Chalke Valley Playschool

Chalke Valley Playschool Broad Chalke Primary School, Newtown, Broad Chalke, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP5 5DS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/06/2014 10/12/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 1 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 provider's systems for the recruitment, vetting and induction of new staff are not robust. Staff do not have a clear understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures. These weaknesses place children at risk.  There is no lead practitioner for safeguarding. The acting manager does not have a secure understanding of child protection, which compromises children's safety.  Staff do not extend children's learning through their play activities to make sure that each child is challenged well to help them move on in their development more quickly.  Staff do not engage parents well enough in their children's development and learning.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff build secure relationships with children, who come into playschool happily.  Staff make effective use of the outside play environment, allowing children to make choices about whether to play indoors or outdoors.

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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 observed children's play and staff interaction, indoors and outside.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the acting manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation, including some children's records, planning and records relating to the appointment of staff, including their suitability checks.  The inspector talked with staff, parents, and some of the committee members.

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Information about the setting

Chalke Valley playschool is run by a voluntary parent-management committee. It operates from purpose- built, self-contained premises in the grounds of Broad Chalke Primary School, near Salisbury in Wiltshire. The playschool registered at its present site in 2007 but was operating for many years from a nearby village hall.

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Information about the setting

The playschool is registered on the Early Years Register, and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is open Monday to Friday during school term times, from 8am to 6pm. There are currently 43 children on roll, 32 of whom are in the early years age group. The playschool receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. There are seven staff who work with the children. Five of the staff hold appropriate early years qualifications. The other two staff are currently undertaking relevant training courses.

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must:

 ensure that a vetting process is completed to check that staff looking after children are suitable to do so, including the use of the Disclosure and Barring Service

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must:

 ensure that there is a designated staff member who has attended a child protection training course to take the lead responsibility for safeguarding children, and who can provide advice, support and guidance to the staff team and the management committee

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must:

 ensure that robust induction systems are followed to help staff understand their roles and responsibilities, in particular with reference to child protection and the administering of medication to children

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must:

 improve staff interaction with children during play, to make sure that children are challenged appropriately and helped to move on to the next stage in their learning, with particular regard to increasing their language skills quickly

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must:

 train all staff to understand the safeguarding policy and procedures, and ensure that all staff have up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues

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

 develop the systems to share information with parents about children's progress to enable parents to be fully involved in their children's learning.

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who attend

On arrival, children generally separate from their carers well. The staff offer appropriate support and reassurance to new and less confident children to help them feel secure, so they are ready to learn. Staff gain suitable information about children's families and, favourite toys and activities, which enables them to help children settle. Staff understand the required educational programmes and provide activities that cover all areas of learning, offering children sufficient, suitable play experiences. Engaging in exploratory play helps children make suitable progress.

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who attend

Staff supervise children appropriately and take an interest in the children's play. However, the quality of teaching is variable. Staff do not always extend children's learning experiences and provide children with a good level of challenge. For example, when children play with the building blocks to create a garage, staff miss opportunities to extend learning, such as by introducing number, counting and shapes to promote children's mathematical development. Children enjoy using their senses to explore the various materials and mediums available, such as paint, flour, soil and dough. Again, however, staff offer little discussion through such activities to teach children new words and encourage their language development. Nevertheless, while children's communication skills are supported suitably., currently they make satisfactory rather than good progress in preparation for the eventual move to school.

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who attend

Staff carry out some observations to assess children's capabilities when they play. They have recently started to use tracker systems to help them monitor children's progress and identify any gaps in children's learning. Staff show understanding of the requirement to complete the progress check for two-year-old children and have relevant paperwork in place. Parents are suitably informed about their children's care and well-being. This communication is through suitable discussions at handover times. Parents receive an end- of-term report in which staff share appropriate information about children's achievements. However, parents do not regularly see their children's progress folders, with some parents commenting that they have never seen their child's record. This means staff do not make the most of the opportunities to involve parents as well as possible in their children's learning.

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who attend

Overall, children are acquiring suitable skills for the next stage in their learning and the transfer to school. Staff teach children to do things for themselves, such as selecting their own food and pouring their drinks at snack time. This helps to develop the children's independence suitably. Staff organise some specific activities to prepare children in readiness for school. For example, the term before children move on to school, staff encourage children to change into shorts and tee-shirts for planned physical activities. This practice helps to develop children's self-help skills effectively.

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who attend

Staff provide children with easy access to a wide selection of books. Children confidently select a book and enjoy sitting with a friend to look at the pictures, which shows they know how books work. They listen well to a favourite story with a member of staff. This activity fosters children's listening skills and helps them to understand that print carries meaning, in readiness for school.

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who attend

Effective use of the outdoor play environment means that children are able to choose whether to play indoors or outside, which adds to their enjoyment and accommodates different learning styles. Older children confidently show care and control when they balance on the two-wheel bike, proudly saying to their friends, 'Look at me!'. When they explore the climbing apparatus, staff interaction well. Staff are on hand to offer encouragement and assistance to build all children's confidence. This teaching helps children develop their coordination and promotes their physical development appropriately.

