Whitehall Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Weaknesses in the leadership of the setting impact on the quality of provision and outcomes for children. The provider has not ensured that staff have the appropriate recognised qualifications to fulfil their roles. The provider does not have sufficient oversight of practice and provision to ensure that children are receiving consistently good-quality teaching.

There are inconsistencies in the effectiveness of the organisation of the environment and routines. Staff do not always support children well enough in their play due to weaknesses in staff deployment. Children frequently become upset, and behaviour is poor.
...r/>This significantly impacts on the progress they make. However, children form trusting bonds with staff and go to them for cuddles and comfort. Staff are patient and calm.

They give gentle reminders to children, such as to use 'kind hands and feet'. Overall, the curriculum is not ambitious enough to ensure all children are fully engaged and maintain attention and interest. However, there are times when staff successfully provide activities that children enjoy.

For example, children enjoy looking at pictures of X-rays based on their interest in skeletons. Outside, children enjoy exploring the construction area. Staff support this by talking about how plaster is made and how to build a brick wall.

Staff also encourage children to keep themselves safe. Children wash their hands before eating and hold the handrail when climbing steps outside.

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

The leadership of the setting is not effective.

The provider has not ensured that they are complying with the requirements around staff qualifications. In addition, they are not providing the manager with regular supervision to give them an oversight of the effectiveness of practice. However, the manager arranges regular meetings to support staff and share information about children.

Overall, the organisation of the setting is not effective enough. There are times when staff are not deployed effectively. For example, staff are often busy with domestic duties, such as changing children and preparing for mealtimes.

Insufficient consideration is given to supervising the children when there is only one staff member available to support them. Children become unsettled, and this impacts on their behaviour and emotional well-being. In addition, at times, children have access to a lot of different areas, making it difficult for staff to supervise them effectively.

Staff show a genuine commitment to doing their best to provide good-quality teaching and learning. However, they do not have a suitably challenging curriculum for children. This, coupled with the weaknesses in organisation, mean that children do not make the progress of which they are capable.

In addition, there are times when there are not enough toys set out for the number of children who want to play, and children frequently become frustrated.Overall, children do not always receive the support they need to become motivated learners and develop positive attitudes to learning. However, some activities are successful and enjoyable.

For example, younger children enjoy exploring farmyard animals, and older children enjoy writing shopping lists. These experiences support their developing literacy. In addition, staff encourage children's independence.

Children learn to put on their coats, and older children select the toys they want to play with.Staff are kind and gentle in their approach. Children and their families receive a warm welcome when they arrive.

Staff provide some effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, staff provide pictures and cards to help children communicate successfully. Children who were non-verbal when they started now develop confidence in using words.

Staff promote children's interest in reading and stories. They provide an attractive book area and read books with children. Young children enjoy joining in with different rhymes.

This helps to support their developing language skills.Communication with parents is effective. Parents report that their children have settled well.

They talk highly of all staff, including new staff, and praise their caring nature. Parents benefit from the help and support they receive. For example, the manager has taken families to appointments to ensure they receive advice where needed.

Staff have effective safeguarding knowledge and know what to do if they are concerned about children or colleagues. They have taken on additional training courses to support their knowledge and skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is 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 that all staff have the required qualifications, training, and support to fulfil their roles effectively 04/03/2024 devise and implement a suitably challenging curriculum that promotes children's engagement and learning 04/03/2024 review and improve the organisation, routines, the environment and deployment of staff to ensure that children are supported effectively in their play and learning.04/03/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to be more consistent in managing children's behaviour.