Middlewood Nature Nursery

Inspection of Middlewood Nature Nursery Middlewood Nature Nursery, 109 Winn Grove, Sheffield, south yorkshire S6 1UN

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is inadequate

The provider has not taken steps to make, or maintain, the improvements required at the last inspection. There are repeated weaknesses in risk assessments, child supervision, hygiene practices and staff training, supervision and support. This demonstrates significantly poor leadership of the setting and does not support children's safety or well-being.

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The provision is inadequate

The deployment of staff does not meet children's needs. At mealtimes, staff are busy preparing the area and food. Other staff take children to use the toilet. This does not leave enough staff supervising the remaining children. Children engage in high risk activities, such as climbing trees, without adult supervision. This does not ensure children's safety.

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The provision is inadequate

Leaders fail to understand or deliver a curriculum that ensures children make good progress in their learning. Staff do not plan learning opportunities that build on what children already know and can do. Children spend significant amounts of time leading their own play. During these times, staff do not provide high-quality interactions that extend children's communication and language, thinking or play skills. As a result, children become disengaged. They wander around and do not make the good progress of which they are capable.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite the weaknesses, children generally arrive happily at the setting. They enjoy warm, positive relationships with staff. Staff share information with parents each day about the activities children have enjoyed and their care routines. This gives children the confidence they need to explore their environment.

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need to do better?

n Repeated failures to meet the legal requirements demonstrates significantly poor leadership of the setting. Managers do not receive the training, supervision or support they need from the provider to make and sustain improvements. This has led to repeated breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. This does not support children's safety and welfare. n Staff do not consistently implement the setting's risk assessments. For example, when children are upset by a wasp, staff tell them to run away. This contradicts the setting's policy, which is to keep children calm and still. Children become frightened and their well-being is not supported. Also, children are allowed to climb trees without a member of staff supervising them. This is not in line with the setting's policy and does not ensure children's safety. n Children spend time at the local parks each day. When walking there, staff remind them of the rules for keeping safe. Children know to stop and look both

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need to do better?

ways when crossing a road. They wait, checking if they can see or hear any cars

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need to do better?

14 July 2025 approaching. They remind their friends not to walk near the edge of the road. This helps children to learn about road safety. n The deployment of staff does not meet children's needs. When at the park, staff complete tasks such as serving and clearing away meals and dismantling the toilet tent. This does not leave enough staff to adequately supervise the children. Toddlers run away from the group and a member of staff runs to bring them back. Other children climb trees without an adult watching them. Children tussle with their friends. This is not witnessed or supported by staff. This poor supervision of children does not ensure their safety. n The setting is visibly dirty throughout. For example, floors, walls, doors and toys are visibly dirty. Soft furnishings, including rugs, cushions and blankets, are also visibly dirty. Children sit on these soft furnishings while brushing their teeth.

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need to do better?

Toilets, and sinks which are used to rinse children's toothbrushes, have a significant build-up of dirt and debris on them. These extremely poor hygiene levels do not promote children's good health. n Handwashing arrangements are poor. Children eat their meal at the local park. Staff place soap on children's hands and encourage them to rub their hands together. Staff hold a water container and open the tap to rinse children's hands with cold water. Children are not able to properly rinse their hands. Water pours down their arms and on to their clothing. Children become distressed when the mud does not come off their hands. Children sit on a plastic sheet on the floor and wait for their food. While waiting, they return to playing with sticks and place their hands back in the dirt. There is no further handwashing before children use their hands to eat their meal. This does not promote good hygiene. n Leaders describe the aim of the curriculum as being for children to have lots of

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need to do better?

time and freedom in nature. However, they are unable to outline what they want children to learn and be able to do from their time at the setting. As a result, educational programmes are not sequenced to ensure children's knowledge builds over time. Teaching does not take account of, or prepare children for, the next stage in their education. n Leaders do not understand the seven areas of learning or how children learn. For example, they say that children's communication and language are supported by adults asking them to recall what a word says, or by asking them to point to letters from their own name, when looking at a book. This poor understanding of effective teaching means that staff do not receive the training and support they need to provide quality learning opportunities. n Children are allowed to lead their own play and are usually content to explore their environment. They make marks in the soil with sticks and climb trees. This

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need to do better?

helps them to develop their physical skills. However, staff do not provide high- quality interactions that extend children's play or learning. For example, children want to break sticks, but some are too thick to break. Staff go and find more thinner sticks for them. They do not talk to children about why some sticks are easier to break than others. They do not teach children how to find the right sticks for themselves. This does not extend children's thinking, or independence. n Children spend extended amounts of time without any planned or purposeful teaching. For example, while waiting for meals to be prepared and served. Children also wait for a long time for staff to return from their breaks, before

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need to do better?

14 July 2025 they can return to the setting. These times become chaotic. There is no clear routine for children to learn or follow. They become disengaged and behaviour deteriorates. This disrupts children's learning and compromises their safety. n Support of children's communication and language is poor. Staff ask toddlers one question after another. For example, 'What colour cars can you see?, Who is driving the car?' They do not give children time to think or respond. Most interactions between children and staff take place with the most-able children, who can start the conversation. Children who are quieter, or who have delays in their communication and language development, spend extended periods without adult interactions. This does not help children to make good progress in this area of learning. n Staff meet with the parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They put in place targeted support plans. However, these plans do

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need to do better?

not always do enough to ensure children make good progress in all areas of need. Children who need additional support are often left to play for long periods without meaningful adult engagement. Their support plans are not implemented throughout the day. This is likely to negatively impact children's long-term educational outcomes.

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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

provide effective leadership, oversight, supervision and support that ensures staff have the knowledge and skills needed to provide quality care and education and always meet the legal requirements 11/08/2025

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Due date

take all reasonable steps to minimise risks to children 11/08/2025

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Due date

14 July 2025 ensure the deployment of staff meets children's needs and promotes their safety and well-being 11/08/2025

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Due date

ensure the premises are suitable, including that they are clean 11/08/2025

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Due date

implement effective hygiene practices that promote the good health of children and help to minimise or stop the spread of infection 11/08/2025

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Due date

provide staff with supervision, training and support that enables them to understand child development and effective teaching practices 11/08/2025

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Due date

provide consistent special educational support, that meets all areas of children's needs, and ensures they make good progress in their learning and development. 11/08/2025

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Due date

plan and deliver educational programmes that support all children to make good progress across the areas of learning, including engaging learning opportunities, which build on what they already know and can do 11/08/2025

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Due date

provide high-quality interactions that extend children's learning and development 11/08/2025

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Due date

ensure routines are planned and purposeful opportunities to extend children's learning and development 11/08/2025

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Due date

ensure staff support children's communication and language skills, including through the sensitive use of questioning. 11/08/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY481809 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 10398004 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 45 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person Forest Schools Kindergarten Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0114 283 4060 Date of previous inspection 29 January 2025

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Information about this early years setting

Middlewood Nature Nursery registered in 2014. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications; one is at level 2, 11 are at level 3 and 1 is at level 6. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The provider offers government funded childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the manager and deputy manager about the leadership and management of the setting. 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 and the manager carried out a joint observation of an activity. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector 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

14 July 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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