Clive Vale Nursery School

Inspection of Clive Vale Nursery School Elphinstone Family Centre, 211 Elphinstone Road, Hastings TN34 2AX

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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 Good

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The provision is inadequate

The arrangements to monitor and support managers and staff are not effective enough. This has led to breaches of safeguarding requirements; babies are not adequately supervised while eating and are at risk of silent choking. In addition, the quality of education is not consistently good enough.

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The provision is inadequate

The quality of teaching is variable across the nursery. Children do not benefit from a well-planned, ambitious curriculum that helps them make progress in identified areas. Some staff sit alongside children but do not interact enough to move learning on. This does not build positive attitudes to learning. On occasion, children do not fully engage and become bored, leading to disruptive behaviour. Where staff have considered the learning intention, most children sit, focus and take part in group story and singing times.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite these weaknesses, most children are happily engaged in play. Babies actively and independently explore the resources and form close bonds with their key person. Older children play cooperatively with friends and occupy themselves with the resources on offer. Staff sometimes help children to understand expected behaviours, encouraging them to use good manners, take turns and share.

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need to do better?

n Leaders do not ensure that staff closely supervise babies who are eating. Too often, staff prioritise carrying out other tasks, such as tidying up and cleaning high chairs and, therefore, have their backs to babies who are eating. This puts babies at risk of silent choking. n The arrangements to supervise and monitor staff practice are not effective. Staff are aware of the importance of supporting children to settle and feel secure. However, they are not confident enough in how to plan and implement a broad and interesting curriculum. This means that not all children are consistently provided with experiences that meet their individual learning needs. n Staff demonstrate some understanding of what children need to learn and what activities they enjoy. For example, they support toddlers to manipulate play dough and learn how to roll it in different ways to support their fine motor skills. Older children are supported to learn new words, such as 'passion fruit' and

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need to do better?

'pineapple', when reading stories. However, too often interactions are too simplistic and children do not consistently get opportunities to extend their skills and knowledge. n Staff identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The provider works alongside other professionals to provide targeted support to help these children make progress from their starting points. For example, staff use visual aids to support understanding and use funding to

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need to do better?

24 September 2025 provide resources to calm and engage children. However, variability elsewhere limits the consistency of progress across the nursery. n Staff understand the importance of children having opportunities to develop their physical skills. They often plan time in the garden for all children, where they provide bikes and some resources to balance on. However, the insufficient precision in the curriculum means that activities do not always encourage children to engage and focus meaningfully. This leads some children to become disruptive and misuse resources. For example, some older children throw toys over the fence. n Staff provide a key-person system that supports children to settle. They build kind and warm relationships with the children. Babies hold their arms up to be cuddled and older children often snuggle up to their key person. Children are encouraged to build their independence. Babies begin to explore the

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need to do better?

environment and older children enjoy the praise they receive from staff for trying things for themselves. However, these routines are not embedded across all rooms. n Leaders have considered the importance of supporting children to be healthy. They provide a balanced menu of home-cooked meals. n There are adequate arrangements to share information with parents, including providing ideas to support children's development at home. Parents know who their child's key person is and speak positively about staff. This does not offset the weaknesses identified in safeguarding and the curriculum.

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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 that there are suitable and effective arrangements for supervising babies while eating, to prevent choking 25/09/2025

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Due date

implement effective arrangements for the supervision and coaching of staff, to ensure they are all aware of current working practices and can provide good- quality care and education 13/10/2025

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Due date

24 September 2025 ensure that there is a broad and interesting curriculum that reflects the individual needs of the children and that is understood and implemented effectively by all staff. 13/10/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2601012 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 10420196 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 73 Number of children on roll 112 Name of registered person CVNS Hastings Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01424441636 Date of previous inspection 29 November 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Clive Vale Nursery School re-registered in 2020. It operates in Hastings, East Sussex. The nursery employs 23 members of staff. Of these, 19 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday all year round, and closes for two weeks at Christmas. Sessions are from 8am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged nine months to four years old.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided both inside and outside and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The provider and inspector carried out a joint observation and spoke with staff. n Parents shared their views on the nursery with the inspector.

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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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