Little Gem's Childcare

Little Gem's Childcare
Unique reference number (URN): 2638680
Address: 105 Brent Lane, Dartford, DA1 1QT
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 13/06/2021
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Duck, Gemma
Inspection report: 24 April 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.

Urgent improvement
Achievement Urgent improvement
Due to the weakness in the curriculum and teaching, children's progress is not consistent
and cannot be attributed to their time at the nursery. Children do not receive the
individualised support that would enable them to build new skills. They do not have
consistent opportunities to build on their knowledge through purposeful planned play
experiences. This means that children's engagement in learning is variable which impacts
on their development. Children show an understanding of the routines within the nursery.
For example, they know to line up to wash their hands before mealtimes. Children learn that
sun cream should be applied to keep them safe outside.
Children do not consistently build the skills and knowledge to help them to be ready for their
next stage of learning at school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement
The support for children's behaviour is inconsistent. The strategies that are in place for
children are not fully understood by all staff and as a result, are inconsistently implemented
and have limited impact. However, some younger children have benefitted from staff input.
For example, observations of their behaviour have led to identifying what triggers their
actions and staff have given guidance which has proved successful. Overall, the nursery
environment is chaotic as children begin to argue as they become bored. Staff do not
consistently role model what is expected from children as they call across the room to pass
messages or gain children's attention.
Staff build relationships with children. They are warm and caring and children go to them for
cuddles. However, the weaknesses in the key-person approach impact on children's
experiences. Children do not consistently spend time with their key person. This is because
leaders have placed children in different-age grouped rooms if they do not have space in an
older room. For example, staff working in the baby room do not know toddlers' individual
next steps. They are not able to tailor the support they receive to meet their individual
needs. Leaders promote regular attendance at the nursery. There are established systems
for following up with parents if children do not attend.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement
Policies to support hygiene standards are not consistently implemented by staff. For
example, staff do not consistently follow the nappy-changing procedures to ensure that they
are hygienic. Despite this, children learn some hygiene practice such as washing their
hands before eating.
Children receive meals that have been cooked on site. However, leaders and staff do not
ensure that the food is safely stored and served for children in line with food safety
standards. For example, meals are prepared far in advance of being served and left on the
side for significant lengths of time before being given to children without being checked.

Babies and toddlers are put down to sleep in beds of a poor standard. Staff do change the
sheets for each child which are washed, however the mattresses and beds are either
significantly ripped or stained from previous use. Leaders have not ensured that they have
suitable waterproof covers so they can be hygienically cleaned.
Babies and some toddlers do not have daily opportunities to play and learn outside. The
nursery garden is not deemed safe enough and staff do not take children outside daily as
required to support children's overall learning and development. Older children have the
opportunity to use the nursery garden but not all children have this planned daily.
Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement
The curriculum is not implemented effectively to ensure that children benefit from it. Leaders
have identified a curriculum of what they want all children to learn based on the needs of the
children that attend the setting. However, staff do not have a clear understanding of what it
is that they should be teaching children. At times, children are given activities, but these are
often to keep them occupied and do not provide a purpose for building or learning their new
skills. For example, older children use water and brushes to make marks in the garden. At
times, children wander around and are not purposefully playing or learning. This impacts on
their behaviour. Consequently, any learning taking place is more by chance.
Where possible, staff do speak to children kindly. For example, they give them praise as
they try new food at lunch time. Children do ask staff for help if they need it or something
they would like to play with. Mostly, children learn some social skills. For example, they talk
to each other and chase each other excitedly. However, these times can become chaotic as
children find ways to entertain themselves.
Inclusion Urgent improvement
Staff have not been trained to fully understand the strategies that leaders have put in place
to support children with special educational need and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders
themselves have received training to support them to identify the needs of children with
SEND, and those who have other barriers to achievement. For example, they are aware of
children who speak English as an additional language and they seek to understand
children's language development in their first language. Leaders work with parents to learn
about children's experiences at home. This helps to fully understand what it is that children
need and guide parents on any other support they can access if needed. There are some
plans in place to try and support children's individual needs. For example, it has been
identified that some children benefit from specific communication support through signing.
However, the inconsistencies in the implementation of the plans and children do not benefit
from them. Consequently, barriers that children may experience to achievement are not
being consistently removed to support their overall development.
Leaders have begun to work with external professionals to access further guidance.
However, this does not show any positive impact currently.

