Growing Up Green

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Weaknesses in leadership and management affect children's safety and well-being. Leaders do not do enough to ensure that the premises remain secure at all times. Furthermore, although risk assessments are completed, identified risks are not acted upon.

Those responsible for safeguarding show a lack of understanding about what to do regarding allegations about adults. This does not safeguard children.Despite this, children arrive happily and enjoy their time at nursery.

They have good relationships with staff and go to them for comfort and cuddles when needed. For example, children take books to staff and enjoy sn...uggles as they listen to stories. This supports children's emotional well-being.

Staff teach the children how to behave well. They support them to learn how to share and take turns. For instance, children wait their turn to choose the next nursery rhyme during singing activities and share toys when playing.

Staff praise children's achievements, helping to raise their self-esteem. For example, when children kick a ball into a goal, staff and their friends cheer and celebrate.Staff support children to learn how they can contribute towards their own good physical health.

For example, younger children benefit from sensory walks in the local area and older children enjoy forest school sessions in the local woodland. In addition, all children take part in regular yoga sessions led by a visiting yoga teacher. Children enjoy taking part and show high levels of concentration and determination as they engage in the session.

For instance, they have fun practising a variety of poses with their friends and talk about the poses they are doing. This supports children as they build confidence in their physical skills.

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

Leaders who are responsible for safeguarding do not recognise when allegations are made about adults.

They do not follow their safeguarding policy and procedure. In addition, they do not understand the requirement to refer safeguarding allegations made about staff to Ofsted. This does not keep children safe.

Risk assessments are not always effective. Although staff complete daily risk assessments and identify risks, leaders do not take prompt enough action to maintain a safe environment outside. For example, staff have raised that the decking in the outside area is unsafe for children, yet leaders and staff still allow the children to play in this unsafe area.

This compromises children's safety.Leaders do not have effective procedures in place to manage the security of the building. For example, they do not monitor who is coming in and out of the building well enough.

This demonstrates significant weaknesses in assessing and managing risks as strangers could gain access to the building. However, the manager understood the serious nature of this concern and was starting to take steps to address this towards the end of the inspection.The manager provides staff with regular supervision and training opportunities to ensure staff's continued professional development.

Staff comment that they feel supported and have opportunities to discuss their well-being.The manager has developed a well-sequenced curriculum that staff have a clear understanding of and implement well. Staff plan purposeful learning opportunities that support children's progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

The manager works closely with other professionals to implement support plans. Staff use effective observations and assessments to find out what children already know and what they need to learn next, as well as what interests them. This has had a positive impact on children's learning and development.

Partnerships with parents are effective. Staff share children's learning and development with parents on a regular basis. They inform parents of children's next steps and provide ideas and activities to support their home learning.

The manager involves parents in the life of the nursery. For example, parents are invited to special events that help to build a sense of community.Children's communication and language development is supported well most of the time.

Staff support the children when playing and talk to them about what they have created. For instance, older children make prints with rose petals and staff talk to them about the shapes and colours they have created. Furthermore, babies are supported well as they babble and try to say new words.

However, at times, staff do not give children enough time to respond to their questions. For instance, they often answer for children or quickly move on to another question. As a result, children do not always have the opportunity to think and respond.

Staff focus on helping children to develop their confidence and independence in preparation for their next stage of learning. For example, they support babies to use spoons and younger children to use spoons and forks to feed themselves. Furthermore, older children collect a plate and are supported to self-serve their lunch.

Children know the daily routine. For instance, they know when they hear the bell it is tidy up time, and they actively tidy up and help each other.Staff provide children with opportunities to take part in group activities.

For example, children enjoy taking turns in a small-group activity, finding letters and learning the sounds to the letters in the alphabet that represent their names. However, staff do not plan and deliver large-group activities fully effectively. For example, younger children lose concentration and become distracted, and some older children are disappointed when they are told to go and wash their hands during the story.

This means children do not consistently benefit from the intended learning at these times.Staff support children to learn about similarities and differences to promote their understanding of equality and diversity. For example, they celebrate a range of festivals that are special to the children.

Staff work in partnership with parents to celebrate their different cultures. For example, parents bring in cultural food and talk to the children about their culture and festivities.

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 and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure that those who are designated to take the lead in safeguarding, have a secure knowledge and understanding of the procedures to follow when an allegation is made against a member of staff 11/07/2024 implement effective risk assessments to ensure that all areas children have access to are safe and suitable for purpose, with particular regard to the outside areas 11/07/2024 improve the security of the building to ensure that unknown adults cannot gain access.11/07/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff's skills in giving children enough time to think and respond to questions asked, to fully support their learning review and improve the organisation of adult-led group times, to ensure all children are supported and remain interested and engaged.