Bramfield Stepping Stones Pre-School

Bramfield Stepping Stones Pre-School Bramfield Village Hall, Bridge Street, Bramfield, Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 9HZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18 June 2015 24 February 2009

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

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

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

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

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

The setting does not meet legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is inadequate

 The quality of teaching is poor. This is because most staff do not take into account children's stages of development or consider how to motivate children's involvement in activities. In particular, opportunities are missed to extend some children's speaking skills to enable all children to make good progress.  Large group times do not always fully engage younger children at an appropriate level for their age and stage of development. Therefore, they are not getting the most out of the experience to meet their emerging needs.  Staff do not provide an appropriate balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities to meet the needs of younger children attending.  Leaders and staff do not consistently reinforce expectations of good behaviour. Consequently, at times during the day the disruptive behaviour of some children impedes the learning of others.  Prompt action has not been taken to minimise identified risks. Children are not always

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This provision is inadequate

kept safe and some safeguarding and welfare requirements are not met.  Some staff do not consistently follow hygiene practices to ensure children's health is protected.  Some staff have limited knowledge of the types and signs of abuse and how to report concerns, therefore, children are not adequately safeguarded.

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It has the following strengths

 There are effective partnerships with parents, ensuring relevant information about children's learning and care is shared successfully.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 ensure that all staff, particularly those teaching younger children, provide a programme based on the children's stage of development and individual needs and which particularly focus on their speaking skills  improve the organisation and purpose of large group times to ensure all children, particularly the youngest children, fully benefit from the learning experience offered  ensure that a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities are offered that cover all areas of learning, are age appropriate and will reflect the different ways that children learn  ensure that leaders and staff manage children's behaviour in a consistent and effective manner, and make sure that children's learning is not impeded because of the behaviour of others  ensure the premises are safe and that staff implement policies and procedures regarding safety rules so that children's safety is maintained at all times, this

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

particularly relates to when children are playing outside  ensure that all staff use effective hygiene procedures to protect children from cross- infection, for example, when changing nappies and helping children to use the toilet  ensure that all staff have a secure knowledge of the safeguarding policy and procedure, including the types and signs of abuse, and the action to be taken in the event of concerns about a child.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the playrooms and outdoor area.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke to the manager and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of staff working within the setting, and a range of other documentation.  The inspector also took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of inspection.

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who attend. This is inadequate

Although a number of staff have appropriate qualifications, the quality of teaching is poor. This is because some staff do not have an adequate understanding of how to support children's learning. Groups of children are not managed well and adult-led activities are not always organised effectively to ensure children receive a good level of adult support. Group times are far too long for some children's age and stage of development and, therefore, do not engage all children. This results in the older, more confident children shouting out the answers to questions and staff do not effectively remind them to listen. Consequently, younger children are not provided with an opportunity to answer questions. This does not help to develop their emerging communication skills effectively. As a consequence, the younger or quieter children become disinterested and disruptive. For example, a planned activity to explore bubble wrap deteriorated into disarray. This is

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who attend. This is inadequate

because too many children wanted to pop the bubbles at once and the noise level prevented the children from hearing what the adults were saying. Staff regularly observe and assess children's development. Although they plan activities to meet children's next steps in learning, teaching does not sufficiently maintain children's interest or challenge their learning effectively. For example, during a creative activity children are over directed and do not have the opportunity to explore using their own imagination. Therefore, children are not provided with opportunities to develop their skills in exploring, investigating and thinking for themselves. This means too few children make enough progress to develop the skills they need to be ready for school. Some aspects of teaching are sound. Some staff enthusiastically ignite children's curiosity. For example, children eagerly look at a snake skin brought into the setting by an older child. Staff use an

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who attend. This is inadequate

electronic system for sharing children's progress with parents to ensure that there is continuity between home and the setting. This helps staff to work with parents to meet children's needs.

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inadequate

Although there are clear procedures for supporting children's health and safety, these are not followed in to practice. For example, children are not reminded to wear their shoes while playing outside and this resulted in a child slipping in a water tray. In addition, staff do not consistently use good hygiene practices when changing children's nappies and when children are using the toilet. This means children are not protected from cross- contamination. In addition, on the day of the inspection, weaknesses in the organisation of group times meant that many children became distracted and displayed unwanted behaviour. Despite this, generally, children have friendly and caring relationships with each other and the staff. Children know what food helps them to stay healthy because staff discuss this with them during snack times.

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provision is inadequate

Leadership and management is inadequate. The management team and committee do not ensure that all of the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are met. They do not review staff practice effectively to make sure that policies, procedures and plans for children's learning are carried out. They have not identified weaknesses in the overall quality of teaching and practice, or taken steps to effectively check on the quality of what they do. Children do not make enough progress in their learning and safeguarding procedures are not robust. Not all staff have sufficient knowledge of the types of abuse, or how to recognise that a child may be at risk of harm. In addition, not all staff understand the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child. Staff supervisions and training are not focused sufficiently on supporting individual staff to improve their teaching or safeguarding knowledge.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY375200 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 849748 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 33 Name of provider Bramfield Stepping Stones Pre-school Committee Date of previous inspection 24 February 2009 Telephone number 01986 784 586

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Setting details

Bramfield Stepping Stones Pre-School was registered in 2008. The nursery employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualifications at level 6, three at level 3 and one at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9.15am until 12.15am and 12.15pm until 15.15pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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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.

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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.

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Setting details

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Setting details

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

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