Chawton Pre-School

Chawton Pre-School Chawton Village Hall, Chawton, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 1SB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/12/2013 10/07/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 The management committee have a poor understanding of the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. For example, documents relating to the suitability of committee members are not available for inspection. Also, there is no named deputy manager in place which is a requirement.  Observation and assessment of children's learning is weak. This means children's individual needs are not accurately identified so they can make progress in their learning and development. In addition staff do not accurately identify children's starting points when they first join the setting. This undermines planning for their individual needs.  Self-evaluation is not sufficiently robust to address key weaknesses. In particular, staff practice is not being monitored with sufficient rigour to secure continuous improvement.  The management committee are not clear about the role and responsibilities and they

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This provision is inadequate

are unable to support the manager or other staff successfully or accurately monitor practice. This leads to some poor practice in the setting and means that children's needs are not always met well, especially in their learning and development.

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It has the following strengths

 Positive relationships are built with parents and as a result, parents are happy with the care provided at the pre-school.  Children build secure attachments with staff. This ensures that they are settled and happy in their provision.  Links with providers, such as when children move onto school are well established.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager and chair of the management committee.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at various documents, including policies and procedures, records of children and evidence of the suitability of staff.  The inspector held discussions with key persons and staff.  The inspector observed activities in the main hall.

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Information about the setting

Chawton Pre-School opened in 1992 and is run by a voluntary management committee, made up of parents of children at the pre-school. It operates from Chawton Village Hall and children have access to an enclosed outdoor area. There are currently 19 children from two-years-six-months to under five years on roll. The setting is currently in receipt of funding for the early education of three and four-year-olds. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The pre-school operates during term time and is open on a Monday between 9.15am and 1.15pm, on a Tuesday and Wednesday between 9.15am and 3.15pm, and on a Thursday and Friday between 9.15am - 12.15pm. The group supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The pre-school employs four members of staff. All staff hold an appropriate early years qualifications. The setting receives support from the

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must:

 ensure there is a named deputy who, in your judgement, is capable and qualified to take charge in the manager's absence

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must:

 make records easily accessible and available for inspection by Ofsted. This is with particular reference to vetting checks carried out on committee members

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must:

 improve the knowledge and understanding of the management committee so that members fully understand their roles in monitoring practice and supporting the manager so that all requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are met.

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must:

 implement an effective assessment system to help staff understand children's level of achievement, interests and learning styles, and use this to plan and shape learning experiences for each child reflecting those observations

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must:

 foster a culture of mutual support, teamwork and continuous improvement which encourages the confidential discussion of sensitive issues and identifies clear areas of weakness, developing targeted plans to bring about required improvements.

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must:

 improve the depth and breadth of information gathered of children's prior skills on starting the pre-school, so that staff have an accurate, all-round overview of each child's starting points to plan for their needs from the outset.

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who attend

Staff have some understanding of children's learning and development needs. They provide appropriate levels of support enabling children to make active choices about their play. The pre-school is very well resourced and set out to provide children with a range of toys, resources and activities to cover all areas of their development. Planning is in place and generally covers all areas of learning both indoors and in the enclosed outdoor area. Staff observe children at play to gain an awareness of what they enjoy and can do. However, the system for assessing children's development is not effective. Staff do not asses children's progress beyond the progress check for two year old children in all areas of learning. The lack of systematic assessment and tracking of children's progress results in their next steps in learning not being identified or being incorporated into the planning. Consequently, their learning and development is not supported limiting their independence

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who attend

and opportunities to build on necessary skills in readiness for school. Overall, staff are familiar with the prime and specific areas of learning and provide a range of resources and activities to cover these. Children use their imaginations as they play alongside peers, incorporating different play scenarios with the dolls and dressing up clothes. Children have the opportunity to develop their skills writing. They role play schools, using pencils and note pads to make marks engaged in play, they call out their names, supporting school readiness. Children have opportunities to express themselves creatively. For example, children enjoy painting. Staff interact with children, extending their learning with open questions to support colour recognition. Children show confidence when asking for adult support and participation. Children enjoy puzzles, actively engaging in learning skills such as shape recognition.

