Elm Lane Day Nursery

Inspection of Elm Lane Day Nursery 24 / 26 Church Street, DAGENHAM, Essex RM10 9UR

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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 Inadequate

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The provision requires improvement

Children are greeted by friendly staff and given a warm welcome. This helps children to settle and explore the many different activities and resources on offer. Staff form positive relationships with children, and this supports them to feel safe and secure.

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The provision requires improvement

The quality of interactions between staff and children are variable. There are some inconsistencies in the teaching that children receive. Staff plan activities based on children's interests, what they know and what they can do. However, these do not always excite and challenge all children. This can lead to some children becoming bored and restless, moving from one activity to another with little engagement. This does not promote children to feel positive about their learning all the time. As a result, children do not behave well all of the time. Consequently, this means that all children are not making good progress in all areas of development.

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The provision requires improvement

Children enjoy making choices about their play and experiment with the variety of resources on offer. They engage in activities to develop their physical skills. Babies are learning to be mobile and pull themselves up using low-level furniture and use this to cruise along and walk safely. Toddlers and pre-school children enjoy running, climbing and balancing. All children use pens, chalks, pencils and paintbrushes to make marks. Older children are beginning to use tools such as scissors and cutlery.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have worked hard to address the safeguarding and welfare actions set at the last inspection. They have a targeted action plan that they are working towards to drive improvement. This has had a positive impact on ensuring children are kept safe at the nursery. n Staff know children well and use this information to plan activities that are relevant to their stage of development. However, teaching and interactions are variable across the nursery and not at a good level. The curriculum is not challenging for all children and not fully ambitious to ensure all children remain engaged. This results in children not making the progress of which they are capable. n Staff promote children's identity through dressing up, reading stories and having conversations with children about themselves. They are beginning to understand what makes them unique. Children speak a variety of languages at home and use this at the nursery with their friends. However, leaders have not ensured

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need to do better?

strategies to support these children are delivered successfully all the time. This means that children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) do not make as much progress as they could.

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need to do better?

17 January 2024 n Leaders work with partners and agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Key persons are aware of what children's needs are and implement strategies to support them. However, this is not consistent with all staff working with children and therefore not implemented effectively. This means that levels of teaching for children with SEND are not consistently good and they do not make as much progress as they could. n Staff interact warmly with children during care routines and transitions, such as nappy changes and washing hands. During sleep and rest times, staff gently soothe and pat children to reassure them. This supports children's emotional well-being. n Overall, children are happy and willing to have a go at activities available to them. Staff provide support to help children manage their emotions and be kind to their friends. However, due to weakness in the teaching and interactions,

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need to do better?

children can lose interest quickly and do not remain fully engaged. This can lead to some children feeling bored and restless and showing unwanted behaviours, such as snatching and pushing. However, when seen by staff, this is addressed appropriately. n Children enjoy the healthy meals and snacks. Children enjoy playing in the outdoor area and developing their big muscles with climbing and balancing. Staff use these opportunities to teach children about how to be healthy and maintain a healthy lifestyle. At times, some staff do not use all opportunities to fully develop children's independence skills. For example, staff will put on children's coats, shoes, hats and gloves or serve children food at lunch and snack time. n Parents describe staff as caring, friendly and approachable. They like the daily feedback from staff about what their children have done. However, not all parents are aware of who their child's key person is, what their children are

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need to do better?

learning at nursery and their next steps for learning.

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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

implement a curriculum which is fully ambitious and consistently challenging for all children to ensure they make good progress 29/02/2024

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Due date

17 January 2024 improve interactions between staff and children to ensure they remain fully engaged all the time 29/02/2024

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Due date

ensure all strategies for children with SEND are known and followed by staff working with them and implemented effectively 29/02/2024

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Due date

improve strategies to support children with EAL, so they make good progress in their development. 29/02/2024

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should:

n strengthen communication with parents to involve them in their children's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY363213 Local authority Barking and Dagenham Inspection number 10309244 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 35 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Akinnugba, Grace Funke

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reference number

Telephone number 0208984 8184 Date of previous inspection 1 August 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Elm Lane Day Nursery registered in February 2008. It is in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. The setting employs eight members of childcare staff, and six hold relevant early years qualifications at level 3 and above. Two staff members are unqualified. The setting operates from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round.

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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 Leaders led the inspector on a learning walk and told the inspector about what they want children to learn at nursery. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager carried out a joint observation with the inspector. They looked at how well practitioners teach and what they want them to learn. n Staff, leaders and the manager spoke to the inspector throughout the day. n The inspector observed children at play throughout the nursery. n The inspector spoke with parents and gathered their views about their experiences of the setting. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector looked at documentation relating to the suitability of those working with children, such as first aid and Disclosure and Barring Service

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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

17 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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