Positive Steps Childcare LTD

Inspection of Positive Steps Childcare LTD Positive Steps Childcare Ltd, 4 Loudon Street, Derby DE23 8ER

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is inadequate

The provider does not take appropriate action to safeguard children. The provider ensures that staff are trained in some aspects of safeguarding. However, this training has not been effective and there are gaps in staff's knowledge. This compromises children's safety and welfare. The arrangements for the supervision and training of staff does not target or drive improvement, leading to weak teaching and understanding of their role in keeping children safe.

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not benefit from a well-planned and ambitious curriculum. This includes those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those children who speak English as an additional language (EAL). Curriculum planning is poor, therefore, activities offered to children do not take account of children's current abilities. For example, children who are just learning to speak in English are expected to count or recall the days of the week from a story. As a result, children do not make the progress they are capable of as teaching does not meet their developmental needs.

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The provision is inadequate

Children's behaviour is poor, and staff do not understand how to manage this appropriately or consistently. When children squabble over toys or push each other, staff fail to deal with this successfully and sometimes do not even notice when this occurs. Lunchtimes are chaotic and not managed effectively. This poor management of behaviour impacts negatively on children's learning in the setting.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite these poor practices, children are happy to attend and mostly appear to enjoy their time at the setting. Staff are kind and caring and show affection to children when this is needed.

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need to do better?

n Although all staff are trained in safeguarding, not all of them know what to do should they have a concern about a child in the setting. They understand they should report concerns to the designated safeguarding lead (DSL). However, there are significant gaps in their safeguarding knowledge in areas, such as the 'Prevent' duty and county lines. Additionally, some staff do not know when they must inform the DSL for them to take action if an allegation is made about staff. These gaps in safeguarding knowledge mean staff are not able to effectively keep children safe at all times. n The provider recognises that changes are needed to improve the setting, however, steps to implement positive improvements are not yet effective. Appropriate arrangements to support and monitor staff practice are not in place. The provider does not offer effective coaching or training to improve staff's teaching skills and the delivery of the curriculum. This means that staff do not

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need to do better?

18 March 2025 have the support they need to improve the provision and to provide high-quality learning experiences for children. n Staffing arrangements do not consistently meet the needs of children. During mealtimes and group activities, staff fail to respond appropriately to the needs of children to support their safety and well-being. For example, the lack of staff interaction and boredom leads to some negative behaviour from children. Additionally, children are allowed to wander from the table when they are eating. On these occasions the environment becomes chaotic and noisy, which disrupts children's learning. n Staff are not good role models and do not give children clear boundaries to help them understand what is expected of them. When children show unwanted behaviour, staff do not explain why the behaviour is not suitable, or suggest ways they can resolve issues calmly. Children, therefore, do not gain the

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need to do better?

necessary skills in readiness for their next steps in learning, including their eventual move on to school. n Children with SEND are not well supported. Staff can explain that some children do have gaps in their learning and development. However, they do not support children enough, to help them catch up in their learning. Staff have not had effective training or support to help children with SEND. As a result, children who require additional support are falling further behind in their development. n The provider does not ensure that staff understand what children need to learn and how to provide children with an effective curriculum. Activities are not purposeful and are not linked to children's abilities or interests. This is particularly so for children with SEND and those children who speak EAL. For example, staff expect children who are not yet able to understand numbers or converse in English, to count the number of body parts on a caterpillar. Children

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need to do better?

are not able to do this and soon lose interest and move away. Staff do not understand how to adapt activities to meet the needs of children. As a result, children do not make the progress they are capable of. n For most children in attendance at the setting, English is not their dominant language. Staff are aware of this and some speak additional languages. However, the curriculum to support children to develop their speaking skills overall is weak. When staff play with children, they focus more on speech in their dominant language and do not use English confidently enough to help children gain a good level of English speaking skills, or develop the capacity to use and build on what they already know. As a result, children's speech is not strong. n The provider does not have a clear enough understanding about the purpose and use of additional funding for children, such as early years pupil premium. This means that, for the children who receive this, it is not used effectively to

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need to do better?

meet their individual learning needs. n Parents speak positively about the setting and the care the staff provide for their children. They comment on how their children are happy to attend and that they have positive relationships with staff.

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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 those working with children have a thorough knowledge and understanding of how to report concerns about an adult who may have harmed a child and what to do should you believe a child or adult is being drawn into extremism or showing signs of being radicalised 22/04/2025

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Due date

support staff to undertake appropriate training and development opportunities to ensure they offer quality learning and development experiences for children 22/04/2025

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Due date

ensure supervision and monitoring of staff helps to identify weaknesses in their practice in order to raise the quality and improve teaching practice 22/04/2025

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Due date

ensure staffing arrangements meet the needs of children at all times, with particular regard to mealtimes and group activities 22/04/2025

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Due date

ensure effective and consistent strategies are in place to manage children's behaviour which help children understand what is expected of them 22/04/2025

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Due date

18 March 2025 ensure staff know and understand how to support the care and learning needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to enable staff to plan high quality learning experiences tailored to children's individual needs. 22/04/2025

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Due date

implement an ambitious curriculum that considers the individual needs and stages of development of all children, including children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language, in order for them to make at least good progress 06/05/2025

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Due date

ensure staff help all children to develop their communication and language skills effectively, particularly those who speak English as an additional language 22/04/2025

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Due date

ensure that any additional funding, such as early years pupil premium, is used appropriately. 22/04/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2747438 Local authority Derby Inspection number 10396654 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 23 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Positive Steps Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07747468926 Date of previous inspection 13 June 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Positive Steps Childcare LTD re-registered in 2023 and is located in Derby. The setting employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The setting opens from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, term time only. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors Alexandra Brouder Jude Simpson

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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 inspectors viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The provider/manager talked to the inspectors about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children spoke to/communicated with the inspectors during the inspection. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors 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

18 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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