Tiny Town Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Children's safety is not assured. Leaders and managers do not consistently check the suitability of temporary staff who, at times, have unsupervised contact with children.

Staff do not deploy themselves effectively to adequately supervise children, which puts their safety at risk.Some children arrive at the nursery upset. There are not always enough staff available to comfort them and help them to settle in.

Some children wait a long time to receive comfort because staff are already supporting other children. Babies are normally cared for by one consistent person. However, in their absence, they do not have any f...amiliar staff caring for them.

This results in babies being frequently unsettled. Staff struggle to console them because they do not know enough about them to help distract them. This impacts on babies emotional well-being.

That said, older children are generally very happy. They show high levels of confidence and are eager to speak to new people. Children are not always sufficiently challenged by the activities staff provide.

On occasions, there is too little for children to do. This results in children occupying themselves by running around the room or climbing on equipment. Nevertheless, children are encouraged to take part in craft activities.

They use their hands or different tools to make marks with paint. Older children sit to listen to stories that staff read to them.

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

Managers do not monitor staffing and occupancy levels closely enough, particularly during the morning.

Staff continue to admit children into the nursery, despite there not being enough staff available to meet their needs. This results in the maximum staff-to-child ratios becoming exceeded until more staff arrive. Managers and staff do not act swiftly enough when playrooms are overcrowded because they have too many children in them.

This impacts on children's safety.Managers do not ensure that the deployment of staff is effective. There are not always enough qualified staff available to work with children, including babies.

Throughout the day, staff do not ensure children are properly supervised. Babies are able to put objects in their mouths without staff noticing, which could cause them to choke. Staff are not alert to older children who eat child-safe glue sticks.

This means that children's safety and welfare is compromised.Managers fail to ensure that they properly check the suitability of all adults who have unsupervised contact with children. This is with particular regard to temporary staff who are requested to take children to the bathroom alone, despite their suitability not being assured.

The provider relies on checks completed by agencies that staff are employed by and does not always verify these. This means children are not safeguarded.The provider has experienced significant difficulties in recruiting staff.

Consequently, there are a limited number of core staff in each age group who are key persons to children. When staff are absent, those deployed to look after children do not know how to meet their needs. This is with particular regards to babies.

Staff do not know what children like to do or how to promote their learning. Consequently, children do not benefit from an effective key-person system to support their emotional well-being and their learning needs.Staff do not consistently follow appropriate hygiene procedures.

They do not recognise when children need their noses wiping. When it is brought to staff's attention, they wipe several children's noses consecutively. Staff do not wash their hands in between or afterwards, and continue to carry out their role.

This increases the risks of cross infection.The quality of education that children receive is poor. Although managers have devised a curriculum, they do not ensure that this is implemented effectively.

Activities that are provided are focused on topics, such as 'Diwali', rather than what children need to learn next. There is not enough teaching from staff to support children to learn. This means that children do not make good enough progress in their learning.

Children are not supported to maintain a positive attitude towards their learning. There is a limited choice in activities available to them. This means that they often occupy themselves.

This results in children showing more challenging behaviours, such as running across rooms or emptying resources on to the floor. Babies sustain injuries as they climb on furniture or into boxes.Managers do not monitor the quality of staff's teaching and practice closely enough.

Although staff receive opportunities for supervision and training, weaknesses have not been identified in order to raise the quality of staff's knowledge and skills. This impacts on the quality of care and education that children receive.There is an identified coordinator to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

They work closely with staff to respond to delays in children's development. The coordinator puts targets and plans in place for children, and liaises with other agencies to get children any additional support they need.Parents speak positively about the nursery.

They state that their children are happy to attend, and that staff provide them with feedback about their child's day. Parents welcome the parent meetings provided to discuss their child's care and learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

Managers do not ensure that staffing arrangements meet the needs of children. At times, children are not properly supervised which impacts on their safety. Although appropriate vetting checks are completed for employed staff, managers do not check the suitability of all adults who have unsupervised contact with children.

This includes temporary staff, which impacts on children's safety. Managers and staff understand child protection procedures. They are alert to signs of possible abuse and neglect, and know what action to take if concerns arise.

Managers understand the procedures to follow in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff. The premises are secure and there are systems in place to make sure that unknown persons cannot enter the nursery.

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 that any adults whose suitability has not been checked do not have unsupervised contact with children 24/11/2023 ensure that children are adequately supervised at all times and that the deployment of staff meets the needs of children 24/11/2023 ensure that the ratio and qualification requirements are maintained at all times 24/11/2023 ensure that the premises is organised to meet the needs of children, including making sure that the minimum indoor space requirements are adhered to at all times 24/11/2023 implement an effective key-person system that supports children to build settled relationships and provides care and learning that is tailored to meet each child's individual needs 24/11/2023 ensure that hygiene procedures promote the good health of every child 24/11/2023 provide staff with effective supervision, coaching and support that identifies and addresses weaknesses in their teaching and practice, to promote the interests of children 24/11/2023 make sure that staff consistently plan and provide suitably challenging activities that take account of children's interests and individual stages of development 29/12/2023 implement the curriculum effectively to provide children with a breadth of experiences to support their learning.

29/12/2023