Newlife Nursery and Preschool

Inspection of Newlife Nursery and Preschool Station Road, Plymouth PL7 2AU

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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

The setting has undergone significant changes since the last inspection. The new provider does not have a good enough oversight of the setting and has not identified breaches of requirements. Staff understand how to identify and raise concerns about children and staff, but the provider does not always follow the setting's safeguarding procedures. This places children at risk of harm. The provider does not monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum or support and coach staff to improve their practice and ensure they meet children's needs. Staff deployment is not effective. Staff do not provide targeted support to challenge children and extend their learning, including when children would benefit from extra help.

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The provision is inadequate

The key-person system is not effective in the toddler room, so staff do not know some of the children well enough. However, all staff are kind and friendly and welcome children warmly and sensitively. For example, when children feel shy on their arrival, staff encourage them to play with toys and resources and talk enthusiastically and animatedly with them. Children settle quickly and feel comfortable in staff's care. Staff remind children of the rules throughout the session and prompt children to use good manners.

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need to do better?

n The provider has completed the relevant designated safeguarding training. However, despite knowing the procedures for managing concerns, they do not recognise when to follow their allegations management policy and report concerns to external agencies. This compromises children's safety. n The provider does not monitor the quality of education or staff's practice, or provide support and coaching for the staff's professional development. They do not review the planning and delivery of the curriculum or assess the impact this has on children. Consequently, the provider does not have a good understanding of how effectively staff meet children's needs and what support staff require to improve their practice. n Staff do not plan a challenging and varied curriculum that links closely enough with what children need to learn next. Staff join in with children's play and interact with them kindly, but do not recognise how to extend children's learning

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need to do better?

consistently. Staff know some children's next steps in learning. However, they do not use this information effectively and do not always know the learning intentions of their planned activities. Children explore the resources contentedly, but some do not engage in purposeful play and learning that builds on their knowledge and skills. n The provider's arrangements for the key-person system in the toddler room are not effective. They are unaware that some staff do not work with their key

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need to do better?

3 June 2024 children routinely and do not know them well. Additionally, staff do not share important information about their key children with the staff who work with the children. Consequently, staff do not always have the information they need to meet the individual needs of some toddlers. Nonetheless, staff meet the children's basic care needs, such as changing their nappies regularly. n The provider does not review the effectiveness of staff deployment, to consider whether the staffing arrangements meet the needs of children. For example, at times, one staff member supports several babies and toddlers while another changes nappies. This means staff are unable to provide sufficient support, including for the children who require extra help. For example, they have to call and wait for help from staff working in other rooms when minor incidents occur. n The provider and special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) assess the

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need to do better?

learning and development of the children who require additional help. However, their assessment of these children contradicts the assessments made by staff who work with the children routinely. The weakness in communication between the team leads to inconsistencies in the support provided for children and in the timeliness of intervention. Additionally, the SENCo and staff do not consistently obtain updates from parents regarding external support that children receive. This impacts the continuity that children receive in their care and learning. n Staff model language well for children. For example, they introduce new vocabulary when narrating the pre-school children's play, such as 'pattern, tracks' and 'massive'. Some children are confident to communicate with their friends and they initiate discussion with staff. n Staff give clear messages to children about their expectations for children's behaviour. For example, they remind children to share and to ask their friends

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need to do better?

for a turn with the toys. However, weaknesses in the curriculum, including for personal, social and emotional development, impact on children's ability to recognise and manage their feelings and solve disagreements independently. n The provider and staff risk assess the premises, resources and equipment effectively. They recognise potential hazards and take steps to ensure that children do not encounter them. For example, they quickly remove dirty toys and check the garden gate is locked before children play outside. Staff support children to keep themselves safe, such as encouraging them to inform staff if their fresh fruit needs slicing into smaller pieces.

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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

improve the knowledge of the designated safeguarding lead to ensure they have sufficient understanding of allegations, to enable them to recognise when to follow their policy and share information with other agencies and professionals 07/06/2024

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Due date

improve the monitoring and oversight of the practice and provision, to reflect accurately on the standard of care and education that children receive 15/07/2024

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Due date

monitor staff's practice and provide support and coaching for their professional development, to improve their knowledge and skills to deliver a high-quality curriculum for children 15/07/2024

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Due date

improve the planning of the curriculum to ensure staff provide challenging and stimulating experiences that take account of what each child needs to learn next, to help them make good progress 15/07/2024

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Due date

review the arrangements for the key- person system in the toddler room, to ensure staff know all the children well and support their learning and development effectively 17/06/2024

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Due date

improve the processes for the identification of children's needs and the support provided for children who need extra help, to ensure all staff, including the SENCo, work together consistently 17/06/2024

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Due date

improve staff deployment to ensure staff are organised effectively to meet the children's individual needs. 17/06/2024

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY468489 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 10350571 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 52 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person Woodwater Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01752346399 Date of previous inspection 16 August 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Newlife Nursery and Preschool re-registered in 2013 and is located in Plympton, Devon. It is open from 8am to 6pm each weekday throughout the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education places for children aged two, three and four years. There are seven staff employed to work with the children, including the manager/owner. All staff hold relevant early years qualifications of at least level 3.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider 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 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 observed and discussed staff's risk assessment of the premises and resources. n A senior staff member took the inspector on a learning walk around the setting to discuss the arrangements for the early years curriculum. n Children spoke with 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.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke with the provider and a leader about the management of the setting. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an adult-led activity with the provider to reflect on the quality of education.

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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

3 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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