Earlswood Early Years

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Children's safety and welfare are not assured because the oversight of the nursery is not effective. Supervision has not been sufficient in supporting leaders and managers to fulfil their roles effectively.

Changes to the organisation and those responsible for the nursery have not been notified to Ofsted. Leaders and managers have not ensured that safeguarding policies and procedures have been followed when concerns have arisen about the conduct of staff. This impacts on the safeguarding of children.

The quality of teaching that children receive requires improvement. Although staff deploy themselves effectively a...nd sit to play with children, their interactions do not consistently support children's learning. Children arrive at nursery happily and are eager to get involved in the range of activities and experiences available to them.

However, many of the activities provided lack challenge. That said, babies enjoy choosing what songs they would like to sing by selecting props that represent familiar rhymes from a box. Two-year-old children take care of dolls in the role-play area.

They pretend to change their nappies and clothes. Pre-school age children are creative in exploring how to balance blocks to build high structures. In time, children finish playing with the activities on offer, but there is not always something new for them to move on to.

This results in some children becoming bored.Children are treated kindly and with sensitivity. Younger children are gently asked if they will come to have their nappy changed.

Older children are reminded to go to the toilet and are supported to wash their hands afterwards, so that they embed an understanding of hygiene practices.

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

Since the last inspection, the oversight of the nursery has been ineffective in bringing about significant improvement. The arrangements in place for the supervision of leaders and managers has yet to be successful in supporting them to fulfil their roles and responsibilities.

Consequently, there are breaches to the requirements of the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage', which mean that children are not safeguarded.Leaders and managers who are responsible for implementing safeguarding policies and procedures do not fully understand how to do this. Although they can explain the action to take when an allegation is made against a member of staff, they have failed to ensure that this is reported to other professionals, including Ofsted, in a timely way.

This impacts on the safeguarding of children.There have been many recent changes to the organisation, including the nominated individual for Ofsted and individuals who are part of the governing body. Leaders and managers have failed to notify Ofsted of these changes because they lack knowledge and understanding of the requirements to do so.

This means that Ofsted are not fully informed about who is responsible for the nursery and cannot undertake the required checks to ensure that new people are suitable for their roles.Newly appointed leaders and managers are providing supervision for staff and have identified some weaknesses in the quality of teaching children receive. However, training and professional development opportunities are not yet focused on supporting staff to improve their teaching skills so that they can consistently promote children's learning and development.

For two-year-old children, there have been many recent changes to the key-person system. Consequently, there is uncertainty about children's named key person. These children do not always have an identified key person who fully understands their individual needs and stages of development, so that care and learning is tailored to help children reach their potential.

However, in contrast to this, babies benefit from forming settled relationships with staff who understand their needs.Parents provide varied views of the nursery. They do not receive clear information about children's care, learning, and development, in order to provide consistency between the nursery and home.

Despite this, parents like that they can go into the nursery, which helps their child to feel settled and secure. They praise the kind and caring staff.Activities and experiences for children do not always challenge or support their learning.

Children access a range of resources to play with. However, these are not always well thought out to consider what children need to learn next. Although leaders and managers have high expectations for children's learning and have designed an ambitious curriculum for children, this is not yet delivered consistently.

As a result, not all children gain a variety of knowledge and skills in readiness for the next stage in their learning.Leaders and managers are keen to meet every child's needs. For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, the nursery work in partnership with other relevant professionals.

Bespoke training is provided for all staff to help them to understand and respond to these children's individual needs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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 that there is effective oversight of the setting to provide all staff, including managers, with supervision, support and coaching to fulfil their roles and responsibilities 18/09/2024 ensure that all staff, including the lead practitioner for safeguarding, understand and implement an effective policy and procedure for safeguarding children, including the action to take in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff 18/09/2024 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of matters that must be notified to Ofsted 18/09/2024 provide staff with focused training and professional development opportunities that support them to understand how children learn and develop 18/09/2024 embed an effective key-person system that ensures staff understand each child's individual needs and stages of development 18/09/2024 ensure that there is an effective two-way flow of information with parents and carers to provide clear and accurate information about children's care, learning and development.18/09/2024 To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date make sure that staff plan and provide consistently interesting and challenging activities and experiences that support children to make progress in their learning and development 14/10/2024 implement the curriculum consistently for all children so that they gain a range of knowledge and skills in readiness for the next stage in their learning.

14/10/2024