Footprints Learning for Life Limited

Inspection of Footprints Learning for Life Limited Tees Street, Hartlepool, Cleveland TS24 8HA

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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 nursery has not met all the actions set out in their recent welfare requirements notice (WRN). The nursery does not ensure that risk assessments are consistently in place to keep all children safe. Hygiene practices in the setting do not promote the good health of children. Furthermore, children's behavioural needs are not well supported. Children do not learn why boundaries are in place or how to develop positive behaviours.

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The provision is inadequate

The nursery has recently been through a turbulent period with many staffing changes, including within the leadership team. Leaders understand the current weaknesses and are keen to rapidly improve the setting.

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The provision is inadequate

Leaders have a clear understanding of what they want the curriculum to achieve; however, the implementation of the curriculum across the nursery varies. This has a particular impact on the most vulnerable learners. Children who require more support with their learning and development are not always provided with the help they need. That said, there are some instances where the learning intentions for children are clear and activities are well matched to their needs. Where this does happen, children benefit from quality teaching and enjoy the learning experiences offered, for example in small group activities where children develop literacy skills. The nursery places particular emphasis on supporting the wider needs of families and takes pride in the supportive relationships it has established with the community it serves.

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need to do better?

n Training for staff to identify risks and hazards in the nursery is not effective. Staff have not recognised breaches to the security of the nursery. Although the concerns were rectified on the day of inspection, leaders need to ensure that all staff are fully aware of the importance of security as part of their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and risk assessment practices. n Although the nursery ensures there are enough staff on site to meet requirements, it has not ensured vigilance in the supervision of children and, as a result, does not support their good health and safety. For instance, children drink water from a play tray and lick glue sticks without intervention. n Although staff are responsive to wiping children's runny noses, they do not always use fresh tissues or wash their hands after doing this. Furthermore, hand washing for children does not always take place before mealtimes, including

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need to do better?

when children are eating directly after outdoor play. This does not promote children's good health. n When children display unwanted behaviours, such as snatching from others or jumping on furniture, they are not supported to understand why these

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need to do better?

4 June 2024 behaviours are not appropriate. Although they are told, 'No,' there is no additional teaching to help children learn how to improve their behaviours or understand the reason they have been told no. Additionally, poor behaviour management techniques are used, including moving children with unnecessary physical handling. n The nursery has addressed some risk assessment concerns raised on their recent WRN. For example, staff ensure that the cleaning products used are suitable and kept out of reach of children. Slip hazards, such as sand, are swept up. However, risk assessments are still not embedded in practice. For instance, staff do not recognise breaches to site security. When staff supervise children's play, they do not recognise when to adapt the activities and resources to minimise risk. For example, toddlers repeatedly fall from crates in the outdoor area without any intervention to help them climb successfully and safely.

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need to do better?

n Children's personal care needs, such as nose and face wiping, are frequently carried out without any communication. This means that children are not learning why we need these personal care routines. This limits the development of their independence. n Leaders understand the needs of the community they serve and are passionate in their desire to fully support families. They have ambitions in place to meet the needs of the children who attend, including the most vulnerable learners. New assessment and planning tools have recently been introduced, and staff show enthusiasm in their responses to recent training. That being said, the impact of these new strategies has not yet raised the quality of teaching across the nursery. The learning environment does not promote children's curiosity or engagement well enough, and there is a lack of challenge. As a result, children's progress is limited. n The quality of interactions across the nursery is varied. There is a lack of rich

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need to do better?

conversation and vocabulary in use for toddlers and older children. These children do not receive enough exposure to high-quality storytelling or nursery rhymes to help develop their understanding and use of spoken language. However, there are examples where interactions are of higher quality. For instance, babies enjoy nestling in staff's arms while they read to them. Babies also benefit from listening to staff making up songs as they explore outdoors. Staff promote babies' physical development through modelled play, showing high levels of enthusiasm and energy. Babies delight in these interactions and are keen to practice their skills alongside staff. n At times, transitions between one activity and another are chaotic. This is particularly evident when children finish the morning play session to go for their lunch. The absence of clear and consistent routines means that children do not understand what is happening next. As a result of these chaotic transitions,

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need to do better?

some children become upset. n Documentation for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is not well organised. This means that leaders do not have a clear understanding of the provision that is in place for these children, the assessments that have taken place or how effective the support they receive is. However, staff and parents state that children with SEND do progress well. Leaders acknowledge that they need to strengthen their oversight in this area

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need to do better?

4 June 2024 and have plans in place to ensure this improves. n The relationships the nursery has with parents and families are a strength. Leaders and staff care about the welfare of families and take action to support their wider needs outside of the nursery. Parents say that the staff are welcoming and reassuring. They say their children are happy here and that they settled into the nursery well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is not effective There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Due date

provide staff with appropriate training to improve their knowledge and understanding of health and safety, to enable them to fulfil their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe 26/06/2024

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Due date

ensure that the staffing arrangements meet the needs of all children and keep them safe 26/06/2024

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Due date

ensure the good health of children is promoted, including in relation to nose wiping and handwashing routines 26/06/2024

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Due date

ensure that all staff respond appropriately to children's behavioural needs, including by helping children learn why there are certain boundaries in place 26/06/2024

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Due date

implement and monitor robust risk assessments to ensure all potential hazards are identified, minimised and managed effectively. 26/06/2024

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Due date

develop the curriculum to support skills in independence, including in personal care, and understand why these are important 03/07/2024

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Due date

improve staff's understanding of the curriculum and develop their planning and teaching skills to ensure that all children's learning and developmental needs are met and they are provided with sufficient challenge 05/08/2024

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Due date

improve the quality of staff interactions with children so that all staff extend and challenge their learning, in particular in communication and language development 05/08/2024

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Due date

embed clear routines in the setting so that children understand how to transition calmly from one activity to another, such as when going for mealtimes 05/08/2024

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Due date

improve oversight of the provision that is in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and monitor this more effectively to ensure these children are making expected progress in their development. 05/08/2024

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY477633 Local authority Hartlepool Borough Inspection number 10349891 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 116 Number of children on roll 261 Name of registered person Footprints Learning for Life Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01429 261122 Date of previous inspection 25 May 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Footprints Learning for Life Limited registered in 2014 and is situated in Hartlepool, Cleveland. The nursery employs 28 members of childcare staff. Of these, 22 hold a qualification at level 3 or above, including two members of staff who hold a level 6 qualification and one with a level 7 qualification. The nursery operates from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round, except for one week at Christmas. 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 our recent regulatory activity. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The nominated individual and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children communicated with 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 special educational needs coordinators spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and

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Inspection activities

outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the nominated individual. 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

4 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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