Little Gardners Nursery

Inspection of Little Gardners Nursery Main Road, Marchwood, Southampton SO40 4ZH

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement 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

Significant weaknesses in the knowledge of the designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) compromise children's well-being. Leaders do not understand their responsibilities regarding allegation management and the referral process for children. This does not assure children's safety.

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The provision is inadequate

Nevertheless, children generally arrive happy and settle from their parents with ease. Older children play well together and seek out their friends on arrival. Staff encourage independence. As a result, children go to the toilet, put on their coats and boots, and pour their own drinks. Behaviour is good and children show positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy music and movement sessions and confidently wiggle their bodies to the songs.

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The provision is inadequate

Younger babies and toddlers explore their environment. They enjoy painting, which helps to develop their fine motor skills as they competently use the tools. They sit with staff and listen to stories in the book corner. This helps to develop their communication and language skills, as staff look at pictures with them, talking about what they can see.

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The provision is inadequate

Although staff plan a variety of activities for the children to enjoy, they do not base these on relevant, targeted next steps for the children. This is due to weaknesses in the planning programme. Despite this, children benefit from warm, kind and courteous interactions with the staff. They enjoy free-play activities, such as role play and construction. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make some progress in their learning.

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need to do better?

n The leadership team has not fully addressed the concerns that led to this inspection. The manager and DSLs do not know the procedures to follow in the event of concerns about adults and children in their care. As a result, processes are not followed, and they failed to notify Ofsted of a safeguarding concern. In addition, security is compromised as the gate code is given to contractors who can then access the building unsupervised. This impacts on children's personal development, as weaknesses in adults' knowledge of child protection procedures could put children at risk of harm. n The leadership team does not have systems in place to ensure the safe and effective running of the nursery. For example, essential documentation is not checked to ensure it is fully completed with dates and times. There is no monitoring to ensure the balance of qualified and unqualified staff is correct. Policies are not always effective. For example, leaders have not identified the

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need to do better?

potential risk due to staff's personal phones being easily accessible. Staff report

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need to do better?

2 August 2023 there is no oversight of their practice to ensure they are meeting requirements. n Staff know the children well and provide a range of activities for them. However, the planning system is not precise and does not focus on what children need to develop. The leadership team does not ensure children who need additional support receive this quickly, as referrals are not made swiftly to other agencies. Staff do not always gain further information to support children with English as an additional language. This does not ensure all children make the best possible progress. n Despite the weaknesses in the overall quality of children's education, the skilled staff team have high expectations for all children. This minimises the impact on children's behaviour. Staff use praise and encouragement, children understand the rules and boundaries, and behaviour is good. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and persevere in their play. For example, they work

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need to do better?

together to construct pens for the toy animals with magnetic blocks. n Children develop an awareness of healthy lifestyles. For example, they confidently say they are washing their hands for lunch as they have been playing with the toys, and they are dirty. Staff remind children to cover their mouths with their hands when they cough or sneeze. n Parents report that staff are attentive and their children enjoy coming to nursery. They say staff update them on their children's accidents on the online portal. They are happy with the care their children receive. They state they have regular parents' evenings to discuss their children's progress. They comment that their children have developed new skills since being at nursery.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

DSLs do not have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Not all staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedures regarding children's safety and well-being. The DSLs and staff are unclear about the process to follow if they have concerns about an individual's conduct and how to report this appropriately to external agencies. This does not safeguard children. Staff have attended paediatric first-aid training, which helps them to respond swiftly in the event of an accident. They talk about how they would respond in the event of a choking incident.

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Due date

2 August 2023 ensure the DSLs have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding procedures, including how to act on allegations against a member of staff, and can provide accurate support, advice and guidance to staff 16/08/2023

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Due date

ensure that individuals given access to the building are supervised 16/08/2023

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Due date

implement effective arrangements to link with, and help children with SEND access, appropriate support from other professionals and agencies where required 16/08/2023

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Due date

ensure monitoring of staff practice is effective to swiftly identify any concerns and breaches of requirements 16/08/2023

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Due date

improve the planning systems for children to ensure children's individual needs are met and their next steps are appropriate. 16/08/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY473827 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10303235 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 46 Number of children on roll 58 Name of registered person Little Gardners Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 02380 868 700 Date of previous inspection 10 April 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Little Gardners Nursery registered in 2014. It is run by a family-owned limited company. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am until 6pm, except during bank holidays, and over the Christmas period. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 25 staff who work with children. The manager holds a level 5 qualification. Most other members of staff hold relevant qualifications at level 2 or 3. There are four unqualified members of staff.

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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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The deputy manager, manager, deputy room leader and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a mathematics activity with the manager.

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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

2 August 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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