Smartkiddies Childcare (registration until: 09 Feb

Inspection of Smartkiddies Childcare English Martyrs Church Hall, Stead Street, London, Walworth SE17 1BF

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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 Good

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety and well-being are compromised at this setting, due to breaches in the safeguarding and welfare requirements. There is not always an appropriate designated staff member present to take charge of the setting in the absence of the manager. This compromises children's safety, learning and development. Staff are friendly to children, however, the key-person arrangements are weak. As a result, staff do not successfully support children's emotional health well. They do not have clear or high expectations of children's behaviour. This means that children do not develop good attitudes to their learning. At times, staff struggle to manage children who demonstrate unwanted behaviour. Furthermore, the arrangements for risk assessment are not effective, particularly when children are on outings.

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The provision is inadequate

The quality of teaching is weak. The curriculum is poorly designed and lacks ambition. Staff play with children, but their interactions do not enhance children's learning or skills. Staff plan activities and experiences around what children already know and can do. This means that children do not gain sufficient knowledge and skills for their future learning. Despite these weaknesses, most children arrive happy and part from their parents and carers with ease. They receive a warm welcome from staff. Children are familiar with the routine on arrival. For instance, they take off their shoes and put on comfortable indoor shoes with support from staff.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff have put in some strategies to encourage children to be independent. Pre- school children wipe their noses and dispose of the tissues. Toddler-age children attempt to take off their coats and put them on their pegs. Staff monitor children as they sleep and children eat meals which adhere to their dietary requirements. This supports children's physical health.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have not shared the setting's safeguarding policies and procedures with staff. Some staff have a weak understanding of the procedures and practices to be followed if they have concerns about a child's welfare. This means that safeguarding concerns may not be reported in a timely manner and compromises children's safety. n Leaders are not in attendance at the setting at the beginning of the day when children are present. There is no named deputy manager in place, which is a breach of the statutory requirements. This indicates there is no responsible person in charge at all times during the operating hours of the setting. n Overall, staffing arrangements are not effective in ensuring the adequate supervision of children. For example, on the day of the inspection, during a trip

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need to do better?

20 March 2025 to the park, staff did not risk assess the experience adequately. For example, some staff step off the kerb to the other side of the road without explaining any road safety measures to children. This does not help children to learn how to keep safe and compromises their children's welfare. n Leaders can explain their expectations for children's behaviour. However, staff do not consistently show they understand these expectations and how to apply them. For example, when children run around indoors and climb furniture, staff do not always intervene. They do not help children to understand that some behaviours are right and some are wrong. Staff do not teach children how to regulate their behaviour. n All children have a key person, but the key-person arrangements are not well established. Leaders do not ensure that staff understand their key-person role. Some staff do not know their key children well, which means that children do

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need to do better?

not form strong emotional attachments. The system in place does not fully support children's emotional well-being. n Staff's interactions with children are friendly. However, they do not engage children in meaningful conversations. Staff do not extend and develop children's language. Staff encourage older children with good language to use gestures and non-verbal communication, rather than speaking. This demonstrates that staff do not have high expectations of children's developing vocabulary. It also does not prepare children effectively for school and their next steps in learning. n Staff praise children as they make marks with large crayons. However, the curriculum is not planned effectively to build on what children can already do. Children select some toys to play with, such as vehicles and puzzles, and enjoy playing in the sand pit. However, overall, they do not show sustained concentration or engagement in activities. Children move between the activities

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need to do better?

available to them and only occasionally engage in their learning. The curriculum does not extend children's learning or help them to learn new skills.

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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

20 March 2025 ensure that the setting's safeguarding policy is shared and available for staff to help them to understand the setting's safeguarding procedures and practice 18/04/2025

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Due date

ensure that there is a named deputy manager, who has the necessary skills and knowledge to take charge in the manager's absence 18/04/2025

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Due date

implement effective risk assessments for the safe supervision of children, particularly when on outings 18/04/2025

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Due date

implement behaviour management strategies, which support staff to be consistent in their approach, and help children to understand the expectations for their behaviour 18/04/2025

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Due date

ensure that the key-person arrangements are effective in meeting children's individual needs so that children form strong attachments with them and make good progress 18/04/2025

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Due date

take action to ensure that staff provide high-quality interactions that consistently promote children's communication and language development 18/04/2025

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Due date

devise and implement an ambitious learning programme that supports all children's learning and development. 18/04/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2643212 Local authority Southwark Inspection number 10395056 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 38 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Smartkiddies Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0203 375 94010 Date of previous inspection 3 June 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Smartkiddies Childcare registered in June 2021. It is situated in the London Borough of Southwark. The setting is open all year round, from 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. There are 11 members of staff employed at the setting. Of these, eight staff hold appropriate early years qualifications between level 2 and 3. The setting offers government funded childcare.

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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 A leader joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with a leader. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n Leaders showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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

20 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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