Royston Day Nursery

Inspection of Royston Day Nursery 3 Lumen House, Lumen Road, Royston SG8 7AG

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision requires improvement

Important changes have been made since the last inspection. There is now a strong management team in place and staff recruitment and retention are improving. However, due to the recent nature of these changes, the positive impact is not fully established. The key-person system is not fully effective. Sometimes, leaders require staff to move rooms to meet the requirements of the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage'. This means children do not benefit from consistent support for their learning and development needs.

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The provision requires improvement

Despite these challenges, staff meet children's care needs well. If children become upset, staff comfort and reassure them kindly. Overall, staff know the children they work with. Children behave well and staff interact positively with them. Staff help children to resolve minor disagreements and the oldest children help one another with activities. For instance, children complete jigsaw puzzles together, discussing where the different pieces may fit.

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The provision requires improvement

Leaders and staff have worked hard to design a curriculum that is broad and purposeful to support children's development. However, some staff do not implement it effectively. As such, while children receive some meaningful learning experiences, staff interactions with children are not consistent enough to support all children's good progress.

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need to do better?

n Leaders are very clear about the progress they have made to improve the nursery since the last inspection. They have a clear and ambitious vision for the future of the nursery, both in the long and short term. This provides them with a solid basis to build on. However, staffing arrangements are not fully effective to ensure that children receive consistent support in their learning and development. n Improvements to the learning environment have a positive impact on children's time at the nursery. Staff ensure that resources are positioned appropriately to help children to build on the skills that they want them to develop. For instance, in the baby room, equipment is placed so that babies can build their core strength and pull themselves up to standing. They learn to walk successfully as they cruise around the furniture, which is at an appropriate height for them to hold on to. n Staff feel well supported in their roles and leaders monitor staff practice

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need to do better?

regularly. They provide a range of training to help staff understand how young children learn. However, further work is required to upskill staff to consistently help all children achieve the best possible outcomes. For instance, staff do not implement effective strategies consistently to fully benefit those children with

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need to do better?

5 June 2024 special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). n While staff understand what they want children to learn next, the activities they plan are not always delivered effectively. Sometimes, the learning intentions are too broad or too narrow. Staff do not consistently follow children's lead during activities, such as when they are keen to continue with an activity or experience. This leads to some children not gaining an in-depth understanding of the subject matter being taught, as staff do not build on what children already know and can do successfully. n Leaders and staff recognise the importance of children becoming strong communicators. Children delight in joining in with familiar songs and rhymes from a young age. Staff introduce relevant vocabulary to babies as they explore. The oldest children speak confidently about the different varieties of milk as they discuss allergies while eating their lunch. However, there are occasions where

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need to do better?

some children, particularly those who speak English as an additional language, do not receive effective support from staff to practise using their emerging vocabulary. This limits the progress they make in being able to communicate verbally. n Parents recognise the positive changes made since the last inspection. Leaders and staff have worked hard to engage parents in their children's care and education. They have held open days and have recently sent out forms to gather more information about children's home lives. Although the changes to the key- person system are still being embedded, all parents acknowledge that their children are warmly cared for.

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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 staffing arrangements allow staff to provide consistent modelling and support to children so that they can achieve the best possible educational outcomes 05/07/2024

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Due date

5 June 2024 support staff to deliver the curriculum to a consistently good standard so that all children build on their learning over time and make at least good progress 05/07/2024

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Due date

ensure that the key-person system is fully embedded so that children can build attachments with staff and their learning and development is supported effectively. 05/07/2024

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should:

n guide staff to provide rich opportunities for children to build on their language and communication skills, particularly those who speak English as an additional language n strengthen the programme of professional development for all staff to help them deliver consistent support and interaction for children, including those with SEND.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY474157 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10338025 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 106 Number of children on roll 52 Name of registered person Davidson-Roberts Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01763448099 Date of previous inspection 11 September 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Royston Day Nursery registered in 2014. The nursery employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 2 or above. The nursery operates Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round except for one week at Christmas. The nursery is in receipt of funding to provide early education places for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspection started on 30 May 2024. It was paused in line with 'Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy'. Inspectors returned on 5 June 2024 to complete the inspection. n The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and have 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 Leaders talked to the inspectors about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspectors carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager. They considered the impact of staff interactions with children on children's learning and development. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspectors. n The inspectors looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

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

5 June 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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