Barrow Pre-School Playgroup

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD Telephone: 0300 123 1231 Fax: 0300 123 3159 Minicom: 0161 618 8524 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk Web: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Barrow Pre-School Playgroup Methodist Church Rooms North Street Barrow Upon Soar Leicestershire LE12 8QA Our Reference 226250

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Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Anne Barnsley, monitored your provision on 07/03/2014 following your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

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Outcome of monitoring

As a result of our inspection on 21/11/2013, we sent you a notice to improve. The actions you were set are included at the end of this letter.

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Outcome of monitoring

During the monitoring visit the inspector had discussions with various staff, both deputies and the nominated person about the steps you have taken to address the actions raised in the notice to improve. She observed staff working with the children, viewed the resources and activities available and how you organise these to promote children's safety and all areas of learning. She observed the organisation of arrival time in the morning. The inspector spoke to parents to seek their views about the effectiveness of the new measures you have implemented to improve safety at arrival time and she also spoke to staff about how they are now deployed at the start and end of the session to help ensure children's safety. The inspector also looked at your risk assessments and discussed with your deputies how you monitor the safety of the resources and equipment to minimise risks to children. She discussed with

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Outcome of monitoring

your deputies the steps you have taken to ensure that all records of staff suitability are available for inspection and that you have provided Ofsted with full details of committee members. She viewed the relevant documentation for verification. The inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority and discussed your plan of improvement, the progress you have made and how this has helped you to make the necessary improvements. She viewed, and discussed this plan with your deputies and established what has been achieved to date and what aspects are being further developed. The meetings that have taken place with the local authority and the improvement-mentor-practitioner were discussed in full, particularly relating to the new system that has been introduced for planning more effectively around children's individual needs and stages of development. Observations of staff practice were Our Reference 226250

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Outcome of monitoring

made to assess the effectiveness of behaviour management strategies and also to establish how staff help children to learn about their own safety, the safety of others and how to use resources safely. The inspector had discussions with your deputies about what has taken place to improve the way in which staff help children to learn about behaviour and safety through a consistent and continuous approach.

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector found that you have developed a comprehensive plan to address the issues raised at your last inspection and have effective systems in place to evaluate the quality of practice and the impact this has on outcomes for children. You have worked closely with the local authority and with the improvement-mentor- practitioner who has been provided for you by the local authority to help support you through planning meetings and relevant training sessions. You have been proactive and requested the maximum amount of support available, which includes visiting an outstanding nursery. These steps have enabled you to accurately identify how to address the areas for improvement raised at your last inspection and to plan for ongoing improvement.

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Outcome of monitoring

You have improved staff deployment at arrival and departure time to help ensure children's safety. Staff are strategically placed both inside and outside the premises when children are arriving or leaving. The external and internal doors are secured immediately after all children are safely inside and the parents have left the premises. At departure time all children are gathered together in the smaller of the playrooms with the designated staff after they have collected their bags and coats. This ensures that children are not near any door and are continuously supervised. Children are handed over by a member of staff directly to their parent in the large hall, which is where the parents arrive at the end of the session. Several staff are deployed in this room and another member of staff is deployed outside on the path. This helps to ensure that a child cannot exit the premises unnoticed and promotes

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Outcome of monitoring

You have helped to ensure children's safety further, because immediately after the last inspection, you removed a piece of equipment that had raised a safety concern. Staff focus their interactions more purposefully on discussing safety with children. By doing so staff are able to establish what each child's understanding of being safe is and what they feel they need to do to ensure this. Some alternative resources are being obtained to ensure that children do not become confused or receive mixed messages about how to use resources and furniture appropriately. For example, steps are being purchased so that children can help position wall displays such as banners without having to use chairs to stand on. All staff have had training about risk assessment and, as a result of this training, more robust risk assessments continuously and consistently take place at the start and end of every session and as

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Outcome of monitoring

ongoing practice throughout the session. Records of staff suitability are now kept securely at the setting and are available for inspection. Swift, appropriate action was taken to notify Ofsted of the details of new committee members. Records of committee members have been updated and are accessible at inspection, because they are kept on file in the same way as staff suitability checks. Our Reference 226250

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Outcome of monitoring

All staff have had training about managing a wide range of behaviours and how to apply positive strategies consistently through their practice and through the activities and resources they use with children. There is now better consistency between the staff, because all staff use the same terminology, same techniques and have the same knowledge about children who need the most support with developing their understanding of expectations. Additional strategies have been introduced to help children with their understanding of appropriate behaviour, for example, using puppets and books to help consolidate children's understanding through a continuous learning process that has meaning to them. This promotes children's understanding in a positive way and helps to reduce incidents before they occur. It also ensures that all staff are well-informed and are able to translate these positive strategies into practice with greater confidence and consistency.

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Outcome of monitoring

You have taken appropriate steps to ensure that the planning of activities takes into account the individual needs and stage of development of all children to fully support their learning. All staff have had regular meetings with the representative from the local authority and with the improvement-mentor-practitioner to develop their knowledge and systems about improved ways to achieve this. You have introduced a system that enables all staff to be aware of each child's interests and next steps so that all staff can consolidate all children's learning in many different ways. Children's interests are noted on a new document that focusses on the child's voice. Activities are planned around each child's interest and next steps and have clear learning intentions for these children. Focus learning is limited to two children at a time to ensure that all children receive effective support and challenge, however, not to the

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Outcome of monitoring

exclusion of other children. All children who show an interest in the activity are also included so that they also benefit from what is taking place. This new system is still being developed and evaluated to determine if there is a need for any further changes that may be considered beneficial to the children. However, positive steps have been made and all staff have a shared understanding of what is happening, why this is important and how to achieve what is required. Their understanding was clearly demonstrated at the time of this visit through the discussions the inspector had with the staff about the purpose of the resources that had been selected and through the observations she made of the effectiveness of staff teaching, engagement and interaction.

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Outcome of monitoring

Having considered all the evidence, the inspector is of the opinion that the setting has taken prompt and effective action to address the points for improvement.

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Next steps

The next step will be a full inspection. Our Reference 226250

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Next steps

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your setting. If you have any further queries please contact us on the number at the top of this letter.

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Next steps

Nick Hudson National Director, Early Education Our Reference 226250

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that children's behaviour is managed in a suitable manner (voluntary part of the Childcare Register). 07/03/2014 07/03/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that procedures for the arrival of children effectively minimise the risk of children leaving the premises unsupervised 07/03/2014 07/03/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that the risk assessment thoroughly reviews and minimises any risks or hazards presented by equipment used by the children to promote their safety 07/03/2014 07/03/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that the records to evidence the suitability of staff are easily accessible and available for inspection to promote children's safety 07/03/2014 07/03/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that children's behaviour is managed appropriately so that children understand the expectations and right and wrong 07/03/2014 07/03/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that the planning of activities takes into account the individual needs and stage of development of all children to fully support their learning. 07/03/2014 07/03/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

inform Ofsted of the name, date of birth, address and telephone number of members of the governing body (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 07/03/2014 07/03/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that a child is unable to leave the premises without a person who is caring for children on those premises becoming aware of the child leaving (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 07/03/2014 07/03/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 07/03/2014 07/03/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that children's behaviour is 07/03/2014 07/03/2014 Our Reference 226250

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Action Due date Closed date

managed in a suitable manner (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) ensure that a child is unable to leave the premises unsupervised (voluntary part of the Childcare Register) 07/03/2014 07/03/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (voluntary part of the Childcare Register) 07/03/2014 07/03/2014

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