Mountlands Day Nursery

Inspection of Mountlands Day Nursery 36 Vicarage Road, Gloucester GL1 4LD

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is inadequate

The management team is not able to recognise weaknesses and bring about improvements, particularly to the content and delivery of the curriculum, which has deteriorated over time. The manager continues to fail to design a curriculum that meets the needs of the children. As a result, children follow an uninspiring curriculum that does not help them to make progress or develop positive attitudes to learning. Children quickly lose focus during the adult-led activities, which neither interest nor challenge them. Staff do not complete required checks for all children when they reach the age of two.

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The provision is inadequate

The key-person system is not effective. Some staff do not know their key children well enough to plan for their learning effectively. They fail to provide meaningful interactions with children to support and develop their knowledge and understanding. Staff spend extended periods of time preparing and laying out activities or completing care routines. This means children spend too long sitting and waiting. Consequently, children lose interest and do not concentrate for sustained periods.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite weaknesses, children are happy to arrive. They have good attachments to staff and seek them out if needed. Children play together and begin to build friendships with peers. Staff give meaningful praise, which boosts children's self- esteem. For example, a staff member says, 'good sharing', as children share the role-play resources. Children take pride in what they have created. For instance, children show their friends the drawings and paintings they have made.

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need to do better?

n Ongoing weaknesses that have been raised at previous inspections remain a concern. The manager does not have a good enough understanding of what good practice looks like and is unable to recognise when there are weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum. She is not able to model and provide targeted support to help staff to improve their practice. This means that the expectations set by staff are not challenging enough for the children. Consequently, when staff plan play activities and experiences for children, they are not always appropriate, stimulating or interesting. Therefore, children lose interest, lack understanding and are not engaged in their play. Children do not develop the skills they need to prepare them for future learning. n The curriculum is ineffective. Although the manager knows what she wants children to learn, she does not ensure that she and the staff deliver this. She has

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need to do better?

designed a curriculum to focus on children's independence and communication and language so that they can manage their feelings and behaviour in readiness for school. However, the manager and staff do not know what children need to

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need to do better?

26 September 2023 learn next and do not provide the support and challenge to help children achieve. Staff do not capture the children's interests because they do not make children's learning interactive. They talk at the children rather than encouraging them to be actively involved. For example, staff show children how to make 'slime'. They allow them to stir the slime once, but the children sit and watch for the remainder of time it is being made. Children lack engagement and turn their attention away from the activity. At times, children sit and look out of the window aimlessly. n The manager does not make sure that all staff can meet the needs of their key children. Some staff do not know the needs, interests, and development of the children for whom they are responsible, nor do they know if they have had the progress check at aged two. Consequently, children's overall learning needs are not met. n The management team does not organise daily routines well enough to meet the

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need to do better?

needs of all children. Children are directed from one sit-down activity to another and remain at these activities for long periods of time. Staff struggle to fill this time with purposeful learning. As a result, children disengage and become restless. This does not help children to develop a positive attitude to learning. n Although the manager plans activities for children to do, many of these involve sitting or standing to complete them. She does not carefully consider the curriculum so that children can move their bodies in a variety of ways during the day to develop their gross motor skills. n Parents spoken to on the day of the inspection report that their children are happy and settled. They say that they find out about the activities their children have taken part in that day. They report that they have regular communication from the staff about any changes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff can recognise the signs and symptoms that may be a cause for concern, and they know the reporting procedures to follow. The manager carries out risk assessments and ensures that staff are suitably deployed. The manager and staff ensure that the premises are safe and secure so that children cannot leave unsupervised. There are appropriate vetting and recruitment procedures in place to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

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Due date

26 September 2023 ensure the key-person system in effective at meeting children's individual needs 30/11/2023

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Due date

complete the required progress checks for children between the ages of two and three years to identify any areas where progress is less than expected and share these with parents. Provide targeted support to improve identified gaps in children's learning and development 27/10/2023

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Due date

plan and deliver a broad, ambitious and stimulating curriculum that builds on every child's knowledge and skills and helps them to make good progress in their learning 28/12/2023

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Due date

ensure the management team has a good understanding of what good practice looks like so that they can model and support staff to improve their practice 30/11/2023

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Due date

improve daily routines to reduce waiting times and meet the individual needs of all children. 13/10/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY549276 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10266557 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 20 Number of children on roll 30 Name of registered person Sparkling Angels Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01452 506880 Date of previous inspection 18 November 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Mountlands Day Nursery registered in 2018 and is situated in Gloucester. It is open from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, all year round, except for one week over Christmas and Easter. The nursery has three members of staff who work with the children, all of whom hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of the nursery. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with parents as part of the inspection process. n A leadership and management meeting was held with the manager and deputy. n A joint observation were completed with the inspector.

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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

26 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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