Nicoll Road Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

The provider does not meet all safeguarding and welfare requirements. This compromises children's welfare and well-being. Staff do not plan a coherent and sequenced curriculum.

Staff are poorly deployed and do not always know how to support children to practise essential skills, such as sharing and taking turns. In toddler and pre-school rooms, transitions between routines are poorly managed. This results in a chaotic atmosphere, with children waiting around and not engaged in any purposeful activity.

Staff do not always communicate with each other or with children to help them learn what is right and wrong. As a... result, some children begin to show undesirable behaviour that is not safe for others. Other children become disruptive, do not concentrate and do not engage in purposeful play experiences and opportunities.

This means children do not develop positive attitudes to help them prepare for their next stage in learning.Staff plan for children to access outdoor play. Children like playing with their friends on the play apparatus.

This helps children to develop their social skills in becoming aware of others and making connections. Children practise taking their shoes off after outdoor play and learn to wash their hands as part of their daily routines. This contributes to developing their self-help skills and awareness of hygiene practices.

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

There has been significant decline in the quality of provision since the last inspection. There has been a number of failures to meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage. This compromises children's welfare, well-being, and developmental progress.

The provider has links with the local authority for an external oversight to help reflect on the nursery provision. However, the provider does not place enough emphasis on staff's coaching and development, to help them plan and implement the curriculum and work effectively to keep children safe.The key-person system is ineffective.

In the baby room, staff emphasis is to follow a staff rota to change babies' nappies. This system does not support babies to build and form secure relationships with their key person during this important part of their care and well-being.The provider does not ensure that staff are deployed to support children's engagement in their chosen play and activities effectively.

At times, one staff member is left with large groups of children, while another is with just a few. Staff do not communicate effectively with each other to ensure that all children are engaged in purposeful play. This impedes children's attitude to maintaining concentration and persevering in what they are doing.

Children benefit from freshly cooked meals and fresh fruit to contribute to their health. However, staff do not pay enough attention to preventing cross-contamination by, for example, ensuring that children do not pick fruit off a plate that is passed around them. Some children have already put their hands in their mouths and then touch pieces of fruit, which other children then pick up.

This practice does not support children's well-being.The provider does not ensure there is suitable sterilisation equipment for the preparation of babies' milk bottles and food in line with NHS safety guidelines. This compromises babies' health and well-being.

Staff do not accurately report by, for example, checking with parents first, how any injuries are sustained by children. Records of how child injuries have been sustained are not always accurate. This compromises children's welfare and safety.

Staff do not possess the knowledge and understanding about appropriate latest government guidance for safe sleep for babies. Staff are not aware of the risks involved of using pillows and loose blankets around sleeping babies. This compromises children's health and safety.

The programme to support children's communication and language is weak. Children do not always hear staff use the correct pronunciation of words and sentence construction. This inhibits children's ability to learn to speak correctly.

Staff in the toddler and pre-school areas do not help to develop toddlers' and pre-school children's speaking skills appropriately, including children who speak English as an additional language (EAL). For example, staff in the toddler room leave few chances for children to engage in two-way conversation. Staff speak at the children, rather than to them.

In the pre-school room, staff ask closed questions during activities and miss opportunities to extend children's language skills.Parents report that they receive information in a variety of ways, including daily feedback, communication books, parental conferences, and newsletters. They hold staff in good regard and say their children are happy to attend.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.Some staff are unaware of the signs to consider to help identify concerns about children. Other staff are aware but do not know the local safeguarding reporting procedures to follow.

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) is not secure in her understanding of the correct reporting procedures to follow should there be concerns raised about adults working with children. This compromises children's welfare and safety should concerns arise. Staff do not follow adequate accident/injury procedures sufficiently to ensure that children are safe.

Nevertheless, vetting processes are appropriately completed to ensure staff's suitability to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure all those caring for children gain a secure knowledge of child protection issues, including the correct procedures to follow for when allegations are made against those working with children. These procedures must be in line with the local safeguarding partners guidance 22/12/2023 make sure the DSL and staff gain a secure knowledge about the appropriate safeguarding reporting procedures to follow, including when there is an allegation against adults working with children 22/12/2023 help staff to improve the curriculum planning and delivery, to support children to regulate their behaviour and to support their communication and language, including for children who speak EAL 22/12/2023 implement the key-person system to help children form and build relationships during key routines 22/12/2023 improve arrangements for staff deployment to ensure that children are supported effectively in their learning and development 22/12/2023 improve hygiene measures around how children access their snacks, to prevent cross-contamination 22/12/2023 ensure there is suitable sterilisation equipment for preparation of milk bottles and food for babies, in line with NHS safety guidance 22/12/2023 ensure that staff are vigilant about children's injuries and obtain accurate information about what has happened to help assess, monitor and keep children safe 22/12/2023 ensure staff understand and implement the latest government guidance for safe sleep for babies 22/12/2023 ensure children's communication and language skills are promoted in all areas of learning.

22/12/2023