The Natural Childcare Company - Shirley

Inspection of The Natural Childcare Company - Shirley The Natural Childcare Co Ltd, Church Road, Shirley, Solihull, Warwickshire B90 2AX

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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

Staff, including leaders and managers, fail to safeguard children. They have not followed the correct procedures when a safeguarding concern has arisen. Information about child protection concerns have not been shared with those who have a need to know and have not been properly recorded. This leaves children at risk of harm. Staff do not have effective strategies in place to help children learn about their behaviours and how this can impact the safety of others. This puts children's safety and welfare at risk.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff welcome children warmly into the nursery. They build bonds with their key children, which enables them to settle quickly into their room. Staff carefully plan the environment to support children in their learning and development. They take into account gaps in children's learning and provide opportunities to help close these. Younger children are curious as they explore the sensory activity. They use tools to make different marks in the dough. Staff provide clear commentary to help bring meaning to the marks children make.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff support children to develop an awareness of the community in which they live. Children enjoy visits around their local community, such as to the shops. They learn about traditions and different cultures. During Diwali, children explore activities that build on their cultural awareness, such as making Rangoli patterns.

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need to do better?

n Staff, including the lead practitioner for safeguarding, do not fulfil their role and responsibilities to safeguard children. They do not have sufficient knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures. Staff do not follow the correct procedures to refer child protection concerns to other agencies in a timely way. Staff do not follow or implement the correct procedures to refer child protection concerns to other agencies in a timely way. These weaknesses result in the safety and welfare of children being compromised. n Information and record keeping is weak. When child protection concerns arise, staff, including managers, fail to maintain clear, accurate, and sufficiently detailed records. The lead practitioner does not share information about child protection concerns with the relevant local safeguarding partners in a timely way. As a result, action is not taken to safeguard all children who attend the

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need to do better?

nursery. n The training and supervision meetings that staff receive are not fully effective as not all staff have a good enough understanding of how to safeguard children. That said, staff explain that they feel supported in their role by the new senior manager because she is very approachable. n Children do not learn about acceptable behaviour. Staff do not teach them about

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need to do better?

23 July 2024 the impact that their behaviour may have on others. In addition, some staff struggle with how to manage inappropriate behaviours displayed by children in an effective way. As a result, there are times when children's behaviour puts the safety of others at risk and they have little opportunity to learn the reason for this. n Parents receive information about their child's learning and development. This supports them to build on their child's learning at home. Parents explain that staff are very friendly and caring towards their children. n The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and staff work together to implement individual plans to support children when they are falling behind in their development. They closely monitor the progress children make and share updates with parents. This ensures all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make expected progress in their learning.

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need to do better?

n Children enjoy their time in the garden exploring the different activities. They develop their imaginative skills as they confidently fill buckets with water to empty into various sized containers. Children mix mud and water together to create their concoctions in the mud kitchen. They are physically active as they balance along the beams to develop their coordination skills. n Staff sit with children during meals to support them with their independence. Children use the utensils well as they scoop rice with a spoon onto their plates. They carefully pour their own drinking water from the jugs. Staff promote a sociable occasion during these times and talk to children about what they have enjoyed during the day. Children explain who their friends are and what they like playing with. Staff praise them for contributing to discussions. This helps children to share their views and feel valued. n Staff promote children's communication and language well. They sit and read

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need to do better?

familiar stories to children. Children listen well and contribute their ideas, engaging in two-way conversations. This helps to build on their vocabulary and speaking skills.

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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

23 July 2024 ensure that all staff, including leaders and managers, have a secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures and know what action to take in the event of a child protection concern about a child in their care 09/08/2024

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Due date

ensure that the lead practitioner for safeguarding has an appropriate knowledge and understanding of their role and responsibilities, in order to identify, understand and respond appropriately to signs of possible abuse or neglect 09/08/2024

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Due date

make sure that there is effective communication between managers and staff to share appropriate information, particularly of a safeguarding nature, to ensure the safe and efficient management of the setting 09/08/2024

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Due date

ensure that all information and records, including those with regard to child protection matters, are clear, accurate and sufficiently detailed to promote children's safety 09/08/2024

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Due date

implement effective arrangements for the supervision of all staff, including providing training and support that helps them to fully understand their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children 09/08/2024

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Due date

provide staff with training and support that enables them to implement effective strategies for managing children's behaviours that may impact on the safety of others. 09/08/2024

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2496930 Local authority Solihull Inspection number 10356694 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 96 Number of children on roll 131 Name of registered person Bright Stars Nurseries UK Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01217449888 Date of previous inspection 22 November 2023

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Information about this early years setting

The Natural Childcare Company – Shirley registered in 2018. It is situated in Shirley, Solihull. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. There are 34 members of childcare staff employed. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status, five hold qualifications at level 6, ten hold qualifications at level 3, two hold qualifications at level 2 and 16 are unqualified. The nursery provides funded early education for 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 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 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 Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The SENCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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 July 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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