Fawn & Fern Woodland Nursery

Inspection of Bracken Place Day Nursery 3 Bracken Place, Chilworth, Southampton, Hampshire SO16 3NG

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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

A number of safeguarding and welfare requirements are not met at this setting. This impacts on the quality of care and education children receive. For instance, leaders do not ensure that staff have a secure safeguarding knowledge or that risk assessment and recruitment and vetting are robust. This does not ensure all individuals that have access to children and families are suitable.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite this, children arrive to a warm welcome. Staff provide nurturing and sensitive support to help children settle, ready to start their day. However, there are weaknesses in staff deployment. This means that the interactions children receive throughout the day are variable. In addition, staff do not provide a broad and well- balanced curriculum. This does not enable children to make the progress they are capable of.

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The provision is inadequate

Nevertheless, children have ample opportunities to be active. This positively contributes towards developing their physical skills. Pre-school children relish the opportunity to climb and balance on tree stumps and tyres in the large outdoor play space. They giggle with delight as they enjoy participating in games, such as 'What's the time, Mr Wolf'. Young babies delight in exploring the soft-play room and practise climbing and clambering over step units. Staff support children to behave well and teach them about consistent behavioural expectations. However, due to the weaknesses in the curriculum, children have limited opportunities to build on what they already know, remember, and can do. This impacts on their attitudes to learning.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes to the staff team. Leaders have evaluated the quality of the nursery and recognise there are aspects of weaknesses in the curriculum. However, other issues have not been identified and addressed to meet the requirements. Despite this, leaders demonstrate a commitment to drive the improvement needed. n Leaders do not ensure that they, or staff, have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. This includes allegation management and the external processes to follow in line with local safeguarding partnership guidelines and procedures. Furthermore, they have not ensured staff have a robust knowledge of child protection issues to keep children safe. n Leaders do not ensure effective recruitment processes are in place when staff are initially employed. For instance, staff vetting checks are not consistently

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need to do better?

conducted or followed up. Leaders do not have robust processes to ensure all staff have effective inductions so they can fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, leaders do not robustly check the ongoing

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need to do better?

28 August 2024 suitability of current staff. As such, this does not ensure the suitability of individuals working with children. n Leaders do not ensure staff have the knowledge required in order to identify and take action to minimise or eradicate risk. For example, staff do not make sure that food at mealtimes is prepared appropriately for the age and stage of individual children. Consequently, this compromises children's safety. n Staff deployment is not effective. Leaders do not deploy qualified and more experienced staff effectively across the nursery to successfully meet all children's individual needs. The quality of the learning experiences children receive is, therefore, variable. n There is not a fully embedded, effective key-person approach in place. Leaders have not ensured that all staff who have key-person responsibilities have a sufficient understanding of the early years foundation stage. Consequently, they

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need to do better?

are not able to plan specifically for key children's learning needs. Furthermore, babies do not have consistent interactions from their named key person. This does not provide effective support to meet some babies' emotional needs. n Leaders do not ensure required information and records are kept up to date. For instance, some requested documentation was not available. This does not ensure the smooth and efficient running of the nursery. n Staff do not receive all the support they need to plan and implement an age- appropriate, effective curriculum. As such, children receive educational programmes that do not precisely meet their individual needs. Staff plan next steps for very young children that are not suitable for their age and stage of development. Furthermore, older children's experiences are sometimes directed by staff too much. This does not afford children the opportunity to explore their own creative thoughts and ideas.

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need to do better?

n Despite the weaknesses, staff support children sensitively to learn right from wrong, so they start to understand the impact behaviour has on themselves and others. n Staff work with parents and other professionals to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive regular support and targeted intervention to help meet their individual needs.

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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

ensure all staff have a robust understanding of a range of child protection matters, including concerns about adults who work with children and the process to follow in line with local safeguarding partnership guidelines and procedures 23/09/2024

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Due date

implement robust vetting procedures and ongoing checks to ensure the suitability of all staff working with children and families 23/09/2024

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Due date

improve risk assessment arrangements to identify and minimise any hazards to children to effectively maintain their safety and well-being at all times 23/09/2024

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Due date

improve staff deployment arrangements to ensure there are sufficient staff available in each room to consistently meet all children's care and learning needs 23/09/2024

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Due date

implement effective key person arrangements to ensure staff have the sufficient knowledge to fulfil their roles and responsibilities to meet the needs of children 23/09/2024

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Due date

ensure all information and records are in place and available, to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the provision. 23/09/2024

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Due date

plan and implement an age appropriate, broad, and well-balanced curriculum that is tailored to the individual needs of children. 15/10/2024

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Setting details

Unique reference number 511326 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10362452 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 80 Name of registered person Bracken Place Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07769698970 Date of previous inspection 31 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

Bracken Place Day Nursery registered in 2000. It operates from a converted house and a purpose-built extension in Chilworth, Southampton. The nursery opens for 51 weeks of the year, from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery offers free entitlement funding for children aged two-, three- and four-years old. There are 14 members of staff, of whom 8 hold relevant early years qualifications.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the nursery and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the nursery. n The nominated individual and inspectors completed a learning walk discussion together, including all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspectors observed the interactions between the staff and children. n Children spoke to the inspectors during the inspection. n The inspectors observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

n The inspectors sampled a range of key documentation on request. n Parents and carers shared their views of the nursery with one of the inspectors.

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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

28 August 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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