Banana Moon Nursery Bishops Stortford

Inspection of Banana Moon Nursery Bishops Stortford Apton House, 13 Apton Road, Bishop's Stortford CM23 3SP

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

There are significant weaknesses in the leadership and management in the nursery. These weaknesses impact on the well-being of all children. For example, managers do not deploy staff adequately to ensure children have access to a familiar adult. As staff become overwhelmed and frustrated, this impacts on children's emotional well-being, which in turn hinders children's learning and development.

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The provision is inadequate

The quality of education is poor. This is because staff lack the necessary knowledge and skills to implement a well-structured and ambitious curriculum. Leaders do not ensure that they provide an ambitious or carefully planned curriculum to meet the needs of children. Children's learning is accidental. Staff do not have sufficient knowledge of the development stage of children and what they need to learn next. For example, in the baby room, staff provide children with random toys to keep them occupied until the next part of the daily routine.

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The provision is inadequate

The environment is not arranged to excite children to be curious, take appropriate risks and explore. Staff do not support children adequately to have a positive attitude to their learning throughout the day. Teaching does not support the learning of children of all ages and stages of development or enable them to reach their full potential. Staff do not have the knowledge to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and, as a result, plans are not put into place in a timely manner.

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need to do better?

n Staff deployment does not meet children's needs or ensure their well-being throughout the day. Although minimum ratio requirements are met, the arrangements for staff deployment throughout the day are not effective. Staff are overwhelmed and unable to meet children's individual needs. High staff turnover impacts on children and key-person systems are not effective. Children do not always have a familiar adult with them to support their care and well- being. As a result, children become distressed, and staff are unable to comfort them. n The provider lacks a secure understanding of what a suitable curriculum or high- quality teaching should be. The provider cannot identify weakness in the quality of teaching, or support staff to plan and deliver a high-quality curriculum. Transition times are chaotic. Staff fail to communicate the setting routine to each other, which has a negative impact on children. For example, when returning

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need to do better?

from the garden area the inside environment is not set up appropriately. As a result, children wander aimlessly or remain at the table with minimal activities. Additionally, staff do not support children's communication effectively. Some staff talk to children and ask them questions, however, they do not consistently

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need to do better?

24 September 2025 provide children time to respond or think about what has been asked of them to help develop their understanding and use of language. n The arrangements in place to support children with SEND are not sufficient, children with SEND do not access an ambitious curriculum. Staff do not know the individual targets for children with SEND. Leaders do not support staff to share information when key persons change and, as a result, staff do not have a suitable understanding of how to meet individual children's needs. When sharing assessment information with parents, staff do not have the knowledge of child's development to share this. This does not allow opportunities for discussions with parents to support a consistent approach, both at home and nursery. n Leaders provide staff with training opportunities and supervision meetings. However, training opportunities are generic, and these are not used effectively to

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need to do better?

improve individual staff practice across the provision. Therefore. this does not link to the needs of the setting. Leaders have a limited focus on identifying weaknesses in individual staff's practice. Consequently, there are significant weaknesses in the quality of education and care that children receive. n Staff do not have adequate knowledge of children's ages and stages to complete accurate assessments of children's learning throughout their time at the setting. This is mainly due to large staff turnover and staff having not had time to get to know the children. This impacts negatively on children as information has not been passed from staff members and children's development journeys are unable to continue, therefore, children make limited progress. n Staff complete the required assessments for children aged between two and three years. However, where delays in development have been identified, staff

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need to do better?

fail to include this in assessments. In addition, it is unclear whether the assessments have been shared with parents. This means that, where this information is shared with other professionals, it is not accurate.

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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

24 September 2025 ensure that the deployment of staff meets the needs of all children, with specific regard to meeting children's emotional needs, so that they build settled relationships in the setting 14/11/2025

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Due date

implement effective arrangements to ensure each key person has the information they need to tailor care and support to reflect each child's individual needs 14/11/2025

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Due date

monitor staff practice to provide staff with individualised training and coaching to improve their knowledge of the curriculum and how to offer quality learning and development experiences for children 14/11/2025

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Due date

ensure that effective arrangements to support children with SEND are implemented in accordance with the special educational needs code of practice so that children with SEND are identified early and that they receive the targeted support and intervention they need to fulfil their potential 14/11/2025

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Due date

support staff to undertake appropriate training and professional development opportunities to continually improve their skills and knowledge of how to provide good-quality teaching and learning experiences for all children 14/11/2025

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Due date

improve planning and assessment to ensure that children's next steps in their development are precise and teaching meets the needs of all children 14/11/2025

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Due date

ensure that the progress check at age two contains accurate information for parents, including highlighting any areas in which a child may need some additional support. 14/11/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2816466 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10420195 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 135 Number of children on roll 57 Name of registered person KALM LINK Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01279215088 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Banana Moon Nursery Bishops Stortford registered in 2024. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and 5. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday for 51 weeks a year. The nursery provides government funded places for childcare.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspectors completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. 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. n A joint observation was completed with leaders.

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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

24 September 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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