Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries - Acton Park

Inspection of Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries - Acton Park Hungry Caterpillar Day Nursery at Acton Park Children's Centre, Acton Park, East Acton Lane, LONDON W3 7LJ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Staff are kind, friendly and welcoming. This helps children to separate easily from their parents. Staff offer children cuddles and reassurance as they guide them to the activities on offer. Children form warm and positive bonds with staff and their peers. They are confident to approach new people and visitors. For example, older children show them toys and ask questions, which shows they feel secure.

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The provision requires improvement

Leaders design a broad and well-sequenced curriculum and have clear intentions for children's learning. They aim to prepare children for the next stage in their learning. For younger children, staff implement this effectively. However, for older children, staff do not always consider what children need to learn next when delivering activities. This means that not all children make the progress of which they are capable.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff do not always fully consider how the organisation of some activities impacts on children's behaviour and engagement. For example, at times, some children display unwanted behaviour, such as pushing, while wandering around and looking for things to do. Nevertheless, in general, staff manage children's behaviour well, and they help children to resolve conflicts. Staff provide children with clear and consistent messages about their behaviour.

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need to do better?

n Children enjoy varied and healthy snack and meals. However, at times, staff do not ensure that all children wash their hands before eating or wipe their noses, when needed. Some staff do not follow the nursery's procedure for nappy changing. In addition, they do not consistently implement the 'no shoe policy' in the baby area. This does not support children's good health. n Key persons identify the appropriate next steps in children's learning and plan activities based on children's interests. However, the wider staff team does not implement this information effectively. For example, staff help younger children to fill and empty containers with pasta, while older children find it too easy and soon become disengaged. Some staff are not aware of what children know and can already do, and they do not always extend their learning. They do not provide children with consistent and meaningful interactions to build on their

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need to do better?

existing knowledge. n Children develop a love of stories, songs and rhymes. Staff sing songs and rhymes with children. Children enjoy listening to stories and often explore books independently. Staff ask questions and encourage children to talk about the story. However, staff do not always consider the organisation of the environment when reading stories. For example, they share a book with younger children while older children sing loudly. This does not support children to listen

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need to do better?

30 January 2024 effectively and understand the story. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are learning English as an additional language. n Children are well settled and confident in the nursery. They initiate play with their friends, engage in role play, such as being builders, and enjoy conversations together. In general, children demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. However, there are times when staff do not organise activities and routines well enough. This leads to some children being disengaged in their learning and demonstrating some unwanted behaviour. n Children have plenty of opportunities to play outside in the garden and develop their large muscles. They move around with confidence and use equipment, tools and resources safely. Staff support children's small muscles as they encourage children to explore with a range of malleable materials, such as sand

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need to do better?

and play dough. Younger children manipulate and join magnetic shapes to create their constructions. Older children practise their early writing skills by, for example, attempting to write their names. n Staff, including those who are in training, feel well supported in their roles. Leaders provide staff with regular opportunities for supervision. They discuss staff's performance and any areas for improvement. Leaders recognise the areas where staff need more support. n Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents value the daily dialogue and updates they receive on the dedicated app about their children's care needs and development. They describe staff as 'welcoming and caring' and state that their children enjoy attending the nursery.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Due date

ensure that staff know and follow the nursery's health and safety policies consistently, including hygiene procedures, to prevent the spread of infection and to support children's good health consistently. 04/03/2024

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should:

n make sure that all staff understand children's individual needs, interests and abilities, so they can plan meaningful opportunities to build on what children know and can do, in particular for older children n consider the effect that background noise has on children's developing communication skills n review the organisation of the activities and routines and help staff to understand the impact of these on children's engagement and behaviour.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY462782 Local authority Ealing Inspection number 10304960 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 26 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0208 7490715 Date of previous inspection 7 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries - Acton Park is located at Acton Park Children's Centre in the London Borough of Ealing. The nursery is open each weekday, from 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. It is in receipt of funding to provide early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs eight staff, including the manager. Of these, seven staff hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 2 and above.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about the curriculum and what they want children to learn. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector held discussions with leaders to assess the effectiveness of leadership and management. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation and evaluated the quality of education. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Leaders provided the inspector with a sample of documentation, including

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Inspection activities

documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

30 January 2024 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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