Handkerchief Day Nursery

Inspection of Handkerchief Day Nursery High Street, Kegworth, Derby DE74 2DA

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

p.1

The provision is inadequate

Risk assessments are not always effective. Some staff fail to identify emerging risks or take prompt action to maintain children's safety. In addition, some staff organise activities in environments that are not suitable, and which put children at risk from cross infection.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

The quality of education is variable and children do not always receive high-quality interactions from staff, which limits the opportunity to build on their prior learning. In some group rooms, staff prioritise completing necessary chores at the expense of direct interactions with children. Pre-school children become boisterous and display unwanted behaviour. The environment becomes chaotic as children run around the room, inadvertently pushing and bumping into their friends. This creates hazards for other children. While some staff attempt to encourage positive behaviour, children ignore requests to stop and continue their risky play.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Nonetheless, children get plenty of opportunities to develop their growing physical skills. Staff provide activities at different levels to encourage babies to pull themselves up and to help them stand independently as they play. Babies use their core muscles as they crawl up and down small ramps, and staff provide plenty of praise, clapping and motivating babies further. Staff create an outdoor environment to support children's interest in the world around them. Pre-school children bend and stretch as they work with staff to collect natural resources, such as twigs and leaves. Others carry large branches to make dens to hide in. Staff pose questions, helping children consider which items will work best. This helps children to problem solve.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff do not recognise risks or take prompt enough action to maintain a safe environment at all times. For example, children are allowed to lie on their backs on the floor to eat their lunch with minimal supervision from staff. This is despite staff recognising that this presents a significant risk from choking. n Children's good health is not always promoted. Staff take groups of toddlers to sit on the bathroom floor to have song time. Toddlers sit with their hands on the floor and then put their hands to their face and mouth. When some toddlers lose interest and disengage from the activity, they play inappropriately with the sinks and in the toilet stalls. This increases the risk of cross infection. n The provider has an overview of the curriculum and knows what they want children to achieve. Staff know the children and have determined appropriate next steps to help children progress. That said, interactions between staff and

p.2

need to do better?

children sometimes lack purpose, direction and challenge. As a result, the quality of teaching is variable, and children's experiences are not consistent throughout

p.2

need to do better?

10 December 2024 the setting. n Children are learning to develop positive behaviours. For example, pre-school children listen well to instructions and contribute positively during a forest school session. Toddlers are helped to put their coats and boots away after returning from outdoor play. In contrast, staff struggle to manage children who demonstrate unwanted behaviour when they are doing this by themselves. This goes on for too long before other staff intervene. Staff do not consistently help children understand what is expected of their behaviour. n Leaders recognise that multiple changes in the management team have resulted in variable staff practice across the nursery. While regular meetings and dedicated time for training occurs, some staff have yet to receive an individual supervision. This means leaders have not yet focused on identifying individual areas for development. To this end, some staff are not fully effective in

p.2

need to do better?

supporting children's learning outcomes. n Staff plan activities to help children practise the skills needed for early writing. For example, pre-school children use their hands and fingers to squash and squeeze clay to make their own Christmas decoration. Babies babble confidently, feeling ribbons and exploring texture books with staff. In addition, they focus and use their fingers to carefully remove wooden pegs and blocks, one by one, from a box. Staff help toddlers to make structures out of click-together shapes. When children struggle, staff provide words of encouragement and suggest alternative ideas, which see children persevere. n Children are developing their early independence skills. For example, babies are learning to feed themselves. Staff are vigilant and build on babies' skills, demonstrating how to use the cutlery correctly. Toddlers and pre-school children are supported to put on their own coats and suits and boots. This helps children

p.3

need to do better?

do as much for themselves as possible. n Staff provide healthy meals, snacks and fresh drinking water for children. Staff work closely with parents to manage children's allergies and dietary requirements. There is an established process in place to ensure this information is safely communicated across the nursery.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

p.3

Due date

10 December 2024 ensure all staff have a secure understanding of how to identify and minimise all risks to children, including in relation to potential choking hazards 06/01/2025

p.3

Due date

ensure children's health and hygiene are promoted at all times and take all necessary steps to prevent cross infection 06/01/2025

p.4

Due date

implement behaviour management strategies, which support staff to be consistent in their approach, and which build on children's understanding of behaviour expectations 06/01/2025

p.4

Due date

ensure that all children benefit from high-quality interactions with staff and receive meaningful and purposeful learning experiences that build on what they already know and can do 06/01/2025

p.4

Due date

improve staff supervision, coaching and training to precisely identify individual areas of development and ensure staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. 06/01/2025

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number EY347142 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10375045 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.5

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 110 Number of children on roll 162 Name of registered person Child's Time Ltd

p.5

reference number

Telephone number 01509 642100 Date of previous inspection 29 August 2019

p.5

Information about this early years setting

Handkerchief Day Nursery is based in Kegworth, Leicestershire. It registered in 2007. The nursery employs 27 members of childcare staff. Of these, 22 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, with sessions from 7am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged nine months to four years.

p.5

Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The deputy manager, manager 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 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 observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. 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.

p.6

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.

p.6

Inspection activities

10 December 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.

p.6

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7