Mountlands Day Nursery

Inspection of Mountlands Day Nursery 36 Vicarage Road, Gloucester GL1 4LD

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is inadequate

While the recently appointed manager has endeavoured to make some improvements since the last inspection, these have not had sufficient impact on raising quality and leadership and management remain ineffective. The nominated individual does not have oversight of the nursery and there is confusion about the roles and responsibilities of the other director and the manager. For example, they do not work together to plan for key roles when staff resign. As a result, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENCo) has not shared key information about children with additional needs before leaving the nursery.

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The provision is inadequate

Although leaders have sought help and guidance to develop a new curriculum, it has not had a positive impact. Staff have not had the support they need to understand and implement the curriculum effectively. This means that they do not plan targeted learning opportunities to meet children's individual needs and extend their learning. As a result, some children lose interest and wander away. At other times, children become frustrated, which causes disagreements between children and distracts other children from their learning. Staff do not teach children the skills they need to learn to manage their own behaviour.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff interactions with children are poor and do not support children's communication and language development. For example, staff do not engage in high-quality two-way conversations with children or allow them time to consider and respond to questions. Staff do not spend enough time with their key children to be able to consistently identify gaps in their learning. When staff do identify gaps, they do not take effective action to close them. For example, they do not follow children's individual support plans that are provided by external professionals. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language are particularly disadvantaged due to ineffective teaching. Due to significant weaknesses, children do not make good progress and are not well prepared for their future education, including school.

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The provision is inadequate

Leaders have addressed the weaknesses in risk assessments that were identified at the last inspection and this has contributed to keeping children safe. However, staff do not teach children to cover their mouths when coughing or wash their hands after wiping their noses to help prevent the spread of infection.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have not done enough to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The manager has a vision for the new curriculum, focusing on developing children's language, social and emotional skills. However, she does not spend

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need to do better?

15 May 2024 enough time with staff to be able to effectively monitor their practice. As a result, she has not identified that staff do not understand or implement the curriculum well. The manager has not had enough support from leaders to prioritise and implement improvements to the nursery. n Staff do not spend enough time with their key children due to the organisation of the nursery. As a result, they do not accurately identify what children already know and can do to successfully build on their learning. For example, they do not identify that some children need support to manage transitions from one activity to another and children become upset. Some staff do not have contact with parents and do not build strong enough relationships that promote continuity of learning. Due to an absence of quality teaching, children do not have the basic building blocks on which to build future learning at school.

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need to do better?

n Staff interactions with children are weak and do not promote children's communication and language development. For example, when children's speech is unclear, staff do not repeat back what they say to help children learn how to pronounce words correctly. Staff often stand above children when they speak to them, which means that children are not able to see how staff pronounce words to be able to learn from this. In addition, when children endeavour to communicate using gestures, staff do not encourage them to use words to help them develop their verbal communication. Children who speak English as an additional language are not well supported to develop their use of English. n The SENCo does not provide effective support for children with additional needs. For example, some children are held back from toilet training until they have the language to communicate their needs, without considering the use of other non-

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need to do better?

verbal communication methods. Appropriate timely referrals are not made to external agencies to ensure children have the support they need. Staff do not follow support plans that are in place for children with SEND to help close the gaps in their development. Leaders do not ensure that additional funding is targeted to meet the needs of the intended children. n Staff do not make their expectations of children's behaviour clear, which means that children often do not know what staff want them to do. As a result, transitions from one activity to another and some group activities become disorganised. For example, children roll on the carpet and shout out during group times, which distracts other children's learning. Staff do not teach children the consequences of their actions or help them to identify their emotions to help them learn to manage their own behaviour. n Children with coughs and colds frequently cough and sneeze during mealtimes

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need to do better?

and activities. Staff do not encourage children to cover their mouths or wash their hands after they wipe their noses, which does not help to prevent the spread of infection. n The new manager has taken some steps to improve the provision. For example, she has introduced measures to promote children's oral health and new ways to work with parents. Parents report that staff are friendly and welcoming.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

15 May 2024 There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Due date

ensure that hygiene practises and procedures prevent the spread of infection and promote the good health of all children 17/05/2024

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Due date

improve leaders' oversight of the nursery to support the manager to fulfil her roles and responsibilities in making improvements to the quality of teaching 12/06/2024

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Due date

provide training and coaching for staff to enable them to deliver a challenging and ambitious curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do 12/06/2024

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Due date

improve the key-person arrangements to enable staff to build strong relationships with their key children and their parents to meet children's individual care and learning needs 12/06/2024

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Due date

improve the support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including implementing targeted strategies to close any gaps in children's development 12/06/2024

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Due date

implement appropriate and consistent strategies for managing children's behaviour, to help children understand what is expected of them and learn how to manage their own feelings and behaviour 12/06/2024

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Due date

15 May 2024 monitor staff practice to identify weaknesses in the quality of staff interactions with children and provide support to ensure that children's communication and language development is effectively nurtured. 12/06/2024

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY549276 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10331914 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 40 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Sparkling Angels Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01452 506880 Date of previous inspection 3 January 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Mountlands Day Nursery registered in 2018 and is situated in Gloucester. It is open from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, all year round, except for one week over Christmas and Easter. The nursery has six members of staff who work directly with children, all of whom hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two-, three- and four-years old.

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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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. 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 inspector talked to staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

15 May 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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