Gaggle Nursery And Preschool

Inspection of The Cottage Nursery The Cottage, Lower Station Road, Crayford DA1 3PY

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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

There have been many changes to the staff and management team in recent months. This has led to several weaknesses that are related to the support provided to staff, partnership with parents and carers and the quality of education. These weaknesses impact on staff's ability to design an ambitious, challenging and well-sequenced curriculum for all children. For example, staff sometimes overlook the diverse needs and abilities of children, particularly during adult-led activities and routines. This affects the progress that children make, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children who have gaps in their speech or social skills do not always receive targeted and prompt support.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff deployment is effective. This enables staff to supervise children at all times. Staff conduct risk assessments of the nursery to maintain a safe environment for children. Staff greet children warmly on arrival, helping them to settle in happily. They provide comfort and reassurance to support children's emotional well-being. Staff teach children to behave appropriately. They encourage children to use 'kind hands' during their play. Children learn to share and take turns. Staff promote children's independence skills. They tell children they are 'so impressed' when praising them for taking off their coats successfully. This encouragement helps to boost children's self-care skills.

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need to do better?

n The managers maintain a comfortable and safe environment for children that includes appropriate temperature control. They also ensure that the required staff-to-child ratios are met at all times. Children have access to a variety of toys and resources, indoors and outdoors. They enjoy exploring musical instruments and sensory toys. n The managers talk to staff about their roles and responsibilities at the nursery. They ensure that staff complete mandatory training, such as safeguarding and first aid, to help keep children safe. Some staff are pursuing higher childcare qualifications. However, the overall support for staff's professional development and well-being is weak. This prevents both new and long-term staff from providing children with consistently high-quality education. n Some parents and carers express concerns about the high staff turnover, which have left them feeling unsettled. Currently, the systems in place to share

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need to do better?

information are not consistently effective. This makes it difficult for some parents to feel informed about their children's progress. Some parents do not receive sufficient information about the curriculum or guidance on how to support their children's learning at home. n The managers use an electronic system that enables staff to record observations of children's learning. They check that this system is used safely and

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need to do better?

26 March 2025 confidentially. However, staff do not consistently use the gathered information to provide timely support for children, particularly those children with SEND. They also do not use this information to consistently create a tailored and relevant curriculum for children. For example, during group time, older children struggle to stay motivated because the activities do not match their age and developmental stage. This hinders staff from having the right level of expectations for children's learning and children making the progress they are capable of achieving. n All children have regular opportunities to play outside for fresh air and exercise. However, the activities, such as those for younger children, lack creativity and imagination. Despite this, children practise their physical skills through self- initiated games. Older children demonstrate confidence when joining staff to conduct headcounts after playing outdoors, which supports their early

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need to do better?

mathematical skills. n Staff encourage positive behaviours. For example, they remind children to play nicely when they snatch or grab toys from their peers. n Staff involved in food preparation have completed the required training to ensure that they meet the requirements. They provide children with healthy meals and snacks as well as sufficient portion sizes. Staff are aware of children's dietary requirements, including allergies. However, at times, they do not organise mealtime routines effectively, which increases children's waiting times. This causes some children to lose focus and become fidgety. n The managers have some systems in place to identify areas for improvement. However, they do not address these areas effectively. For example, while the managers have acknowledged the need to develop the outdoor environment for babies, they have yet to take appropriate action. Therefore, the implementation

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need to do better?

of the curriculum outdoors is not always effective in supporting children to make consistently good progress.

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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 supervision sessions, guidance and coaching to develop staff's practice and well-being 06/06/2025

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Due date

26 March 2025 ensure that two-way communication is established with all parents, to share how the curriculum is delivered and experiences planned for their children, and to support parents to continue children's learning at home 06/06/2025

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Due date

use observations and assessments to provide an ambitious and well- sequenced curriculum that considers children's individual needs, interests and development to support them to make good progress. 06/06/2025

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should:

n review the organisation of the daily routines, particularly at mealtimes, to prevent children from waiting for long periods n strengthen use of the self-evaluation process to promptly address identified weaknesses, in particular supporting the consistent implementation of the curriculum outdoors.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY498708 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 10395457 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 55 Number of children on roll 76 Name of registered person Super Start Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01322838181 Date of previous inspection 28 February 2023

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Information about this early years setting

The Cottage Nursery registered in 2016 and is located in the London Borough of Bexley. The nursery is open throughout the year, from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. There are 13 staff members working directly with the children. Two staff hold qualified teacher status, and eight staff hold early years qualifications at levels 2 to 6. The nursery offers the government funded places for childcare to children aged from nine months to four years.

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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 setting. n A manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n Parents and grandparents shared their views about the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with a manager and discussed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector discussed the safety and suitability of the premises with the management team. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors.

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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

26 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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