Flitwick Day Nursery

Inspection of Flitwick Day Nursery 20 Steppingley Road, Flitwick, Bedford MK45 1AJ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

The quality of education is not consistent enough to ensure that children make good progress in their learning. Staff's interactions with children are varied in their quality. Additionally, the support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) requires improvement. Staff do not always provide experiences that support children's development. When staff ask children questions, they do not allow them sufficient time to think and respond. For example, when children experiment with sand and water, staff ask questions and then give them the answers.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff are generally nurturing and care for the babies and children. They spend time with them giving cuddles and comfort children when they become upset. Children behave well. Staff offer praise, which helps children to keep trying. Staff help children to develop a love of reading. Babies actively choose books to look at and give them to staff, who read to them. Older children sit in small groups and listen to staff who read with expression and talk about the pictures. Children handle books carefully and very young children demonstrate they can turn pages gently. This helps children to understand that stories have a beginning and an end.

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need to do better?

n The management team recognises that recent changes have disrupted the provision and have a clear and focused action plan to tackle the areas requiring improvement. They have prioritised key areas, including staff's practice and communication with parents. However, these changes are not fully embedded. n The arrangements for children with SEND is not consistently effective. While staff understand the children's interests, they do not use this knowledge to support children's learning. As a result, children do not make the progress they are capable of from their starting points. n The managers help staff to develop their teaching skills, and staff report that they feel well supported. They use a range of opportunities to encourage staff to reflect on and develop their knowledge and practice. However, these have not been in place long enough to have a positive impact. n The managers and staff have recently reviewed the curriculum. The new focus

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need to do better?

helps children to learn vital, basic skills as they progress through the nursery. The managers have high expectations of how the staff will teach the skills and knowledge to the children. However, not all staff teach to a consistently good level. n Staff do not always plan and provide good-quality activities that foster children's learning that match their abilities. For example, they offer young children complicated puzzles that are too difficult for them. At times, older children's rooms are busy and noise levels rise. While staff carry on with routine activities,

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need to do better?

16 January 2025 children struggle to listen and and focus, while some wander about. As a result, learning is not always purposeful. n Some staff have strong teaching abilities. For example, they use words that relate to the actions that babies make during their play. As they use brushes and their hands to paint, staff say 'pat' and 'tap'. They listen carefully for the babies to respond and have a go at copying the word. Staff praise babies' language. They also respond well to their non-verbal cues. When babies point to pictures, they talk about what it is they see to maintain their concentration. n Generally, parents are satisfied with the care the children receive. They report that babies are helped to settle in, and they receive a suitable amount of communication about their day, such as when nappies are changed. n Staff help children to develop their independence throughout the nursery. They encourage babies to hold spoons and feed themselves. Staff encourage children

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need to do better?

to put on their coats in a sequential way. For example, they ask toddlers to try doing the up zip. Staff encourage older children to put their arms in their sleeves. This helps children to learn how to care for themselves. n There is a range of opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. Babies play on the floor and at tables where they can pull themselves up and balance. Toddlers roll and crawl on soft-play blocks. This helps to develop children's core strength and balance. Older children poke and squish dough. They scoop sand and water in and out of pots and jugs. This helps to develop their hand-eye coordination.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Due date

ensure that staff guide children's learning through stimulating and challenging activities, appropriate for their stage of development 28/03/2025

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Due date

ensure that arrangements for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are implemented effectively to help them make good progress from their starting points. 28/03/2025

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should:

n continue to embed the performance management programme to develop quality of teaching further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY486612 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 10378186 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 84 Number of children on roll 137 Name of registered person Davidson-Roberts Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01525 718866 Date of previous inspection 14 June 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Flitwick Day Nursery registered in 2015. The nursery employs18 members of childcare staff. Of whom, 14 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. 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 provider and the inspector carried out a joint observation of a planned activity. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and considered their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n Children talked with the inspector during the inspection.

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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

16 January 2025 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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