The Old Station Nursery

Inspection of The Old Station Nursery Imjin Barracks, Innsworth Lane, Innsworth, Gloucestershire GL3 1ET

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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

While leaders know what they want the children in the setting to learn, they have not ensured that all staff deliver what they intend from the curriculum. As a result, the quality of the experiences that children receive is varied. Some staff are not clear about what it is they want children to learn from activities and how this contributes to them making progress. Some children, therefore, do not receive the challenge they need to keep them focused in their learning. As a result, they become disengaged and this impacts on their attitude to their learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Although leaders have re-established supervision arrangements for staff, following the recent changes to the management team, these are still not effective. This has resulted in a decline in the support that is given to staff, which has impacted on staff morale. While leaders provide training for staff, it has not yet had the desired impact on improving the quality of staff practice. Nevertheless, leaders have spent time evaluating the provision and have identified the key weaknesses. They are taking action to establish positive improvements.

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The provision requires improvement

Despite these weaknesses, staff support children to be confident and independent. For instance, older children competently manage their personal needs in the bathroom. Younger children are encouraged to put on and take off their own coats. Overall, children are happy. They delight in joining in activities such as water play and playing in the garden.

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The provision requires improvement

Children show that they have positive friendships within the nursery. They hold hands when playing in the garden and staff provide activities that support teamwork in play. However, staff are not yet consistently supporting children to learn about the expectations for behaviour. This results in children not always being aware of what is expected of them and, at times, not listening.

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need to do better?

n Leaders recognise that recent changes to the nursery, including to the staff team, have had an negative impact on the overall quality of the provision. The manager has recently introduced supervision and provides ongoing coaching and support for staff. However, these procedures are in their infancy and have not yet improved the quality of some staff's teaching. As a result, children do not consistently benefit from teaching and learning opportunities that build on what they already know and can do. n Staff use children's interests to plan activities. However, these activities are not always organised effectively and implemented consistently well, particularly to support younger children's learning. For example, staff provide play dough activities to encourage a group of young children to share, but only have one

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need to do better?

23 April 2024 rolling pin, which leaves children waiting with little engagement. In addition, staff do not consistently ensure that routines and activities such as story time and lunchtimes are organised as well as they could be. Babies become upset because it is not clear what is happening next. n The key-person system works well for the older children. However, not enough information is shared between staff to ensure that the youngest children's learning and individual needs are met when their key person is absent. Agency staff do not know the babies well enough, and staff often pass unsettled babies from one member of staff to another to try to calm them. This hinders babies from forming secure attachments and relationships with a key person. n Children make good progress in their physical development. Staff provide daily opportunities for them to be physically active when they arrive in the morning.

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need to do better?

For example, children thoroughly enjoy running, climbing and throwing in the garden. They develop their physical skills further as they race each other and learn to kick balls outside. n Staff provide a range of opportunities for children to develop their communication and language skills. Babies enjoy singing and join in with the parts they know. Older children join in lengthy discussions with staff and each other. In the garden, staff talk to children about the sun and planets. Pre-school children recall this learning and name planets proudly. Staff talk to children during activities and talk to them about what they are doing. This exposes children to a range of vocabulary. n Pre-school children are beginning to show an understanding of what is expected of them and the rules they need to follow. They are praised when they behave well. However, some staff do not use consistent strategies or suitable

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need to do better?

explanations for younger children. For example, when toddlers transfer sand to the water tray or stand on the climbing frame, staff tell children 'no thank you' and 'no more'. However, they do not always provide an explanation to support younger children in developing a deeper understanding of the rules and boundaries. n Staff communicate regularly with parents via an app and verbal feedback. Parents comment that they know their child is happy and safe, as the staff are caring.

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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 positive behaviour strategies are implemented consistently to help younger children develop a deeper understanding of the rules and expectations at the setting 31/05/2024

p.4

Due date

improve the quality of training and professional development opportunities so that the quality of staff practice is developed to a consistently good standard 31/05/2024

p.4

Due date

develop key-person arrangements so that enough information is shared between staff to make sure that children's individual needs are met when their key person is absent from the setting. 31/05/2024

p.4

should:

n implement systems to help children understand the routine and changes in activities so these are much smoother and help children to feel more secure.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY410811 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10340510 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 94 Number of children on roll 137 Name of registered person The Old Station Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01452 739010 Date of previous inspection 5 October 2022

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Information about this early years setting

The Old Station Nursery registered in 2010 and is one of many settings owned by the provider. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm. The nursery closes for a week between Christmas and New Year. It is in receipt of funding from the military and for the provision of free early education for children aged two and three years. There is a team of 25 staff. The manager and four other members of staff hold relevant qualifications at level 6 and above.

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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 The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at nursery. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. 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 manager and inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity. n The inspector viewed parents' testimonials during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

23 April 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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