Little Cherubs Solihull

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Safeguarding is not effective in this setting and children's safety and well-being are compromised as a result. Leaders do not undertake effective risk assessment to eliminate hazards and risks to children.

In addition, leaders do not ensure that the premises are clean and fit for the purpose of childcare. The curriculum implemented in the setting is play based. Staff use ongoing observations to track children's progress and identify their next steps in learning.

However, they do not use this information to plan activities and opportunities that are based on children's interests and fully support them to make pro...gress in their learning. For example, children are not supported to develop counting skills and their understanding of mathematical concepts when they show an interest in this area of their learning. This does not prepare children well for the next stage of their learning.

Despite weaknesses, staff develop positive relationships with children. When children are upset and seek comfort, staff respond reassuringly. Children enjoy their play and make choices from the toys available to them.

Overall, children generally behave well and follow routines and simple instructions given to them by the staff. Children enjoy the time they spend playing outside, climbing, sliding down slides and riding on bikes.

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

Leaders who are responsible for implementing safeguarding policies and procedures do not fully understand how to do this.

They have failed to notify Ofsted of allegations of harm that were made against a person in a position of trust. In addition, they do not follow the correct procedures to notify these allegations to professionals in the local safeguarding partnership. Therefore, children are not safeguarded.

Leaders do not share the required information with the Disclosure and Barring Service when there are significant concerns about staff's conduct. This impacts on the safeguarding of children.Children's well-being and safety are compromised.

Leaders demonstrate some understanding of their responsibility to implement an emergency evacuation plan for the building. However, they do not recognise that the plan in place does not ensure that children are evacuated to a safe place in the event of an emergency. This does not safeguard staff and children in the setting.

Leaders fail to recognise hazards in the setting. For example, cupboard doors are broken and hang off in areas where small children play. Sharp objects protrude from walls that could cause harm to children.

A cupboard with exposed pipes, taps and electrical wires in the toilet area is accessible to children. In addition, action is not taken to remove hazards from the floor that pose a choking risk for young children and babies. Furthermore, hazards, such as precariously placed planks of wood near to where children play, are not removed before children access the outside area.

This compromises children's safety and well-being.Leaders do not ensure that staff implement robust hygiene practices. For example, bedding and other furnishings, such as cushions and soft toys in the baby room, are not clean or hygienic.

Nappy changing stations are not suitably cleaned to ensure that all surfaces are hygienic for children to use. Children's toilets are not maintained in full working order. For example, a toilet used by children in the pre-school room is blocked and is closed off to them.

However, children still use adjacent cubicles and are therefore exposed to the odours from blocked toilets. The single toilet in the toddler room, which is not enclosed in a cubicle or contained in its own room, is blocked. Therefore, children in this room do not have any toilet facilities within the vicinity.

Children eat healthy meals and fruit snacks. Staff encourage children to eat their vegetables at mealtimes. However, children's independence is not always promoted.

For example, during mealtimes, staff pour drinks for all children and cut up their food before serving it. This does not support children to develop personal skills and independence.Children do not make good enough progress across all areas of their learning.

This is because staff do not plan or implement a curriculum that meets children's individual learning needs. That said, children enjoy opportunities to play outside in the fresh air. As they ride bikes and slide down slides, they develop their large muscles and coordination skills.

Less-confident children are supported by staff to steer and manoeuvre their bikes around obstacles.Parents speak favourably about the setting. They appreciate parents' evening events and the daily feedback given to them about their child's day at nursery.

Parents also appreciate the variety of trips that are planned for their children to visit local parks and nature centres. They report that staff are kind, and their children enjoy coming to nursery to spend time playing with their friends.Leaders understand how to seek advice and support from the local authority special educational needs coordinator, to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities in the setting.

Leaders have undertaken training to support them in this role.Staff feel supported by leaders. They attend regular supervision with managers to discuss their ongoing development and personal well-being.

Leaders identify and assign personalised online training for individual members of staff to support their ongoing development.

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 leaders understand the action to take when an allegation is made against a member of staff 24/01/2025 ensure that leaders understand their responsibility to inform the Disclosure and Barring Service when there are significant concerns about staff's conduct 24/01/2025 implement effective procedures to ensure that children and staff are able to evacuate the premises safely in an emergency 24/01/2025 undertake effective risk assessments to ensure that children are not exposed to hazards in the setting or outside 24/01/2025 ensure that the premises and equipment used by children, including bedding, are clean, hygienic and fit for purpose 24/01/2025 ensure that there are an adequate number of working toilets for children and suitable, hygienic changing facilities for children who wear nappies.24/01/2025 To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date support staff to develop children's independence and personal skills 14/02/2025 implement a curriculum that is based on children's interests and next steps for learning, to ensure they make good progress.

14/02/2025