Childcare @ St Swithun's

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

p.1

Childcare @ St Swithun's St. Swithuns Community Centre Arncliffe Road WAKEFIELD West Yorkshire WF1 4RR Our Reference EY459409

p.1

Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Nicola Dickinson, monitored your provision on 18/07/2014 following your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

As a result of our inspection on 07/05/2014, we sent you a notice to improve. If you were set actions at the inspection, or as a result of our subsequent monitoring or investigations, these are included at the end of this letter unless we have already verified that they have been completed.

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

During the monitoring visit the inspector discussed with you the steps you have taken to address the actions raised in the notice to improve. She reviewed the systems you have put in place to ensure staff are deployed effectively and children are always in sight or hearing of a member of staff. The inspector observed that children are supervised well at all times. At departure and arrival times there is now a member of staff monitoring the entrance door, another supervising the gate and another supervising children who are waiting in the carpeted area. The coat pegs, book area and carpet area where children wait have now been moved to the other side of the nursery. This means when parents come to collect or leave their children they have to come into the nursery area rather than standing in the entrance. The views of parents were sought and at their suggestion, the number of parents allowed into the nursery at any one time is now limited. This means departure and arrival

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

times are now well managed, calm and organised and children are unable to leave the premises unnoticed. All parents have been informed of the new policies for arrival and departure times and the procedures to follow in the event of a child going missing. A poster on the entrance door also reminds them that only four parents are permitted into the nursery at once and this is monitored by staff. The nursery now also opens 10 minutes before the end of each session for parents who want to collect their children early. Parents have been asked for their feedback about the changes and their comments are all positive.

p.1

Outcome of monitoring

The inspector found that you have developed a comprehensive action plan to address the issues raised at your last inspection and have introduced systems to assess any risks to children's safety. You now review risk assessments and determine where it is helpful to make written risk assessments. Risk assessments have been developed involving the staff, students who are on placement in the nursery, some of the parents, the manager, and two members of the trustee board. The staff and manager can explain why they do risk assessments and any hazards they might identify. The outdoor area is checked regularly, the rooms are continually risk assessed to prevent hazards, such as tripping or slipping. Fire evacuations are completed regularly so that staff and children understand the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. You have involved parents in the changes you have made to the layout of the nursery and the procedures for arrival and collection of

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

children. This has helped them to identify the risks to their children when the nursery is busy and they have worked with you to implement the new procedures. There is also a notice on the entrance door reminding parents of the new procedures.

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

The inspector discussed with you and your staff how you now ensure that all staff receive training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities, with particular regard to their duties in ensuring children's safety at times of arrival and departure. At induction, new staff and students are given a clear explanation of their roles and responsibilities and all staff have received training about the new procedures during collection and arrival times. The inspector observed that they fully understand their individual roles during these times and are deployed well. As a result, children are supervised well and their safety is given high priority.

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

The inspector spoke to you and a number of parents about how you have improved the key-person system to ensure each child is assigned a key person when they start attending, and that parents/carers are informed of the name of their child's key person and their role. Previously children were not allocated a key person until they had formed a relationship with a chosen adult. Now they are allocated a key person on entry to the nursery but if they form attachments with another preferred adult, their key person is changed and parents are informed. If key persons are not in the nursery on any given day, parents are notified that there may be a different member of staff caring for their child. The member of staff is named so parents know who is caring for their child that day. The key person list is posted on the noticeboard and all parents have been informed about who their child's key person is. In discussion

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

they demonstrate they have a good understanding of the key person's role.

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

You have welcomed support from your local authority and your board of trustees. You have also involved parents/carers in evaluating your practice. This has enabled you to accurately prioritise the areas for improvement identified at your last inspection and to plan for ongoing improvement. You have implemented a system for improving partnership working with parents so they have more opportunities to be involved in their children's learning, by encouraging them to share their views about children's starting points on entry. Baseline assessments are now completed with parents during induction visits so that staff can plan for children's individual needs from the outset. They also follow these up with observations once children have settled. They use the information from parents to inform targeted planning and to initially identify any gaps in children's learning. Parents feel that the new arrangements for collecting children give them more time to share information with

p.2

Outcome of monitoring

staff about their children's learning. Parents are now requested at regular intervals to review their children's progress records and they are given advice about how to support their children's learning at home. Consequently, they feel they are kept informed about their children's development and are involved in assessing their progress.

p.3

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.

p.3

Next steps

The next step will be a full inspection.

p.3

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.

p.3

Next steps

Nick Hudson National Director, Early Education

p.3

Action Due date Closed date

deploy staff effectively to ensure children's safety, inform parents and/or carers about staff deployment, and when relevant and practical, aim to involve them in these decisions. Children must always be within sight or hearing 07/05/2014 18/07/2014

p.4

Action Due date Closed date

assess any risks to children's safety, review risk assessments and determine where it is helpful to make written risk assessments in relation to specific issues to inform staff practice, and to demonstrate how they are managing risks if asked by parents and/or carers or inspectors 07/05/2014 18/07/2014

p.4

Action Due date Closed date

ensure that all staff receive training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities, with particular regard to their duties in ensuring children's safety at times of arrival and departure 07/05/2014 18/07/2014

p.4

Action Due date Closed date

improve the key-person system by ensuring each child is assigned a key person when they start attending, and that parents/carers are informed of the name of their child's key person and their role 07/05/2014 18/07/2014

p.4

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) 07/05/2014 18/07/2014

p.4

Action Due date Closed date

undertake a risk assessment and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks; in particular the risk of children leaving the setting unnoticed (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 07/05/2014 18/07/2014

p.4

Action Due date Closed date

ensure that a child is unable to leave the premises unsupervised, except where the 07/05/2014 18/07/2014 child is aged eight or over and the parent of the child has agreed that they may leave the provision unaccompanied (voluntary part of the Childcare Register) undertake a risk assessment and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks; in particular the risk of children leaving the setting unnoticed (voluntary part of the Childcare Register). 07/05/2014 18/07/2014

p.4

Action Due date Closed date

improve partnership working with parents so they have more opportunities to be involved in their children's learning, by encouraging them to share their views about children's starting points at entry. 30/06/2014 18/07/2014

p.5