Yellow Brick Road Daycare Tuxford

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Leaders and managers do not ensure that risk assessments of the environment are thorough enough. When risks are identified within the environment, staff rely upon children to understand and manage these risks themselves.

This compromises children's safety and well-being. In addition, outdoor toileting arrangements are not adequate and do not support children's dignity. While some children have positive learning experiences, not all children benefit from a well-implemented curriculum that links to their next steps in learning.

Staff working with four-year-olds are unable to explain the learning intentions for the ...children in their care. Often, activities lack interest or challenge for children, and staff interactions are minimal with little purpose or direction. Children frequently disengage and wander around looking for something else to do.

In addition, while staff use assessments to identify gaps in children's learning, they lack the confidence to share this information with parents to ensure early help is sought. Therefore, some children do not make the progress they are capable of. Nonetheless, babies and toddlers enjoy their time at this welcoming nursery.

During outdoor play, toddlers eagerly work with staff to create a game. They pretend the ground is water and that a crocodile is chasing them. Staff support toddlers to consider how they can safely get from the climbing apparatus to the boat without the crocodile catching them.

Toddlers are full of laughter as they run to the boat and pretend to drive to safety. Babies are confident in their environment. They use their core muscles as they crawl up and down small climbing equipment.

Some babies are starting to take their first steps. Staff provide words of motivation to encourage babies and they stay close by in case babies lose their balance.

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

Risk assessments are not effective.

Outdoor areas have unsecured extendable ladders propped against walls within easy reach of children, and some external doors do not shut properly. Managers place the emphasis on children to keep away from these areas. This is further compounded as staff do not always supervise children effectively.

Furthermore, staff do not intervene when they notice children eating food items that have been used during multiple mud-play activities. This is despite staff knowing these children have specific risk assessments in place that relate to such behaviours. As a result, children are exposed to germs.

During forest school activities, four-year-olds search for birds in the outdoor play area and adjoining field. While they are outdoors taking part in these activities, staff do not always respond swiftly enough to children who communicate their toileting needs. This is intensified as there are no toilets nearby and children must walk back up the field to the main nursery building.

This leads to children having unnecessary toileting accidents. This does not promote children's dignity or their readiness for school.Leaders and managers have developed a curriculum that builds on children's existing knowledge and skills.

However, some staff are not clear about how to implement this. For example, after mealtimes and after sleep times the environment for toddlers is poorly organised. This sees children wander around not sure what to do, or they start to display inappropriate behaviours as they attempt to entertain themselves.

Some toddlers become highly distressed as they stand among the chaotic environment and rising noise levels. Staff do not notice this and visitors have to bring this to their attention.Staff undertake assessments to determine appropriate next steps and to identify any additional support a child may need.

That said, staff do not always have the confidence to speak to parents about their concerns or the appropriate support a child may need, which in turn delays early help being sought. This means that not all children make good progress.Staff provide some opportunities for children to develop their growing independence skills.

Babies are praised as they wipe their own face after mealtimes, and pre-school children are encouraged to put their wellington boots on for outdoor play. Toddlers wash their hands, pour their own drinking water and butter their crackers. Staff build on toddlers' skills and demonstrate how to use knives correctly.

This helps children do as much as possible for themselves.Staff plan small-group activities which help children practise the skills that are needed for early writing. For example, staff support toddlers to make play dough.

Toddlers are shown how to scoop up flour in measuring cups, and staff help them to count out the number of cups they need. Toddlers are praised as they take turns to pour ingredients into bowls and use wooden spoons to stir the mixture. When spillages occur, toddlers eagerly use cloths to help to tidy up.

Staff know that children are not yet able to read the recipe card, so they talk toddlers through the instructions. These activities help children to develop their hand muscles in preparation for writing, along with their understanding of sequencing, early mathematics and that print has meaning.

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 robust risk assessments are implemented, and that the risk assessment process is effective in identifying and removing all potential hazards 14/02/2025 ensure adequate toileting arrangements are in place to help support children's dignity and school readiness 14/02/2025 ensure all staff understand and implement a curriculum that clearly identifies the intentions for children's learning, and that this is securely embedded throughout the nursery.14/02/2025 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: raise the confidence of staff to act on their assessments of children to ensure early help is sought in a timely manner.