Building Blocks Day Care Ltd

Building Blocks Day Care Ltd

Unique reference number (URN): 2866539 Address: 213A-217A Dunstable Road, Luton, LU4 8BN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 14/11/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: Building Blocks Day Care Ltd

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Young children do not develop the necessary social skills in the nursery that will prepare them for the next stage of learning. Their poor attendance means that they do not engage with their peers during sessions. As a result, they do not get the opportunity to develop skills around cooperative play and managing their behaviours and emotions.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Children, in particular those who speak English as an additional language, do not display sufficient language skills. They communicate their needs through gestures and a lack of support and role modelling from staff further limits their verbal interactions with others.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Children gain some understanding of the need to follow the routines they may experience at school. They sit at tables for meals and snacks, focus for short periods during story sessions and tidy away resources after play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

Staff and leaders do not promote attendance and punctuality within the nursery. Although they can explain the purpose of monitoring and following up on children's absences and late arrivals, they do not do so routinely, making assumptions as to why children do not attend. This does not support children's wellbeing, learning or prepare children and families for the routines they will experience at school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

The provider does not ensure that children access their full entitlement of early education. They do not work in partnership effectively with parents and carers to extend children's attendance. This has a negative impact on the development of some children, who do not get to engage with their peers during sessions. This lack of oversight of practice limits the opportunities these children have to develop vital social skills, such as turn-taking and cooperative play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

Children respond well to staff. They follow instructions and enjoy engaging with staff during play. Young children are welcomed by their key person and settle swiftly in their care. Older children enjoy the company of staff during activities, such as when creating collages and participating in story sessions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Children do not have daily access to fresh air and outdoor learning. The provider has not maintained the suitability of the outdoor space and, as a result, it is unsafe for children. The provider has not taken appropriate steps to address this in a timely manner. This greatly limits the access children have to fresh air, physical play and learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Children do not typically develop the essential social and emotional skills that will prepare them for the next stage of learning. Some children attend sessions with no other learners present. The provider and leaders have not addressed this situation despite parents and carers expressing their wishes to extend the time children spend in the nursery. As a result, these children do not get to navigate relationships with their peers and explore the impact their actions and behaviours may have on others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Relationships between children and staff are warm and children demonstrate close attachments. For example, young children separate well from parents and find comfort in the presence of their key person. Routines, including those for nappy changing and eating, are safe for children. Staff supervise children well at mealtimes and help them make healthy choices, such as fresh fruits and breadsticks.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Children have no access to outdoor learning opportunities. The provider has not maintained the setting's garden area that has fallen into disrepair. This limits children's access to physical play opportunities and exploration of nature and the outdoor environment.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Although staff recognise gaps in the curriculum for some children, they do not take appropriate steps to promote their learning. For example, staff do not work effectively with parents and carers regarding attendance to provide children with opportunities to engage in group play, develop their social skills and learning across the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Leaders and staff do not provide appropriate support for children's communication and language skills. Staff do not expose children to rich discussions and varied vocabulary during play. This limits opportunities for children to develop an appropriate understanding of the English language, in particular for those who speak English as an additional language.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Staff's teaching is not typically based on what children know and can do and does not support them in making steady progress in their learning. Some activities are inappropriate and unachievable for children. For example, some young children are encouraged to form letters when they do not yet possess the required fine motor skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Staff routinely introduce mathematics to children during play in age-appropriate ways. For example, children are supported to count the pretend candles that they place in the play dough cupcakes that they create.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Although staff complete regular assessments to determine the progress children are making, they do not use the information effectively to promote children's development. Activities and teaching are not focused on children's specific needs. For example, staff do not routinely support the identified communication and language needs of all children. Young children listen to songs and nursery rhymes that staff sing, learning key words in English. However, older children who speak English as an additional language do not receive the same focus. Staff do not routinely engage them in discussions and when children express their needs through gestures, staff meet their needs but make no attempt to encourage children's verbal communication. Without focus, the barriers to children's learning remain.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Leaders who are responsible for assessing and supporting the development of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have an appropriate understanding of the referral process. They explain how they work in partnership with parents and carers and other professionals to access support for children and allocate any additional funding to meet their individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The provider does not have appropriate oversight of the day-to-day running of the nursery. This impacts their ability to be able to evaluate the quality of the provision and make appropriate changes to promote children's learning. For example, no action has been taken to improve the outdoor area and make it safe for children.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders who are new to the role do not receive appropriate support from the provider. The provider has neglected to make certain that record-keeping is organised, easily accessible and available. They have failed to ensure that leaders and staff have sufficient understanding of the setting's procedures for keeping written records of accidents or injuries to children. Furthermore, the provider does not make sure that there are effective systems and written records for the administration of medication to children. This compromises the safe and effective running of the setting and the safety of children.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The provider does not deliver appropriate levels of supervision and coaching for leaders. As a result, leaders do not develop the knowledge, skills and confidence in their role to provide high-quality teaching to promote children's learning and progress. The provider does not consider the wellbeing of staff, when organising the structure of the day. For example, staff do not have the opportunity to leave the learning environment during breaks as they understand this may impact children's safety. The provider does not follow up on issues and concerns that staff highlight during supervision meetings. For example, the provider does not ensure that staff have appropriate equipment and resources to teach the full breadth of the curriculum.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children do not have access to fresh air and outdoor learning because the provider has not maintained the setting's garden area. The outdoor ground area is unsafe and debris and discarded resources mean it is hazardous for children to use. Furthermore, the provider has failed to ensure that children are taken outdoors at any time. This compromises children's health and wellbeing. Leaders do not promote regular attendance or punctuality among families. They do not routinely check in with families when children are absent from nursery without notice from parents and carers. Furthermore, families are not encouraged to extend children's attendance and access their full entitlement of funding. This means that some children miss out on vital interactions with peers. This limits their ability to develop and practise the social skills they will require for their next stage of learning.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Leaders and staff do not organise the environment or plan learning opportunities that are based around children's specific needs. Activities do not build on what children know and can do and support them in making progress. When staff identify next steps in children's learning, they are not swift to introduce activities to promote their sustained development.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Leaders do not have effective processes in place to record, store and monitor accidents that occur within the setting. Furthermore, there are insufficient processes in place to ensure that medication is administered appropriately to children. This puts children at risk from harm.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

The provider does not provide sufficient support for staff practice and leaders do not receive adequate coaching in their role. The provider does not follow up on any frustrations that staff may have around the organisation of the nursery, such as lack of resources. This does not support staff to deliver the full breadth of the early years foundation stage learning programmes effectively. Furthermore, the provider does not consider the wellbeing of staff by ensuring they have the opportunity for restful breaks away from the children during the day.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children form close attachments to their key persons. They are excited to see staff on arrival and settle swiftly in the nursery environment. These close bonds are also observed during regular story sessions, where children explore their choice of books with staff.

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Next steps

The provider is not meeting the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action.

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Next steps

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to have taken the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure children have daily access to outdoor play opportunities 06/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure information and records are organised, easily accessible and available 06/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

promote attendance and punctuality and ensure children's absences are followed up in a timely manner 06/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

implement appropriate arrangements to provide support and coaching for staff that promotes the interests of children and fosters a culture of continuous improvement 06/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

maintain written records for those relating to accidents or injuries that children sustain in the setting or at home 06/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

implement effective systems to ensure that written records for obtaining information about children's needs for medicines and the administration of any medication are kept 06/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following action by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure children have access to a broad curriculum and high-quality teaching, so they can acquire the knowledge and language skills to help them to become successful learners 06/04/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff and parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Building Blocks Day Care Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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