Abberley House Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

The provider does not ensure that all areas of the premises remain safe and suitable for children.

Children are exposed to risks to their safety, such as exposed barbed wire, broken fence panels and hot pipes. Playrooms used for caring for children are too cold at times. The provider has not addressed faults with the heating system in a timely way.

Staff, including managers, do not understand their roles to safeguard children. They have not received suitable induction training or training opportunities that help them to identify and respond to possible child protection concerns in a timely way.The quality of educ...ation that children receive is inadequate.

Children arrive confidently at nursery and begin their day showing a positive attitude towards their learning. However, this is not sustained because they spend too much time waiting to transition between activities and routines. This significantly limits the time available for purposeful learning opportunities.

When children do have time to play and learn, staff fail to provide any challenging activities or experiences. Babies wander aimlessly around the outdoor area. Two-year-old children are left without any resources to play with.

Therefore, they occupy themselves by practising how to jump. Older children splash in muddy puddles outdoors. During these times, interactions from staff are minimal.

Staff supervise children but do not provide any teaching experiences that help children to make progress in their development. Despite these weaknesses, children do develop an early interest in books. Staff read familiar stories to children and encourage them to join in by repeating key phrases and words.

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

There have been several recent changes to staffing and management in the nursery. During this period, there has been a lack of oversight from the provider. There are significant weaknesses that have not been addressed in a timely way which impact directly on the safety of children and the quality of education that they receive.

The provider has failed to address risks identified to children's safety. They are aware of hazards in the outdoor area, such as broken fences and barbed wire. However, the provider has not taken prompt action to remove or minimise these risks, which could cause injuries to children.

In addition some parts of hot radiator pipes have been left uncovered, meaning children are at risk of sustaining burns. Staff and managers have not identified and addressed this risk, which impacts on children's safety.The provider has not ensured that the building remains safe and suitable for children.

They know that there have been faults with the boiler but have not taken prompt action to rectify this. Areas where children are cared for are too cold, particularly during the morning. This impacts on children's health and safety.

Procedures for safeguarding children are not effective because the provider does not implement a suitable safeguarding policy and procedure. Staff do not know how to report safeguarding concerns they may have about children or other adults to the correct agencies. The lead practitioner for safeguarding does not understand their duty to report possible child protection concerns to the Local Safeguarding Partners.

This means that children are not safeguarded.Information and record keeping is weak. The provider has failed to ensure that records relating to child protection concerns are clear, accurate and sufficiently detailed.

This impacts on the safeguarding of children.Although there are enough staff present, they do not deploy themselves effectively to meet the needs of children. Children wait for prolonged periods of time with no stimulation.

This limits the time available for their learning and has a negative impact on children's behaviours and motivation to learn.Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff receive the support they need to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. Some staff have been in post for several weeks and have not received sufficient information, such as what action to take in the event of an emergency or how to report safeguarding concerns.

Staff do not receive appropriate supervision and training opportunities to discuss any confidential issues and improve the quality of their work. Consequently, children's interests are not promoted.The arrangements for the key person system are not embedded.

Staff do not know children well enough, particularly where there have been recent changes to children's key person. Handovers between key persons where there are changes, are not prioritised to ensure consistency for children and help them to form settled relationships.Staff's understanding of children's individual stages of development is poor.

They do not use assessment to identify children's abilities or establish what children need to learn next. Although delays in children's development are recognised and referrals are made to other professionals, staff do not know how to sequence children's learning. This means that children are not supported to make the progress that they are capable of in their learning.

The quality of education that children receive is poor. The curriculum is not implemented effectively to help children gain knowledge and skills in readiness for the next stage in their learning. Weaknesses in planning mean that children spend too little time engaging in meaningful activities or experiences.

This hinders their learning.

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 risk assessment is used effectively to identify any risks to children's health or safety and make sure that action is taken to remove or minimise these in a timely way 08/03/2024 make sure that the premises is maintained at a safe and suitable temperature at all times when children are present 08/03/2024 ensure that the lead practitioner for safeguarding understands their role and responsibilities, including how to identify, understand and respond appropriately to signs of possible abuse and neglect 08/03/2024 implement an effective safeguarding policy and procedure in line with the guidance and procedures of the Local Safeguarding Partners 08/03/2024 provide all staff with training that enables them to understand how to respond to any signs of possible abuse in a timely and appropriate way 08/03/2024 ensure that all information and records are clear, accurate and sufficiently detailed to promote the safe and efficient management of the setting and the safeguarding of children 08/03/2024 ensure that staff are deployed effectively at all times to meet the needs of children 08/03/2024 provide all staff with induction training that helps them to understand their roles and responsibilities, including the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency evacuation or a safeguarding concern arising 08/03/2024 implement regular and effective arrangements for the supervision of all staff to provide opportunities for support, coaching and to discuss any issues or concerns to promote the interests of children 08/03/2024 embed an effective key person system to ensure that every child's care is tailored to meet their individual needs and children and their parents are supported to build settled relationships.08/03/2024 To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date implement a varied and ambitious curriculum that supports children to develop knowledge and skills in readiness for the next stage in their learning 05/04/2024 use assessment effectively to establish what children know and can do, and identify specifically what children need to learn next to make progress in their learning 05/04/2024 ensure that children are consistently provided with suitably interesting and challenging activities and experiences that take account of their individual interests and stages of development.

05/04/2024