Little Sunflowers

Inspection of Sunflowers Nursery Beacon Road, Pheasey, Great Barr, Birmingham B43 7BW

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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

Although the provider is fully aware that on numerous occasions the required staff- to-child ratios are not met, they have done nothing to rectify the situation. Consideration has not been given to what would happen in an emergency situation. Therefore, at these times, children's safety is compromised. Despite this, even though ratios are not maintained, staff work diligently to engage children in activities and support their learning. As a result, children make good progress. Children build close relationships with staff and their peers. They enjoy their time in nursery and settle quickly into the activities, separating well from their parents. Children make informed choices about their play and choose from a wide range of resources. They involve staff in their play and enjoy sharing what they are doing with them.

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The provision is inadequate

Children thoroughly enjoy spending time outdoors and have plenty of fresh air and exercise each day. They enjoy learning how things grow and help to plant and tend to fruit and vegetables in the garden. Children learn to use small tools safely and older children play an active role in assessing the garden to ensure it is safe before going outside. Children enjoy being creative. They confidently name the colours of paints and make hand prints and marks on paper. Younger children search for shells in small paddling pools filled with sand. They carefully brush the sand away with various paintbrushes and show great delight when they find a shell hidden in the sand.

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need to do better?

n Weaknesses in leadership and management impact on the safety of children and the well-being of staff. Required staff-to-child ratios are not being consistently maintained. This places pressure on staff to manage the care of the children effectively. The provider does not consider how the lack of staff could impact on children's safety if an emergency situation arose. n All staff access professional development opportunities to continually build their knowledge and skills. This has helped them to develop a curriculum that supports children to make good progress. Staff regularly observe and assess children and use the information to plan interesting activities to enrich their learning. However, at times, staff do not use planned activities well enough to fully maximise children's learning. For example, even though staff recognise that younger children cannot successfully scoop icing sugar onto biscuits because

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need to do better?

they do not have enough control of the spoon, they do not offer alternative resources. As a result, children's involvement in the activity is lessened. n Staff are positive role models and enhance children's understanding of right from wrong through gentle reminders. They build children's self-esteem and confidence through praise and encouragement. Children learn to share and take

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need to do better?

5 July 2023 turns through play and show kindness towards each other. As a result, children's behaviour is good. n Children develop a good awareness of themselves and what makes them unique. They use mirrors to look at themselves, identifying their features and talking about similarities and differences between each other. They create their own self-portraits and see positive images of people from different cultural backgrounds. Staff gather key words from parents to use in nursery to support those children who speak English as an additional language. n Independence is encouraged from an early age. Babies and younger children use wipes to clean their hands and faces after eating and messy play, and older children independently use the bathroom to wash their hands. Staff work closely with parents to support children through toilet training. Clear routines for nappy changing help to ensure that children feel comfortable throughout the day.

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need to do better?

n Children delight in looking at books independently or with an adult. Younger children recognise and name animals, such as lions, dogs, monkeys and snakes, and can repeat the sounds they make. Older children recognise and name various dinosaurs, identifying which are big with a long neck and which have scales or plates on their backs. However, at times, staff miss opportunities to extend children's language even further to fully support their communication. n Children enjoy freshly prepared meals and snacks each day and fresh drinking water is accessible at all times. Staff encourage children to feed themselves. Effective procedures ensure that children's dietary needs are known by all staff and met throughout the day. n Parents speak positively about the care staff provide for their children and the learning opportunities available to them. They welcome the communication between themselves and staff, both verbally and through the use of an online

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need to do better?

application which keeps them informed of their child's progress. n Staff use information gathered through their observations and assessments to identify possible gaps in children's learning. They liaise with parents and other professionals to ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive the support they need to make good progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Young children's safety is not assured because there are not sufficient staff available to care for children at the start of the day. Staff-to-child ratios are not maintained, which places children at risk in the event of an emergency situation. That said, the premises are safe and secure. Staff demonstrate a secure knowledge of the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm and neglect. They understand how to make a referral to ensure that children are safeguarded or if they have a concern about a colleague's practice. Recruitment procedures are secure and professional development opportunities are identified through ongoing monitoring of staff's practice.

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Due date

ensure required staff-to-child ratios are maintained at all times. 14/07/2023

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should:

n enhance opportunities to extend children's language and communication skills even further during planned and spontaneous activities n consider the age and abilities of children when planning activities, to ensure that resources are appropriate and children's learning is extended even more.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 254496 Local authority Walsall Inspection number 10302089 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 104 Number of children on roll 145 Name of registered person Sunflowers Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 0121 360 9859 Date of previous inspection 12 December 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Sunflowers Nursery registered in 2000. It is one of two nurseries owned by the provider. The nursery is located in the Great Barr area of Birmingham. The nursery employs 34 members of childcare staff. Of these, 30 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and 3. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two and three years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The deputy manager, the manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual, managers and the deputy manager about the leadership and management of the setting. 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. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection.

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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

5 July 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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