Whipper Snappers Childcare @ St Francis

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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Whipper Snappers Childcare @ St Francis St. Francis Church Glen Side BIRMINGHAM B32 3RU Our Reference EY454109

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Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Rachel Wyatt, monitored your provision on 10/09/2014 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 10/06/2014, 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.

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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 in the notice to improve. She observed interactions between staff and children throughout the setting and talked to several parents. The inspector also spoke to you, the manager, staff and a representative from the local authority. She discussed your action plan and looked at a sample of records and procedures relating to assessment and planning, staff recruitment and staff performance and development arrangements.

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector found that you have effectively planned how to address the issues raised at last inspection. As part of this process you have introduced more effective systems for monitoring children's progress. This includes involving newly appointed room leaders in checking the quality and consistency of staff's observations, assessments and planning. You are also introducing peer observations to help you to assess the quality of staff's teaching and practice. It is too early for you to demonstrate the full impact of these measures on the quality of teaching and on children's learning. However, you are implementing appropriate systems to help you to accurately evaluate these and other aspects of the setting's provision. As part of your action planning for improvement the inspector also found that you have welcomed advice from your local authority. This includes using some suggested documentation to strengthen your recruitment and staff supervision procedures. You

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Outcome of monitoring

are meeting your local authority learning and development consultant shortly to review the improvements you have made.

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Outcome of monitoring

Since the last inspection you have reorganised the layout and use of rooms and the deployment of key persons. Children have a designated key person who looks after them in specific age groups in their own base room. You and the staff have changed the layout and presentation of activities and resources in these rooms to cater for the differing abilities of two-year-olds and three- and four-year-olds. You are continuing with this work because you are adding further displays and some new storage units you have bought in order to make it easier for children to independently choose toys, books and resources. You and the staff consider this reorganisation has helped key persons to interact more consistently with children and to have a better understanding of their individual developmental needs. Children are engaged in activities and there is a calmer atmosphere for learning. The inspector's observations

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Outcome of monitoring

and discussions corroborate these views. Staff are more confident about assessing the learning and development needs of children they are getting to know well. They have benefitted from attending recent in-service training on observation, assessment and planning, which included your improvements to the setting's procedures to implement an early assessment of children's starting points and more in-depth reviews of their progress.

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Outcome of monitoring

There are now additional opportunities for parents to contribute information about their children's learning. For example, their views about their child's interests, development and ways of learning, are helping key persons to plan more effectively for children who are new and or who have returned to the setting after the summer holidays. In addition, key persons plan to involve parents in their review of children's progress each term and to agree their child's next steps for learning with them. You are also encouraging parents to tell staff about their children's achievements at home so these can be followed up during discussions and activities in the setting. Parents say their children enjoy attending the setting. They highlight that the adults are approachable, which reassures them and helps their children to settle well.

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Outcome of monitoring

Effective procedures are now in place to ensure all staff complete Disclosure and Barring Service checks and for maintaining a record of these checks. You have included this information in a recently completed, detailed central record of all checks you have carried out relating to staff's identity, suitability and qualifications. To help you follow safer recruitment procedures you have recently collated a comprehensive guide to selecting and appointing staff, which includes sample documents and check lists. The inspector found you are strengthening staff performance procedures by introducing peer observations of teaching and practice. You are adopting a different format for staff supervision meetings to enable you to concentrate on their work with the children and to provide staff with opportunities to discuss any concerns about children's welfare, care and development. The inspector found you have also

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Outcome of monitoring

improved tracking of and planning for staff's professional development. You have collated an up-to-date record of courses attended by staff and used this information to help you plan for their individual training needs and to cater for the needs of the organisation. You have arranged for staff to attend a number of forthcoming courses, including training to support those with lead responsibility, for example, for health and safety or equalities or to update staff's knowledge of child protection and food hygiene.

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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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