Golders Hill Day Nursery

Inspection of Golders Hill Day Nursery 666 Finchley Road, London NW11 7NT

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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

Leaders do not have sufficient oversight to ensure the safe and efficient running of this nursery. Staff, including leaders, do not have the knowledge required to keep children safe. Additionally, leaders have not ensured that staff are recruited in line with safer recruitment guidance. This means it cannot be assured that all staff are suitable to be working with children.

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The provision is inadequate

Children enjoy making choices and playing cooperatively with their peers. Most staff engage with children in their self-chosen activities, and interactions are generally warm and reassuring. However, some staff sit with children but fail to interact or engage in their play in any meaningful way. This inconsistent practice is seen across the nursery and has an impact on the progress that children make.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff have inconsistent expectations of children's behaviour. Younger children participate successfully in group sessions as staff use effective strategies to keep them engaged and learning. For example, staff hold up a numeral and children enthusiastically do the corresponding number of actions, such as clapping their hands. However, group sessions with older children are much less successful. For example, staff allow children to get up and leave story time to continue their play. Staff do not build on prior learning and increase their expectations over time and this impacts on how prepared children are for school.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have not effectively monitored safeguarding knowledge to ensure all staff can identify potential signs of abuse and know the appropriate procedures for reporting concerns. This includes who to contact if there are safeguarding concerns about children or if allegations are made against adults working with children. Leaders themselves lack understanding of areas of safeguarding, such as the 'Prevent' duty, and this limits their ability to effectively monitor the knowledge and understanding of their staff. n Leaders do not demonstrate a secure understanding of how to safely recruit staff. This includes allowing staff to work unsupervised with children without completing the required background checks. While steps have been taken to improve recruitment procedures, these are still not secure, and leaders demonstrate gaps in their knowledge that could impact on the safety of children. n Staff generally support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities

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need to do better?

(SEND) well. However, leaders lack oversight of children with SEND and do not work effectively with parents, or other professionals, to ensure a cohesive approach to meeting children's individual needs. For example, leaders and staff do not consider how to prepare children with SEND for school or take any steps to support these important transitions alongside parents and other professionals.

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need to do better?

3 March 2025 n Leaders explain that an important aspect of their curriculum is taking children on outings, to broaden their understanding of the world around them. They describe trips taken in the past, such as to the science museum. However, local trips have stopped happening due to behaviour challenges. While the safety of children has been prioritised in this instance, leaders and staff have not taken sufficient action to understand, support and improve children's behaviour. As such, children are missing out on rich learning experiences. n Staff encourage children to become more independent in their self-care skills as they move through the nursery. For example, pre-school children confidently self-serve their own lunch. However, staff fail to encourage children to problem solve or attempt things for themselves in other areas of the curriculum. For example, when children want to make paper jewellery, staff make these for

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need to do better?

them rather than promoting scissor skills and encouraging children to try making these for themselves. n Leaders do not have effective oversight of practice within the nursery. They are unaware that staff lack the knowledge required to keep children safe, signifying weaknesses in staff inductions and supervision sessions. Leaders also fail to check that staff complete training in a timely manner and that training has the desired impact on improving knowledge and practice. In addition, weaknesses in staff interactions and their impact on children's engagement in their learning are not addressed, therefore poor practice continues. n Leaders reflect on the weaknesses identified openly and honestly. They are acutely aware that they have not taken sufficient action to ensure the safe and effective running of the nursery. However, they have recently expanded the leadership team in recognition of these weaknesses, and are open to support

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need to do better?

from other agencies, demonstrating a commitment and capacity for improvement.

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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, including leaders, have a secure understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures 17/03/2025

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Due date

3 March 2025 ensure procedures for safer recruitment are fully understood and adhered to, to ensure all staff are suitable to work with children 17/03/2025

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Due date

improve partnership working with parents and other agencies to ensure the individual needs of children, particularly those with SEND, are met 17/03/2025

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Due date

ensure behaviour expectations are consistent across the nursery, and build over time, to help prepare children for their next stage of learning 17/03/2025

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Due date

ensure leaders have oversight of practice within the nursery through effective inductions and supervision of staff, to improve the quality of the nursery. 17/03/2025

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should:

n support children to be more independent across the curriculum, not just in their self-care skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2696216 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 10368648 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 108 Number of children on roll 42 Name of registered person Golders Hill Day Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 020 3642 3450 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The nursery registered in 2022. The setting operates from a detached building in the Golders Green area in the London Borough of Barnet. They open weekdays between 8am and 6pm all year round. The nursery employs 22 members of staff, 16 of whom hold childcare qualifications at level 2 or above.

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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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager 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 Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. 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

3 March 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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