Inspectors have determined that follow-up action will be needed at a nursery in Motherwell.
A letter from Education Scotland to parents and carers of children and the private Windmill Nursery provides findings from an inspection carried out in October.
Learning, teaching and assessment and securing children’s progress were both graded as “weak”, the second lowest award on Education Scotland’s six-point scale, signifying “there are important weaknesses within this aspect”.
Five other criteria were all given a rating of “adequate” by the Care Inspectorate, meaning “strengths just outweigh weaknesses”.
Positive findings included the children enjoying attendance and outdoors play and the kind, caring approach demonstrated by staff.
However the inspectors also called for more engagement with children, better progress in literacy and numeracy, planning, and promoting relationships to help children form friendships.
The inspectors report states: “Practitioners are aware that a significant minority of children need a high level of support to manage their emotions.
“A few practitioners are good role-models, with interventions that are calm and supportive. They have developed an attractive sensory room where children can go to unwind. Children are at an early stage in understanding other children’s emotions and feelings.
“All practitioners need further focused training and guidance to help them support children to deal with disagreements calmly and show empathy towards their friends.
“Practitioners observe children at play and capture these experiences in online journals. They use this knowledge to only a limited extent, to plan a few next steps for individuals.
“Practitioners do not yet have an accurate picture of children’s progress in each curriculum area, or since starting nursery. They should develop consistent ways to record children’s learning to allow their progress to be measured more accurately.
“Children’s progress in communication and early language is weak. Practitioners need to increase the opportunities for children to develop skills in literacy.
“This would include learning more about environmental print, mark making and early writing, rhymes, letter sounds and words.
“In numeracy and mathematics children are making weak progress. Practitioners should develop their understanding of how children develop mathematical learning.
“This would support them to offer learning experiences and resources which would improve children’s progress.”
Further, the Care Inspectorate requires a guarantee staff are skilled and competent to be met by March 31. This will include increased understanding of the children’s needs, training and demonstration of putting that training into practice, improved staff induction and ensuring good practice guidance is implemented.
An additional visit will be made within six months and Education Scotland will liaise with North Lanarkshire Council. A further update will be delivered to families after this follow-up visit.
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