My First Word...Grows Up Portslade

Inspection of My First Word...Grows Up Portslade South Portslade Commumity Centre, Church Road, Portslade, East Sussex BN41 1LB

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is inadequate

The manager has not made the necessary improvements since their last inspection. In addition to this, they have not sustained improvements that they had previously made. There are weaknesses in safeguarding practice. The manager does not ensure that all staff have a secure knowledge of child protection. This compromises children safety.

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The provision is inadequate

Overall, children are not receiving a sufficient level of support to progress well in their learning. The experience that children receive varies significantly. For instance, the youngest children have a range of age-appropriate activities planned for them. These engage them and support them to build on what they already know. However, older children receive a poor quality of education that does not meet all children's needs. Staff working with the older children do not plan a sufficiently challenging educational programme. This means children are not well prepared for their next stage of learning. They spend a considerable amount of their day outside in their forest garden. Although this affords children ample opportunities to develop their physical skills, they spend long periods of time wandering aimlessly without engagement in purposeful activities. As a result, children's behaviour is affected as they become disengaged and bored. Children

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The provision is inadequate

are not making the progress they are capable of.

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need to do better?

n Weaknesses in leadership and management mean gaps in staff's knowledge are not identified. This is demonstrated in the failings in safeguarding arrangements and quality of education. Although the manager has a clear intention for the curriculum, this is not implemented effectively. As such, children do not benefit from a broad and varied curriculum. n Although staff supervision is in place, it is not effective. The manager does not provide a consistent level of support and mentoring for staff. Staff's understanding of how to implement an effective curriculum as well as consistently apply behaviour management strategies is poor. This does not ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, staff are not given the coaching they need to continually improve their own personal practice. This impacts on the quality of education children receive.

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need to do better?

n Older children are not supported to develop a positive, can-do attitude to learning. They lack sustained and meaningful engagement with staff at activities and resources that meet their needs. This directly impacts children's behaviour as they have repeated minor disputes that often go unnoticed or unchallenged by staff. This means children struggle to understand their own emotions. They do not always receive the support they need from staff. At times, this results in

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need to do better?

12 June 2023 children snatching, pushing and hitting out at each other. Furthermore, staff fail to explain why some behaviour is not acceptable, such as flipping their plates at one another during mealtimes. As a result, children are unaware of the behavioural expectations. n Although children receive nutritionally balanced meals, health and hygiene are not promoted well enough. Children accessing the forest garden are supported to use the outside toilet facilities. However, staff do not provide opportunities for children to wash their hands after using the toilet. This does not promote the good health of all children. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not well supported. Although there are arrangements for referrals to be made to appropriate agencies, support plans are not in place for all children with emerging additional needs. Children with strategies in place do not have these

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need to do better?

followed consistently by staff, and as such their needs are not met. In addition to this, children with identified SEND spend a significant amount of time wandering the outdoor space with limited interaction and engagement. This inhibits children with SEND from making good progress or having access to early learning opportunities. n Although the manager has taken some action since last inspection to identify and manage some risks more effectively with regard to specific activities, overall risk assessment remains ineffective. The manager and staff have not taken steps to identify and minimise risks to children. For example, children have repeated minor accidents in the forest garden as risks are not addressed. In addition to this, staff are not deployed effectively to oversee more risky play, such as tree climbing. The manager has failed to have oversight of this and the impact it is having on children. This does not ensure children's safety and welfare.

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need to do better?

n Staff do not consistently support children's communication and language effectively. The youngest children hear new words such as 'coconut shell'. Staff speak clearly and engage young children in a variety of communication methods, such as gesture, eye contact and Makaton. However, staff are not deployed effectively to spend quality time engaging and speaking to older children. Children are often disengaged and without staff interaction for a considerable amount of their time. These failings lead to children, including those with identified speech delay, making limited progress in their communication and language development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager has not ensured all staff have a sufficient knowledge of child protection. Some staff are not able to identify potential indicators of abuse. Newly appointed staff have not had adequate training to ensure they know the procedures to follow in the event they have concerns about a child, or a colleague's behaviour. In addition, they are not aware of those responsible for lead safeguarding roles and do not have any knowledge of local safeguarding partnerships. Furthermore, ineffective staff deployment does not always promote

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Safeguarding

12 June 2023 children's safety. Risk assessment is not effective, specifically in the outdoor area of the provision, where frequent hazards are not identified or minimised. Despite this, children are well supervised at mealtimes, and the premises are secure. Recruitment procedures are in place to assure the suitability of staff members.

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Due date

ensure all staff receive safeguarding training, including how to identify and respond to concerns about a child or about a colleague's behaviour, in line with local safeguarding partners guidance and procedures 07/07/2023

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Due date

develop staff training, support and mentoring to ensure they have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities 07/07/2023

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Due date

ensure staff receive targeted coaching to improve their personal effectiveness 07/07/2023

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Due date

ensure arrangements for the deployment of staff are effective to meet the needs of all children, and ensure their safety 07/07/2023

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Due date

ensure children's health and hygiene are promoted at all times and take all necessary steps to prevent cross- infection 07/07/2023

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Due date

ensure children's behaviour is managed appropriately and consistently by all staff 07/07/2023

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Due date

implement a rigorous system for risk assessment to identify, remove or minimise all risks and hazards to children's and staff's health and safety, specifically in the outdoor environment 07/07/2023

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Due date

12 June 2023 take action to ensure arrangements are put in place to consistently support all children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, that are in line with special educational needs code of practice. 07/07/2023

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Due date

implement and deliver an ambitious curriculum that builds on children's existing knowledge, skills and capabilities and engages them fully in their learning across each area of learning 07/07/2023

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Due date

improve knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop to ensure practice is adjusted to meet individual children's learning needs. 07/07/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY554664 Local authority Brighton and Hove Inspection number 10257616 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 43 Number of children on roll 73 Name of registered person My First Word Grows Up Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07789812020 Date of previous inspection 12 September 2022

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Information about this early years setting

My First Word... Grows Up Portslade opened in 2018. It operates from a community centre in Portslade, East Sussex. The setting opens from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three, and four years. There are seven members of staff. Of these, five hold a relevant qualification at level 2 and above.

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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 manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The manager carried out a joint observation of group activities with the inspector. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n Parents shared their views of the provision 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

12 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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