Storth House

Inspection of Storth House 156 Cowlersley Lane, Huddersfield, Yorkshire HD4 5UX

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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

Children's health and safety are not assured as a result of the weaknesses in staff's knowledge of child protection, risk assessments and hygiene practices. Children under two years do not have their care and learning needs suitably met because of inadequate staffing arrangements in the room. The environment is not sufficiently rich in language or stimulating enough to sustain babies' and toddler's interests. They do not always engage in safe, suitable and developmentally appropriate activities. Despite this, babies and toddlers are settled and have secure attachments to staff.

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The provision is inadequate

Children aged two years old are sociable and develop good independence. However, activities are not always well matched, or adapted, to their differing abilities or the key aims of the curriculum. This results in some children becoming disengaged, which staff do not always manage well. Children in the pre-school room behave well, form kind friendships and are eager and enthusiastic learners. They make good progress because of the effective curriculum and teaching. This includes children in receipt of additional funding and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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The provision is inadequate

Most children did not attend during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff kept in close contact with families. This supported children's learning and emotional well-being. For example, staff read stories via video to children, shared activity ideas online with parents and dropped off home-learning packs.

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need to do better?

n Staff do not sufficiently minimise the risk of cross-infection with children under three years. Staff need prompting to wipe runny noses, including at mealtimes. They do not always wash their hands and dispose of tissues appropriately or ensure that children wash their hands after trying to wipe their own nose. Staff in the baby room set up the snack time routine on a mat on the floor. This is unhygienic and defeats the purpose of the pre-snack handwashing routine. n Staff in the baby room lack the necessary qualifications and training to provide an appropriate curriculum and learning environment. They do not consider health and safety issues when planning activities designed to promote sensory awareness. Staff make their own soft sand, adding glitter, and place citrus fruit in the water tray. However, the glitter causes irritation as it goes into babies' eyes. Babies and toddlers constantly place the fruit in their mouths then back

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need to do better?

into the water. n Some staff do not suitably promote the communication skills of those under three years. They do not consistently provide sufficient interactions and conversations during play activities and care routines. This is especially relevant

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need to do better?

29 November 2021 because this is identified as an area of focus for learning for newer two-year-olds due to the impact of COVID-19. It is also identified as a key part of the curriculum for babies and toddlers. n Staff provide a suitable variety of activities and resources to promote two-year- old children's learning. For example, children enjoy manipulating dough and learn to use cutters and rolling pins. However, group activities are not well planned to accommodate children's differing abilities. Younger children become restless during story time and when staff sit everyone on the floor to learn shapes and colours. When children try to get up, staff do not manage this positively. For instance, they tell children to sit down instead of considering how they can encourage them to take part. n Staff regularly observe and assess children. They plan for some essential key next steps in their development, such as their large- and small-physical skills,

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need to do better?

self-care and socialisation with others. Parents are well informed about their children's progress and how they can support children's learning. n Staff secure timely referrals to other professionals where children have a developmental delay. They meet the needs of children with SEND extremely well. For example, they provide one-to-one support and adapt the nursery environment to meet their needs. n Staff work in excellent partnership with parents to support children's transitions. The manager identified that new babies starting nursery had been affected by COVID-19, due to having limited social interactions. Consequently, staff provided greater levels of support, which has proved to be very successful in helping babies settle into the nursery. n Staff demonstrate excellent interactions in the pre-school room. Children are independent and inquisitive and are clearly developing skills for future learning.

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need to do better?

They show high levels of cooperation and engagement in activities, such as baking, where staff incorporate excellent early mathematical and literacy skills. Staff link an array of activities to favourite stories, which helps children to develop great memory and recall. n Children enjoy a healthy diet. This includes meals that are freshly prepared each day by the nursery cook.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Some staff have a weak knowledge of the signs of possible abuse and neglect. Consequently, children are not fully protected from harm. Although safety features are in place, such as cupboard and door catches, staff do not always use them. This leaves cleaning materials and carrier bags accessible. Staff do not remove water that has gathered in equipment outdoors. There are also resources in playrooms that pose risks, such as a bag with a long leather strap in the baby room and lanyards used by two-year-olds. Mats have been purchased to place around outdoor physical apparatus, but are not yet in place to promote children's safe use of this. Although the manager took action to address these safety issues during the inspection, staff do not sufficiently minimise health and safety hazards.

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Due date

train all staff to understand the safeguarding policy and procedures, and ensure that all staff have up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues, including those linked to extreme behaviours and views 14/12/2021

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Due date

take all reasonable steps to ensure children in your care are not exposed to risks indoors and outdoors and demonstrate how you are managing risks 14/12/2021

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Due date

implement effective hygiene routines at all times, in order to minimise the spread of infection and promote children's good health 14/12/2021

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Due date

ensure that staff consistently manage children's behaviour appropriately, to fully support their personal, social and emotional development 14/12/2021

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Due date

provide an action plan demonstrating how you will ensure that staff working with children under two years have appropriate qualifications and training that specifically addresses the care of babies 14/12/2021

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Due date

ensure that staff consider the individual needs, interests, and development of the children, especially those under two years, and use this information to plan safe, appropriate, stimulating and enjoyable experiences 14/12/2021

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Due date

29 November 2021 ensure that staff reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adapt their practice appropriately when planning and guiding what they want children to learn 14/12/2021

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Due date

improve the educational programmes for communication and language, with specific reference to the youngest children 14/12/2021

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Due date

implement effective supervision and monitoring of staff's practice, to swiftly identify inconsistency in practice, tackle underperformance and identify development needs, to ensure staff offer quality learning and development experiences for all children that continually improve. 14/12/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2568277 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 10213397 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 77 Number of children on roll 148 Name of registered person Storth House CIC

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reference number

Telephone number 01484 300070 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Cowlersley Community Out Of School Club is located in Huddersfield. They employ 26 members of staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and three are at level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7am to 6pm, all year round, excluding bank holidays. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery provides an out- of-school club service which operates before school, after school and during school holidays.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector held discussions with the manager and carried out a learning walk with them. This helped the inspector to understand how the manager organises the early years provision and the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact of this on children's learning. n A joint observation of an activity was carried out by the inspector and the manager. n The inspector spoke with children and staff during the inspection. She also gained feedback from parents verbally and via emails. n The inspector held regular meetings with the manager throughout the inspection, to keep them updated. She also held a joint meeting with the

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Inspection activities

manager and one of the nursery directors. The inspector looked at various policies and documents, including those related to the suitability and qualifications of staff.

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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

29 November 2021 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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