Whittington Pre-SchoolOfsted inspection, 23 Jul 2014

Whittington Pre-School Building 43, Whittington Barracks, LICHFIELD, Staffordshire, WS14 9PY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/07/2014 17/05/2013

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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

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This provision is inadequate

 The provider has failed to notify Ofsted of a significant event which is a breach of the statutory requirements on both the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register.  Thorough assessment and planning systems are not effectively focused, to ensure that each child's individual needs are consistently supported.  Parents do not receive sufficient information regarding their children's progress or how to support or extend their children's learning at home. Therefore, opportunities to maximise children's progress are restricted.  Staff are not thoroughly supported in understanding their roles and responsibilities regarding health and safety as the written policies and procedures in place are not regularly reviewed and updated to reflect current practices.  The management team do not currently monitor and review the progress of all children. Individuals or groups of children who may be making less steady progress are

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This provision is inadequate

not identified, so that an action plan can be devised to effectively address any gaps.  Parent partnerships are not fully developed to enable parents to share their views on the setting, in order to prioritise and focus on areas of the setting that require development.

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It has the following strengths

 Relationships between staff, children and parents are warm and friendly. Parents comment on how much their children enjoy coming to the setting.

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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 compulsory part 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 activities in the baby and toddler rooms, the outside learning environment and during an outing to a local park.  The inspector conducted a joint observation of lunchtime with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager and deputy manager of the provision and spoke with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation and a selection of policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and the provider's plans for improvement.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Whittington Pre-School registered at its current premises in 2007 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the community centre at Whittington Barracks in Lichfield, Staffordshire and is managed by Whittington Preschool Ltd. The setting serves the local and surrounding area and is accessible to all children. It operates from converted community premises and there are several enclosed areas available for outdoor play. The setting employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3 and above, including the manager, who holds a BA(Honours) degree in early years. The setting opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently a total of 72 children attending, of whom all are within the early years age group. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and

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Information about the setting

four-year-old children. It supports children with special educational needs.

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must:

 implement an effective planning system throughout the setting to ensure that every child's needs, identified through assessment, are consistently provided for

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must:

 improve the assessment of children's learning by providing parents with regular, ongoing information about the progress children make and offer suggestions on how parents might support children's learning at home, to further extend their learning opportunities

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must:

 ensure that staff are thoroughly supported in understanding their roles and responsibilities regarding health and safety by reviewing and updating all written policies to reflect current practices, for example, with specific regards to the missing child policy and how staff ensure that children are all checked back into the setting after outdoor play

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must:

 notify Ofsted of any significant event which is likely to affect the suitability of the early years provider as soon as practicable to do so, but always within 14 days.

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

 develop systems for the management team to monitor and review the progress of all children, 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

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

 develop further parent partnerships through implementing systems, such as questionnaires to gain their views, in order to prioritise and focus on areas of the setting that require development.

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who attend

Staff have an appropriate understanding of how children learn through play. They offer a varied range of activities and continuous provision that link with children's interests and promote all areas of learning. These activities are enhanced by the staff, who play enthusiastically alongside the children, supporting their learning and skills. For example, during an activity with flour, staff enable the toddlers to make different marks using their fingers and a range of small tools. This is extended for older children by staff encouraging them to write the initial letters of their names in the flour, supporting their literacy skills. Staff use the information gained from parents when their children first start in the setting, alongside their own observations, to identify children's skills and potential next steps in learning. As a result, children are making some progress in their learning and development. However, they do not make the best possible progress as their next steps,

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who attend

identified through assessments, are not always incorporated into the planning. This is because the current planning in place focuses more on the resourcing of the different areas of the room, rather than the individual needs of the children. New staff have identified an alternative planning and assessment system. However, this has yet to be implemented throughout all of the rooms in the setting, to ensure that all children's needs are consistently identified and provided for.

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who attend

Children are confident communicators as staff provide them with a range of opportunities that encourage their language and listening skills. They ask children open-ended questions during their play, giving them time to respond and acknowledging their responses. For example, when playing in the water together, staff ask the children questions, such as 'how much water will it take to fill your bottle?' This enhances children's vocabulary and also their mathematical understanding. This also helps children to develop their thinking skills, alongside their confidence in communication, as the staff value what they have to say. Children visit places of interest, including local parks, farms and horse riding stables. This helps to develop their understanding of the local community and wider world that they live in. Children can select books of their choice from a selection freely available to them and are fully supported in their attempts to write and draw through resources which

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who attend

are continually available for them to use. This supports their developing literacy skills in readiness for the next stage of their learning, such as school.

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who attend

Staff liaise with parents daily, sharing information verbally and through daily diaries, where they identify what the children have eaten, nappy changes or toileting, how long they have slept and any significant activities they have enjoyed. Parents report that staff are very friendly, approachable and supportive towards themselves and their children. Children with special educational needs are well supported as staff liaise with parents and other professionals involved in their care, working together on targeted support to meet their needs. Staff are aware of the need to complete the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, where appropriate, and the importance of sharing this with parents. However, parents state that they are not fully informed of their children's development records and are not engaged by staff in ongoing assessments of their children's progress. In addition, staff do not provide all parents with ideas to extend

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who attend

their children's learning at home. Therefore, opportunities to involve parents in contributing to their children's learning in the setting and at home are not fully developed. As a result, children do not benefit from a totally consistent approach to their learning and development.

