Eljoy Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

The leadership team do not have sufficient oversight to ensure the safe and efficient running of this nursery. There are gaps in the procedures for risk assessments that impact on children's safety and well-being.

Leaders further compromise children's welfare by failing to meet hygiene requirements. Food safety and hygiene practices are particularly poor and do not meet food guidelines. Additionally, leaders have not effectively monitored staff's safeguarding knowledge to ensure all staff can identify potential signs of abuse and know the appropriate procedures for reporting concerns.

Despite high ratios of staff... to children during the school holidays, staff do not do enough to help children settle into routines and develop their emotional security, particularly those that are new to the setting. Staff do not implement an ambitious curriculum for all children. For example, children of mixed ages and abilities participate in a play dough activity, but staff do not tailor the activity to meet the needs and interests of individual children.

As such, most learning is incidental, and children do not make the progress they are capable of. Staff do not set clear expectations of children's behaviour. As a result, children sometimes ignore adult instructions and are allowed to continue with unwanted behaviours.

However, there are some warm interactions throughout the day. For example, staff support children to take photographs of their play dough models, motivating them to continue being creative.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and staff have not done enough to minimise risks to children.

The spaces in which children play and learn are in poor condition. There are hazards, such as uneven flooring and broken toys, that staff do not recognise and take steps to rectify. The environment is not warm and welcoming and does not support children to feel safe and secure.

Leaders and staff fail to recognise the poor standards of hygiene throughout the setting. For example, high chairs have not been suitably cleaned from the day before and soft furnishings are discoloured with dirt. The kitchen, in which meals are prepared for children, is particularly unclean.

These breaches have a significant impact on children's safety and well-being.Staff sometimes do not interact with children for periods of time. For example, at lunchtime, multiple staff observe children eating but do not engage them in conversation.

When they do engage, it is brief and does little to develop children's vocabulary. However, there are moments of stronger practice. For example, staff use intonation and rhythm to engage young children while reading a picture book.

Leaders have developed a menu of balanced and nutritious meals and snacks. However, staff do not use mealtimes to promote children's independence. For example, older children have aprons put on for them and have their faces wiped after lunch.

Younger children, capable of self-feeding, are fed their entire lunch by an adult. This does not support children to develop the self-care skills required to be ready for their next stage of learning.Staff do not consistently support children to understand the rules of the setting.

For example, staff tell children not to swing or climb on indoor equipment but do not follow this expectation through. As a result, children continue to do this in an unsafe way. Staff also do not share high expectations when it comes to children's learning, particularly during group times.

Staff allow children to choose not to join in, or to disrupt shared learning, resulting in limited engagement from most children.Leaders have ensured that some policies and procedures are securely embedded. For example, the setting has a robust process for administering medicines.

Leaders provide staff with access to an online training platform and signpost them to relevant training. However, staff supervisions are not fully effective at assessing staff's understanding of the training or identifying gaps in knowledge. As such, staff do not get the coaching or mentoring they need to improve their practice.

Staff invite parents in to talk to the children about their professions. They engage with parents to ensure they have key words in home languages to support children who speak English as an additional language. Parents comment that children are happy at the setting.

They state that management are approachable and that they appreciate the verbal updates from staff about their child's day. They also enjoy seeing the photos in their child's journal at the end of each term.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

Risk assessments are not secure. There are hazards throughout the setting that have not been recognised and appropriately managed. The hygiene of the setting, particularly areas in which food is stored and prepared, is concerning.

It is also concerning that leaders have not been present enough in the setting to recognise these risks. Despite relevant training, staff have also not recognised these risks, or have not raised them with management. This suggests a culture in which safeguarding children is not prioritised.

The leadership team have secure safeguarding knowledge. However, other staff have gaps in their basic knowledge, particularly around identifying potential signs of abuse and the associated reporting arrangements. Vetting and recruitment procedures are thorough to ensure the suitability of staff to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement

action.We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to: Due date ensure all staff have a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child could be at risk of harm and know the appropriate safeguarding reporting procedures to follow to keep children safe 20/11/2023 improve staff supervisions to ensure staff receive the coaching, support and training they need to improve their personal effectiveness and promote the interests of children 20/11/2023 ensure staff are deployed effectively so that children are appropriately supervised at all times to prioritise their safety and well-being 20/11/2023 improve hygiene arrangements to ensure compliance with the requirements of health and safety legislation 20/11/2023 ensure that robust risk assessments are implemented and that the process is effective in identifying and removing all potential hazards to children.20/11/2023 To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date improve the key-person system to ensure each child's care and learning is tailored to meet their individual needs 04/12/2023 ensure staff share the same expectations of behaviour and help children to understand the rules of the setting, to minimise potential risks to children as they play 04/12/2023 improve the teaching of the curriculum to help children build on their existing knowledge and skills and make good progress across all areas of learning.

04/12/2023