Childcare on Domestic Premises, Full day care in Harrow

Report for childcare on domestic premises

p.1

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 Inadequate

p.1

The provision requires improvement

Since the last inspection, the provider has made improvements to processes and procedures to ensure the suitability of staff. This has improved the safety of the setting for children.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

Staff really care about the children and build warm relationships with them. Children enthusiastically approach staff to tell them about their play, or talk about their interests with them. These warm relationships help children to feel safe in the setting.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

Staff embed routines well. For example, babies and toddlers understand that they have their lunch, then a story and then go to sleep. This provides children with a sense of security in the setting.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

However, leaders have not identified weaknesses in staff practice effectively in order to offer targeted support in these areas. They do not ensure that staff practice is of a consistently good quality. For example, some staff do not have an accurate understanding of their key children's next steps and how to support them to achieve these. In addition, the quality of staff's interactions with children is variable. This has an impact on the progress that children make.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children are polite and listen well to staff and their peers. However, staff do not provide some children with sufficient opportunity to develop their curiosity and problem-solving skills. They do not consistently use effective questioning to help children to develop and extend their play.

p.2

need to do better?

n The provider has taken steps to improve processes and procedures to ensure the suitability of staff so that the setting is safe for children. They now make sure that all the necessary steps needed to verify staff's suitability have been taken. The provider ensures that effective risk assessments are in place for those staff who are still in the process of having their suitability checks completed. This has contributed to an improved safeguarding culture at the setting. n The key-person system is inconsistent. Staff are able to talk about what their key children enjoy doing and the progress that they have made. However, they do not have a secure understanding of the next steps in children's learning, or plan effective learning opportunities for children to achieve these next steps. This has an impact on the progress that children make. n Staff are not consistent enough in their support for children in their

p.2

need to do better?

communication and language. Some staff get down to children's levels and sing

p.2

need to do better?

13 March 2025 songs or narrate effectively as children play to support children in their language development. However, other staff speak to children too quickly or ask them too many closed questions, without giving children time to process what they are saying. This has an impact on the progress that children make in their communication and language. n Leaders provide professional development opportunities for staff, including training by the local authority or private consultants. However, they have not identified weaker areas of staff practice effectively in order to provide targeted support in these areas. This means that the quality of teaching is not yet of a consistently good standard. This has an impact on staff's understanding of how to support children in high-quality interactions to help them to develop their critical thinking. n Staff support children to develop their independence skills well. For example,

p.2

need to do better?

they teach children how to put on their coats themselves. Children serve themselves their lunch and pour their own water. Learning self-care skills such as these helps children to be prepared for the next stage of their learning, such as school. n Staff do not always address misconceptions in children's understanding, and sometimes they give them the wrong information. For example, staff refer to apples as 'circles' and to three-dimensional blocks as 'squares'. On these occasions, this does not support children's understanding of new information or concepts. n Staff support children to develop their understanding of a healthy lifestyle well. They help children to understand the importance of brushing their teeth. In addition, they support children to develop physically. Children get lots of exercise in the garden as they balance on the beam, participate in obstacle courses or play in the sand. The provider ensures that meals are healthy and nutritious for

p.3

need to do better?

children. n Staff communicate regularly with parents in a variety of ways about the activities that children do at the setting. They offer support to parents and families in many different ways, including providing recommendations for healthcare professionals that children may benefit from seeing. This helps to build positive parent partnerships.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

p.3

Due date

ensure that staff consistently use effective strategies to support children's communication and language development 11/04/2025

p.4

Due date

support staff to identify the next steps in their key children's learning and development accurately, and to plan learning opportunities to support children to achieve these 11/04/2025

p.4

Due date

improve leaders' understanding of good practice to allow them to identify weaker staff practice and provide targeted support to help staff to improve their practice. 11/04/2025

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number EY546177 Local authority Harrow Inspection number 10375020 Type of provision Childcare on 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 26 Number of children on roll 29

p.5

reference number

Date of previous inspection 17 October 2024

p.5

Information about this early years setting

Little Darlings Nursery registered in 2017 and is located in the London Borough of Harrow. It opens from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. There are 10 members of staff, including the provider. Of these, six staff hold an early years qualification between level 3 and level 6. The setting provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years.

p.5

Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the curriculum. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation of an activity. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing in the setting. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and the children. n The inspector had discussions with staff and parents and took their views into account. n The inspector held discussions with leaders about practices and procedures at the setting.

p.5

Inspection activities

13 March 2025 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.5

Inspection activities

13 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.

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