A-Star Kids

Inspection of A-Star Kids 77 Lees Road, Oldham, Lancashire OL4 1JW

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is inadequate

Weaknesses in the leadership and management of this nursery compromises children's safety. The management team do not ensure that risk assessments are carried out effectively to provide a safe environment for children. Oversight of food hygiene procedures is poor. Although the appropriate training for food hygiene has been undertaken, staff preparing food do not demonstrate confidence in this role. This has a negative impact on the safety and well-being of the children.

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The provision is inadequate

The provider does not ensure that the staff arrangements meet children's individual needs. Due to this, staff are unable to support children effectively. This results in some children wandering around aimlessly and not engaging in meaningful learning. Although, at times, staff interactions with children help them to develop their communication and language skills; this is not consistent due to the poor deployment of staff. As a result, children do not access a consistently good quality of education.

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not display consistently positive attitudes to learning. On occasions, activities such as reading the 'book of the week' are very structured and do not engage the children. This leads to them struggling to concentrate and developing positive attitudes to learning new things. Staff support children to learn about sustainability and recycling. For example, they teach them about food being put back into the soil and children made a snowman from recycled materials.

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need to do better?

n The manager has failed to carry out thorough risk assessments to ensure the environment is safe for children. Despite identifying trailing wires, no action was taken to minimise this risk at the time it was identified. This creates a tripping hazard for both children and staff. Additionally, risk assessments in relation to electronic devices were not effective which led to a potential safeguarding risk. However, when the provider was alerted to this risk, she took immediate action to ensure she minimised the danger of any confidential information being exposed to individuals not connected to the nursery. Staff have a secure understanding of the indicators that a child may be at risk of harm and know what to do if they have concerns. n The implementation of the curriculum is weak. Due to the poor arrangements of staff, children are not accessing a good quality of education. Since the last inspection, the provider has developed a more structured curriculum intent to

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need to do better?

help support the children's learning. Staff try their best to question children's knowledge to develop their critical-thinking. However, due to the weak deployment of staff, children's learning needs are not met. Younger children are often unsettled and remain this way throughout the session. This impacts on

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need to do better?

12 March 2024 their emotional development. n The support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is inconsistent. The special educational needs coordinator creates individual target plans which are shared with staff and parents. However, due to the deployment of staff, children with SEND do not always receive the targeted support they need. In addition, on occasions, children with SEND are left alone with staff who are not appropriately trained to effectively support their needs. n The providers' oversight of food hygiene procedures is inadequate. The facilities for preparing food are poor. For example, the sides where food is prepared are cluttered. This limits staff being able to clean them appropriately. Although the provider states that she oversees food preparation, it has gone unnoticed that food is not always stored at the correct temperature. This puts children at risk of

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need to do better?

becoming unwell. However, on the day of the inspection, the provider made some plans to action this breach, which will be overseen by an external agency. n The key-person system is not fully effective. Some parents are not aware of who their child's key person is. This does not promote a strong two-way-flow of communication to support consistency for children's learning. Furthermore, children are not always placed in a room with their key person. This hinders staff being able to form strong bonds with children to help them settle and support their development. Despite the weaknesses, some staff are able to demonstrate that they know some of their key children well. n The provider failed to notify Ofsted of a significant event, which is a requirement of their registration. However, due to the action the provider took by involving outside agencies, this did not have an impact on children's safety and welfare as

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need to do better?

a result of this failure to notify. n Staff implement behaviour management strategies which helps children understand the impact of their actions. However, this is still not fully effective. During overly adult-led group times, children struggle to maintain their attention which results in some children displaying negative behaviour. This hinders children's engagement to learn. n Several parents report on how well their children are supported and commented positively on the progress they have made at the nursery.

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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 staff are deployed effectively to meet the needs of all children 09/04/2024

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Due date

ensure there are suitable facilities for preparation and storage of food, and staff preparing food are competent to do so 09/04/2024

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Due date

ensure staff take all reasonable steps to minimise children's exposure to risks. 09/04/2024

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2705783 Local authority Oldham Inspection number 10315978 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 68 Number of children on roll 58 Name of registered person A-Star Kids Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 0161 785 9227 Date of previous inspection 2 October 2023

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Information about this early years setting

A-Star Kids registered in 2022 located in Oldham. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above and one holds a level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 8am to 4pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The senior manager/nominated individual (NI) joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and management of the setting. 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.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the senior manager/NI. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. 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

12 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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