Cromdale Way Pre-school

Cromdale Way Pre-School Tim Parry Community Centre, Cromdale Way, WARRINGTON, WA5 3NY

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/04/2014 28/11/2011

p.1

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 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

p.1

This provision is inadequate

 There are regular occasions when there are insufficient staff on duty to meet the ratio requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, staff are not always effectively deployed to ensure children's well-being is assured.  The recruitment of staff is not robust enough to ensure all staff have the skills and experience required to work with children. The supervision of staff is not specific enough to help staff understand what they need to do to improve their practice and so more effectively support children's learning. Consequently, teaching is inconsistent.  The assessment of children's progress is not always effective because parents are not consistently asked what their children can already do when they enrol and staff do not always plan appropriate next steps for them where gaps in learning have been identified. Managers do not identify the gaps in learning for specific groups of children.

p.1

This provision is inadequate

 Children whose home language is not English do not have the opportunity to develop and use their home language in play and learning. As a result, their language development is not supported as effectively as it could be.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Children develop a love of stories because staff make them exciting by being animated and introducing props.  Relationships between staff and children are warm and friendly and parents comment that they are happy with their children's care.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at relevant documentation.  The inspector spoke to children, staff and parents.  The inspector observed activities and care practices in the playroom and outside.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager, deputy manager and chair of the management committee.

p.2

Information about the setting

Cromdale Way Pre-School was registered in 1977 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the Tim Parry Community Centre in the Great Sankey area of Warrington and is managed by a management committee. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from the main hall and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday during term time only. The pre-school's opening hours are from 8.30am to 11.30am and 12pm to 3pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 36 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children

p.3

Information about the setting

who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.3

must:

 ensure that the ratio requirements are met at all times to ensure children's safety and well-being is effectively promoted

p.4

must:

 ensure all staff working with children are subject to a rigorous recruitment procedure, including checking staff have suitable skills and experience, gaining suitable references and completing application forms so employment history can be checked

p.4

must:

 provide opportunities for children whose home language is not English to develop and use their home language in play and learning, to further support their developing speech and value their unique culture.

p.4

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 support individual children further by consistently finding out more about what they can do from parents on entry and linking their next steps in learning to the gaps identified in tracking

p.4

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 extend the use of staff appraisal and supervision by identifying specific targets to help staff understand what they need to do to improve their teaching, so that all children make good progress from their starting points

p.4

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 review the termly tracking data to identify individuals or groups of children who may be making less steady progress, so that an action plan can be devised to effectively address any gaps in learning.

p.4

who attend

Children's learning is generally soundly supported across most of the areas of the curriculum. Staff follow children's interests and interact appropriately to extend their learning. For example, during water play outdoors staff count how many ducks there are and help children to pour water down the chute, to make the ducks move along. They demonstrate how to 'paint' with water on the fence and so children copy and begin to make marks with their paintbrushes. However, teaching is inconsistent as some staff miss opportunities to develop children's curiosity. For example, when children find a worm and excitedly tell a member of staff, they do not stop and use the opportunity to discuss worms but just say, 'don't squash it' and walk away. However, some staff are very good at engaging groups of children in lively and exciting story telling. They use animated voices, rhyme and interesting props to tell familiar stories. Children shout out at appropriate times

p.4

who attend

and ask interesting questions, which staff respond to in simple terms that children can understand. For example, when children listen to Jack and the beanstalk they ask what does 'being poor' mean and staff respond by saying, 'it's when you are hungry but don't have enough money to buy food'. Consequently, children develop a love of stories and can pay attention while participating in a large group activity, which helps them to become ready for school.

p.5

who attend

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are generally soundly supported as staff work with health professionals to implement individual education plans. The pre- school tries to be inclusive by asking specialist teachers to come in to talk to all children. For example, a teacher for the deaf comes in to show the children hearing aids. However, when children speak English as an additional language staff do not demonstrate that they value children's home language by showing it in print or using simple words in a playful way. Children have a good range of resources available to them. Staff provide sensory activities, such as play dough, water play and art and craft resources, to encourage their developing creativity. The recent addition of tablet computers has added to the range of resources supporting children's use of technology. As a result, children are becoming very adept at using tablets and concentrate for sustained periods of time. When children are

p.5

who attend

about to start reception class, staff plan activities with a special teddy who wears a school uniform and share stories about starting school, so that it becomes an exciting prospect children look forward to.

