Mother Hen

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

The provider does not hold effective oversight of the nursery. Staff have poor regard to promoting a safe environment or implementing a challenging curriculum. They do not provide adequate education for children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Weaknesses in staff's knowledge of safeguarding mean that children's safety cannot be assured.Staff do not supervise children effectively to ensure their safety. Incidents of poor behaviour go unnoticed as children are out of sight and hearing of staff.

Staff fail to provide effective supervision for children with SEND, who are... left alone for much of the day. Children are not provided with support so they can learn to understand and manage their emotions and behaviour. Staff do not act when children argue over toys, including at times when behaviour incidents escalate and children lash out at their friends.

The environment is chaotic and noisy, which interrupts children's learning. Children are left to occupy themselves and some children say that they want to go home.Staff have limited ambition for children's learning.

They provide a basic range of activities, but these do not capture children's attention or motivate them to learn new things. Children wander from one area of the room to the other. Activities are poorly resourced.

For example, when older children sit down to take part in a craft activity, they quickly find that there is no glue left and there is limited access to scissors. The provision for the youngest children is equally poor. Staff throw powder paint and flour into the air, which covers children, as part of a sensory play activity.

They also mix this with water to make a gloopy mix. However, children become upset as the paint irritates their eyes and also dries on their faces. Children slip and slide across the floor as it becomes dangerous to walk.

They gain very little benefit from the activity overall.

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

The lack of oversight by the provider means that weaknesses in the day-to-day management of the nursery are not addressed. Gaps in staff knowledge are not identified.

Staff who hold lead roles in the nursery do not fulfil their responsibilities successfully. The provider does not ensure that staff receive effective supervision, coaching, or training to improve their practice. This impacts on the quality of care and education that children receive, which, overall, is inadequate.

The provider has failed to notify Ofsted of a significant event relating to hygiene matters and the provision of food, as identified by the Environmental Health Agency. Despite making the necessary improvements at the time, the standards of hygiene have since declined. The designated kitchen area for preparing food, including milk feeds, is in a poor state of hygiene.

Additionally, staff who handle food do not observe hygienic measures, including washing their hands before serving food. Children's ongoing good health is not guaranteed.The provider does not ensure that staff with lead responsibility for safeguarding know the procedure to follow in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff.

Furthermore, they do not check on staff's understanding of what to do in the event that a concern is raised about a child. Staff have a limited knowledge of how to meet children's medical requirements, including how to recognise and act in the event of a medical emergency for a child. The poor regard to safeguarding impacts significantly on children's health and safety.

Engagement with parents and the local authority, particularly for children with SEND, is poor. The special educational needs coordinator does not engage in offers of support or prepare timely or accurate assessments, as required. This has led to a delay in referrals for some children, which places them at a significant disadvantage in their education.

Although parents are generally positive about the nursery, there is a lack of transparency in information-sharing. This does not ensure that parents get accurate information about their child's learning.Staff do not prioritise children's good health.

They do not ensure that children have access to fresh drinking water. On the day of the inspection, children, including young babies, were not offered a drink until staff were prompted by inspectors. For some children, this was for a period of more than four hours.

Additionally, staff do not follow robust hygiene procedures. There is an absence of necessary supplies, such as soap for handwashing. Staff do not support safe sleeping arrangements for babies and children.

Young children were placed to sleep on dirty bedding in beds that were unsuitable for their needs. Despite staff's weak knowledge of promoting children's health, children gain some benefit from spending time outside, where they run freely in the fresh air. They also enjoy opportunities to visit a local park.

The provision for children's learning does not offer the breath of knowledge or experiences to prepare them for the next stage in their education. Children's individual learning needs are not identified or planned for. The range of resources on offer is extremely limited and children have no choice but to repeat the same activities throughout the day.

At times, staff set up activities in unsafe places, such as positioning water play next to a plug socket, and inspectors needed to intervene for safety.

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 all staff, including the designated lead for safeguarding, hold a robust knowledge of safeguarding matters, including how to refer a concern about a child or member of staff, in line with the guidance and procedures of the relevant local safeguarding partners 19/04/2024 implement a policy and procedures for administering medicines that include obtaining information about a child's needs for medicines, and for keeping this information up to date 19/04/2024 ensure that fresh drinking water is available and accessible to children at all times 19/04/2024 ensure that any areas used for the preparation of food for children, including areas that are designated for preparing bottle feeds, are clean, and those responsible for preparing and handling food are competent to do so 19/04/2024 ensure that staffing arrangements meet the needs of all children and that children are effectively supervised to ensure their safety 19/04/2024 ensure that staff manage children's behaviour in a way that helps children to understand and manage their emotions and feelings 19/04/2024 implement arrangements for supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities that includes working in partnership with parents and other professionals so that timely assessment and referrals are made and effective support is put in place 19/04/2024 ensure that cots and bedding are in good condition and suited to the age of the child, and that babies are placed down to sleep safely in line with the latest government safety guidance 19/04/2024 ensure that there is effective supervision for all staff, including the manager, so that staff benefit from support, coaching, and training to improve their personal effectiveness.19/04/2024 To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date implement a curriculum that is well structured, ambitious, and meets the needs of all the children.

29/05/2024