Explorers Bootle

Inspection of Explorers Bootle 20 Park Street, Bootle, Merseyside L20 3DG

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

The nursery is currently having significant staffing issues which is affecting their day-to-day operation. The instability of the staff team compromises the quality of care and education that children receive. Children are not provided with an ambitious curriculum that helps them to make good progress in their learning. Weaknesses in the key-person system means that staff do not always have the knowledge needed to meet children's individual learning needs. This has a significant impact on children's development, particularly those children who have fallen behind in their learning and those who speak English as an additional language. Children are not well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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The provision is inadequate

Overall, staff form bonds with children that help them to feel secure at the nursery. They are kind and nurturing which promotes children's emotional well-being. However, weaknesses in the curriculum for personal, social and emotional development negatively affect children's behaviour. Staff do not embed important skills, such as sharing and turn taking. Older children snatch from their friends and disrupt each other's play. This goes unnoticed by staff which prevents children from learning about behaviour expectations and developing good social skills.

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need to do better?

n Leaders identify some things they would like children to learn while they are at nursery. However, the curriculum is lacking in depth and ambition. Children's existing skills and knowledge are not considered, and learning is not sequenced well. Staff do not implement leaders' intentions or plan activities that build on what children already know. Consequently, children do not make good progress or develop a positive attitude to learning. n The arrangements for monitoring children's assessments are not effective. Although staff assess children's development each term, when gaps in learning are identified, they are not acted upon. Staff are not supported to share their concerns with parents or implement targeted support. This means children wait too long before receiving the additional help they need. n Support for children who speak English as an additional language is weak. Although staff have access to resources to help promote children's

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need to do better?

understanding, they do not use them. Visual timetables are too high on the wall for children to see and not referred to by staff. Consequently, some groups of children are often unsure of what is happening and what is expected of them. They spend a lot of time wandering and not engaged in purposeful play and learning. n The procedures for supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are poor. Leaders do not make timely referrals to outside agencies when necessary. Additional funding allocated to these children, such as

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need to do better?

17 January 2025 early years pupil premium, is not used to narrow the gaps in their learning. Consequently, the gaps widen, and children are not prepared for school. n The key-person system is not robust. Due to ongoing staffing issues, children often do not have an allocated key person with them. When staff are absent, remaining staff do not know enough about children to meet their learning needs. Children do have lovely relationships with all the staff team. They are settled at the nursery and their emotional well-being is supported. Staff working in the baby room get to know all babies well. n Partnership working with parents is weak. Staff do not keep all parents up to date with key person changes and staffing arrangements. Parents are unsure of what children are working on at nursery and how they can extend learning at home. Furthermore, some parents are not informed of concerns about children's development. This does not provide continuity in children's care and learning.

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need to do better?

n The arrangements for staff supervision are not implemented well. Although staff have supervision meetings and their performance is observed, feedback is not frequent. Staff have some targets for improvement, but they are not specifically focused on improving their skills and knowledge. For instance, staff are not supported to recognise when activities are pitched incorrectly or when they need to support children's language development more effectively. Consequently, there are weaknesses in the quality of education. n Children enjoy playing in the outdoor area. They show good balance when using the scooters and bicycles as they carefully navigate the paths. Staff engage children in ring games, encouraging them to sing and interact with one another. Children use the climbing equipment with ease. This helps to strengthen their large muscles and promote good physical development. n Babies enjoy taking part in dough activities. Staff teach babies new words, such

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need to do better?

as squeeze and stretch to explain their actions and broaden their vocabulary. Babies use rolling pins and cutters to manipulate the dough and make different shapes. This strengthens their hand and finger muscles in preparation for early mark making.

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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

17 January 2025 plan and implement a broad and ambitious curriculum that builds on children's existing skills and knowledge 28/02/2025

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Due date

ensure that all staff are supported to act on concerns they identify in children's assessments 14/02/2025

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Due date

implement effective strategies that support children to learn and reach a good standard of English language 28/02/2025

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Due date

implement robust procedures to support children with SEND to help them make progress from their individual starting points 14/02/2025

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Due date

implement an effective key-person system to ensure that in periods of staff absence remaining staff know enough about children to meet their educational needs 14/02/2025

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Due date

ensure that all parents receive specific information about their child's key person, staffing arrangements and what children are working on at nursery 14/02/2025

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Due date

implement effective procedures for supervision, coaching and mentoring to improve the quality of staff practice. 28/02/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2748335 Local authority Sefton Inspection number 10377427 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 104 Number of children on roll 64 Name of registered person Explorers Nurseries Liverpool Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01519333596 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Explorers Bootle registered in 2023 and is situated in the Bootle area of Liverpool. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 have appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery offers government funded places for childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.

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Inspection activities

n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke 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 Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n Parents (the term parents could be replaced with grandparents, carers and so on, as appropriate) shared their views of the setting with the inspector. 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 manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

17 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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