Stramongate Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Weaknesses in the leadership and management of the setting have resulted in the failure to meet statutory requirements. Consequently, there has been a decline in the overall quality of the setting since the last inspection.

Those responsible for the setting have overlooked their duty to inform Ofsted of a safeguarding incident during a recent outing. On this occasion, children were not safeguarded effectively due to a lack of adequate supervision and effective risk assessment. Furthermore, there have been major managerial staff changes.

Ofsted has not been notified about these changes and changes to the setting's... operating hours. The provider has failed to identify a new deputy manager during this period of change. Additional staff have been identified to undertake designated lead safeguarding responsibilities.

However, they have not completed training to fulfil the requirements of this role. These weaknesses have a significant impact on children's safety.The quality of the curriculum is not good enough.

While the curriculum is sequential and reflects children's development, it is not ambitious. Staff plan some activities based on what they think children will enjoy, such as 'World Elephant Day'. However, the implementation of activities lacks differentiation.

Throughout the summer, children are grouped together and staff are unable to skilfully adapt their teaching to meet children's individual learning needs. Learning is incidental because staff do not purposefully plan for the children that attend over the summer months. This means that children do not make the progress they are capable of.

Children do not develop knowledge and skills across the seven areas of learning.The provider has not ensured that staff understand how to manage children's behaviour appropriately. On occasion, staff make inappropriate comments about how to deal with challenging behaviour.

This is a further safeguarding concern.There are elements of positive practice. For example, children have developed warm and trusting relationships with staff.

The key-person system helps to ensure that children settle quickly and are confident and enjoy their time at the setting.

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

The provider has failed to ensure that the requirements of the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage' are met. There are several breaches in the safeguarding and welfare requirements, due to a lack of efficient oversight and governance.

This does not ensure high-quality care and education for all children.The provider has failed to ensure that staff understand and implement the setting's safeguarding procedures. For example, during the inspection, staff failed to recognise that a visitor was using a mobile telephone in the playroom.

This compromises children's safety and well-being.The arrangements for risk assessments during outings are ineffective. A recent trip to a local park resulted in a child going missing for a short period of time.

A member of the public returned the young child to the group. On this occasion, staff failed to supervise children and deploy themselves effectively to ensure that children remain within sight and/or hearing at all times.Children are learning how to share and how to take turns.

Staff offer gentle reminders to children about expected behaviours. However, they do not explain to children the consequences of their actions. For example, when children climb on furniture, staff tell them to 'get down' or simply say 'no'.

Furthermore, staff do not always respond appropriately when they are trying to deal with particularly challenging behaviour. This does not help children to develop their understanding of right and wrong.Staff fail to plan purposely over the summer months when children are grouped together.

While this practice supports some aspects of children's personal, social and emotional development, children do not have their individual learning needs met. For example, during a creative activity, all ages of children are grouped together. The activity is not adapted to reflect children's varying ages and the learning intentions are the same, despite children's different stages of development.

This does not support children's learning.Parents spoken to at the inspection comment that their children are happy and enjoy attending. They receive good communication about daily care routines, such as the food their children have eaten, nappy changes and sleep.

However, parents comment that staff do not successfully share enough detailed information about what their children are learning. Parents are therefore unable to support and extend their children's learning at home.Children enjoy spending time outside.

They operate wheeled toys with precision and confidently navigate the space available. Older children help their younger friends as they build towers and a train track. They show kindness and concern for one another.

Children are beginning to learn about the importance of good hygiene routines. Older children become independent as they manage their own personal care routines, such as washing their hands before lunch.

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 there is clear management structure that includes a named deputy, who is capable and qualified to take charge in the manager's absence 09/09/2024 ensure designated safeguarding leads are appropriately trained and competent to carry out these roles 09/09/2024 ensure staff have sufficient understanding of the setting's safeguarding policies and procedures, with particular regard to visitors using their mobile devices within the setting 09/09/2024 ensure staff implement effective risk assessments for the safe supervision of children, particularly when on outings 09/09/2024 ensure that staff are deployed effectively so that children remain within sight and/or hearing 09/09/2024 take action to ensure that staff manage children's behaviour appropriately and help children to understand the consequences of their actions 09/09/2024 implement a curriculum which is ambitious and provides children with rich and challenging experiences to help them to make good progress.09/09/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen partnerships with parents to ensure that parents receive information about their child's learning and development.

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