Smartys Day Nursery

Smartys Day Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): EY555147 Address: The Old Community Centre, Burford Way, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 2UZ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 21/12/2017 Registers: EYR Registered person: Smartys Day Nursery (Hitchin) Ltd

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Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding. Staff working with children understand how to identify any concerns about the welfare of children. However, they are not aware of their continued responsibilities once they have informed leaders. Due to lack of oversight, staff knowledge is not monitored. Although staff have completed some training, leaders have not checked their knowledge is sufficient to meet requirements and demonstrate how they implement their learning to adequately safeguard children.

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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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders and staff are generally effective role models to children. They provide reassurance, praise and encouragement during children's play and learning. This helps to raise children's self-esteem and confidence as they develop a positive attitude to their learning. Children have positive relationships with staff, seeking them out to play with. Staff provide children with security and comfort when needed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders place a strong emphasis on the importance of children's attendance with parents from when they first start at the nursery. This is continually promoted, and any unexplained absences are followed up in a timely manner.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff are clear on most expectations for children, such as transitions between different periods of the day. Embedded routines for tidying away toys are in place as well as getting ready for the garden. As a result, some children can complete these tasks independently, knowing when to seek support if needed. Children's behaviour is positive, and any disputes are quickly managed. Staff use age-appropriate language to explain their expectations. They support children to be kind to each other. Older children are encouraged to work together to complete activities, with staff close by to offer guidance when needed.

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Achievement Needs attention

Despite children making some progress from their starting points, weaknesses in the curriculum and variations in the quality of teaching mean gaps in children's learning and development do not close quickly enough. This means some children, particularly those who require additional support, are not consistently supported to achieve well or get ready for their next stage of learning.

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Achievement Needs attention

Older children recognise their names, join in with singing and listen to stories. Children develop their social skills well, playing alongside other children before moving on to developing friendships and seeking out specific children to play with. Children use good manners and are respectful to each other. Younger babies develop their physical skills as they explore activities at different heights, pulling themselves up to stand and strengthening their leg muscles.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Overall, staff support children's emotional wellbeing effectively. They create a nurturing environment, where children typically feel safe, valued and secure. However, leaders do not ensure that staff are fully trained to reliably promote children's welfare through their understanding of safeguarding procedures.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff work closely with parents and carers to gather detailed information about children, including their abilities and individual routines. For younger babies, home routines are followed to offer consistency, which supports their wellbeing. Overall, key persons develop positive relationships with children and their parents. Children, including those who may be vulnerable, are confident and happy as a result.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff generally support children to lead a healthy lifestyle. They are provided with ample opportunities to be physically active, inside and outdoors, and explore the natural environment. The setting chef provides home-cooked nutritious meals for children. Mealtimes are sociable and calm, and children show excellent manners and engage in meaningful conversations with staff and peers.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Effective hygiene practices are in place for all children. For example, from a young age, children are encouraged to wash their hands before mealtimes.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Although leaders and staff have some broad ideas of what they want children to learn, weaknesses in the curriculum design mean it is not well considered for all children. Leaders have placed an emphasis on children's communication and language development. However, for those children with barriers to their language development, strategies are not consistently effective. Lack of oversight of this means that adaptations or communication tools are not used by staff, and this impacts on the progress those children make.

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Urgent improvement

Staff's interactions and teaching are variable. Some children, particularly those children who need additional support or have barriers to their learning, do not always receive as high- quality learning experiences as their peers. Staff do not consistently prioritise or implement children's next steps, such as implementing strategies to build on children's communication and language skills. These weaknesses impact on the progress some children can make.

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Urgent improvement

Learning experiences are not consistently adapted for children's varying age groups or abilities, such as those who are younger or need additional support. This impacts on the quality of teaching. Inconsistencies in interactions for some children cause learning to be incidental rather than by design. As a result, not all children engage purposefully. For example, staff decide what activities to provide for the youngest children based on a broad and general plan that does not always match the learning and development levels and needs of the children. Activities therefore do not consistently offer them opportunities to build on what they already know and can do.

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Urgent improvement

Children enjoy developing their physical skills in the garden area. They navigate spaces and strengthen their leg muscles as they ride pedal bikes. Mathematical language is consistently used with the oldest children as they count the number of cars which go down the tube.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Some children, particularly those who need additional support or have barriers to their learning, do not consistently receive high-quality learning experiences. Leaders identify gaps in children's learning, and at times, work in partnership with parents to support children. However, they do not ensure there is sufficient support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to address gaps in their development while waiting for the referral process to be completed. Strategies are not put into place to reduce barriers to learning. Leaders have not ensured their knowledge about supporting children with SEND is prioritised and, as a result, staff are not supported effectively. This impacts on the progress those children make in their learning and development.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have some knowledge of how to use additional funding to further support those with barriers to their learning; however, this is not always used in a timely way to support children when they need it most.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Despite this, staff know children well. They have an understanding of the children's needs and interests and can talk about some of the progress children have made so far. Staff share information about children's development with parents and how they can support children's learning at home.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Weaknesses in leadership and governance have a significant impact on children's welfare. Leaders have not ensured that staff are able to demonstrate consistent knowledge of statutory safeguarding and reporting obligations. These gaps in staff knowledge have significant implications for children's safety.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders do not have a secure oversight of the setting. Arrangements for monitoring the quality of the provision are not effective in helping them promptly identify and address areas for improvement. Leaders have not made sure their knowledge of how to provide a high quality experience for children, particularly for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to their learning, is up to date.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Although leaders know what it is that they want the children to learn and how this should be delivered, they have not accurately assessed staff's skills and knowledge to ensure this happens in practice. Staff do not have regular supervisions to support their professional development. This has impacted on the quality and consistency of staff practice. However, leaders do support staff wellbeing and have regular discussions with staff to ask if there is anything that they can do to further support them personally, which helps staff to feel valued.

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

Leaders have not ensured staff safeguarding knowledge is secure. This does not assure children's safety and welfare at the setting.

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

Lack of leadership oversight impacts all areas of the setting. An effective curriculum has not been implemented across the setting, and activities do not build on what children already know and can do. Where activities are pitched at the correct level, children remain interested and motivated. This variability means that some children, including where there are barriers to their learning, do not make consistent progress from their starting points.

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

Staff have secure knowledge of children's interests. However, there are weaknesses in how staff identify and address any barriers children may face to learning. For those children with emerging communication and language development, strategies and the support required to develop these skills fully are not implemented. Gaps in speech and language development for some children have either not been addressed promptly or have gone unrecognised entirely. In addition, adaptations to the curriculum, particularly for those with communication delays, are applied inconsistently across the setting. As a result, children do not always receive the tailored support they need to make progress from their individual starting points. Some children's learning needs are not fully met, and their achievement is limited.

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

Children experience a nurturing environment, where they feel secure and cared for. They form trusting relationships with their key person, developing a sense of belonging. Children

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): EY555147 demonstrate positive relationships with their peers and show kindness and consideration in their interactions. They engage collaboratively in play, take turns and share resources.

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Next steps

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

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Action Completion Date

ensure staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures 13/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

develop and implement an effective curriculum that meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities 13/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

put suitable arrangements in place to provide staff with supervision, coaching and support that enables them to improve their ability to implement a suitable curriculum, meet children's needs and manage the nursery effectively. 13/04/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners 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:

The Old Community Centre Burford Way Hitchin Hertfordshire SG5 2UZ

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Smartys Day Nursery (Hitchin) Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30

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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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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