Judy Clark Childcare

Inspection of Judy Clark Childcare West Marsh Children's Centre, Macaulay Street, Grimsby, N E Lincolnshire DN31 2ES

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is inadequate

Children's well-being is not maintained. Staff and management lack knowledge of the procedures to follow if safeguarding concerns are identified about a child or a staff member. Policies relating to mobile phones lack rigour and are poorly implemented. For example, staff and visitors use their phones in the presence of children. Although sound recruitment procedures are in place, these are not followed. This means that new staff work with children prior to any suitability checks being completed. Children's safety is compromised because of these poor practices.

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not consistently benefit from good-quality learning experiences. Staff's knowledge of how children learn is variable. Management have considered the key skills and knowledge that they wish for children to learn in preparation for their next steps in education. However, while some staff are aware of how to build on their key children's prior knowledge and skills, others are less familiar. Positive relationships are supported to develop between parents, children and staff due to the effective settling-in procedures. Children behave well as they receive praise and encouragement. However, inconsistencies in staff practice result in children not consistently benefiting from purposeful, challenging play experiences. This means that while children happily play, they are not always effectively supported to develop their curiosity and concentration.

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need to do better?

n Poor knowledge and implementation of safeguarding procedures result in children's welfare not being protected. Sound performance management processes for staff are in place. However, the manager confirms that these have not been implemented recently as she has been working in ratios caring for children. This has resulted in coaching and support for staff not being fully effective. n Children freely move between indoor and outdoor play, where they engage in some purposeful play experiences, However, some staff are more skilled at supporting children in their play and learning than others. These staff understand what they want individual children to learn next, which enables them to plan challenging learning experiences for children. However, other staff only have a generalised idea of how activities can be used to support children's learning. This results in some activities lacking purpose, resulting in children not

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need to do better?

being effectively supported to make the progress of which they are capable. n Occasionally, staff are slow to identify children who are less engaged in purposeful play. These children sometimes move around accessing different play resources with little staff interaction. At other times when children choose not to engage in routine activities, such as story time, staff do consistently provide

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need to do better?

6 September 2023 them with alternative quality interactions and experiences. Some staff are skilled at providing children with explanations, whereas others just advise children 'no'. This varied practice does not effectively promote children's curiosity, engagement and learning. n Staff work closely with other professionals who are involved with some of the children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They follow targeted support plans for these children to ensure that their needs are met. n Positive links are created with the adjoining school. Information is shared and exchanged with school staff prior to children moving onto the school nursery. This helps to create a seamless transition when children move on. n Some staff are skilled as they provide a dialogue of what children are doing, introduce new words associated with objects, and asks questions during children's play. However, these staff do not always leave children with enough

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need to do better?

time to think and respond, whereas other staff are not as effective at talking to children and introducing simple words during their play. These varied interactions do not consistently support children to build on their communication and language skills. n When building with bricks, staff introduce children to mathematical language when they talk about how big the tower will be. During outside play, staff allow children to move crates and position them as they see fit. Children carefully negotiate and balance as they step in and up onto the differently positioned crates. Staff remain close by offering support. As children are encouraged to develop confidence in their physical abilities, they begin to walk across the crates by themselves. n Parents confirm that they receive information about their child's ongoing learning and how they can continue to support this at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Children's welfare is not protected. While all required safeguarding policies and procedures are in place, these are not always effective or implemented appropriately. The manager has allowed a new staff member to start working with children without any suitability checks being completed. Staff are aware that they should not use their own mobile phones around children. However, when staff have their lunch break in the room with the children, they are allowed to use their mobile phone. The manager confirms that visitors should not use their mobile phones in the setting. However, on the day of the inspection, a maintenance person used their mobile phone in the presence of children. Staff and management are aware of the possible indicators associated with different forms of abuse. However, some staff, including management, lack an understanding of who to make referrals to should they have any child protection concerns about a staff

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Safeguarding

member or a child. These weaknesses do not ensure children's safety.

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Due date

ensure that all staff have a clear understanding of the procedures to follow if safeguarding concerns are identified about a child or if allegations are made against a staff member 06/10/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that there is a clear policy on the use of mobile phones, which is known and implemented by all staff 06/10/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that safer recruitment procedures are followed so that staff's suitability has been checked prior to allowing them to work with children 15/09/2023

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Due date

ensure that staff understand what they want children to learn so that they can effectively and consistently build on children's prior knowledge and skills 06/10/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that staff consistently guide children's development through positive interactions and engagement so that all children are effectively supported and stimulated in their play and learning 06/10/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that staff consistently support children's growing communication and language skills. 06/10/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 205560 Local authority North East Lincolnshire Inspection number 10306114 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 24 Number of children on roll 44 Name of registered person Judy Clark Childcare Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01472 326 818 Date of previous inspection 16 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Judy Clark Childcare registered in 1993. The setting employs six members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The setting opens from Monday to Friday during term time and can offer holiday care if there is enough demand. Sessions are from 8am until 5.45pm. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Children and staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation during children's play. 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 spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

6 September 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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