Mama Bear’s Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Leaders have not actioned weaknesses from the last inspection. Although they have provided professional development for staff, this has not been effective. Consequently, the planning and implementation of the curriculum is poor.

Staff do not build on children's prior knowledge or next steps in their development to help them to make progress. Leaders do not monitor children's progress well enough, particularly for those children who are disadvantaged and require additional support. Staff do not help children who speak English as an additional language to communicate and understand routines to ensure that they feel settled....

Younger children wait for long periods at mealtimes for staff to support them. Staff do not adhere to the nursery hygiene practices during mealtimes.Children develop their independence skills.

They enjoy serving themselves at lunchtime and know how to scrape leftover food into the bin. Children have daily opportunities to play outside in the nursery gardens. They enjoy splashing in muddy puddles and collecting leaves.

Children talk about how the leaves have fallen off the trees. They behave well, listening to and following staff instructions, such as to tidy up or go indoors.

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

Although leaders have identified weaknesses in practice, they have not done enough to address these.

Staff do not plan the curriculum around what they want children to learn. They do not meet children's individual needs to help them to develop their skills. Teaching does not capture children's attention.

For example, staff plan an autumn activity for children, yet staff do not help children to recall what they already know. Staff do not help children to stay engaged. Therefore, some children wander off disengaged and do not develop a positive attitude to learning.

Additionally, leaders do not monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum to ensure that children make progress. However, the new manager, who has only been at the nursery for a short period, is keen to make positive changes and he has already begun to implement these.Staff do not do enough to help children who speak English as an additional language to communicate.

Although staff provide them with cuddles and reassurance and have learned a couple of words in children's home language, this is not effective. Children do not understand what staff say or the routines. These children often walk around crying with their coat on because they do not understand what to expect or what is required of them.

Younger children understand the need to wash their hands before lunch and to sit at the table for their meals. However, staff organise children for lunch before it is ready. Children wait for long periods of time before they can eat, becoming irritable and agitated because they are hungry.

Staff do not follow good hygiene practices. They use the same sink to wash up dirty paint pots and children's drinking cups. Food placemats are not cleaned at each mealtime, meaning that any leftover food stuck to them raises potential health risks.

Staff provide some learning opportunities for children to engage in when at home. For example, children can borrow books from the 'lending library' to share with their parents and carers to help to support their early reading skills.Younger children enjoy action songs and rhymes.

They enjoy pretending to be 'sleeping bunnies' and then hop up and down, supporting their physical skills. Outside, older children enjoy playing ring games with staff, such as 'Here we go round the mulberry bush'. Children enjoy being part of a group and learn how to take turns.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff help children to understand safety rules. They calmly talk to children about walking indoors to prevent them from tripping over.

Children practise the fire evacuation procedure with staff to help them to understand what to do in the event of an emergency. The premises are secure. Staff ensure that all parents and carers have a password system in place so that only the child's designated person can collect them, to ensure their safety.

Staff understand child protection procedures. They can identify signs that a child's welfare is at risk of harm, and know the relevant safeguarding partners who they can contact if necessary.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date improve the planning and implementation of the curriculum and monitor the impact of children's progress to help children to recall prior knowledge and build on their existing skills, particularly for those who require additional support 18/01/2024 improve the curriculum for those children who speak English as an additional language, to help them to communicate and understand daily routines so that they feel settled 18/11/2023 improve the organisation of mealtimes for younger children to reduce the amount of time they spend waiting 25/10/2023 improve hygiene procedures to ensure that staff meet nursery health practices.

19/10/2023