St Andrews Playgroup

St Andrews Playgroup St Andrews Church Hall, Roman Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 2DQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 3 July 2015 25 February 2015

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 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 provider does not follow the safeguarding policy and procedures. They are unaware of what procedure to follow in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff. This poses a significant risk to children's safety and well-being.  The provider has not followed the Local Safeguarding Children Board's procedure when staff raise concerns about the practice of colleagues.  Partnerships with parents continue to be weak. Some parents express their concerns over how the key-person system supports their child's progress. Not all parents are aware of who their child's key person is. This hinders children's overall learning, development and continuity of care.  Staff supervisions undertaken by the provider are not robust enough. Individual roles and responsibilities are not always clear. The provider and the supervisor do not foster a culture of mutual support to enable staff to find solutions to issues that arise. This

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This provision is inadequate

has a negative impact on children's overall experiences.  Teaching is not yet good because training needs identified by the supervisor are not yet discussed during supervisions. This does not enable staff to improve their teaching skills or share the stronger practice effectively.

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It has the following strengths

 Some of the actions set at the previous inspection have been met. The setting has implemented effective risk assessments to ensure that children cannot leave the premises unsupervised and no one can enter the premises unsupervised.  Children learn appropriate hygiene practices through the daily routine. They are provided with healthy snack options prepared by staff who promote children's independence well.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure that safeguarding policy and procedures, in line with the guidance of the Local Safeguarding Children Board, are understood and followed; with particular regard to the action to be taken in the event of an allegation against a member of staff

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure all staff are effectively supervised and have the necessary support, coaching and training to improve their personal effectiveness, resolve problems that arise in the team and develop a culture of mutual support.

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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

 improve the quality and consistency of teaching, implementing a challenging and enjoyable learning experience for each child in all the areas of learning and development, to raise children's levels of achievement as they prepare for their future learning and school  ensure the key-person system is fully embedded in practice and all parents know who their child's key person is so that continuity of care is ensured  ensure that the two-way follow of information is effective in involving parents fully in their children's care, learning and development, ensuring that the needs of all children are known and met.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 ensure that the lead practitioner responsible for ensuring the safety and welfare of the children liaises with the Local Safeguarding Children Board and Director of Children's Services as appropriate (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the main room and in the outside play space.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the supervisor.  The inspector held discussions with all staff during the inspection and with children at appropriate times.  The inspector checked evidence of staff suitability. The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including policies, planning and children's assessment records.  The inspector held a meeting with the management committee as the registered provider.

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who attend. This is inadequate

The quality of teaching continues to be inconsistent. Despite the supervisor's attempt to implement some new strategies to improve teaching, this remains weak. Not all children are fully supported in making good progress to ensure they are fully prepared for future learning, including the move to school. While some staff can extend children's learning and offer support in achieving, other staff are less skilled. They are not always confident in identifying the learning potential in some activities. During small construction play, children are not encouraged to share their more creative ideas. Staff do not consider offering further resources to support this. Children's emerging interests in their play, such as the natural world, are not consistently extended or built on by staff to challenge children to make better progress. Children enjoy some activities. They demonstrate a particular interest in the outside play space where they explore water flow and initiate

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who attend. This is inadequate

discussions with staff. Parents can now share information about their children upon admission into the setting. This helps children to feel settled and supports staff to gain the necessary information to assess children's starting points. However, some parents express their concerns over their children's limited progress. They are not offered guidance on how to promote their children's learning at home from the key person.

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inadequate

Children's welfare is not promoted. The lack of effective supervision means that staff are still not able to discuss sensitive issues that arise among the team. This has led to a lack of motivation among the staff, creating an environment that is not conducive to promoting children's care, learning and development. The key-person system is ineffective in promoting a positive working relationship with all parents. Some parents are not aware of who their child's key person is. This hinders the sharing of information in order to fully identify, meet and support children's ever-changing needs. Since the last inspection, some progress has been made to improve safety in the setting. Risk assessments have now been implemented effectively to ensure children cannot exit the setting unsupervised. Accidents and incidents are now reported in accordance with the requirements.

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provision is inadequate

The provider has failed to meet all of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The provider has not followed the safeguarding policy and procedures. There is insufficient understanding of the action to take in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff. This poses a significant risk to children's safety. The provider is not aware of the Local Safeguarding Children Board's procedures. A recent concern about a member of staff's practice was not handled in line with these procedures as outlined in the setting's own documents. Some staff comment on the lack of support they feel they receive from the provider with regard to training and guidance to improve practice. This has an adverse effect on children's learning and development. The provider and manager have taken some steps to improve since the last inspection. They now ensure all records which need to be seen by Ofsted are easily accessible. A complaints procedure has now

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provision is inadequate

been implemented. Confidential information is held securely in line with the Data Protection Act. All staff have a Disclosure and Barring Service check to demonstrate their suitability. Staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and of reporting any concerns about a child to the lead practitioner. They also have a thorough understanding of the mobile phone and camera policy. The staff have worked with the local authority to develop an action plan. This has contributed to the improvements made. However, the roles and responsibilities of the committee, supervisor and staff are still not clear. This results in continued poor practice and further weaknesses emerging.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 251641 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 1008206 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 43 Name of provider St Andrews Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 25 February 2015 Telephone number 07510624800

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Setting details

St Andrews Playgroup was registered in 1968. It operates from a church hall in Lowestoft. The playgroup is open during term time only, Monday to Friday from 8.45am to 11.45am, and also on Monday, Tuesday and Friday afternoons from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. The setting employs seven members of staff, of whom six hold relevant qualifications at levels 2 or 3.

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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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