Happy Hours Day Nursery

Inspection of Happy Hours Day Nursery Longfellow Road, Dudley, West Midlands DY3 3EE

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

p.1

The provision is inadequate

The leadership and general oversight of the nursery remain weak. Leaders have allowed all staff's paediatric first-aid training to lapse out of date. Therefore, there has been no member of staff on site with the required training to implement appropriate first aid. This is a serious breach to statutory requirements. As a result, children are at significant risk of harm in the event of a medical emergency.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

In addition, the overall standards in the nursery are low. The premises are dirty and unkempt and there are cobwebs and clutter throughout. This does not promote the good health of children, and ambitions for the children's learning environment are poor. The building requires general maintenance to ensure children are safe and have access to fully functioning toilets. For example, there are leaking pipes in the pre-school toilets. Water seeps onto the floor where children walk. Children independently access these areas. Leaders have not done enough to prioritise this being fixed. This is a risk to children's safety and general well-being.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Staff have still not received supervisions to support them in their roles, despite this being an action at the last inspection. Meals remain nutritionally poor. They are mainly frozen and are high in fat and sugar. Again, this was raised at the last inspection and leaders have not done enough to improve the standard of food they provide for children to eat.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

That said, overall, children are generally happy. They show empathy for others and fondly bid their friends farewell as they leave. They are forming friendships at nursery.

p.2

need to do better?

n Leaders do not prioritise children's safety. Despite knowing all staff's paediatric first-aid certificates had expired, they allowed them to continue working with children without other solutions being found to ensure children's safety. This has put children at serious risk of harm in the event of a medical emergency. n Ambitions and expectations for children's learning are not high enough. Leaders do not have a clear enough understanding of what they want children to learn. The curriculum is not broad and challenging. For example, staff do not promote independence. They do not help children to complete tasks for themselves. As a result, children are not supported to undertake tasks such as serving their food, peeling or chopping their fruit and clearing their plates away. Staff tend to step in and complete all these tasks for them. This is not preparing children well enough for their next stage in education.

p.2

need to do better?

n Leaders fail to identify areas that still require improvement. Despite issues raised at the last inspection about the quality of the meals they provide, sufficient

p.2

need to do better?

27 March 2025 changes have not been made. Children eat food that is poor quality and of little nutritional value. It also contradicts what they are trying to teach children about healthy choices when what they serve children is high in fat and sugar. This does not promote the good health of children or support their learning about healthy lifestyles. n Some staff are unsure of their key children's next steps. This means they have not used assessment and planning well enough for these children. As a result, staff do not know what they want children to learn next. When staff do identify gaps in children's knowledge, they do not know the best way to support these areas. As a result, these children's gaps are not closing quickly enough. n Staff deployment is effective and staff supervise children as they play. However, staff do not use opportunities to ensure all children have the learning support and interaction they need. Leaders recognise this, but they have not done

p.2

need to do better?

enough to monitor the quality of teaching and improve outcomes for children. This is particularly true of transition times. For example, children wait too long for desserts after lunch, or when staff tidy up. Staff have not planned anything to do during this time, or what is planned is mundane or too difficult. Consequently, children become bored, mess about and push each other. This does not support their learning. n Staff supervision is variable and its implementation since the last inspection has not been successful in improving the overall quality of staff practice. Some staff receive focused support, while others have not received any. Leaders have plans to implement a new format of support, but that is yet to be embedded into practice despite this being raised at the last inspection. That said, staff say they are happy in their roles. n Leaders and staff allow children to access areas that are cluttered and

p.3

need to do better?

unhygienic. Mouldy lunch boxes and leaking water pipes are in areas that children access. The premises require maintenance for them to be safe and fit for purpose. Staff's hand hygiene practice is not good enough. Staff wipe children's noses, but they do not wash their hands afterwards or before wiping other children's noses. This is not effective at reducing the cross-contamination of germs and puts children's health and well-being at risk.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

p.3

Due date

ensure there is always at least one person on the premises and available when children are present who has a current paediatric first-aid certificate 23/04/2025

p.4

Due date

ensure any qualified staff included in staff-to-child ratios hold a current paediatric first-aid certificate 23/04/2025

p.4

Due date

provide meals that are healthy, balanced and nutritious to support the good health of children 23/04/2025

p.4

Due date

monitor the quality of staff's teaching practice more closely and provide any necessary training, so that staff offer effective learning experiences for children 23/04/2025

p.4

Due date

implement appropriate arrangements for the supervision of staff that provides them with support and coaching to facilitate their roles and improve outcomes for children 23/04/2025

p.4

Due date

ensure the premises are in a good state of repair, hygienic, and fit for purpose 23/04/2025

p.4

Due date

strengthen staff's hand hygiene practice, particularly when wiping children's noses. 23/04/2025

p.4

Due date

develop and implement a curriculum that provides children with rich opportunities across all areas of learning, so that they make the progress they are capable of 23/04/2025

p.4

Due date

27 March 2025 improve the use of assessment and planning so that when staff identify gaps in children's knowledge, they understand how best to support children's progress in these areas. 23/04/2025

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number 253801 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 10365236 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.6

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

p.6

inspection

Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 52 Name of registered person Elcock, Julie

p.6

reference number

Telephone number 01902 881021 Date of previous inspection 14 August 2024

p.6

Information about this early years setting

Happy Hours Day Nursery registered in 1993 and is located in Dudley. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. There are 15 members of staff employed. Of these, 14 hold qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery provides government-funded places for childcare.

p.6

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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. 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.

p.6

Inspection activities

27 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.6

Inspection activities

27 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.7

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.8

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.8

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8