Kenleys Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Weaknesses in leadership and management mean that children's safety and well-being cannot be assured. The manager, who is new to her role, is ambitious and recognises some weaknesses in the nursery. However, as the designated safeguarding lead (DSL), she does not fully understand local safeguarding procedures and the setting's safeguarding policies are not effective.

In addition, leaders do not ensure that staff deploy themselves to meet the children's needs. They do not ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need or that the key-person system is successful.... Although the manager knows what she wants children to learn, she does not ensure that the staff team understand these intentions, which means that children do not benefit from purposeful or challenging learning experiences.

For example, although children enjoy activities outside, staff do not tailor learning to the children's needs. Children often play happily, either alone or with their peers; however, staff do not support them effectively in their play to develop their curiosity and exploration. Quieter children sometimes receive little attention and go unnoticed by staff.

Children are not well prepared for the next stage of their learning, including starting school.Staff do not ensure that older children receive effective and consistent support to help them to understand how their behaviour affects others. For instance, children snatch toys from their peers and staff do not notice.

Staff lack an understanding of how to manage the children's behaviour. They do not explore why children display certain behaviours or look for ways to provide effective support for them. As a result, children repeat these poor behaviours.

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

Leaders have not ensured that the DSL has had the necessary training so that she knows the correct procedures to follow if there are concerns about children or staff. They do not ensure that the safeguarding policy is up to date to reflect the Local Safeguarding Partnership procedures. As a result, staff do not have the most up-to-date guidance which compromises children's welfare.

Leaders do not ensure the key-person system is effective. The organisation of the care of babies means that some babies are not cared for by their key person. This means that, for some, they are not having their needs and progress assessed frequently enough.

Support staff who work in all rooms have no understanding of the children's next steps. While they can name the prime area of learning being focused on each week, they do not understand how this focus links to children's individual next steps or what support a child may need. This means children's individual needs are not met effectively enough to ensure they make good progress across all areas of learning.

Staff build warm relationships with the children in their care. Children and babies will often approach staff for comfort and reassurance. However, staff are not clear or consistent in how they manage children's behaviour.

Children do not understand the rules and expectations because staff do not explain to them how they should behave. Staff do not help children learn to manage their own behaviour or to understand the impact their behaviour has on others. Due to poor staff deployment, staff not always notice when children are arguing or becoming destructive with resources.

This results in children who continue to run around and display unwanted behaviour.Leaders do not ensure that staff meet the needs of children with SEND. Targets for these children are not reviewed for long periods of time and, as a result, staff do not have high enough expectations for this group of children, often repeatedly setting the same targets.

Consequently, children with SEND do not make the progress of which they are capable in their learning and development.Leaders do not ensure that the curriculum is adequately designed or sequenced by staff to build on what children already know and can do and it does not take account of children's interests. Staff do not always know what they want children to learn from activities.

Children do not make good enough progress in their communication. Many toddlers continue to have a dummy as they play, even when they do not need one, which restricts their developing language and communication. Story and singing times for older children are often interrupted and background noise is loud, resulting in children losing focus.

Children spend significant periods of time wandering on their own without any interaction from staff to support their communication and the development of their vocabulary.Staff feel well supported by the new manager. They have regular supervision and can discuss their well-being at any time.

Staff receive an induction and some training opportunities. However, the arrangements for the ongoing support, mentoring and coaching for staff are not good enough to ensure they have the skills and understanding to offer high-quality learning experiences to all children.Leaders seek the views of parents to help them make some improvements.

Parents comment that they now receive much more information about their children's experiences and that the children have started visiting a local care home which they have loved. Parents speak positively about how settled their children are at the nursery.

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 improve the DSL's knowledge and understanding of the process to follow in the event of an allegation against a staff member or volunteer, in line with the Local Safeguarding Partnership procedures 07/02/2024 ensure safeguarding policies are up to date and reflect the current Local Safeguarding Partnership procedures 07/02/2024 improve the key-person system so that children receive continuity of care and staff have a better understanding of children's needs, including what they need to learn next 04/03/2024 ensure staff are suitably deployed and support children sufficiently in their play and learning 04/03/2024 develop staff's knowledge and understanding of how to interact effectively with children and how to implement a curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do 04/03/2024 provide targeted support for children with additional needs, to ensure their needs are met and they make progress 04/03/2024 ensure staff adequately supervise children and are able to quickly identify and address children's behaviour effectively 04/03/2024 To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date design and implement an effective and ambitious curriculum across all areas of learning, with a particular focus on children's communication and language.

04/03/2024