p.5

who attend

Parents are not always asked to share what they know their children can already do on enrolment. Consequently, for some children, there are no effective developmental starting points in place from which staff can begin to plan for their learning. Staff observe all children regularly and some plan appropriate next steps based on what has been observed. However, they focus more on children's interests and do not always plan to help children progress in the areas of the curriculum where gaps in their learning have been identified. Consequently, children are not making the best possible progress in all areas of learning. Parents receive verbal feedback on a daily basis and are invited to annual parent's meetings. In addition, they receive a brief annual progress report and a progress check when children are two years old. The pre-school also lends out 'chatterboxes' with items in to encourage children to communicate. As a result, parents are helped to

p.5

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

Children's well-being is compromised as there are regular occasions when there are insufficient staff on duty at the start of the session, to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This means that staff are not well placed to help children to learn how to take appropriate risks and to manage their own safety. Staff have warm and friendly relationships with children, which begin to develop when children have settling-in visits. Parents usually complete an 'all about me' sheet, detailing their children's likes, dislikes and basic care needs. Generally, these help key people get to know children. However, on occasion they are not completed and so staff are unaware of children's faith or home language. As a result, children's unique needs are not always met to a high standard.

p.5

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

Generally, children are settled and engage in independent play. They have a wide choice of accessible resources to choose from, organised into specific areas of continuous provision. Planned routines help children to feel emotionally secure as they are able to predict what is going to happen. For example, all children sit down together to have a snack of cereal during the morning session and have a circle time story before they go home. Participating in group activities helps children become ready for school. Outdoor play offers children plenty of opportunities to cooperate and share resources. They take turns on the bicycles and work together to transport soil from a tray to a wheelbarrow. Staff praise children's efforts and gently remind them to share and play safely. As a result, behaviour is good.

p.6

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

Children are becoming adept at dressing themselves. They put on wellington boots to play out in the water and dressing up clothes in the role play area. They wash their hands before snack and, in preparation for school, go to the toilet independently. Fun outdoor activities ensure that children choose to spend time outside in the fresh air. They learn to move in a range of ways when they kick and catch balls, ride bicycles, jump in puddles and run around freely. Drinks are readily available and snacks, such as toast, are offered to eat. Children plant vegetables seasonally and so are taught about healthy eating. Consequently, they are learning the value of adopting healthy lifestyles.

p.6

provision

The inspection was prioritised following notification from the manager of an incident involving a small group of children. The incident raised concerns about the safe supervision of children and the deployment of staff to ensure children are safeguarded from harm. The inspection found that children are not always within sight or hearing of staff when they use the toilets. The manager has assessed the potential risks to children and has decided that it is appropriate for children approaching school age to access the toilets independently, in order to prepare them for school. However, the number of children allowed to access the toilets at any one time has been reduced to a maximum of two and staff ensure they are in the corridor, so that children are within hearing distance. In addition, she has consulted with the parents of the children involved to ensure they are happy with the steps she has taken to address their concerns. Records show that there

p.6

provision

are regularly only two staff on duty until 9am on certain days each week, which is insufficient for the numbers of children in attendance. This is a breach of the ratio requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Recruitment procedures are not robust enough to ensure that all staff working with children have a suitable range of skills and experience. While all staff have Disclosure and Barring Service checks in place, other methods of ensuring suitability are not consistently applied. For example, not all staff have submitted application forms, had formal interviews or have references in place. This puts children at risk. The manager and staff have a sound knowledge of safeguarding procedures. As a result, they are able to identify and respond to any concerns about a child's welfare by contacting the appropriate agencies. Risks within the environment are frequently checked to ensure potential hazards are

p.6

provision

removed and staff have current first-aid qualifications, which enable them to act appropriately should a child have an accident.

p.7

provision

There is a system in development to monitor all children's progress in all seven areas of learning. However, it has not been fully implemented so the manager does not know if specific groups of children are making steady progress in their learning and there are no plans in place to address the gaps identified. In addition, the management team's methods for evaluating the teaching and learning for individual children are weak. This is because staff do not always use the observations and assessment of children to plan effective next steps that will move them on in their learning, when gaps have been identified. Staff have formal appraisals annually, however, they are not specific enough to identify their strengths and weaker areas of practice. As a result, teaching is variable in quality and staff are not aware of exactly what they need to do to improve their skills. However, staff are encouraged to attend training courses, which have had a positive

p.7

provision

Partnerships with parents are sound. The pre-school uses a number of methods to involve parents in nursery life. Parents' meetings, social media websites, questionnaires and verbal feedback are used to positive effect. Seasonal events, coffee mornings and fundraisers are arranged, which parents enjoy attending. As a result, parents comment positively about the setting. They say staff are friendly and that they are kept informed about their children's care. The management team are committed to partnership working with outside agencies, such as health professionals, should individual children require specific support. The nursery also works closely with local authority early years team and invites teachers to visit from local primary schools. This helps staff to exchange ideas and share effective practice.

p.7

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

p.7

actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

p.7

To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that any person in contact with children is of integrity and good character and has the skills and experience suitable for the work (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that any person in contact with children is of integrity and good character and has the skills and experience suitable for the work (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

p.7

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

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.10

Setting details

Unique reference number 315215 Local authority Warrington Inspection number 968116

p.10

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 36 Name of provider Cromdale Way Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 28/11/2011 Telephone number 07799310733

p.10

Type of provision

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.

p.10

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.11

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,

p.11

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’.

p.12

Type of provision

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

p.12