Banana Moon Colchester

Inspection of Banana Moon Colchester Oyster Court, St. Helens Lane, Colchester, Essex CO1 1TY

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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

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not make good levels of progress in relation to their starting points. The provider aims to provide an ambitious curriculum. However, it is not planned and implemented effectively by staff to support what children need to learn next. Children do not receive high-quality educational experiences and activities that continually inspire and spark their curious minds. Resources available to children do not excite or interest them. Consequently, children quickly become bored, which results in poor behaviour. The support and learning opportunities for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are inadequate. Staff do not have the necessary skills or knowledge of children's individual specific needs to meet their care and learning requirements. Therefore, children show their frustration by pushing their peers or throwing toys.

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The provision is inadequate

Children's emotional development is not promoted. Not all children have a key person assigned to them. This leaves some children, especially younger children or those newer to the nursery, upset and unsure of what is expected. Staff deployment is not effective to ensure that all children receive good levels of teaching and care. Younger and quieter children are often overlooked by staff who focus on managing other children's challenging behaviour. However, children who are due to go to school have opportunities to develop skills, such as independence. They serve their own drinks and food. Some children are also learning how to recognise the letters in their name.

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need to do better?

n The provider has failed to ensure that the deployment of staff meets all children's needs, including the youngest children and children with SEND. Consequently, staff struggle to support those children as well as others in the room. This leaves some children, especially the quieter ones, left for long periods without any adult interaction or quality learning experiences. Staff are not given the skills, guidance or help to enable them to provide children with SEND with the best possible care and learning opportunities. Consequently, some children's time at nursery lacks appropriate focus to help them learn new skills. n Staff struggle to cope with some children's unpredictable physical and emotional behaviours. They spend time trying to deal with each behaviour outburst rather than helping children to recognise and self-regulate their feelings and emotions. n The key-person system fails to provide all children with a special person to turn

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need to do better?

to for reassurance or help. Recent staff changes have left some children, particularly toddlers, without an assigned key person. This means they are unable to form a stable, secure relationship with a named, consistent person who meets their needs and supports their learning. In addition, some parents

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need to do better?

12 June 2023 are unaware of their child's key person. n The manager completes staff supervisions every three months. However, these are not sufficiently targeted to identify weaknesses in practice. Staff do not receive appropriate training to help them develop their personal effectiveness and skills in order to raise the quality of teaching and educational programmes. This means that children are unable to make good levels of progress in relation to their individual starting points. n The provider has failed to ensure that the curriculum is ambitious to help all children make good levels of progress. Activities are not planned to support what children need to learn next. Staff do not provide children with resources that inspire, excite and motivate them to play. In addition, tables are left bare, and where resources are on tables, they are often not age-appropriate or sufficient to spark children's imaginative skills.

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need to do better?

n Generally, parents are happy and appreciate the updates that staff share with them online. They comment that they share their thoughts about their children's achievements at home, verbally at handovers and by adding comments to their children's learning records online. Staff build partnerships with professionals, such as the early education and inclusion partners. They welcome school teachers into the nursery to enable them to meet and see children in a familiar environment.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff recognise the many signs and symptoms that may indicate children are at risk of harm or abuse. Regular training and discussions during staff meetings help to keep their knowledge updated and in line with current guidance. Staff understand the risks posed to children from extremist behaviours and radicalisation. They know what steps to take if they have any concerns about a colleague's conduct. Staff understand the importance of reporting any concerns and they know the appropriate safeguarding procedures to follow to make referrals.

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Due date

improve the arrangements for staff deployment to ensure that the needs of all children are continuously met 21/07/2023

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Due date

take action to improve the care and support for children with SEND 21/07/2023

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Due date

12 June 2023 ensure that children's behaviour is managed in an appropriate and consistent way 21/07/2023

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Due date

take action to ensure that every child is assigned a key person who provides them with a stable, secure and settled relationship, tailoring their care to meet their individual needs 21/07/2023

p.4

Due date

improve the support, training and coaching for staff to help raise the quality of education and teaching 21/07/2023

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Due date

take action to implement effectively an ambitious curriculum for all children to help them make good progress 21/07/2023

p.4

Due date

improve activities to provide greater levels of challenge and excitement that spark and ignite children's curiosity and meet their age and stage of development. 21/07/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY496549 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10298152 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 106 Number of children on roll 111 Name of registered person Go Leisure Colchester Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01206549946 Date of previous inspection 5 July 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Banana Moon Colchester registered in 2016. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate qualification at level 5, six hold appropriate qualifications at level 3 and two staff hold qualifications at level 2. The nursery also employs a chef. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 7pm.

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Inspection activities

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 viewed all areas of the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The deputy manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation together. n Parents shared their views on the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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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