Abeona Warkton

Inspection of Abeona Warkton 30 Warkton Lane, Barton Seagrave, Kettering NN15 5AA

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good 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

The manager has not ensured that staff, including apprentices, have a secure understanding of the safeguarding procedures. This results in some less confident staff having gaps in their knowledge. Safety risks to children are not consistently identified. Therefore, staff are unable to fully ensure children's safety. Some staff do not demonstrate an understanding of the risks associated with babies' formula milk being stored inappropriately.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite the identified weaknesses, children develop positive relationships with the staff. Pre-school children are independent in their play. They work well together, negotiating their play and show they have confidence to choose what they want to do. For example, they decide which trucks they want and which will be best to dig big holes in the sandpit. Three-year-old children are eager to show how they can balance on low-level beams and logs in the outdoor classroom. Babies look to staff for reassurance and approach them for cuddles and comfort as they need it. They explore a range of different textures, such as pine cones, closely supervised by the staff. Children behave well and they are interested and motivated to take part in the activities. Overall, children benefit from the staff's positive interaction as they play.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and managers do not make effective risk assessments because the process for identifying and managing risks is poor. For example, the manager does not recognise the risk of adults having hot drinks while children are present. There is a lack of oversight across the group rooms for under-twos, which results in some hazards not being identified by staff. For example, babies are mistakenly given salt to play with. Trailing cables and items being placed on the edge of a windowsill are not recognised by staff. Babies' formula milk containers are left open, which puts the milk powder at risk of contamination. This lack of oversight and poor management of risks means that some hazards in the nursery are not identified and resolved. n Induction procedures are in place for when staff start work, and they receive some ongoing supervision and support from managers. However, the lack of effective monitoring by managers of staff knowledge has resulted in some staff

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need to do better?

having gaps in their safeguarding knowledge that have not been identified. Some staff do not know about the whistle-blowing procedures or how to escalate safeguarding concerns beyond the management team. Therefore, staff are unable to fully ensure children's welfare. n Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the nursery curriculum. They know the children well and, overall, they provide activities which build on what children know already. Children are keen to take part in activities, although at

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need to do better?

11 December 2023 times, activities, such as for stories, are not adapted well-enough to meet each child's needs. Toddlers who are interested in throwing toys are excited to build towers of paper cups decorated as snowmen and throw soft fabric 'snowballs' to knock the tower over. Staff notice when children show an interest in the different colours on the snowmen's scarves and talk to children about what they have seen. n Staff provide positive support for children's developing communication and language. They speak clearly to children as they play and ask questions that help children think about what they are doing. Staff give children time to share their news and ideas during circle time. Babies smile at staff; they babble and watch staff's faces intently when they speak to them. n Children are busy and interested in the activities provided. They spend long periods engaged in their play. Staff provide a consistent approach when giving

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need to do better?

children reminders about being kind to others. Children show they feel secure. This contributes to children's behaviour being good. They listen to staff who are kind and treat children with respect. n Overall, staff suitably support children from when they start attending the nursery. There are consistent staff in the group rooms and staff spend time with children, playing alongside them. This helps children develop positive relationships with the staff. However, at times, the deployment of staff working with the youngest children is not effective. Some children become upset as staff attend to other tasks and are not able to give them the reassurance they need. At these times, children's emotional needs are not supported well. n Staff help children learn to be independent and they gain skills that help prepare them for the next stage in their learning. Pre-school children put on their own coats and wellington boots ready to play outside and children know where to

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need to do better?

find their water bottles. Children show they are familiar with the daily routine, and they eagerly help when it is time to tidy toys away for lunch. However, the weaknesses identified in risk assessment, poor practice in relation to the storage of formula milk and staff's knowledge of safeguarding do not promote the health and welfare of children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager does not ensure that all staff have a secure understanding of the whistle-blowing policy and how to escalate safeguarding concerns if required. The weaknesses identified in the risk assessments in the nursery do not promote children's safety. Despite this, staff do demonstrate a suitable awareness of how to recognise signs and symptoms of possible abuse and they know who the designated safeguarding leads are in the nursery. Staff make regular checks on children who are asleep. Managers make appropriate checks on new and existing staff to ensure that they are, and remain, suitable to work with children.

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Due date

ensure that all staff understand the safeguarding procedures, particularly in relation to whistle-blowing and how to escalate concerns about children beyond the management team 08/01/2024

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Due date

ensure that risks are swiftly identified and managed through effective risk assessment 08/01/2024

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Due date

ensure that the effective deployment of staff supports children's emotional well- being, particularly at transition times. 08/01/2024

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should:

n improve the organisation of activities to ensure that they are meaningful for each child taking part and maintain their interest.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY491258 Local authority North Northamptonshire Inspection number 10318808 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 78 Number of children on roll 187 Name of registered person Abeona Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01536 618280 Date of previous inspection 2 July 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Abeona Warkton registered in 2015 and is located in Barton Seagrave, Kettering, in Northamptonshire. The nursery employs 34 members of childcare staff. Of these, 24 hold early years qualifications between levels 2 and 7, including one with early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors Melanie Eastwell Charlotte Whalley

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspectors observed the quality of education during a variety of activities, inside and outside, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The manager and both inspectors completed a learning walk together. n The inspectors held a meeting with the manager. They looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspectors spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n One 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

11 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.

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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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