Little Explorers Daycare Nursery Trading As Little Adventurers Day Care Nursery

Inspection of Little Explorers Daycare Nursery Trading As Little Adventurers Day Care Nursery 24 Severn Drive, Upminster, Essex RM14 1SW

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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

Children's health and safety cannot be assured. Staff do not always risk assess the suitability of the activities they provide for children. This can make play unsafe. For instance, staff do not check that the paint used in the baby room by babies is suitable for their age. As a result, young babies eat non-edible paint. Nonetheless, children arrive happy and settle well. Parents come into the setting and spend some time settling their children in the morning to help support their emotional well-being. Children are given the opportunities to make choices and be independent. They select fruit of their choice for breakfast and older children butter their own toast. Children explore their environment. Staff know the children well and set up activities that interest children.

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The provision is inadequate

The manager generally has high expectations of what she would like the children to learn. However, staffs' expectations for children's behaviour and personal development are not high enough and this has a negative impact on children's learning and well-being. The weaknesses identified at this inspection relating children's behaviour and their safety mean that children are not well prepared for school or the next stage of their learning. Staff do not teach children to behave in ways that keep themselves and others safe. For example, children play with a bucket-pulley system attached to the ceiling but do not understand the consequences of letting go of the rope when the bucket is high up. Staff do not respond to children's inappropriate behaviour or teach them how to play safely. This puts children at risk of having an injury. Furthermore, some staff do not always model good hygiene routines to help teach children about good hygiene

p.2

The provision is inadequate

practices. During tooth brushing routines, children place other children's toothbrushes into their mouth and staff do not correct their behaviour. This puts children at risk of cross infection.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Overall, staff plan and provide activities that are appropriate for the age of the children in their care. Younger children have lavender to explore and they explore with their senses. Toddlers enjoy rhyme time and use props, such as crates and fabrics, to create a set and help encourage their participation. Older children extend their imagination during role play. For instance, children use shopping trolleys and tills to replicate real-life experiences. Children pretend to be dentists and draw and write notes as they play.

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need to do better?

n Not all staff follow good health and hygiene practices to help support children's well-being. For instance, during self-service at mealtimes, staff do not remove food that children have put back into the serving dish from their own plate to help prevent the spread of germs. This has a negative impact on children's

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need to do better?

Day Care Nursery 28 February 2023 health and puts them at risk of cross-contamination. n Staff's management of behaviour is inconsistent. They do not routinely teach children about the consequences of their actions to help them understand how their behaviour can impact others. This means that any unsafe behaviour repeats itself. However, children listen and respond well to staff, such as following their instructions. Children are proud of what they can do and are confident to show their achievements to staff. n The manager, who is also the provider, does not ensure that bedding used for children is clean, safe and suitable. For instance, sleep mats are damaged, with the filling protruding. Older children use cushions that have been pre-used by others. Furthermore, some younger toddlers are put to sleep in bouncers. This practice is not in line with recent government guidance and puts children at risk.

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need to do better?

n The manager reflects on the practice at the nursery. She recognises areas of practice that are positive and some areas she wants to develop to help improve the experiences for children. For instance, she currently spends time planning events across the age groups to teach children about the importance of nature and our environment. However, the manager has not been successful in recognising significant areas of weakness in practice, such as ineffective risk assessment procedures, to ensure that children's outcomes and care are of continual good quality. n Children have appropriate opportunities to practise their independence skills. For instance, each room has a self-registration process that is suitable for the age group of children. Children are able to carefully cut their fruit and pour their drinks at snack time. n Partnership with parents is a distinct strength. Staff discuss children's learning

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need to do better?

and progress with parents frequently and in detail. This helps parents support children's learning at home. Parents say staff are approachable and they feel confident that they can talk to the management team if they have any concerns. n Children develop their literacy skills suitably. Toddler room staff read books to children. Children are excited when they see familiar texts. Staff plan activities related to the books they have read to children to help extend learning further, such as discussing how they can rescue vegetables that are frozen in a block of ice. The children use their problem-solving skills to ask for tools that they can use to break the ice. The children enjoy working collaboratively with their peers during this activity; conversations flow and staff introduce new vocabulary suitably.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The breaches relating to safeguarding and welfare requirements mean that children's safety and well-being cannot be assured. Poor hygiene routines have a negative impact on children's health and well-being. Sleeping arrangements are not consistently safe for all children and some bedding is not suitable for use. Risk assessments are ineffective at helping staff to recognise and remove potential hazards to children to help ensure their safety. However, staff have child protection

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Safeguarding

Day Care Nursery 28 February 2023 training and are aware of the signs of abuse. They know who to report any concerns to. The manager is aware of the referral processes and the support available to her through the local authority. The setting follows procedures appropriately to ensure that employees are suitable to work with children and ongoing suitability processes are in place to check that employees remain suitable.

p.3

Due date

implement effective risk assessment procedures, particularly with regard to the resources provided for children, to ensure that any hazards to children are identified and removed 28/04/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure all sleeping arrangements for children are safe, with particular regard to providing clean and suitable bedding that is in good condition 28/04/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure robust hygiene practices are implemented and followed by staff to promote children's good health and physical well-being 28/04/2023

p.4

Due date

develop staff's understanding of how to manage and respond to children's behaviour to support children to understand how their actions can affect them and others. 28/04/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY485750 Local authority Havering Inspection number 10265401 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 64 Number of children on roll 113 Name of registered person Little Explorers Day Care Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07594 446181 Date of previous inspection 5 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Little Explorers Daycare Nursery Trading As Little Adventurers Day Care Nursery registered in 2015. It is situated in Upminister, in the London Borough of Havering. The nursery opens from 7.30am to 6.15pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The provider employs 24 staff, of whom 20 hold a relevant childcare qualification between level 2 and level 6. The provider is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery 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 had discussions with the manager, who is also the provider, throughout the day and during the learning walk. n The inspector observed the quality of education provided at the setting for all age groups and the impact it has on children. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n Staff members, parents and children were invited to share their views with the inspector. n The manager and inspector completed a joint observation together of a group activity.

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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

Day Care Nursery 28 February 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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