Sunflower Children's Centre

Inclusion: Needs attention

Leaders and staff identify when children may require additional support or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, leaders do not ensure that staff working with children with SEND know how to support them or to extend their learning. There has been no clear handover to discuss children's needs in the absence of their key person or when children transition to different rooms or visit them. Staff working with children with SEND do not have easy access to children's support plans.

Staff with oversight of SEND receive adequate training and support to enable them in their role. Leaders have sufficient knowledge of how to plan to support children. They have some plans in place to ensure staff are supporting children within the rooms. However, this knowledge is not shared consistently with all staff to ensure children are receiving the correct, planned support. Leaders' plans for supporting individual children with SEND are not being implemented effectively to support children's progress.

Staff receive training on how to support children by using Makaton sign language. Leaders have further plans in place and are passionate in ensuring this is embedded throughout the nursery. However, this is not precisely focused enough on supporting children's individual needs, such as those children with communication and language concerns or who are on the pathway for a referral.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders have some oversight of the curriculum and acknowledge there are weaknesses. They have plans in place to make improvements. However, these have not been implemented quickly enough to ensure teaching is effective.

Key persons are not present consistently to contribute to the planning for their key children's learning. This means learning experiences are not tailored to meet individual children's needs. Learning, particularly in the outdoor area is mostly coincidental. Activities and the outdoor space are not planned to extend children's learning.

Staff plan some activities that children tend to enjoy. These are largely based on children's interests but do not sufficiently focus on what children need to know next. Typically, group activities are too large so do not effectively support the learning intentions. Children are sent to wash their hands during a group activity aimed at supporting their communication and language development. This means that they miss opportunities to share their ideas and noise levels disrupt others.

Staff in the baby room model the correct pronunciation of words. For example, during mealtimes, staff speak with the children about what is in their food, modelling words, such as chicken and peas. This introduces children to some new vocabulary. Some staff use some sign language to support communication and language development, particularly for children who are pre-verbal.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children make some progress, but they are not reaching their full potential, and their learning is largely incidental. Their achievements and knowledge are not adequately monitored. As a result, children are not continually supported by high-quality teaching within this nursery. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not make adequate progress in their learning.

Children are learning to become independent and are confident using the bathroom by themselves. They attempt to wash their hands, however, due to soap not being available they do not consistently learn positive hygiene practices. Children learn some important skills during daily routines, such as mealtimes. For example, children without dietary requirements learn to help themselves to food at mealtimes. This helps them to develop physical skills, such as grasping the tongs and supports their hand-eye coordination. This also helps them make choices about the amount of food they would like.

Children learn a range of social skills, including how to speak with their peers and other adults.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Staff do not encourage younger children to tidy away what they have been playing with. For example, there are large amounts of sand and toys covering the floor. This creates trip hazards and does not assure children's safety. Leaders and staff do not consistently recognise these ongoing risks. Additionally, this does not contribute to a positive learning environment.

Staff provide some support for children to learn positive behaviours and help them to establish routines. They praise children's positive behaviour. However, there are inconsistencies due to the routines not being well planned. This results in some low-level disruption.

Some children become engaged in activities, when the activities are developmentally appropriate. However, at times, children's engagement is not supported as group times are too long and take place with too large a group of children. This means children do not have the opportunity to fully engage in these activities.

There is an effective policy in place for following up on any non-attendance. Leaders and staff share the importance of regular attendance with parents. This helps to create positive routines in preparation for more formal schooling.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Urgent improvement

Leaders and staff do not ensure children's privacy is prioritised or maintained. For example, during toileting, children are expected to use potties located within the main access route to the outdoor area. This does not ensure that their dignity is promoted. Additionally, handwashing facilities are not adequately stocked. This means children cannot consistently wash their hands with soap and, therefore, do not develop positive hygiene practices.

The key-person system is ineffective for some children, particularly children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery operates a buddy system to support children in the absence of their key person. However, leaders have not recognised that for some children, both their key person and buddy are not present during the school holidays. This means, these children do not have a key person for extended periods of time.

Risk assessments are not fully effective. Staff do not always ensure that risks to children's safety are identified and removed before children go outdoors to play. They do not ensure the floor space indoors is free from potential trip hazards. Staff ensure children have sun cream on but do not consistently ensure they have hats on, despite the sunny weather. This does not keep children safe in the hot weather and risks them becoming ill.

Leaders have recently reviewed the menus within the nursery to encourage children to try new foods and meals. Staff sit with children at mealtimes to ensure safer eating practices and also talk to children about what they are eating. This promotes positive social skills.

Leadership and governance: Urgent improvement

Leaders do not ensure that the setting's safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented effectively to ensure children's safety. Those who lead safeguarding at the setting have not established processes to identify any patterns of concerns with regards to children's welfare. Procedures for the recording and monitoring of accidents, particularly those that have occurred at home, have not been followed up. This compromises children's safety and means concerns in children's home life or elsewhere may not be identified.

Leaders have not sustained action taken in the past to meet previous breaches of requirements relating to the safety and suitability of the premises. They do not ensure that fire exits are kept clear and in working order. Repeated breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements compromise children's safety.

Leaders do not ensure the supervision of staff is effective to address weaknesses in staff knowledge and practice. They do not ensure that staff complete effective risk assessments. They do not ensure issues with staff performance are followed up. Additionally, leaders do not ensure a robust procedure is in place for staff to share changes to their suitability. Overall, staff report they are happy. They feel leaders support their wellbeing and are mindful of their workload.

Leaders did not notify Ofsted of a significant event within a reasonably practical time frame as required. Leaders have taken appropriate action to improve staff understanding of their roles and responsibilities to supervise children effectively and keep them safe. For example, they have strengthened the procedures for head counting, when moving between the indoor and outdoor areas.

There is some positive engagement with parents. Staff keep parents up to date with children's learning and work with them to support children at home. Leaders have further plans in place to support parental engagement, such as through newsletters. They hope this will strengthen parent partnerships further. Staff share information with parents at the end of the day, such as what their child has eaten, if they have had a nap and the activities they have taken part in. This helps to support continuity in children's care and learning.