Locking Stumps Pre-School

Locking Stumps Pre- School Village Room, Locking Stumps CP School, Glover Road, Warrington, Cheshire, WA3 7PH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16 December 2015 9 October 2013

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not always effective. Staff do not understand the requirement to report concerns regarding children's welfare without delay, in order to protect them from potential harm.  Leaders have not yet implemented supervision procedures to evaluate the impact of staff practice, and provide targeted professional development to improve the quality of practice. This was an action raised at the pre-school's previous inspection.  Staff miss some opportunities to promote children's ability to solve problems and develop their thinking skills.

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It has the following strengths

 The newly recruited leadership team has completed an accurate self-evaluation. They have identified a number of aspects of practice for improvement and have begun to implement action plans to address these issues.  Parents report positively on the care and learning experiences provided by the staff team. They feel their children enjoy their time at the pre-school and are always keen to attend.  Staff get to know children's interests well and use these to provide activities which engage children and are suitably challenging.  Children's behaviour is appropriately supported. They develop a sense of confidence and self-esteem when staff praise their behaviour and achievements.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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Due Date

 ensure that all staff have a clear understanding of their responsibility to report, without delay, concerns regarding children's welfare to the relevant agencies, so that children are kept safe from harm 23/12/2015

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Due Date

 implement supervision processes so that the impact of staff practice is evaluated and professional development opportunities are targeted, to further improve the quality of teaching and practice. 24/02/2016

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Due Date

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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Due Date

 support staff to make the most of opportunities to encourage children to solve problems independently, so that their ability to think critically is promoted more effectively.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager of the pre-school.  The inspector held a meeting with the pre-school manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the pre-school's self-evaluation and action plans.  The inspector sampled evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working in the pre-school.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. Staff are aware of potential signs and symptoms of abuse. However, they do not understand when it is appropriate to report their concerns to ensure that children are adequately protected. This puts children at risk of harm. The provider ensures that staff are suitably vetted for their roles. Both the manager and deputy manager have been recently appointed, and have devised an action plan to address issues they have identified within the setting. For example, they have now implemented monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure that children have access to experiences across the seven areas of learning. Leaders have yet to implement procedures to supervise staff and evaluate the impact of teaching, in order to develop the quality of practice. However, staff do have access to some professional development opportunities, and the team is suitably qualified and experienced. Leaders ensure that staff members

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

qualified in paediatric first aid are always on site, to enable them to respond appropriately in an emergency.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Children enjoy their time at the pre-school. They are encouraged to make choices about what they would like to play with, which helps to promote their engagement. Staff understand how children learn, and assess their progress to identify any gaps in their learning. Staff regularly observe children, and parents are asked to provide information about children's interests at home. They are kept informed of children's progress. Children delight in making staff stop and go using traffic light signs. Staff help to promote children's imaginative play and understanding of the world around them. Older children have appropriate opportunities to develop confidence in literacy and mathematics. For example, they form some recognisable letters to label their artwork. The quality of teaching is, generally, good. However, staff miss opportunities to encourage children to think about and solve problems independently, before offering adult support.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's welfare is at risk due to staff's lack of understanding of when to take action and report safeguarding concerns. Children have appropriate relationships with staff. They seek staff out to join in their play, or for support. Staff use positive behaviour management techniques, and children delight in seeing how many stars they have on their reward charts. Staff respect children as individuals and encourage them to make choices. They are encouraged to respect others and have access to experiences which increase their awareness of diversity. Children's independence is appropriately promoted. For example, they can choose whether or not to participate in whole-group activities, and begin to manage their own personal hygiene routines, as appropriate. Staff conduct risk assessments of the premises and equipment, to monitor its suitability for children's use. Children respond well to staff and show an appropriate regard to keeping themselves safe

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Children's safety is not assured by the pre-school. However, all children make steady progress from their starting points, as staff work well with other professionals to meet children's learning needs. This helps children to develop some of the basic skills which prepare them for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 315212 Local authority Warrington Inspection number 1028497 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 29 Name of provider Locking Stumps Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 9 October 2013 Telephone number 07729591399

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Setting details

Locking Stumps Pre-School was registered in 1982. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, in term time only. Sessions are from 8.45am until 3.30pm. The pre-school provides care for disabled children and those with special educational needs, and children who speak English as an additional language.

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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

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Setting details

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