The Nursery

Inspection of The Nursery 4a Teasdale Street, Consett, County Durham DH8 6AF

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Inspection date: 16 March 2023 - 18 April 2023

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety cannot be assured due to significant weaknesses in safeguarding practice. Leaders and managers fail to ensure that concerns, about both children and the conduct of staff, are passed on to relevant authorities without delay. Policies in relation to safeguarding are not up to date. Records in relation to safeguarding concerns are of a poor standard. These weaknesses place children at risk of harm.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite these concerns, children enjoy their time at this welcoming and friendly nursery. Staff know their key children well. They gather information from parents, asking what their children's interests are. Staff use these interests in their curriculum planning, along with their own observations of children's development. Children enthusiastically explore using their imagination and creativity. For example, toddlers enjoy the sensory feel of shaving foam in messy play. Older children enjoy playing with ice and exploring different ways to melt it. They beam with delight as they see what happens as they pour warm water over the ice.

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The provision is inadequate

Children have a positive attitude to their learning. All children develop strong attachments to their key person. Babies receive lots of cuddles and attention and are happy, calm and relaxed. Older children are active and curious in the nursery. Children of all ages are confident and friendly. They engage visitors in conversation and confidently approach them asking them for their name.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff are good role models and have high expectations of children's behaviour. They help children to understand about turn taking and sharing toys, and support children to be independent in managing disputes or difficulties. Children are learning to be independent as they pour their own drinks at snack time.

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need to do better?

n The provider has failed to ensure that children are kept safe. Systems to monitor staff practice have not been implemented. As a result, significant weaknesses in practice have not been identified. Significant concerns about children and about the conduct of staff have been noted and reported to management, but these concerns have not been passed on to relevant agencies in a timely manner. n Staff support children to develop a love of books. They encourage children to choose books to take home and read with their parents. Children also take the nursery teddy bear or 'Sammy the Dragon' home for the weekend. They happily share photographs and tell their friends about what they did together. n Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They work closely with other professionals and implement their recommendations to help children move forward with their development. This

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need to do better?

16 March 2023 enables all children to make good progress and helps prepare them for their next stage of learning. The manager has developed strong links with local schools. This supports all children's transition to school. n Staff promote mathematics effectively. For instance, older children confidently use the vocabulary of size, such as 'bigger' and 'smaller', as they make snowballs with dough. They correctly match the correct numeral to the number of teddy bears on a number line. Staff widen children's knowledge of the world as they play. For example, they explain what a magnet is, as children link the coloured magnets with the correct colours on the board. n Children have daily opportunities to be active and play outdoors. They delight in exploring the large, outdoor area, learning to negotiate space. This helps to develop their physical skills and coordination. However, there is scope to develop

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need to do better?

the outdoor environment to provide further learning experiences to better support younger children, especially babies. n Staff display children's work across the nursery to raise their awareness of the similarities and differences between people. Overall, children who speak English as an additional language receive helpful support to learn new words in English. However, staff do not extend opportunities to ensure children use and hear their home languages to further extend their sense of belonging. n Parents and carers speak highly of the manager and staff. They value the high- quality teaching opportunities their children receive. They especially value the electronic journals staff use to share information about children's daily routines. This is an opportunity to share detailed information regarding children's learning and establish methods to support children's development at home. n The provider has failed to identify that the acting manager does not hold the

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need to do better?

required qualification for this role. Staff, including the manager, do not receive regular supervisions. Systems for monitoring staff practice through coaching and mentoring are not embedded. As a result, weaknesses in knowledge and practice are missed. Appropriate training needs are not identified to enable staff to improve their practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Significant failings in safeguarding practice put children at risk of harm. The provider has failed to ensure that the manager and staff are following appropriate procedures when there are concerns about a child, or the conduct of staff. The designated safeguarding lead has not attended training to provide her with the knowledge and skills to carry out this role. Policies do not reflect the procedures of the Local Safeguarding Partnership. Record keeping in relation to concerns about children is not completed in a timely manner, nor does it provide sufficient detail about what has been done about any concerns. Although staff have appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service checks, there are no records of any other form of suitability check for a significant number of staff. This failure to ensure safer recruitment practices are followed further compromises children's safety.

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Due date

ensure that there is an up-to-date safeguarding policy and procedures which are in line with the those of the Local Safeguarding Partnership 17/05/2023

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Due date

demonstrate how you will ensure that staff are able to recognise and respond appropriately if they have concerns about the behaviour of a member of staff 17/05/2023

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Due date

demonstrate how you will ensure staff know and understand their responsibility to report concerns about children's safety or welfare to agencies with statutory responsibilities without delay 17/06/2023

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Due date

demonstrate the suitability of all staff by providing records relating to appropriate vetting procedures 17/05/2023

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Due date

put in place appropriate arrangements for the supervision of staff to ensure their practice is monitored effectively and any training and support needs are identified 17/05/2023

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Due date

demonstrate how you will ensure the manager holds an approved qualification at level 3 or above 17/05/2023

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Due date

ensure that accurate records are maintained and shared with other professionals where there are concerns about children's safety in a timely manner. 17/05/2023

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should:

16 March 2023 n continue to develop the outdoor learning space to provide all children with more opportunities to engage in a wide range of activities that support their development across all areas of learning n continue to develop strategies for children who speak English as an additional language, so they are able to develop and use their home language as they play and learn n sharpen the monitoring of staff's professional development, identifying their individual training needs in order to raise knowledge and practice to the highest levels.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY415532 Local authority Durham Inspection number 10264738 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 70 Number of children on roll 92 Name of registered person Neil Banerjee And Associates Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01207 591 616 Date of previous inspection 23 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The Nursery opened in 1997 and re-registered in 2010. It is located in Consett, County Durham. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff as well as a nursery cook and a cleaner. Of these, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 5.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n Following the original inspection on 16 March 2023, a further visit was completed on 18 April 2023, to gather additional evidence. 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, the manager and the deputy manager completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. 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.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

16 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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