that challenges and engages children to learn. 30/06/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 148612 Local authority Wokingham Inspection number 10291247 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 34 Number of children on roll 53 Name of registered person Kingsclere Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01344 420546 Date of previous inspection 30 January 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Kingsclere Day Nursery and Pre-School registered in 1986. It is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are eleven members of staff, of whom nine hold relevant qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery employs a cook.

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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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children, to find out about their time at the setting. 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 carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n The provider showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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Inspection activities

n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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

13 June 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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