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

Staff are genuinely caring and warm relationships with children are evident throughout the setting. Babies are safe and secure in the baby room, as staff provide a welcoming and calm environment where babies are happy and settled. Clearly defined areas provide opportunities for sensory play, building with construction materials and quiet times with books. Babies eat and sleep within this room, enhancing their sense of security and belonging. The baby and toddler rooms are divided by a low wall, enabling babies to become familiar with the staff and children before they move on from the baby room. It is evident that children of all ages have strong attachments with their key person, who ensures that their daily care needs are met to a high standard. New babies and children have several settling-in visits to support them in developing attachments to their key person and these are flexible to meet their individual needs. Parents share initial

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

information about their child with staff, to enable their physical care needs to be understood and met from the outset. Consequently, the move from home to setting is usually smooth for both children and their parents. Equally, information is shared between staff when children are ready to move to the next room, supporting a smooth transition. Children of all ages appear happy and secure as they are confident to explore their environment and fully engage in play. However, on one occasion children's safety and security was compromised as a child was left outside unsupervised, following an outdoor play session.

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

Resources are plentiful in all rooms and are stored at a low level so that children can access them independently. Children of all ages learn the benefits of a healthy lifestyle as they have daily, planned opportunities to enjoy the fresh air and take part in physical exercise. All rooms have direct access to outdoor areas and children in the toddler and pre-school rooms are able to choose between playing indoors or outdoors for most of the day. In addition, children are taken regularly to the parks on site, which provide them with opportunities to explore a variety of larger equipment, in order to challenge their physical skills. Outdoor activities offer children the opportunity to take measured risks in their play, supported by staff. For example, at the park, children slide down the fireman's pole, learn how to propel themselves on swings and climb graded wooden posts, testing their climbing and balancing skills. Staff are also developing forest schools activities, such as

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

den building and cooking on open fires under very close adult supervision. These challenging activities help children to develop a positive attitude and to persist with more difficult tasks, which will help them become confident and active learners when they eventually start school. There is a good balance of adult-led activities and child-initiated opportunities in the outdoor environment. This enables the children to learn new skills from staff which they can then practise independently, to consolidate their learning and developing skills.

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

Meals and snacks are healthy, with fresh fruit being offered every day. Systems are in place to ensure that staff are aware of any health or dietary issues the children may have. Children develop good self-care skills through washing their hands and putting on their coats and shoes for outdoor play or outings. Children are well behaved because the staff are good role models who have positive attitudes to behaviour management. Staff are calm and patient and give lots of positive praise and encouragement to the children. This fosters their self-esteem, supporting them to confidently explore their environment and enjoy the opportunities available to them. Children learn how to stay safe as during outings, staff explain about expected behaviour and how to cross roads safely. Children also take part in regular fire drills, which enable them to understand how to respond quickly in an emergency. Preparation for children's transition to school includes developing

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

their independence, self-help skills, confidence and social skills, such as sharing. Staff understand the importance of sharing the children's achievements with school. This helps support continuity of care and learning for children as they move on from the setting.

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provision

This inspection was prioritised following concerns raised to Ofsted about a number of issues. These included an allegation that a child had been left unsupervised outside the premises. During the inspection, it was confirmed that an incident had taken place where a child had been left outside unsupervised, for a short period of time, following an outdoor play session. As a result, the manager thoroughly investigated the incident and took effective measures to help prevent any further incidents such as this occurring. The measures implemented were observed during the inspection, as children were counted prior to walking to the nearby park, on arrival there, prior to departure and on arrival back in the setting. However, the provider failed to notify Ofsted of this significant event. This is a breach of the requirements of both the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register. Safe recruitment procedures, induction and ongoing suitability checks are in place to

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provision

ensure that staff are suitably qualified and appropriate to work with children in the setting. New staff complete a thorough induction process which includes awareness of all policies and procedures. However, the policies and procedures and specifically the missing child policy have not been reviewed or updated recently, even after the incident of the child being left outside had taken place. This means that staff are not thoroughly supported in understanding their roles and responsibilities regarding health and safety, to reflect current practices.

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provision

Staff demonstrate a sound awareness of the possible indicators of abuse and what to do should they be concerned about a child in their care. Sufficient numbers of staff are first- aid trained and staff record accidents and the administering of medication appropriately. Risk assessments are in place for the setting and any off-site visits and staff complete daily checks to maintain a safe environment for the children. Staff receive support and development through regular staff meetings, individual supervision sessions and annual appraisals, where individual targets are set to work towards. The manager carries out regular observations of staff practice, providing feedback to staff to praise or further develop their skills. The open plan design of the setting means that staff are visible at all times, ensuring that any issues regarding practice or conduct can be easily identified and addressed. Staff are deployed effectively and accurate attendance registers ensure the

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provision

setting are meeting the statutory ratio requirements. Training in safeguarding, first-aid and food hygiene is regularly updated and additional training opportunities are accessed through the local authority or other training providers, when funding is available.

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provision

The manager has some understanding of the need to monitor children's overall progress and how the data collected could be used effectively. However, this has not yet been implemented and so there are no plans in place to address any possible gaps in children's learning. Partnerships with parents are developing and staff share daily information regarding their child's well-being and interests. However, parents are not regularly consulted so that their views can be incorporated into an action plan for improvement. Staff have suitable partnerships with external agencies to ensure that children with identified needs and their families are supported. They are also aware of the advantage of liaising with teachers to support children when the time comes for them to move on to school, to help them experience a smooth transition.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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

 inform Ofsted of any significant event which is likely to affect their suitability (compulsory 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 EY384325 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 982671

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 49 Number of children on roll 72 Name of provider Whittington Pre-School Date of previous inspection 17/05/2013 Telephone number 01543 434 371

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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.

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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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