Early Learning Years Nursery

Inspection of Early Learning Years Nursery 19 The Grove, Finchley, London N3 1QN

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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 Good

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety is compromised within the nursery environment. Leaders have not effectively monitored staff's understanding and knowledge of safeguarding to ensure that all staff recognise potential signs of abuse or a child at risk of harm, and know how and who to refer concerns to. This includes procedures that staff must follow if they are concerned about a colleague.

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The provision is inadequate

Overall, children are not receiving good enough levels of teaching and support in their learning. Although the manager discusses what and how she wants children to learn, this is not implemented effectively by staff. The curriculum is not ambitious or challenging for all children. Interactions between staff and children are not at a good level. Staff tend to supervise children rather than engage in purposeful learning. This means that all children are not making the best possible or good progress and are not engaged in their learning all the time.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are greeted by friendly staff, and this mostly helps children to settle and explore the activities on offer. Children play in the outdoor area and have opportunities to develop their physical skills. Older children enjoy listening to stories and singing songs. However, staff do not provide consistent messages about what they expect from children and how they want children to behave. This leads to children not knowing what is expected of them and to unwanted behaviours such as pushing and snatching. Children can feel frustrated and upset and, overall, children do not behave well.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff interact warmly with children during care routines and transitions such as nappy changes and washing hands. During sleep and rest times, staff gently pat children to reassure them.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have not ensured that risk assessments for young children are effective. Young babies play with resources not deemed safe for their age range. This compromises children's safety. n Staff carry out observations of the children and have discussions with parents. However, not all staff use this information and know what children's interests are and what they know and can do. This means that learning is not individualised and relevant for all children. Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum is ambitious, challenging and sequenced for all children. This impacts on children's overall development and progress to next stages of learning. Also, children are not engaged and sustained in their learning all the time. n Children speak a variety of languages at home and use these at the nursery. However, leaders have not ensured that strategies to support these children are

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need to do better?

6 March 2024 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. 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 do not have high enough expectations of children's behaviour. Staff do not implement shared strategies to manage poor behaviour. Some staff address unwanted behaviours such as pushing, snatching and not sharing resources, others do not. This often leads to children feeling confused about what is

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need to do better?

expected of them. n Children enjoy the healthy meals and snacks. This helps children to make healthy choices. However, leaders have not ensured that staff involved in food preparation have completed required training in food hygiene to ensure that they can implement current food guidance safely, particularly on food portion sizes which could pose a choking hazard to young children. n Parents describe staff as caring, friendly and approachable. They like the daily feedback from staff about what their children have done and their routines. However, not all parents are aware of what their children are learning at nursery and their next steps to continue learning at home. n Leaders do not have effective supervision arrangements in place to support staff to identify and address weaknesses in practice. This is particularly evident for new members of staff who do not fully understand their roles and responsibilities. This means that staff working with children do not have the

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need to do better?

necessary skills and understanding to ensure that children's safety is assured and they receive good levels of learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Due date

ensure that all staff are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of a child at risk of abuse and how to refer this 27/03/2024

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Due date

6 March 2024 ensure that all staff have suitable knowledge and understanding of what to do if they are concerned about a member of staff or an allegation and who to refer to 27/03/2024

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Due date

improve induction for new staff members to ensure that they understand their roles and responsibilities, in particular with regard to safeguarding children 10/04/2024

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Due date

improve supervision and mentoring of staff to ensure that they identify and address weaknesses in teaching 10/04/2024

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Due date

ensure that all staff involved in food preparation have had training in food hygiene 27/03/2024

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Due date

support staff to manage children's behaviour consistently and in a positive way 27/03/2024

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Due date

ensure that staff working with children with SEND are aware of strategies to support them and implement these 27/03/2024

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Due date

ensure that risk assessments are carried out on resources to ensure that they are safe and suitable for the ages and development of the children using them 27/03/2024

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Due date

implement a curriculum that builds on children's interests, what they know and what they can do 24/04/2024

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Due date

implement a curriculum that is ambitious, sequenced and challenging for all children to ensure good or better outcomes for children 24/04/2024

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Due date

improve interactions between children and staff to ensure that children remain focused 24/04/2024

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Due date

6 March 2024 develop and implement strategies to work with and support children who speak EAL to make good progress in communication and language development. 27/03/2024

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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 EY153081 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 10324231 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 63 Number of children on roll 86 Name of registered person Early Learning Years Nursery Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 0208 349 3492 Date of previous inspection 7 March 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Early Learning Years Nursery registered in 2002 and is situated in the London Borough of Barnet. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6.45pm throughout the year. It receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The provider employs 22 members of staff, 19 of whom work directly with the children. Eight of these staff hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to 4.

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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 the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The manager carried out a joint observation with the inspector. They looked at how well practitioners teach and what they want children 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 nursery. 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 (DBS)

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Inspection activities

checks. n The manager 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.

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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

6 March 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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