Horwich Day Nursery

Inclusion: Urgent improvement

Leaders have not secured the improvements required following the previous inspection. Children's needs are identified and assessment information is recorded. However, weaknesses in leaders' monitoring and review of support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities remain. Leaders are unable to demonstrate how support is adapted in response to children's progress and changing needs. As a result, they do not know whether agreed strategies are having the intended impact on children's development.

Staff do not have a secure understanding of children's identified needs, agreed strategies or their individual responsibilities. For example, leaders identify strategies intended to support children's development, such as the use of now-and-next boards. However, staff do not use these effectively to support children's learning and development. This means children do not always receive the support intended to meet their individual needs.

Leaders do not monitor the quality of support precisely enough. Consequently, weaknesses in practice are not identified or addressed quickly enough. This limits leaders' ability to reduce barriers to children's learning and development and ensure children receive the help they need.

There are currently no children on roll in receipt of additional funding, or known to children's social care, and no children are identified as being from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Curriculum and teaching: Urgent improvement

The curriculum is not embedded consistently across the setting. Leaders have not ensured that staff have the knowledge and skills required to deliver it effectively. Weaknesses in leaders' and staff's understanding of the curriculum have a negative impact on children's learning. Leaders are unable to demonstrate how the curriculum builds on what children already know and can do or how it prepares them for future learning. As a result, teaching lacks purpose and does not meet children's individual needs. Weaknesses in teaching are not identified or addressed quickly enough.

Staff do not use assessment information effectively to inform teaching. Children are frequently provided with the same next steps despite being at different stages of development. For example, children of different ages are identified as needing support with turn-taking and sharing. Staff are unable to explain the intended learning behind planned activities. This means teaching is not tailored well enough to meet children's individual learning needs.

Teaching does not support children's learning well enough. Interactions between staff and children are limited, particularly in the baby and toddler rooms. Staff often adopt a supervisory role rather than engaging in children's learning. Consequently, children do not benefit from interactions that support their communication, language or mathematical development. In addition, leaders and staff do not prioritise children's physical development effectively. For example, babies are provided with crayons but not paper to practise early mark making.

Achievement: Urgent improvement

Children do not make the progress they are capable of from their starting points. They do not develop the knowledge and skills they need across the areas of learning because teaching and support are not effective. Children's communication and language development are not promoted well enough. Limited interactions with staff mean children do not benefit from meaningful conversations that build vocabulary, develop understanding and support thinking skills. As a result, children do not make sufficient progress in this key area.

There are currently no children on roll in receipt of additional funding or known to children's social care. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not achieve as well as they should. Gaps in learning are not identified or addressed effectively enough. This means children do not receive the help they need to catch up with their peers.

Children are not prepared well enough for their next stage in learning. They do not consistently develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for future learning and, where appropriate, school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Urgent improvement

Leaders have not established clear and commonly understood expectations for behaviour. Staff intervene when children display unwanted behaviour. However, they do not help children understand why some behaviours are not appropriate or what they should do instead. For example, when children throw toy vehicles, staff stop the behaviour, but they do not explain why it is unsafe or help children find more appropriate ways to play. As a result, children do not develop a secure understanding of expectations.

Relationships between staff and children are generally positive. However, staff do not consistently support children to develop the skills needed to play alongside others and understand how their actions affect their peers. In addition, staff do not always consider children's age, stage of development and individual needs, when supporting routines and transitions. For example, babies are frequently picked up and moved between activities rather than being helped to understand what is happening and prepare for changes in routines. This means children have insufficient opportunities to develop independence, confidence and emotional security during daily routines.

Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance and punctuality. They communicate with parents about absences and follow up concerns regarding children's attendance.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Urgent improvement

Care practices do not meet children's individual needs effectively. Leaders do not ensure that all staff understand children's care and support needs. Arrangements to support children when their key person is absent are not effective. For example, when children become upset, unfamiliar staff do not always know how best to comfort and reassure them. In addition, agreed approaches to support children's emotional wellbeing are not implemented. For example, children are provided with dummies to pacify them for extended periods rather than being supported by staff to engage in play and interactions. This does not promote secure attachments or emotional wellbeing effectively.

Children's health and wellbeing are not promoted effectively. Hygiene procedures are not implemented and weaknesses in daily routines mean that children's individual needs are not always met. For example, damaged sleep mats with exposed filling remain accessible to children and checks of learning environments are not always completed before children access them.

Staff do not support children well enough to develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe or make healthy choices. Children are provided with water by the setting. However, leaders have not ensured a consistent approach to working in partnership with parents to support children's oral health. For example, clear guidance about appropriate drinks in water bottles is not routinely communicated. Furthermore, babies access equipment that is not appropriate for their age and stage of development, such as a see-saw in the outdoor area. This does not help children develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe during play.

Leadership and governance: Urgent improvement

Since the last inspection, leaders have not taken effective action to address previously identified actions, resulting in continued weaknesses in the provision. Further breaches of requirements have also been identified. There have been recent changes to the leadership team, with some leaders still new to their roles. However, this has not led to improvements in practice. Leaders do not have an accurate understanding of the quality of the provision and have not demonstrated the capacity to improve.

Leaders carry out supervision meetings, however, these are not effective. Induction processes are weak and do not ensure staff understand their roles and responsibilities. Leaders do not observe practice closely enough or identify weaknesses in teaching. As a result, staff do not receive clear or constructive feedback, and weaknesses remain unchallenged. Although staff complete mandatory training, professional development is limited and not focused on improving the quality of teaching and interactions. Consequently, staff do not develop the skills and knowledge needed to improve practice.

Arrangements for working in partnership with parents are not consistently embedded. Leaders provide brief updates via the online portal and during handovers. However, not all parents are clear about what their child is learning, who their child's key person is or how to support learning at home. Leaders have not considered how to engage parents, who do not routinely access updates. This weakens communication and limits continuity in children's care and learning.