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who attend

A key person system is in operation. They work with parents to gather information about their key child when they first start at the pre-school. However, staff do not gather enough detail to identify children's starting points for their learning. This means that staff are unable to plan for children's individual needs. Staff liaise with parents as they arrive and collect their children building relationships and using opportunities to share information. Parents are aware they can look at their child's learning journey at any time. Planned occasions, such as parent coffee mornings, are used as informal opportunities to share information with member of staff and the committee and look at their children's photo books but these do not identify information about children's progress. The pre- school works with external agencies to support children and their families and has secure relationships with local schools to support children as they move on in their education.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children settle well and benefit from high staffing ratios. Children generally feel safe because the premises are secure enabling them to move confidently within the pre-school. Each child has their own key person who works to establish close relationships contributing to a smooth transition from home. This helps children quickly settle in their environment, and the daily routines become familiar to children, helping them to feel settled. Children behave well and play cooperatively. Adequate strategies are in place to manage children's behaviour. For example, children are praised when they do something well, such as helping to tidy away resources at lunch time. This helps to build children's self-esteem and sense of achievement.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Through the daily routine, children are developing an understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For example, staff remind children not to run when inside in case they fall and hurt themselves. Children's health is maintained as they follow personal hygiene routines. Children enjoy a range of healthy and nutritious snacks including fresh fruit and crackers and children eat very well. Children pour their own drinks to develop coordination and independence. Children enjoy fresh air and exercise in the outdoor play area. Therefore, children develop their physical skills and their well-being is supported.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Parents are complimentary about the care their children receive and feel that staff are friendly and approachable. Partnership working with others, such as the local family centre, has been established and this has been found to be beneficial in supporting children and their families. Positive links with other early years settings, such as the local schools, help children to make smooth transitions when moving on to the next stage in their learning. Systems for working with parents and other agencies help to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are given valuable support. Parents are welcomed into pre-school. Settling-in visits are arranged and they stay with their children for short periods helping them to build relationships with staff and familiarise themselves with the pre-school.

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provision

The leadership and management is inadequate because the management committee are not clear about their roles and responsibilities regarding and as a result there are several breaches of safeguarding and welfare and learning and development requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The manager recognises that there are some areas that require development and she has been working hard with her staff team to address some of the issues. However, she receives insufficient support from the committee. For example, the deputy manager has recently left and there are currently no plans to replace her. This is a breach of requirements and limits the support available to the manager. The manager has been requesting support from the committee for a year and at this point no further support has been offered. This demonstrates that the committee are unable to help the manager to meet the requirements.

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provision

Policies and procedures are in place and shared with staff and parents to ensure that all are aware of the expectations of the pre-school and the relevant procedures to promote children's safety. Risk assessments are in place and reviewed regularly, further supporting children's well-being. However, some documents relating to the suitability checks carried out on committee members are kept off site and are not accessible to the inspector. This has not been agreed by Ofsted and as such, the setting is in breach of a specific legal requirement.

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provision

Safeguarding arrangements in relation to child protection have been established. This includes having named designated persons responsible for ensuring the correct safeguarding procedures are followed if there was a concern. Also, all staff undertake safeguarding training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities. This is regularly updated. Recruitment and induction procedures ensure staff are safe and suitable to work with children. Staff are vigilant about the security of the premises and check all visitors before entry. Suitable procedures are in place to manage the deployment of staff and the maintenance of the required adult-to child ratios to protect children.

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provision

Staff are monitored and appraised appropriately. However, systems for monitoring children's progress are not clearly established as observation and assessment is not embedded into practice. Consequently, children do not progress as well as they should and therefore the learning and development requirements are not met. The manager has a self-evaluation system in place to monitor practice and evaluate the views of others, such as parents. However, this process is not sufficiently robust to systematically monitor the quality of the provision, in particular staff practice. This is because it does not clearly identify priorities to secure future improvement. Recommendations made at the last inspection have only been partially addressed.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted 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.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 109858 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 943909 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 19 Name of provider Circle Playgroup (Chawton) Committee Date of previous inspection 10/07/2009

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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