Gemini Preparatory School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Children's safety is not maintained and there are inconsistencies in how staff support children's ongoing learning and development. This has a direct impact on the quality of care and education children receive. For instance, there are weaknesses in supervision of children, staff deployment and the organisation of the premises and equipment to meet all the children's needs.

Staff focus on tasks and fail to prioritise close supervision when young children are eating. This means that children's safety is compromised. Routines are not organised to support staff to be able to consistently focus on quality interactions with al...l children.

The premises and resource are not planned to ensure they are fit for purpose and suitable for all the developmental ages of children being cared for. Consequently, staff are unable to consistently provide babies and children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) with quality play and learning experiences. Despite these weaknesses, children are generally happy and enjoy coming to the nursery.

Babies are content and older children are confident and keen to learn. Through some positive interactions that take place, children are acknowledged, and some learning takes place. Children make friends and enjoy leading their own play.

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

Supervision of the children is not always effective. For example, children eat in their highchairs with no staff in the room. Staff often focus on other tasks in the room and fail to closely supervise babies and those with SEND when they are eating.

This means children are at risk of choking. These practices compromise children's safety.Space, resources, and staffing are not effectively organised to meet all children's needs or promote their positive attitudes to learning.

For example, the baby area is also used as a book area for the older children. When staff share a book with the older children, children are distracted by the baby toys around them. The space designated for babies is not consistently used and when it is used, staff do not spend enough quality time with the babies.

This results in babies being content but provided with very few stimulating learning opportunities.When staff are deployed effectively, they provide some quality interactions with the older children. For example, children move to music and staff encourage them to hold out their arms so they can balance.

Older children confidently use the balance bikes outside. Children giggle as they try and squirt water into the sand tray. Staff encourage them to squeeze the plastic bottles harder to make holes in the sand.

Staff explain this will develop strength in their fingers to support early writing skills.Staff sometimes carry out various other tasks as part of the routine and management do not ensure staff remain effectively deployed. For example, when staff have time to engage with SEND children, interactions are positive and in line with children's individual support plans.

However, when staff are busy with other children or with routines, SEND children do not benefit from quality engagement and support.Staff monitor children's learning through assessment and identify they need opportunities to recognise shape and colour. They then plan experiences for older children to use creative materials to design rockets.

Staff talk with the children about the shapes they can use to design a rocket. Children feel the paint with their fingers and enjoy mixing colours together. Staff encourage older children to recall their experiences from Bonfire Night.

Children talk about feeling hot and cold next to the bonfire.Children have opportunities to grow fruit and vegetables in the garden during the year. They are supported to learn about how foods grow and enjoy eating what they have grown.

As staff sit and engage with older children, they encourage them to share what they have eaten for their breakfast. For example, they talk about brioche that does not need cooking because it is out of the cupboard.Staff provide opportunities for children to go out for walks and to experience nature around them.

They collect branches and twigs to make a den in the garden.Parents confirm they look forward to photographs shared with them and they know where their children are developmentally. They talk about good links with local schools to support effective transitions.

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?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure children are fully supervised while eating 08/11/2024 ensure staff are deployed effectively so that all children, specifically babies and children with SEND, receive consistent quality interactions to support learning 22/11/2024 ensure space and resources are consistently organised and used to meet children's needs.

22/11/2024