Little Rascals (Preston) Limited

Little Rascals Lancashire Way, PRESTON, PR2 5PB

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 3 June 2015 3 April 2013

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Inadequate 4

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Inadequate 4

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Inadequate 4

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

The setting does not meet legal requirements for early years settings

p.1

This provision is inadequate

 Children make insufficient progress in their learning. This is because the system used to track children's progress gives an inaccurate picture of what children can do and what they need to learn next. This affects the quality of teaching because staff do not provide activities that are matched to children's individual needs.  Children’s well-being is not assured because staff do not understand or implement child protection procedures. Their safety is further compromised because staff fail to report possible child protection concerns in a timely manner.  Children’s health is compromised because staff are not aware of children’s dietary needs, including allergies, and they do not record medication given to children.  Arrangements to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are weak. This significantly affects children’s development and their move on to school.  Staff do not complete the required progress checks for children aged two years. As a

p.1

This provision is inadequate

result, parents receive too little information about their children’s progress and staff cannot identify emerging concerns in order to meet children’s learning and development needs.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Children form secure attachments with their key persons, which gives them a sense of belonging.  The recently appointed management team understands clearly what needs to be achieved to improve the quality of the provision and meet children’s needs.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take the following enforcement action:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

implement the policy and procedures for administering medicines by keeping a written record each time a medicine is administered to a child to ensure their good health

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure all staff have an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues so that they are able to identify signs and symptoms of possible abuse and can respond in a timely and appropriate way.

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 ensure staff are able to use observation and assessment to fully understand children’s levels of achievement, interests and learning styles, and use this information to check that children are making sufficient progress to support them in their move to school  ensure suitable arrangements are in place to identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities; have regard to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice to help children achieve the best possible outcomes in all aspects of their development; and ensure that this information is shared to promote continuity in children’s care, learning and development  review children’s progress when they are aged between two and three years to identify the child’s strengths and any areas where progress is less than expected, and provide parents and/or carers with a short written summary of their child’s development  take all necessary steps to keep children safe and well by liaising with the local

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

statutory children’s services agencies and with the Local Safeguarding Children Board when needed  promote the good health of children by ensuring staff are aware of any special dietary requirements, preferences and food allergies that children may have, and ensure that staff act to meet their dietary needs. To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 ensure staff fully understand the written statement of procedures to be followed to safeguard children from abuse or neglect (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that children are kept safe and well by liaising with the local Safeguarding Children Board and Director of Children’s Services as appropriate (compulsory part of Childcare Register)  take all necessary measures to minimise any risk to the health and safety of children by ensuring staff are aware of children’s dietary requirements, preferences and food allergies (compulsory part of Childcare Register)  ensure the good health of children by keeping a record of any medicine administered to a child who is cared for on the premises, including the date, circumstances and who administered it (compulsory part of Childcare Register).

p.3

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children and staff in the playrooms and the outdoor play areas.  The inspector reviewed a wide range of documentation including policies and procedures.  The inspector spoke to the manager and staff about children's progress and development.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with the children.  The inspector took account of parents' views of the nursery.

p.3

who attend. This is inadequate

Children’s learning and development are significantly compromised because staff are not aware of children’s capabilities. This results in poor teaching because activities are not focused on the areas of greatest need. Staff provide too few opportunities for children who struggle to make relationships to develop their social skills. As a result, children make insufficient progress, which hinders their future learning and their move on to school. Children who need additional support often go unnoticed. Consequently, they do not receive the support they need, such as support from external agencies, to help them achieve the best possible outcomes. A newly introduced system to observe and track children’s progress is not yet effective because staff lack confidence in carrying out observations. As a result, development records are inaccurate and some, such as the required progress check for two-year-old children, have not been completed. Therefore,

p.4

who attend. This is inadequate

parents are not always kept up to date on their children’s progress, which affects their ability to extend their child’s learning at home. Children engage in free play, and can choose whether to play indoors or out, which gives them choices. They benefit from fresh air and exercise as they play in the well-resourced outdoor play area. They explore sensory resources, which stimulate their curiosity. However, activities are not planned for a purpose, which limits children’s learning and development.

p.4

inadequate

Children are not safe because their overall well-being is compromised by weak safeguarding procedures. Staff lack the knowledge to enable them to recognise possible concerns and, therefore, are unable to take appropriate action to keep children safe. However, Staff are kind and sensitive to children’s care needs; they provide a relaxed and calm environment at sleep time. They have also received training that specifically addresses the care of babies. As a result, children and babies are settled, contented and sleep in line with their home routines. Children behave well and are developing an awareness of right and wrong. They enjoy suitable meals and snacks, and develop self- help skills as they begin to feed themselves competently using appropriate cutlery. However, children’s good health is not always assured because some staff are not aware of children’s dietary needs.

p.4

provision is inadequate

Since the last inspection, there have been a number of visits from Ofsted in response to concerns raised. As a result of these visits, the provider was required to take immediate action to address the weaknesses identified. Although improvements have been made, not all have been sustained because monitoring of the provision has not been rigorous enough. Consequently, a number of legal requirements are not met, which compromises children’s safety, well-being and learning. Procedures for administering medication are not sufficiently robust because staff do not record when medicine is given to a child. Not all staff understand the safeguarding policy and procedures, and the provision to support children’s learning and development remains weak. A newly appointed manager is now in place and, with the support of an external consultant, changes are already being made. The provider has appointed new staff to provide continuity for children and has introduced

p.4

provision is inadequate

additional resources in each of the rooms to improve activities and experiences for children. In addition, staff are now receiving regular support and training to help them fulfil their roles. However, these changes have not yet resulted in the needs of all the children attending being met.

p.5

Setting details

Unique reference number EY444272 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 1016016 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 96 Number of children on roll 54 Name of provider Little Rascals (Preston) Limited Date of previous inspection 3 April 2013 Telephone number 01772 789419

p.6

Setting details

Little Rascals was registered in 2012 to Little Rascals (Preston) Limited. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6pm, 51 weeks per year, closing on Bank Holidays and a week at Christmas.

p.6

Setting details

The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, 17 hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association.

p.6

Setting details

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.

p.6

Setting details

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

Setting details

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’.

p.7

Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.7