Mini Fingers Day Nursery

Mini Fingers Day Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2867489
Address: 658 Liverpool Road, Irlam, Manchester, M44 5AD
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 14/11/2025
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: The Maxwell Team Limited
Inspection report: 2 September 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Needs attention
Safeguarding standards not met
Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding
that adequately protects children from harm. Leaders do not implement effective
safeguarding policies and procedures. Arrangements for the use of mobile phones with
imaging and sharing capabilities do not adequately protect children. Staff have access to
smartphones in children's rooms that can take and transmit images. Leaders have not
assessed the risks associated with their use or established effective monitoring
arrangements. Furthermore, safeguarding procedures do not accurately reflect how these
devices are used in practice. Consequently, leaders cannot assure themselves that
children's images and information are adequately protected.
Leaders do not take all reasonable steps to identify and manage risks within the premises.
Environmental checks fail to identify hazards in areas accessed by children, including loose
screws, exposed nails and hanging wires. Leaders do not recognise or respond promptly to
some risks when they are identified. A fire-exit route is not kept clear. As a result,
arrangements for identifying and addressing risks do not adequately protect children's
physical safety.
Leaders do not implement rigorous safer-recruitment procedures. Their recruitment
processes do not consistently enable them to effectively explore and assess applicants'
suitability, knowledge and competence before appointment. Leaders also do not identify and
follow up discrepancies in recruitment information. As a result, they cannot demonstrate that
their recruitment processes provide sufficient assurance about the suitability of those they
employ.
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.
Achievement Needs attention
Some children do not make secure progress from their individual starting points. They do
not consistently build on and consolidate what they already know and can do. At times,
children's engagement in learning is limited. This restricts the progress some children make
in developing and securing age- and stage-appropriate knowledge and skills for their future
learning.
Nevertheless, some children make progress in aspects of their learning and development.
Some children who initially experience delays in their communication develop their language
skills over time and become more confident communicators. Children also make gains in

their personal, social and emotional development. For example, they develop relationships
with their peers and become increasingly able to communicate their needs.
The youngest children develop early communication, physical and exploratory skills. Babies
respond to familiar words and songs, copy actions and investigate different textures and
resources. Despite these positive gains, some children's achievement remains limited, and
they do not securely develop the knowledge and skills they need for their future learning.
Curriculum and teaching Needs attention
Leaders' curriculum intentions are not implemented consistently across the setting. Some
staff do not have a secure enough understanding of what individual children know and can
do or what they need to learn next. As a result, activities and interactions do not consistently
build purposefully on children's learning. At times, staff are occupied with other tasks, which
interrupts teaching and contributes to children becoming disengaged.
The organisation of the curriculum does not consistently take account of the differing ages
and developmental needs of children. When children of significantly different ages are cared
for together, learning experiences are not sufficiently adapted or challenging for all children.
Some children become bored and move quickly between activities. This also disrupts
younger children's engagement and learning. Leaders acknowledge that the resources and
activities available do not consistently meet the developmental needs of all children.
Teaching is more effective for the youngest children. Staff have a clearer understanding of
what they want babies to learn. They model words, sing songs and introduce simple
mathematical language and concepts during play. Staff provide sensory experiences and
encourage babies to explore, make choices and copy actions. Babies respond positively to
these interactions, repeating actions and remaining engaged in their learning.
Inclusion Needs attention
Leaders do not use additional funding effectively enough to improve educational outcomes
for disadvantaged children. They do not have an effective approach to deciding how funding
will be used to address children's identified barriers. Leaders do not consistently identify the
intended outcomes from this expenditure or evaluate the difference it makes. As a result,
they cannot demonstrate that additional funding is making the impact for disadvantaged
children.
Leaders recognise when some children face significant barriers to attending regularly.
However, where inconsistent attendance has continued to limit the implementation and
evaluation of support over an extended period, leaders have not taken effective action to
secure additional advice or support. This delays the identification of children's needs and the
progression of further intervention.
Staff generally identify children who require additional help and respond to their individual
circumstances. They develop individual support plans for children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities and work with parents and other professionals to coordinate
support. Staff know the circumstances of children who have additional barriers to learning

Urgent improvement
and contribute to meetings with other professionals, helping to provide continuity of support
for children and their families.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement
Leaders have not established effective routines that consistently support children to develop
positive attitudes to learning. This is particularly evident in the provision for children aged
over two. Children spend significant periods without purposeful engagement. They
frequently wander between experiences, become bored and rarely sustain their attention for
more than a few minutes. Poor deployment and limited practitioner knowledge mean that
adults do not consistently recognise or respond to children's disengagement. As a result,
children are not developing the persistence, independence and self-regulation they need for
future learning.
Leaders' oversight of attendance is also insufficient. Although practitioners understand
procedures for following up unexplained absence, leaders do not ensure that persistent poor
attendance is addressed effectively. For some children, inconsistent attendance significantly
disrupts continuity in their learning and development.
Children generally have positive relationships with others. They are kind, share resources
and respond to praise. Staff make some adaptations for children's individual circumstances
and encourage independence during some routines. However, this is inconsistent. Children
experience prolonged periods of waiting, and opportunities to practise independence and
develop sustained engagement are limited. As a result, the routines children experience do
not adequately prepare them with the behaviours and attitudes they need for their next
stage of learning.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement
Leaders have not ensured that arrangements to protect children's welfare and safety are
effective. On the day of the inspection, children used areas where loose screws, wood with
exposed nails and wires at children's height were accessible. A fire-exit route used by
children was not kept clear. Leaders did not recognise or respond promptly to some of these
risks until they were brought to their attention. This shows significant weaknesses in leaders'
ability to identify and minimise risks to children. As a result, children's safety is not assured.
There are wider weaknesses in children's care. Hygiene practices do not consistently
promote children's good health. Staff do not always follow appropriate handwashing routines
before children eat. Arrangements for children's individual care are also inconsistent. Some
practitioners are unclear about key-person responsibilities, including for children who require
support with intimate care and developing self-care skills.
Some aspects of care are effective. Staff know children's dietary requirements, allergies and
stages of weaning. They provide food appropriate to children's developmental needs and