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement
Leaders do not have a clear understanding of the quality of the nursery. They were not
aware of most aspects of the concerns raised at the inspection. This means there is a lack
of clear oversight and evaluation of practice.
Leaders have not identified that there is not enough staff to ensure that they are able to
manage the workload they have. In addition, there are not enough qualified staff to meet
requirements. Leaders have not reviewed the routines and how the setting operates to
ensure that some of these challenges can be addressed appropriately.
The supervision of staff is not effective. For example, staff share that they feel under
pressure and due to the current staffing levels, they have not had suitable one-to-one
sessions with leaders for some time. Communication from leaders is not consistent so that
staff have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. For example, how the
curriculum should be delivered. Staff receive some training for their roles, such as food-
hygiene training. However, this has not raised standards in relation to suitable food handling
processes as children are served food that have not been safely stored. There are suitable
levels of paediatric first-aid trained staff.
Leaders have not established suitable links with other settings that children attend. Staff are
not aware of children's experiences or support that they receive in other settings. This
means that staff are not able to provide continuity of care effectively. Parents share that
leaders do respond to concerns that they have and make suitable changes where needed.
Staff report when children have had accidents to parents.
Compulsory Childcare Register requirements
This setting has not met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements
This setting has not met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children's needs are not consistently supported to ensure that they make suitable progress
in all areas of their development. The curriculum that they receive is not fully understood by
staff and implemented effectively. This means that they do not receive learning opportunities
to support all areas of their development. For example, babies and some toddlers do not
have daily access to outside play as required. However, most older children are able to play
outside.
Children self-select toys in the rooms they are in. However, there are limited interactions
with staff, who are often managing organisational tasks. This leaves children wandering
around with little purposeful play and learning opportunities. At times, children become
bored. This impacts on their behaviour and the relationships they build with each other as
they begin to argue. There is some intervention from staff, however this is not always
meaningful to help children learn what is expected of them. This does not ensure that
children form positive relationships with each other to build their social skills effectively.
Children sit together for meals and snack times, however, children are not always given the
appropriate support to build their skills further. For example, children are not always
provided with appropriate cutlery to eat their meals, so they use their hands. Leaders have
not ensured that they have organised staffing well enough so all children benefit from the
support that they need. This means that the child's key person is not always able to tailor
support to meet their individual needs. Children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities do not consistently benefit from the plans that are in place, as staff lack training
to implement them. Despite this, children form suitable relationships with staff.

Next steps
The provider is not meeting the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and
Childcare Register and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action.
We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to have taken the
following actions by the assigned date:
Action Completion Date
train all staff to understand and implement suitable
strategies for children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities to ensure that their individual needs
are well supported
22/05/2026
implement a suitable key-person approach so that
children have consistent support for children's tailored
to their individual needs and stages of development so
their personal, social and emotional and learning needs
are well supported
22/05/2026
train and support staff to implement a suitable approach
to help understand and manage children's behaviour so
that there is a clear and consistent approach to benefit
their development
22/05/2026
put in place a suitable and hygienic nappy-changing
procedure and train all staff to understand and
implement it consistently
22/05/2026
ensure that cots and mattresses that children sleep on,
are of a suitable hygiene standard to support the overall
health and safety
22/05/2026
ensure that all children have the opportunity for outside
play and learning to support their overall health and
development
22/05/2026
take action to ensure that the meals that children
receive are appropriately and hygienically served to
support their health
22/05/2026
take steps to implement suitable supervision processes
that focus on effective communication, staff wellbeing
and coaching to enable staff to fulfil their roles and
responsibilities
22/05/2026
take action to implement effective processes through
staff supervision for the provider to understand and
22/05/2026

Inspector:
Sarah Taylor-Smith
About this setting
Action Completion Date
evaluate the quality of the practice to focus continuous
improvement
ensure that appropriate staffing arrangements, including
qualification requirements, are put in place to meet the
needs of children
22/05/2026
implement appropriate systems to ensure that there is
effective communication between other settings that
children attend, in order to support the individual needs
of children
22/05/2026
To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the
provider must take the following action by the assigned date:
Action Completion Date
implement a curriculum that reflects all areas of learning
and benefits all children to ensure that they build their
skills over time to reach an appropriate level of
development
22/05/2026
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator,
and parents during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we
received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information
about this.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The
registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for
children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

Unique reference number (URN): 2638680
Address:
105 Brent Lane
Dartford
DA1 1QT
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 13/06/2021
Registered person: Duck, Gemma
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:00
Local authority: Kent
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 24 April 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
Total number of places
20
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard
The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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