The Secret Garden Children's Nursery

Inspection of The Secret Garden Children's Nursery Annandale House, 105 Eastgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1PY

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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

p.1

The provision is inadequate

Leaders do not demonstrate a good understanding of how to keep children safe. They do not consider risks and how they can minimise these to protect children's well-being, with particular regard to the care of children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In addition to this, staff do not follow the procedures to record and monitor accidents or injuries that children sustain while they are at nursery, particularly when a child has a head injury. This puts children at risk of harm. At times, when children are displaying challenging behaviour, staff physically intervene to prevent children from hurting themselves. However, they do not record these incidents or share this information with parents so that they are aware that their child has had physical intervention.

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The provision is inadequate

Leaders do not ensure that staff have the appropriate skills and knowledge to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively, and staff practice is inconsistent when they interact with children. For example, staff often simply sit and watch children and do not recognise when children need them to engage and involve them in play. Although there is a new curriculum in place and leaders know what they want children to learn, the implementation of the curriculum is weak. Children do not benefit from purposeful learning experiences. Children with SEND are at risk of falling further behind in their learning. They do not receive the help that they need to be safe, secure and to make progress in their development. Furthermore, staff do not consider how they can support the children who speak English as an additional language to develop friendships and build their communication and language skills. Consequently, children do not make good progress in preparation

p.2

The provision is inadequate

for the next stage of their learning and the eventual move on to school.

p.2

need to do better?

n Leaders and staff do not use the information that they gather about children's specific needs to ensure that they take appropriate steps to protect children and to keep them and those around them safe. Staff do not do enough to take action to prevent incidents occurring that could result in children being hurt. They spend their time chasing children to try to prevent them from hurting themselves, instead of focusing on assessing and minimising risks before incidents occur. n Although there are procedures in place to monitor children's well-being, staff do not consistently follow them. For instance, they do not record all injuries that children sustain when they have accidents or are hurt in incidents in the nursery. In addition to this, staff do not recognise the implications that a head injury could have on a child's health. They do not ensure that first-aid treatment is given and parents are informed.

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need to do better?

n Leaders do not ensure that staff have the skills to understand how to use

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need to do better?

6 June 2023 physical intervention appropriately. Staff do not know the correct methods to safely intervene to cause minimal upset to children and others around them. Leaders do not ensure that records are maintained to support the monitoring of children's well-being. n Although staff identify delays in children's development and refer them to other professionals for support, staff do not consider how to meet children's individual learning needs during their time in the nursery. Children with SEND do not receive help and support to access an effective curriculum. Staff do not follow these children's individual plans or provide enough support and attention when they need it. Consequently, children who need extra help spend much of the day wandering around being followed by staff who do not know how to engage them in play. n Leaders and staff do not provide the necessary help and support for children who speak English as an additional language. They do not provide opportunities

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need to do better?

for children to develop and use their home language in play and learning, to support their language development further. n The new management team has identified some of the weaknesses in the quality of staff interactions with children. However, the systems used to make improvements have not had the desired impact, and practice remains weak. Staff monitor children's progress, but they do not recognise how to support children's learning effectively. For instance, pre-school children eagerly rush to the table as they see a member of staff getting a game out but are told that it is not for them to play with. Children are deflated and go off to see what else they can find to do. Staff do not get the support to raise the quality of their interactions with children and to recognise how to challenge and extend children's learning further. n Parents say that their children are happy at nursery and enjoy attending.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Weaknesses in assessing risks and procedures for managing accidents, injuries and physical intervention, particularly for children with SEND, are ineffective. Staff fail to ensure that they provide all children with appropriate first-aid treatment and do not consider their safety. Leaders ensure that staff have a suitable understanding of child protection procedures. They can identify signs of abuse and neglect, and they understand the procedures to follow to keep children safe if they have safeguarding concerns about their welfare.

p.3

Due date

take reasonable steps to ensure that staff and children are not exposed to risks 09/06/2023

p.4

Due date

keep a written record of any accidents or injuries and the first-aid treatment given 09/06/2023

p.4

Due date

keep a record when any physical intervention is used and ensure that parents are informed on the same day 09/06/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that children with SEND and those with delays in their development receive appropriate support to meet their needs 23/06/2023

p.4

Due date

provide staff with support and coaching to raise the quality of their interactions with children to help children to make better progress in their learning. 23/06/2023

p.4

Due date

provide support for children who speak English as an additional language to help them to develop their language skills further 23/06/2023

p.4

Due date

build on the curriculum to provide exciting and challenging learning opportunities that helps children to make good developmental progress. 23/06/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY477661 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10293512 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 85 Number of children on roll 85 Name of registered person Secret Garden Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01452 552108 Date of previous inspection 5 August 2021

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Information about this early years setting

The Secret Garden Children's Nursery registered in 2014 and is situated in Gloucester. The nursery offers care from 7.30am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. It employs 14 members of staff, of whom 12 work directly with the children. Of these, five hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3 and one at level 2. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors Victoria Nicolson Rosie Roberts

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Inspection activities

n The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n This inspection was carried out as a result of a risk assessment, following information received about the provider. n The leaders took an inspector on a learning walk to discuss their intentions for their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The manager and an inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity and evaluated its effectiveness. n The inspectors observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspectors spoke with staff, children and parents during the inspection and took their views in to account.

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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

6 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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