Curious Children Day Nursery

Inspection of Curious Children Day Nursery 113a-113b Woolwich Road, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0RF

p.1

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 Inadequate

p.1

The provision is inadequate

Weaknesses in leadership and management persist. The provider's ongoing failure to identify and address areas of concern means that children's safety and well- being cannot be assured. For instance, risks to children are not recognised and removed to ensure all areas of the premises are safe. The provider does not ensure that staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities or implement procedures consistently. At times, communication between staff is poor. For example, some senior staff are unaware that staff have left the premises. This means that staff are sometimes not deployed well enough to ensure children's emotional well-being. During these times when children's emotional needs are not met, they do not fully engage in learning.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Children are now cared for by suitably qualified staff who help children to learn basic skills. Staff have improved the organisation of the outdoor area. However, teaching is still inconsistent across the nursery. Some children, do not receive good levels of support to help them develop their communication skills. Nonetheless, children have some positive experiences. Staff are generally caring and attentive when deployed with children appropriately. They interact well with children during personal care routines. Children who have recently started to walk gain confidence as they move around the learning environment. Children engage with and enjoy activities, such as sensory play.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff do not implement risk assessment procedures effectively to help maintain children's safety. For example, children are observed to wash their hands beneath a visibly unstable shelf. This poses a risk to children's safety. Staff adopt an inconsistent approach to some policies, such as the need to remove outdoor shoes in the baby room. This does not help children to understand what is expected of them. n Since the last inspection the provider has worked with local advisers and external consultants to help make improvements. However, the provider is not able to ensure that all aspects of the nursery's action plan are addressed. A new manager has recently been appointed and there are plans to improve supervision and support for staff. However, this is in its infancy. Breaches of legal requirements persist. n The provider does not ensure that a member of the management team is always on the premises, as required. For instance, at the start of the inspection, there

p.2

need to do better?

was no manager or deputy manager on site. In the absence of the manager and deputy, the provider does not ensure that there is a clear named person in charge to take responsibility for the running of the nursery. They fail to ensure that staff are aware of their allocated roles and responsibilities.

p.2

need to do better?

7 December 2023 n Leaders do not always delegate staff well to help support children who need emotional reassurance. For example, leaders ask staff identified as key persons to collect children from school without the knowledge of the deputy manager. As a result, at times, key persons are not always available to give children who need additional emotional support, the attention that they need. In addition, on occasion babies are passed between practitioners during busy periods and do not receive consistent attention from their key persons as they settle-in. This does not fully support children's emotional well-being. n Occasionally, activities are not interesting or exciting enough for children. This leads to younger children becoming upset and does not help children to develop positive attitudes to learning. However, as children become disengaged from learning the deputy manager intervenes and organises a dinosaur hunt which

p.2

need to do better?

children go on to enjoy. The quality of teaching across the nursery is variable. n Some children have limited opportunities to develop their early communication. At times, some of the youngest children are overlooked and receive little attention from staff as they play. Staff do not adapt teaching well enough to engage the youngest children during story and song activities. Some older children who experience languages other than English at home develop their English speaking skills well. n Staff supervise children effectively during mealtimes and encourage them to behave well. They support children to self-serve healthy and nutritious meals that meet their dietary requirements. Staff arrange outings that expose children to different communities, faiths and cultures. n Parents speak about the improvements that they notice, such as increased independence and improvements in their child's physical development. Parents

p.3

need to do better?

receive support to understand the technology used to share information about their child's experiences. Staff offer parents warm welcomes as they arrive with their child. Staff work well with parents to achieve successful toilet training. However, key information about children is not always shared, such as the languages that children speak at home.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff are not alert to potential hazards, such as trailing wires or blocked fire exits. The lead practitioner responsible for safeguarding has the knowledge required for the role and is able to give appropriate advice and support. Staff understand how to recognise and respond to concerns that a child may be at risk of harm or abuse. They know what to do if worried about the suitability of a colleague. Staff work collaboratively with relevant agencies and share appropriate information. The provider has arrangements to check the initial and ongoing suitability of staff.

p.3

Due date

implement effective risk assessments to identify and minimise any risks to children to help keep them safe 18/01/2024

p.4

Due date

ensure that staff are aware of their roles and have the knowledge and skills required to fulfil any allocated responsibilities 18/01/2024

p.4

Due date

provide appropriate support, training and supervision, so that all staff consistently plan and implement an ambitious curriculum for children and apply a consistent approach to policies 18/01/2024

p.4

Due date

improve key person arrangements so that children are able to build strong bonds with staff who know them well and to support effective partnerships with their parents 18/01/2024

p.4

Due date

improve the curriculum for communication and language so that younger children have opportunities to interact with others, learn new words and develop their speaking skills. 18/01/2024

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number 2641126 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 10304089 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 66 Number of children on roll 8 Name of registered person Curious Children Day Nursery Ltd

p.5

reference number

Telephone number 07956310234 Date of previous inspection 12 June 2023

p.5

Information about this early years setting

Curious Children Day Nursery registered in 2021. It is situated in the Greenwich Peninsula, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The nursery operates on weekdays from 8am to 6pm, all year round. Eight staff are employed to work with children. Of these, four staff hold qualifications at level 3 and one holds a qualification at level 2. The manager holds a level 6 qualification.

p.5

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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The deputy manager 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 The deputy manager discussed the leadership and management of the setting with the inspector. 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 observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

p.6

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.

p.6

Inspection activities

7 December 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.

p.6

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7