Plume Avenue Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Weaknesses in the provider's safeguarding procedures and the arrangements regarding children's allergies mean children's well-being and safety are not assured. In addition, the provider does not ensure children are adequately supervised when they are eating. The provider does not ensure that children benefit from an ambitious curriculum or that staff have good knowledge and skills to support children in their learning.

This limits the opportunities children have to make good progress in their learning. Staff are polite and kind to the children. Children behave appropriately.

They listen to staff when they give th...em gentle reminders about the rules in the setting. Children are polite and play alongside each other, sharing their experiences. They talk to one another about what they are making with the malleable dough.

They are keen to talk to visitors and share their thoughts. They invite them into their play and ask them to read stories.Staff provide children with daily opportunities for exercise and fresh air.

Children develop their gross motor skills by negotiating their bicycles around the garden and climbing the steps of the slide, manoeuvring their bodies when they reach the top. This helps to promote their physical well-being.

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

The designated leads for safeguarding understand what to do if there is a concern raised about a member of staff.

However, not all leaders are able to recognise and take the appropriate action when an allegation is made. This compromises children's safety.The provider has failed to ensure that information about children's dietary needs and allergies is accurately recorded and shared with staff.

This means that staff do not have the knowledge to attend to children in the event of an emergency. This does not promote children's good health.The provider does not ensure that children are adequately supervised while eating.

During a food-tasting activity, staff failed to notice that children were running around with pieces of fruit in their mouth. They visually check the contents of children's lunch boxes but fail to take action if items, such as grapes, are not cut to a safe size before children eat them. This lack of supervision and awareness affects children's well-being.

Staff know where children are in their learning and have a clear view of what they want children to learn next. However, leaders do not make sure that staff are using this knowledge to create a curriculum that is based on children's abilities and what they are ready to learn next. Therefore, activities are not linked to children's individual needs.

This means that learning is incidental rather than purposefully planned to build on children's skills and knowledge over time. This does not help all children to reach their full potential.Staff are not providing children with interactions that stimulate curiosity, interest, or excitement.

Staff provide basic information when children play and ask them simple questions. However, they do not regularly model a wide range of vocabulary or use effective questions to encourage children's critical thinking. This means children do not benefit from good-quality interactions that support their developing communication skills and help move them to their next stage of learning.

The key-person system is well embedded, and each key person spends time talking to parents about their children at the start and end of the session. Parents report that their children are happy to come to the nursery. They feel the communication methods in the setting are effective.

However, parents are not kept fully informed about their child's progress and next steps in learning. Nor are they given advice on how they can support their child's development and well-being at home.The provider has embraced support offered by the local authority.

They recognise the benefits this has had and have plans in place for further improvements. Staff work in partnership with other professionals, such as health visitors, feeder schools and specialists, which helps to improve outcomes for children.

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 safeguarding policies and procedures are understood and followed by leaders, particularly in respect of managing allegations about adults who work with children 02/02/2024 improve arrangements for risk assessment to identify any risks to children's safety and take steps to minimise or remove these, with particular regard to children's allergies and choking risks 02/02/2024 ensure all staff receive effective and regular support and coaching to help them implement an ambitious curriculum and improve the quality of their interactions.02/02/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop information sharing with parents so that all parents receive up-to-date information about their child's progress and how they can support their child's development at home.