Sandpit Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

The provider has failed to remove identified risks to children's safety in the outdoor area. This compromises children's safety. Staff deployment is poor which impacts on children's care and learning across the nursery.

Management do not make sure staff are allocated enough time to implement targeted interventions that will aid the learning and development of children in receipt of additional funding. Staff do not plan effective transition visits to ensure children are emotionally and developmentally ready for their next stage in education, especially for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).... Staff do not always know the children they are caring for due to staff deployment within rooms they do not normally work in.

This impacts on children's opportunities to build on what they already know and can do, to further extend their learning and make better progress. Children are warmly welcomed at the nursery by caring staff. The manager and staff have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn at each age and stage of development.

As part of the curriculum, staff support children to become independent in their self-care skills, such as serving their own meals, putting on their coats, washing their hands before eating and after personal care routines. Children learn to be independent.

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

Staff failed to identify a sharp broken table in the outdoor area when completing their daily risk assessments.

Despite having this highlighted by the inspector, no action was taken to remove or repair the table. This compromises children's safety.Poor staff deployment means that children do not always meet their targets on learning plans.

Gaps in routines, such as when children are sleeping, are used to provide some targeted support. However, this is limited, and not always at the times children need adult support, such as gaining confidence in group times to aid their development. This limits opportunities for children to make further progress in their learning.

Staff do not provide all children with the opportunities to develop their emotional resilience and to mix with older children as they move to their next stage in their education. Staff availability to support with sessions and routines with older children are limited, and not always at the times that meet the needs of the children. This means children are not well prepared for their move to school.

Staff deployment is poor. Staff do not always know the children they are caring for or their needs and interests. This is because staff are deployed across the nursery to ensure there is sufficient staff to care for children.

However, this is not always within the rooms where staff usually work and know the children well. This means that children's individual learning opportunities are reduced as staff do not know the children and their next steps for learning.Staff make wonderful use of story time as an opportunity to develop children's vocabulary and language skills.

Children listen attentively and enthusiastically join in sharing their own experiences. Younger children are anticipating what comes next and copy the actions of the staff member as they join in 'The Bear Hunt' story. This helps to ensure children, including those with English as an additional language, make good progress in their communication and language skills.

Poor staff deployment means that babies often move into the toddler room. This limits opportunities for staff to meet their individual needs and interests as children's freedom to explore more age appropriate resources and activities are reduced. This limits their learning and development opportunities.

Senior management are aware of the pressures of staff deployment. However, they have failed to identify the added pressures that are placed on staff with additional roles, such as cooking and cleaning, which further reduces the time staff are able to spend with children. The manager does not have allocated time to effectively manage the nursery and make a positive impact on raising outcomes for the children.

This significantly impacts of the smooth running of the nursery and education provision for the children.Staff keep parents updated on children's daily routines as they are collected. Staff share termly reports about children's developmental progress and learning.

However, staff do not always have time to discuss these reports with parents. As a result, not all parents understand the progress their children are making and how parents are able to continue supporting their children's learning at home.All staff have a good understanding of the indicators of abuse.

They know who to contact and the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child's welfare. This includes what actions to take if they have concerns about a staff member's conduct towards children.

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 risk assessments identify any potential risks to children's health and safety, and are then removed or made safe to keep children safe from harm 24/05/2024 ensure children in receipt of additional funding receive opportunities to work closely with staff as directed in their support plans to implement targeted interventions that will aid in their learning and development 24/05/2024 ensure children are emotionally and developmentally ready for the next stage in their education, including children with SEND 24/05/2024 ensure all staff working with children have a good understanding of children's needs and interests so that they can build on what they know and can do 24/05/2024 implement effective procedures to ensure when there is a need for babies to move rooms they are provided with the resources and experiences to meet their individual needs and interests.24/05/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nensure all parents understand what progress their children are making, and support parents to provide a consistent approach to their learning at home.