Melissas Magical Years

Inspection of Melissas Magical Years Lawn Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 2TJ

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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 breaches in the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the early years foundation stage (EYFS) have a significant impact on the learning, safety, and well- being of children. Leaders and staff do not have sufficient safeguarding knowledge to ensure that children are kept safe at all times.

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The provision is inadequate

The quality of education is weak. For example, staff do not ensure that children who speak English as additional language are supported well enough to progress in their communication and language development. Furthermore, staff in the baby room do not ensure that planned activities are age and stage appropriate. This leads to children becoming disengaged and bored. Consequently, their learning and developmental needs are not being met.

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The provision is inadequate

The curriculum is ineffective. Activities are not planned well enough to fully take account of the children's individual needs and what they need to learn. On occasion, some children eagerly participate in activities, such as outside group games. However, overall staff do not sustain their interests to ensure they make the progress they could. Staff do not provide high-quality interactions. Their poor planning and teaching skills have a negative impact on children's attitudes towards their learning. Also, staff are not consistent in ensuring they support children with behavioural expectations. At times, this leads to children's behaviour being disruptive to learning.

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need to do better?

n Designated safeguarding leads do not have a secure enough understanding of the child protection procedures. Consequently, they do not ensure that staff are able to recognise and raise concerns should a child be at risk of harm, including being exposed to radical or extremist views. Staff do not have sufficient understanding of the setting's safeguarding policy. This means they are not able to act swiftly in the event of concerns regarding a child's welfare, allegations, or staff's inappropriate behaviour. This jeopardises children's safety. n The inspection history of this provision is poor. The provider has not taken sufficient steps to improve the poor curriculum or teaching, or to sustain the required improvements. Additionally, they do not ensure that newly qualified staff receive first-aid training in a timely manner and before including them in ratios. n The key-person system is ineffective. Although, staff are able to name children's

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need to do better?

starting points, they do not sequence children's learning. Staff often introduce mathematical concepts that are beyond babies' and toddlers' understanding. They plan activities for shapes, colours and numbers, but do not take into consideration children's stages of development. Staff do not meet children's

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need to do better?

27 June 2023 needs. For example, children are not provided with space to rest, when they show signs of being tired. This shows that the care and teaching are not tailored to children's individual needs. n Leaders do not ensure that staff who work in the baby room have relevant training that addresses the care of babies. This leads to staff having a weak understanding of children's needs. In the pre-school room, children often wander around and some are exposed to limited interactions. Staff deployment does not support children's learning and development. For example, at times a member of staff conducts a whole class story session, while staff are kept busy with other duties. This means children are not supported sufficiently and become disengaged from their learning. n Staff do not implement effective strategies to manage children's behaviour. For example, staff do not treat children fairly and do not challenge unwanted

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need to do better?

behaviour consistently. They do not use appropriate strategies or language to teach children about expectations. This leaves children not knowing what is expected of them and confused. n Risks assessments are not effective, as not all risks are identified by the leader and/or staff in a timely manner. Children are exposed to choking hazards in the setting. In the pre-school class, some children walk around with fruit in their mouth, without staff identifying the risk. Children are served food that poses a choking risk, such as sausage. This, combined with staff's lack of knowledge of relevant emergency procedures, places children at risk of harm. n Parents say their partnerships with the setting are positive. Parents and children are warmly welcomed into the nursery. Parents praise the communication with key people, including about children's play and care. However, leaders fail to ensure parents know the setting's complaint process or how to contact Ofsted if

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need to do better?

they have a concern about the provider. n Leaders are not doing enough to improve the poor curriculum or teaching. Staff do not have a good knowledge of how to support children who speak English as an additional language. They lack awareness of the importance of providing children with opportunities to use and celebrate their home language, in order to develop their communication and language skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Weaknesses in leadership and management significantly compromise children's safety. The provider fails to monitor the effectiveness of the safeguarding training provided. Staff have a limited awareness of the signs and symptoms of abuse that may indicate that a child may be at risk of harm. Staff do not have a sufficient knowledge of the setting's child protection procedure, in line with local safeguarding partnership procedures for reporting safeguarding concerns. They are not sure what to do if a child discloses sensitive information or when an allegation is being made against an adult working with children. Risk assessment is not robust enough to identify and minimise risk to children's health. Some staff have poor understanding of first-aid procedures to follow if/when a child is choking.

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Due date

ensure all staff are alert to issues in a child's home life or elsewhere that are potential safeguarding concerns 17/07/2023

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Due date

ensure that designated safeguarding leads have required knowledge to fulfil their responsibilities and provide support and guidance to any staff on ongoing basis, to ensure that all staff know how to recognise concerns about child's welfare and when to make timely referrals to statutory safeguarding authorities 17/07/2023

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Due date

ensure that all staff understand the safeguarding policies and procedure, so they are clear about what to do if children's comments give causes for concern and know procedure to follow if inappropriate behaviour was displayed by any adult working with children or if/when allegation is being made against adult working with the children 17/07/2023

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Due date

ensure all staff have a clear knowledge of 'Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales' so they can identify and know what to do if they believe a child may be exposed to radicalisation and extremism 17/07/2023

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Due date

provide effective supervision, monitoring and coaching to help staff understand their roles and responsibilities to improve the quality of the provision and to provide quality learning and development experiences for all children 17/07/2023

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Due date

27 June 2023 ensure that all newly qualified staff included in ratios has an either a full paediatric first aid (PFA) or an emergency PFA certificate within three months of starting work 17/07/2023

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Due date

ensure key person-approach is used to tailor care to effectively meet children's individual needs 17/07/2023

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Due date

ensure staff are deployed effectively to keep children safe and meet their needs at all times 17/07/2023

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Due date

ensure that children's behaviour is managed fairly, positively and in an appropriate way to support their well- being and understanding of what is right and wrong 17/07/2023

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Due date

improve risk assessment to ensure that all risks to children's safety are identified and actions are taken to remove or minimise risks and hazards 17/07/2023

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Due date

make available to parents and/or carers details about how to contact Ofsted, if they believe the provider is not meeting the EYFS requirements. 17/07/2023

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Due date

design a curriculum that is ambitious for all children, including those who speak English as an additional language 27/07/2023

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Due date

improve and monitor the implementation of the educational programmes to ensure that children's learning is maximised and they achieve the progress they are capable of making. 27/07/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2619037 Local authority Hillingdon Inspection number 10262431 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 35 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person Melissa's Magical Years LTD

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reference number

Telephone number 07523171578 Date of previous inspection 21 October 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Melissas Magical Years registered in 2021 and is located in Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon. The setting is open Monday to Friday from 8am until 6.30pm, all year round. The setting employs seven staff to work with the children. Of these, six staff hold childcare qualifications from level 2 to level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken this into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they are doing within the setting. n The inspector observed the interactions between the staff and children. n The inspector had discussions with staff and parents and took account of their views. n The inspector reviewed relevant documents and held discussions with leaders about nursery practices and procedures.

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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

27 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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