encourage independence at mealtimes. Staff understand safer-sleep procedures and babies
are settled safely to sleep.
Leadership and governance Urgent improvement
Leaders do not have effective oversight of the provision and do not demonstrate a secure
understanding of their statutory responsibilities. Governance arrangements are weak.
Leaders are unclear about the responsibilities associated with their role. Leaders do not
identify significant weaknesses in practice or take prompt action when concerns are
identified. This has resulted in significant weaknesses in safeguarding and children's
welfare, alongside inconsistencies in teaching and routines.
Systems for monitoring practice are ineffective. Leaders have not identified weaknesses in
environmental safety, key-person arrangements or the quality of children's experiences.
Their oversight of additional funding does not ensure that it is used precisely to improve
outcomes for disadvantaged children.
Leaders do not consistently support staff's professional development and wellbeing.
Inexperienced staff are not provided with sufficient time during their working hours for their
off-the-job learning, and leaders do not understand these arrangements. Staff are also
unclear about when they last received supervision or what actions were agreed. As a result,
professional development and supervision do not consistently help staff develop the
knowledge and expertise they need for their roles.
Relationships with parents are more positive. Parents receive information about children's
progress, and staff work with families and other professionals to support children's individual
circumstances. However, leaders do not demonstrate sufficient capacity to identify and
address significant weaknesses across the provision.
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 health, welfare and safety are not consistently assured. Significant weaknesses in
safeguarding practice mean that children are not consistently protected from harm. Children
encounter hazards that established checks fail to identify, and staff do not consistently follow
appropriate hygiene practices. Nevertheless, children benefit from some appropriate care
routines. Babies sleep safely, and children's dietary requirements and stages of weaning are
understood.
Children's day-to-day experiences vary considerably across the nursery. Babies generally
enjoy warm and responsive interactions with staff. They smile, explore sensory experiences
and respond enthusiastically to songs and familiar words. They copy actions and begin to
use early mathematical language during their play. Older children do not consistently enjoy
the same quality of experience. They frequently move between activities without becoming
meaningfully engaged and spend periods waiting for adults to organise what happens next.
This limits their enjoyment of learning and the progress they make.
Children generally develop positive relationships with one another. They share resources,
respond positively to praise and are kind towards their peers. However, routines do not
consistently help children to develop independence, sustained attention and self-regulation.
Children of significantly different ages are sometimes cared for together without experiences
being adapted sufficiently to meet their differing developmental needs.
Children who face additional barriers to their learning receive some individual support. Staff
know the circumstances of children who are known to children's social care and work with
other professionals. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have support
plans to help them make progress. However, persistent poor attendance for some children
disrupts the continuity of this support and limits their learning.

Overall, children experience positive relationships and make progress in some aspects of
their development. However, significant weaknesses in safety, care, routines and the quality
of learning mean that children do not consistently achieve, belong and thrive as well as they
should.
Next steps
To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the
provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:
Action Completion Date
ensure safeguarding policies and procedures are
effective, reflect practice in the setting and are
consistently implemented, including robust controls for
the use of mobile phones, cameras and other devices
with imaging and sharing capabilities, so that children
are protected from harm
15/10/2026
ensure that the designated safeguarding lead has the
knowledge and understanding to identify and assess
safeguarding risks, including those associated with the
use of technology, and implements effective measures
to protect children from harm
15/10/2026
ensure effective risk-assessment arrangements identify
hazards promptly, and that action is taken to remove or
minimise risks before children access affected areas,
including maintaining safe and unobstructed fire-exit
routes
15/10/2026
ensure safer-recruitment procedures enable leaders to
rigorously assess applicants' suitability, knowledge and
competence and that recruitment information is
appropriately scrutinised, verified and followed up
before appointments are made
15/10/2026
ensure supervision arrangements are effective to tackle
weaknesses in staff and managers' practice so they are
able to fulfil their roles and duties effectively
15/10/2026
implement effective procedures to follow up children's
absences and take appropriate action where absences
give rise to safeguarding concerns
15/10/2026
ensure the key-person system is effective in meeting
each child's individual care and learning needs and in
15/10/2026

Inspector:
Jamie Fitton
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2867489
Address:
658 Liverpool Road
Irlam
Manchester
M44 5AD
Action Completion Date
supporting parents to seek additional help where
appropriate
improve hygiene practices to ensure that children's
good health is promoted and the risk of cross-infection
is minimised
15/10/2026
ensure the implementation of the curriculum is effective
so that practitioners understand what individual children
need to learn next, and provide purposeful experiences
that are appropriate and meet children's different ages,
developmental stages and starting points
16/11/2026
establish effective routines and deployment that support
children to remain purposefully engaged and develop
independence, sustained attention, persistence and
self-regulation in preparation for future learning
16/11/2026
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, children, parents and carers during the inspection.
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.

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 14/11/2025
Registered person: The Maxwell Team Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 19:00
Local authority: Salford
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 2 September 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 5
Total number of places
102
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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