Puzzles Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

There are significant weaknesses in safeguarding at this nursery.

Staff do not understand or follow safer sleep practices for children. Staff mobile phones are easily accessible within the nursery environment, which increases risks to children. Risk assessment arrangements are not effective.

Staff and leaders do not recognise when radiators become too hot in rooms where children play. In addition, staff do not follow suitable hygiene practices, which increases the risk of spreading illness and infection across the nursery. These weaknesses mean that children's health and safety is compromised.

New curric...ulum and planning arrangements are in their infancy. Leaders focus on the prime areas of learning to help children have the foundational skills they need for further stages of learning. However, staff do not fully understand how to implement the curriculum so that it is planned and sequenced effectively.

For example, most-able children complete the same activities as others and are not sufficiently challenged to extend their knowledge and skills. Additionally, staff do not always have accurate knowledge about the children they care for, which means that what they plan for children to learn next is not always appropriate. This means that children do not make the best possible progress.

Despite weaknesses, babies start to develop a love of books. They repeatedly go to the book area to find their favourite ones. They gesture to adults to read with them.

Staff spend time with them, sharing stories. They talk to children about the characters and animals in the stories. Children copy animal names and make sounds that they have previously learned.

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

Staff do not have a good enough understanding of how to safeguard children. They receive safeguarding training and have knowledge of agencies who they can report concerns to. However, some staff are reluctant to consider that they need to be alert to possible inappropriate behaviours of other staff that may pose a danger to children.

This means that children are not safeguarded.Risk assessments are not fully effective. Radiators in rooms where children play become too hot to touch.

These are in reach of children and could easily cause burns. Staff do not recognise these risks and, therefore, do not act to remove or minimise them. This negatively impacts on children's safety.

Children's safety is compromised while sleeping. Some young babies sleep in bouncer chairs, which is not in line with government safety guidance. Staff do not have a good enough understanding of safer sleeping practices to ensure that children are safe.

Additionally, babies are not checked frequently when they sleep. This is a breach of requirements and puts sleeping children at risk.Leaders have devised a safeguarding policy that includes the use of mobile phones.

However, the implementation of this is not effective. Staff's personal mobile phones are stored in areas where they can be easily accessed, close to children's nappy changing areas. Leaders do not recognise the full impact of this.

As a result, the risk of harm to children is increased.Leaders and staff do not implement suitable hygiene practices. Although children wash their hands before and after eating, and after using the toilet, many children dry their hands on the same towel.

In addition, older children sleep on shared bed mats, and staff do not ensure that children have individual bedding. This does not promote the good health of children and increases the risk of spreading illness and infection.Staff interact with children during their play and plan a range of activities for them.

However, children are not always sufficiently challenged in their learning. Staff do not understand how to appropriately extend the knowledge and skills of children. For example, children in pre-school sit and shake instruments to nursery rhymes.

Some activities are at a basic level and do not reflect children's capabilities. This means that children do not make the best possible progress.Staff do not always have accurate information about children.

For example, some staff do not know what external support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are receiving. In addition, they do not always have accurate assessment information about children. As a result, staff do not plan suitable activities that are appropriate for what children need to learn next.

Parents comment positively about the nursery. They say staff are friendly, and their children are happy to attend. They feel supported as a family and appreciate the communication they receive daily.

Parents say they have good relationships with staff and are given ideas of how they can support their children's learning at home.

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 all staff understand, and are alert to, possible inappropriate behaviours of other staff that may pose a danger to children 18/12/2024 implement effective risk assessments that help staff to identify areas of the environment that pose a risk to children, and ensure they take action to remove or minimise these 18/12/2024 ensure sleeping children are checked frequently and babies are placed down to sleep safely in line with the latest government guidance 18/12/2024 implement an effective safeguarding policy, which includes how the use of mobile phones within the setting ensures the safety of children 18/12/2024 ensure hygiene practices promote the good health of all children.18/12/2024 To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date improve the quality of teaching so that children receive sufficient challenge in their learning 31/01/2025 ensure staff know children well enough so that learning can be tailored to meet their individual needs and ensure they make the best possible progress.

31/01/2025