The Ark Preschool

Abbots Road United Reformed Church Abbots Road South, HUMBERSTONE, Leicester, LE5 1DA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/04/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 The manager's understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage is poor and as a result, she is in breach of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Recruitment and vetting procedures are not sufficiently robust to protect children. The provider has not carried out full suitability checks for individuals known to her who have unsupervised access to children. As a result, children's safety is compromised.  The safeguarding procedure is not in line with Local Safeguarding Children Board guidance and procedures.  Information from children's observation is not used to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. It is not shared with parents or effectively monitored to ensure that children make progress.  A key person system has not been established. This means that children do not have a specific member of staff who is responsible for their individual needs.

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It has the following strengths

 Children develop independence and confidence through the organised activities and the thoughtful presentation and availability of resources and enjoy their time at pre-school.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the pre-school, looked at documentation and spoke to staff.  The inspector observed children and looked at their learning journey records.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and spoke to parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.

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Information about the setting

The Ark Pre-School was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register. It operates from Abbots Road United Reformed Church, Leicester. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The pre- school employs four members of child care staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and the manager holds a level 3. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 9am to 3.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 19 children attending who are in the early years age group. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school support children who speak English as an additional language.

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must:

 ensure all staff are suitable to work with children, by reviewing the arrangements for vetting individuals known to the provider who have regular, unsupervised contact with children

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must:

 ensure that staff are fully aware of their role to report any concerns about a member of staff to the Local Authority Designated Officer and that the safeguarding policy follows the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures

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must:

 use the information gained from observations to understand children's levels of achievement and learning styles, to shape learning experiences for each child and to help children achieve their next steps and make good progress

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must:

 implement a key person system, so that key persons are available to support the children for whom they take special responsibility, especially during their settling- in period and at the end of sessions

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must:

 ensure that the provider and all staff are familiar with the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and meet all of the safeguarding and welfare requirements

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must:

 share information about children's progress and development with parents and carers so they can address any learning and development needs and continue to support children's learning at home.

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must:

 develop systems to monitor the curriculum and the progress that children make, to ensure that all seven areas of learning and development are being provided for the children.

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who attend

Teaching and learning is not always effectively promoted. Although staff know how to promote all seven areas of learning and development they do not use observations effectively. The manager observes children while they are at play. However, she does not use these observations to understand children's levels of achievement and learning styles or to shape learning experiences for each child. Observation are not reflected on to help children achieve their next steps to make good progress. Staff take the time to get to know their children. Arrangements are in place to assess children's starting points and parents are involved and consulted from the outset. They share information from home about care routines and provide examples of what their children enjoy at home. Children are confident in their communication and settle back well after two weeks holiday. Staff complete the progress check at age two to share with parents about their child's progress

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who attend

in time for their health developmental check. However, staff do not routinely share information at other ages about children's progress and development with parents and carers. Consequently, they are unable to quickly identify any learning and development needs and parents are not included to support their child's learning at home. Children are making satisfactory progress in spite of the assessment process requiring improvement and gain an adequate range of skills to support their future learning.

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who attend

Children in the pre-school are encouraged to use communication and language throughout the day. The manager is a good role model and uses lots of open questions that allow the children time to draw their own conclusions. For example, she provides natural wildlife resources and questions children's thoughts to create a large jungle. Children are engaged and make their own decisions about what the jungle looks like and which animals live there. Therefore, children spend considerable enjoying their play during which time staff continue to encourage their imagination. The manager models clear language with children and uses lots of positive praise to acknowledge their achievements. Children enjoy song time outdoors and they excitedly join in with the actions that the manager makes up, pretending to be different jungle animals. As a result, children's critical thinking is promoted and they learn valuable skills in readiness for the move to school.

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who attend

The pre-school supports children with English as an additional language and is preparing for a new child starting. For example, parents are asked for key words in the children's home language and the pre-school has dual language books. This helps all children to celebrate inclusion and diversity. The pre-school does not currently support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, the special educational needs coordinator is experienced and knowledgeable and has good partnerships established over her long carer in childcare, with other professionals to support any children in the future.