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

Staff carry out appropriate risk assessments to help them identify and minimise any risks in the areas used by children. Children and most staff have taken part in evacuation practices so they know what to do in an emergency. This means children play in safe environments. However, significant weaknesses in the staff recruitment and safeguarding procedures mean that children's overall safety is compromised. Although staff supervise children suitably, they are often focused on monitoring the involvement of unchecked staff rather than supporting children's needs fully. This means staff do not support children's play and learning well. Staff organise the broad range of well-maintained resources and play equipment at child level to allow children to make choices about their play. This means that children are able to follow their interests and so enjoy what they do.

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

Children are generally happy and settled in the playschool. Key-person systems, whereby individual staff take responsibility for a group of children, are in place and understood by staff. However, because of staff changes, some staff are still getting to know their key children's individual ages and stages of development. This lack of knowledge does not help key persons interact well with their key children. Nevertheless, children are beginning to form relationships with them and with other children. Children play together well.

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

The friendly staff recognise when the younger children need additional help and offer sensitive support, such as in helping them pour their own drinks. This teaching helps children to become more independent. Staff teach children about what is acceptable behaviour through giving them clear and consistent boundaries. They use sensible strategies to help children learn to share resources. For example, staff make effective use of a sand-timer to help children learn to take turns on the bikes outside. Children listen to staff instruction and cooperate, showing they understand about sharing with their friends. At tidy-up time staff use a bell and give children a five-minute warning, so children are clear about the routines, with which they cooperate well.

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

Overall, staff maintain children's good health appropriately. They teach children good hygiene routines, so children know they must wash their hands before eating, demonstrating their increasing awareness of healthy lifestyles. Staff liaise with parents over children's individual dietary needs and the information is shared with all staff. This attention helps to ensure that the children eat the right food for their diet, so their needs are met.

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

In warm weather, the staff check with parents that children have sunblock on when they arrive at the playschool and they remind children that they need to wear their sun hats outside. This helps to protect children from the risk of burning from the sun and teaches them about sun safety. Staff give children regular access to the outdoor play environment, which means that children get plenty of fresh air and exercise, and a positive attitude to being outside.

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provision

The provider does not meet some of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This weakness jeopardises children's safety. The inspection was brought forward following a concern raised to Ofsted regarding recruitment of staff and safeguarding arrangements. The provider does not ensure that the playschool recruitment procedures are followed rigorously. For example, many of the staff employed have not had any personal references taken up and background vetting checks are not initiated promptly. Some staff, employed for six weeks, have not had any checks completed, including the checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service. This compromises children's safety. This is a breach of a welfare requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage and also the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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provision

The systems for induction of new staff are weak. Some staff, including those who occasionally take on senior roles, are unclear about the playschool's policies and procedures, such as for administering medication. Staff are not made aware of their responsibilities under the playschool's safeguarding policies and procedures. Senior staff do not have a clear understanding of child protection issues. They have not attended any recent safeguarding training. There is currently no lead practitioner for safeguarding in the playschool to guide and advise the staff team on safeguarding matters. This further breach of requirements means children's safety and welfare arei, again, compromised.

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provision

There have been several staff changes over the last few months as the previous manager left the playschool without notice. A newly appointed deputy is currently acting as the manager, and she has already identified some areas in the playschool that need developing. She has liaised closely with her local authority advisors for advice on how to bring about changes. This has resulted in her changing the systems for assessing and monitoring children's progress. Staff are currently being supported by the manager to develop their skills in using the new systems. The manager is monitoring staff practice to help develop the staff team's understanding of how to assist children to move on to the next step in their learning more effectively. She has recognised this is currently having an impact on how well children are supported in their learning. The outdoor area has been improved since the last inspection and now provides children with some interesting

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provision

Staff are continuing to develop as a team. They share information through ongoing discussion during the day, which contributes to children's personal care needs being met. The management recognises that aspects of the playschool are not working effectively but has not taken prompt action to ensure children's safety and well-being are protected. The management team is now working with the manager and new staff team to address the issues, and develop the provision further.

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provision

The manager is clear about her role to work in partnership with others. She liaises with staff from other early years provision that children attend, to share information to help provide continuity of care. Parents receive clear information about the playschool through the welcome booklet, newsletters, notices and access to its website. This all helps to keeps parents suitably informed and updated about any changes.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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

 make sure there are effective systems in place to ensure that any persons caring for, or in regular contact with, children are suitable to work with children (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  make sure there are effective systems in place to ensure that any persons caring for, or in regular contact with, children are suitable to work with children (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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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 EY345859 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 977406 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 43 Name of provider Chalke Valley Playschool Committee Date of previous inspection 10/12/2008 Telephone number 01722 781 072

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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

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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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