Kidzania Childcare Darwen

Inclusion: Urgent improvement

Leaders do not support staff to develop the skills needed to help them identify children who need additional support with their learning and development. This means that children's needs are not consistently met. Children who face barriers to their learning do not get the support they need to make progress. Children with special educational needs and/disabilities often wander around aimlessly, especially during group times.

Staff do not support children who are known to social care well. They lack knowledge of children in order to support them. While they recognise that children need additional support for their wellbeing, staff do not provide children with that support. For example, staff recognise that children express their emotions in different ways, however, they do not help children to express their emotions in appropriate ways.

Leaders do not ensure that staff support children who speak English as an additional language. Staff are not aware of the languages that all children speak. This means that they are unable to support their early language development. Staff do not demonstrate that they know or understand some children's culture or family backgrounds. This means that some children are not celebrated in the setting, and staff do not provide children with an inclusive experience.

Curriculum and teaching: Urgent improvement

Leaders do not provide children with a curriculum. Staff do not understand what children need to learn and in what order. For example, they sing the same days of the week song to children across all age groups. This does not provide children with the opportunity to build on what they already know and can do.

Staff do not know what children's next steps in learning are. Staff provide experiences and activities that do not match the learning needs of some children. For example, staff provide repeated colour matching activities for children that they do not understand. Staff do not have a sharp focus on what children need to learn. For example, staff do not recognise that children need to embed their language skills. Staff ask children questions in quick succession and ask them to name objects and colours that they do not know or recognise. This does not support their growing vocabulary or speaking skills and impacts on their confidence.

Leaders do not ensure that staff provide physical development opportunities for children. Where children show an interest in physical play, staff do not support this. For example, children repeatedly ask for footballs in the adjoining play area outdoors and staff do not recognise their interests or provide them with those resources.

Achievement: Urgent improvement

Staff do not support children to make progress across all areas of development. Children do not make typical progress. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not identified and, therefore, staff are not closing gaps in their learning and development.

Children's progress in communication and language is not typical. They do not have basic knowledge that is typical of children of their age, such as naming animals or using single words. Children are not developing their physical skills well due to the poor curriculum. Young children are expected to complete tasks that are too challenging for them, such as pouring drinks and carrying plates of food and children struggle to do so.

Children's personal development is not at the stage expected for their age. They do not consistently form friendships with their peers or develop appropriate social skills they will need for their move to school. Staff do not support children to regulate or manage their feelings and behaviour in an age-related way. This means that children continue to hurt their peers and do not understand behavioural expectations. They are unsettled and do not demonstrate emotional security.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Urgent improvement

Staff do not have a secure understanding of children's individual care routines. For example, younger children who show signs that they need a rest in the morning do not receive one. This leads to them becoming unsettled over lunchtime and impacts on their wellbeing.

Leaders recognise that children's attendance is an area to improve. They have started to monitor children's absences and attendance patterns and are beginning to engage with parents. This work is in it's early stages and the impact is not evident.

Leaders do not understand the importance of providing children with carefully planned transitions. This includes when children return after prolonged absence. Leaders gather limited information from parents. This means that staff do not have the knowledge required to meet children's needs. This impacts on children's ability to settle.

While leaders recognise that some children need support to manage their behaviour, they are not proactive in supporting staff or working with parents. Staff remain calm when dealing with children's behaviour. They attempt methods, such as using consistent phrases, for example, 'kind hands'. Staff do not demonstrate the skills needed to teach children how to behave appropriately towards others. This leads to a chaotic environment and, at times, children's behaviour is difficult to manage and impacts on other's wellbeing.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Urgent improvement

Leaders do not ensure that there is an effective key-person system in place. Staff do not know children well enough to meet their individual needs. For example, they are not familiar with children's care routines, and some staff do not know the names of children they are caring for. This impacts on children's wellbeing and sense of security in the setting. Some children become upset during the day and do not have opportunities to form secure, positive attachments with staff. Although staff are caring and attempt to comfort children, their limited knowledge of children's needs affects their ability to do so effectively. Staff pass children between different staff members in attempts to settle them, which further disrupts their emotional security.

Leaders do not ensure that accurate records are held outlining children's allergies. This means that staff do not have the knowledge to recognise the symptoms of children's allergies or the steps they must take in the event of a reaction. This impacts on children's safety.

Hygiene procedures across the setting are ineffective. Staff are not alert to the risks associated with children sharing drinking cups. They do not wash their hands after wiping children's noses and store play materials next to nappy changing areas. These practises pose a risk to children's health.

Leaders do not ensure that staff complete effective risk assessments. Staff do not identify and manage risks appropriately. For example, young, mobile children who are able to stand are placed in cots set at an unsafe height. Sleep mats are ripped, exposing foam that presents a risk to children due to ineffective cleaning and choking risks. Staff responsible for preparing food do not prepare it in an age-appropriate manner. Staff do not liaise with parents about children's feeding stages. This means that young children are given food and drinks that are not suitable for their age and stage of development. Leaders do not ensure that staff demonstrate an adequate understanding of the risks associated with unsafe food preparation. Staff serve foods that may pose a choking risk, such as whole pieces of pasta, peas, raisins and banana cut into circular slices.

Leadership and governance: Urgent improvement

The provider does not have sufficient oversight of the setting. There are multiple breaches of the statutory framework for the early years foundation stage. A new leader has been recently appointed and has begun to develop an action plan. They have identified some of the weaknesses in the provision. However, their workload is not manageable. In addition to leading the setting, they are responsible for preparing daily meals for children. The provider has not ensured that a named deputy manager is in place to take charge in the manager's absence. Although they did appoint an existing staff member to this role during the inspection, the setting had been operating for several months without a deputy. In addition, the provider has not fulfilled their legal responsibilities to notify Ofsted of changes to managers, as required. Risks to children were reduced during the inspection. This is because the provider started to address some of the concerns raised on the day.

Many staff are new to the setting. The provider has not ensured that they receive appropriate training to understand their roles and responsibilities. For example, staff working with babies do not have the necessary experience, training or knowledge to carry out their roles effectively. This does not ensure babies' safety and wellbeing.

Leaders recognise that developing effective partnerships with parents is a priority, However, they have not had sufficient time to implement the improvements needed. Some parents report their dissatisfaction with the setting. They are not routinely asked to share important information that would help staff to meet children's care and learning needs. At times, staff do not provide accurate or consistent information about children's daily experiences. As a result, some parents are unaware of how children have spent their day, which limits their ability to support them emotionally.