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

There is no key person system in place at the pre-school. Therefore, staff are unable to effectively support a small group of children to feel safe and cared for or to sensitively respond to their feelings and behaviours by meeting their emotional needs and give reassurance when needed. Nevertheless, children form good attachments with their friends and staff and are confident to separate from their parents. Partnership with parents are developing appropriately. Parents share information about daily care routines, such as potty training, and staff ensure they provide consistency in these. Staff keep children safe and there are good security systems to the building. Children learn to keep themselves safe. For example, they practice a fire drill on a regular basis and staff implement clear policies and procedures and rules to teach children about not running and how to safely carry scissors. The pre-school ensures children are safe when outside in the

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

garden as they identify and minimise any potential hazards and risks. However, the lack of recruitment processes and staff knowledge of safeguarding impacts on children's safety and welfare.

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

Children are presented with purposeful resources which provide a good level of challenge appropriate to their age and stage of learning. There are real-life pieces of equipment to enhance play, such as plants, lentils, empty medicine bottles and blankets. This creates a more realistic learning environment. Children are confident and familiar with the routines of the pre-school and are prepared for school. They dress and undress themselves for outdoor play and they pour their own drinks and use the toilets independently. Children have daily access to physical play outdoors and in the large indoor room which promotes their physical well-being. Behavioural management strategies are age appropriate and staff are consistent in their approach.

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

Snacks provided are healthy and children make their choices about which to have. They help to prepare the fruit, taking it in turns as they safely practice using a knife. Children are very good at helping each other and they take it in turns to pass a plate around, offering food to their friends and staff. Children are encouraged to pour their own drinks and wipe their own noses. Children's health and hygiene is promoted through the good standards that staff demonstrate in the pre-school. Children always wash their hands before handling food and after playing outside.

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provision

The manager does not have a clear understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and as a result, she is in breach of several legal requirements that impact upon children's safety and welfare. Staff are confident about the signs and symptoms of abuse for children and know their responsibilities to report any concerns. However, children are not fully safeguarded in respect of the procedure for reporting concerns about staff or in the event that an allegation is made against the manager. The pre-school is not aware of the requirement to contact the Local Authority Designated Officer and the safeguarding policy is not in line with Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. The recruitment process is not effective because systems for recruitment and checking staff suitability are not robust. Interviews are informal and the checks made to ascertain the suitability of staff are

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provision

ineffective. For example, no references are taken up for staff and no other background or identity checks carried out in addition to their Disclosure and Barring Service check. This weakness demonstrates the manager's lack of understanding regarding safeguarding children as she does not see this as a concern because the staff members are friends.

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provision

The induction process is informal. However, the manager has implemented a more thorough supervision and appraisal system to support staff to improve in their practice and further increase their professional development through more training. The manager works in the room alongside the staff team and as a result, the staff team work effectively together. However, the manager does not have an adequate level of awareness of the curriculum and does not use any evaluation tools to monitor the level of children's progress or the areas of learning and development that are being provided for children. Therefore, she is unable to identify weaknesses in the curriculum or within groups of children. This means that changes are not made to ensure children make good progress.

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provision

The partnerships with parents is good. Parents feel confident in their children's care and development and communication is effective. The manager shares new ideas and future events through newsletters, information letters and displays on the parents information board. She is passionate about providing an inclusive environment and invites parents to join the children in trips, celebrations and sponsored events, such as the children's marathon to raise money for charity. Parents speak very highly of the pre-school and are happy and confident in the manager. Staff are knowledgeable and have a broad range of strategies to support children who speak English as an additional language. The setting has a nominated special educational needs coordinator, who has attended relevant training and has good systems to ensure the needs of all children are met. The manager regularly reflects on the running of the pre-school and staff and parents contribute to the

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provision

self-evaluation of the pre-school and the development plan which focuses on improving the service for all the children. This is a working document that is continuously used and supports a development plan for the pre-school. Partnership with schools and other settings are in place and staff have a positive attitude to sharing practice and teaching to promote continuity in children's learning and development.

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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 EY470923 Local authority Leicester City Inspection number 942019 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 8 Number of children on roll 19 Name of provider Alison Mary Hadley Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07548698637

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Setting details

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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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