Natural Steps After School Club

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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Natural Steps Nursery and After School Club ''The Globe'' 12 Portman Road Reading Berkshire RG30 1EA Our Reference EY305089

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Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Cheryl Walker, monitored your provision on 21/01/2015 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 08/12/2014, we sent you a welfare requirements notice. 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

The welfare requirements notice required you to comply with the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage under the following requirements: Suitable people; Safety and suitability of the premises, environment and equipment; Information and records. The steps you were required to take were detailed in full in the notice sent to you on 22 December 2014.

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Outcome of monitoring

During the monitoring visit that took place on 21 January 2015 the inspector discussed with you the steps you have taken to address the actions raised at the last inspection. She observed interaction between staff and children throughout the nursery and had a discussion with a parent about their experiences. The inspector also spoke to you, individual members of staff and to a representative from the local authority. She viewed staff files and the action plan you have put in place since the inspection.

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Outcome of monitoring

Appropriate monitoring arrangements were in place for those staff that do not yet have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to ensure that children are safeguarded. Sufficient information had been gathered in making suitability decisions about employees. A record of DBS checks was in place however, the dates that the checks had been taken were not recorded and this is to be implemented swiftly to the record. You advised that new DBS checks have been implemented for all staff to ensure that records are completely up to date and accurate.

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Outcome of monitoring

Security within the setting was seen to have been improved. A new door bell has been fixed to the inner doors and a higher second lock has also been fitted, so that children can not leave the setting and restricting unknown visitor access. This was seen to be effective during the visit. Registers of attendance were seen to be accurately recorded.

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Outcome of monitoring

You explained that you have been receiving regular support visits from the Early Years Team and that targets have been set to help you to effect change. Plans are in place to implement number and literacy areas within the setting. During the visit children were heard to be engaged in conversations with peers and adults, promoting their language development. Staff were heard to use open ended questioning techniques and to use vocabulary to extend children's learning. Children were using mathematical words in their conversations, such as more and less, and descriptive words when talking about how much they had enjoyed their lunch. You have sought support from other settings to help you improve these areas and future training is also planned in the short term to enable you to fully implement a successful programme.

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Outcome of monitoring

Staff have reviewed the health and safety information available to them and have been reminded of good practices in relation to health and hygiene procedures. You are modelling good practice in these areas and monitoring to ensure that practice continues to improve. Children are encouraged to become independent during lunchtimes and to pour their own drinks.

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Outcome of monitoring

The key person system has been reviewed to ensure that effective relationships are built with parents and children, and that there are back up systems in place for staff absences. Parents contribute to the information gathered when a new child starts and appropriate handovers of information ensure that parents are kept informed about their child's care and learning progress. Supervision for staff is now in place and targets are set for future staff development. Future training sessions have been arranged to support staff in moving forward.

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Outcome of monitoring

You continue to gain support through the Early Years Team and have developed a parents committee since the inspection, which improves relationships and enables parents to become further involved.

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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

develop the educational programme for children's mathematical development. 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that no individual who is unsuitable to work with children has unsupervised access to a child receiving childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure there are effective systems to ensure that any person caring for, or in regular contact with, children is suitable to work with them and has an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

keep a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance, and retain it for a period of two years (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

implement an effective system to ensure that staff are suitable to have regular contact with children; with specific regard to obtaining Disclosure and Barring Service checks, identity checks and references for all staff 08/01/2014 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that people whose suitability has not been checked, including through a criminal records check, do not have unsupervised contact with children being cared for 08/01/2014 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that children are not able to leave the premises unsupervised and take all reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised persons from entering the premises, with particular regard to the nursery room door 08/01/2014 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure the daily record of the names of the children being cared for on the 08/01/2014 24/02/2015 premises includes all children's hours of attendance ensure that children are unable to leave the premises without a person who is caring for them becoming aware of the child leaving (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

promote the educational programme for communication and language in order to support children in their development of speech, listening and understandingdevise and implement an effective educational programme to support children in their development of speech, listening and understanding 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure there are effective arrangements in place for the supervision of staff, which provide support, coaching and training for the staff and ensure the quality of teaching and learning is consistently good 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

promote children's good health and minimise the spread of infection, for example, in the Ocean roomrelation to taking action when children's cutlery falls on the floor 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

implement an effective key person system that ensures every child's care is tailored to meet their individual needs, offers a settled relationship for the child and builds a relationship with their parents or carers 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that no one can enter the premises without the knowledge of a person who is caring for children on the premises (voluntary part of the Childcare Register). 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that no individual who is unsuitable to work with children has unsupervised access to a child receiving childcare (voluntary part of the Childcare Register) 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure there are effective systems to 27/01/2015 24/02/2015 ensure that any person caring for, or in regular contact with, children is suitable to work with them and has a enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (voluntary part of the Childcare Register) keep a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance, and retain it for a period of two years (voluntary part of the Childcare Register) 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that children are unable to leave the premises except where the 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) 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that no one can enter the premises without the knowledge of a person who is caring for children on the premises (compulsory part of the Childcare Register). 27/01/2015 24/02/2015

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