Little Dragons Child Care Centre

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

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Little Dragons Daycare Centre St. Georges C of E Primary School, London Road St. Georges TELFORD Shropshire TF2 9LJ Our Reference EY413204

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Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Patricia Webb, monitored your provision on 29/07/2014 following your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

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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.

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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 observed children and staff in the main playroom and during outdoor play. She had a discussion with the manager, the deputy and other staff. The inspector also spoke on the telephone with a representative from the local authority. She looked at your action plan, safeguarding policies and procedures, evidence of staff supervision and appraisals and a sample selection of some children's developmental records and admission forms.

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector found that following the inspection, you made direct and immediate contact with the early years advisers from the local authority in order to secure guidance and support. A comprehensive action plan has been devised, which is highly focused and precise, targeting the main areas for improvement and assigning lines of responsibility, which can be clearly audited. This is bringing about effective and precise improvement in the practice and outcomes for children. You are also working eagerly with a mentor from the local authority and this is highly effective in ensuring consistency of practice among staff. Appropriate training was organised swiftly once the committee and the adviser had carefully reviewed the actions set. You are aware of areas within the provision that are being closely monitored to ensure that practice improves steadily and is sustained.

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Outcome of monitoring

Following in-depth meetings with the management committee, new officers and members have been elected and appointed. This has brought a broader range of skills, knowledge and relevant experience to the management of the provision, ensuring that improvement can be sustained. You organised safeguarding training for all staff to raise their knowledge and understanding of child protection and the action to be taken should they have any concerns about a child in their care. This training also included information and guidance on the action to take in the event of an allegation of abuse being made against a member of staff. Senior members of the committee also attended this training so that they are acutely aware of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children. Staff have also met with the local authority designated officer for safeguarding and are much more aware of the role of this officer. Staff are more confident and knowledgeable about their personal roles and

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Outcome of monitoring

responsibilities regarding safeguarding and acting in the best interests of a child should they have any concerns.

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Outcome of monitoring

Staff and members of the management committee have also attended training about the Early Years Foundation Stage to raise their knowledge and understanding of what and how children learn, develop and acquire skills to support their future learning. You have reviewed the systems for monitoring staff performance and practice and have increased the supervision of staff. This is bringing about focused improvement as staff speak highly about the raised levels of support and guidance. You use a number of strategies to assess staff knowledge and skills, including observations of their interaction with children. You also use questionnaires which are set around the key areas of learning and safeguarding. This is helping you to ensure that staff knowledge and understanding is improving and that the quality of teaching is more effective in raising children's achievements.

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Outcome of monitoring

You have developed new systems for staff to observe and assess children's progress. The new documents are being effectively implemented and staff speak about how the recent Early Years Foundation Stage training has helped them to fully understand the process of observation, assessment and planning as a continuous cycle. Staff are using this information on each child to clearly inform individualised planning. They complete weekly plans which indicate any specific differentiation required for individual children. This is supporting staff in their understanding of working with a wider age range of children, whose needs differ broadly. You are reviewing staff records to ensure consistency and accuracy in their assessment and this is leading to more precise planning for individual children. Staff receive written feedback regularly, which sets targets for them to address in order to improve practice further. The

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Outcome of monitoring

peer-on-peer observations are also helping to raise each member of staff's awareness of good practice and this is developing a shared, consistent approach to planning.

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Outcome of monitoring

The key-person system has been reviewed and you have introduced a buddy system to further support consistency of care for children. This means that, in the event of a child's main key person being on leave or absent, the child's needs are fully known by the buddy member of staff and the planning and delivery of individual support can continue. You are currently observing and evaluating the effectiveness of this process. You and the staff believe that they know their individual children's needs well and take account of children's personal characters and learning styles when they begin to plan the teaching. This involves working closely with parents, including families with English as an additional language.

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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.

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Next steps

The next step will be a full inspection.

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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.

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Next steps

Nick Hudson National Director, Early Education

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure all staff have appropriate training, skills and knowledge to fulfil their roles and responsibilities; this specifically refers to making sure that there are effective supervision and monitoring arrangements to accurately assess and identify the training and development needs of all staff and ensure effective support and guidance is provided where necessary 08/08/2014 29/07/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that the key person system, especially for children with English as an additional language, is effective and meets the needs of all children to consistently support their learning and welfare to ensure that children's emotional well-being is promoted. 08/08/2014 29/07/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure management update the safeguarding policy to ensure this reflects local safeguarding children board guidance and ensure all staff are knowledgeable and confident to follow this procedure; this specifically refers to responding to an allegation against a member of staff 08/08/2014 29/07/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

review and improve the monitoring of observation and assessment by ensuring management regularly review the quality and content, so that they are confident that staff are knowledgeable and understand the process 08/08/2014 29/07/2014

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