Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Stafford

Inspection of Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Stafford St. Paul's Parish Hall, Garden Street, Stafford ST17 4DD

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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 Good

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The provision requires improvement

The key-person system is not good. Some staff do not spend effective time building bonds with their key children. This is despite some children recently starting the setting. In addition, staff do not ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the full support they require. Despite these weaknesses, staff who work with older children think carefully about what they want children to learn. Staff teach them about why worms come out of the soil when it rains, how butterflies are symmetrical and the impact venom has on humans.

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The provision requires improvement

The quality of teaching and learning children receive is variable across the setting. For example, there are multiple occasions where staff who work with babies and younger children do not ensure they receive high-quality learning experiences. This results in occasions where some children lose interest and focus, and stop engaging. These weaker learning experiences impact on the progress some children are able to make. That said, there are times where babies have fun exploring musical instruments. There are also occasions where younger children express meanings to marks they make. Staff on the whole manage children's behaviours well. They remind children of the rules and praise them for what they do well. Leaders intervene swiftly, when needed, to support children to regulate their emotions.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have taken steps to identify weaknesses and develop an action plan. They spend more time in the rooms, modelling practice and providing staff with specific support. These plans are in their infancy. Leaders require more time to monitor, coach and support staff to improve their knowledge and skills further. n Leaders have developed a curriculum which covers all areas of learning. However, some staff lack the knowledge to implement the curriculum. Consequently, the teaching and learning children receive is inconsistent. For instance, there are times where babies listen to stories and rhymes. There are also times where younger children practise techniques of how to climb up and down the hill outside. However, there are multiple occasions where staff do not provide children with meaningful learning experiences. These weaker learning experiences impact on children's level of engagement and do not support all

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need to do better?

children to make the full progress they are capable of. n The support for children with SEND is not good. Although staff identify when children have gaps in their development, they often wait for other professionals to contact them. This means that some children can wait some time before they receive the full help they require from staff. In addition, staff plan next steps for children to achieve. This helps most children make continued progress. However,

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need to do better?

31 March 2025 for some children with SEND these next steps are not focused enough on the children's needs. That said, staff value the support of other professionals in helping them to understand children's needs better. n Staff complete settling-in sessions. They gain key information about the children from their parents before children actually start at the setting. However, staff do not share this information effectively with the child's key person. Consequently, some staff do not have a clear enough understanding about their key children. In addition, some staff spend a very minimal amount of time with their key children during the day. This does not support children to build effective bonds with the staff who are responsible for their care. n The organisation of activities and learning experiences requires improvement. For instance, although staff provide children with water, sand and flour play experiences there is, at times, a very little amount of the resource provided. This

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need to do better?

means children cannot complete their aim. In addition, staff provide children with a range of puzzles. However, they often scatter out many pieces from different puzzle boards for children to sort through. This confuses children as they do not know where to start looking for the pieces that fit their puzzle. n Most parents speak positively about the support they receive from staff and leaders. Staff provide parents with updates about their child's day and learning through various methods. Most parents speak positively about how this helps them to continue their child's learning at home. n Children of all ages are supported well during nappy changes and toileting. They are provided with a range of healthy foods throughout the day. This supports children to start to understand how they can live healthy lifestyles. n Leaders have taken steps to improve accident procedures. Staff deploy themselves better to ensure children can be seen and heard. They check

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need to do better?

children for injury and apply first aid. Staff monitor children closely and make contact with parents. They keep robust records of accidents.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

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

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Due date

improve the quality of teaching and learning children receive to ensure all children make the best possible progress 09/06/2025

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Due date

31 March 2025 improve the support for children with SEND to ensure they receive swift intervention, and ensure that next steps take into full consideration children's needs 09/06/2025

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Due date

develop the key-person system, to improve staff knowledge of their key children and to support children to build positive bonds with staff responsible for their care. 09/06/2025

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should:

n organise learning experiences better to maximise all children's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2522405 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10393995 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 79 Number of children on roll 83 Name of registered person Sharma's Kiddicare Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01785 250188 Date of previous inspection 28 May 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Stafford registered in 2019. The setting operates from Monday to Friday. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6.30pm, all year round. They are closed one week during Christmas and on bank holidays. The setting employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 5. The setting provides funded early education for children of all ages.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff during the inspection and took account of their views. 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. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector spoke to children, parents and also viewed parents' written views.

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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

31 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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