Chiltern Nursery School

Chiltern Nursery School All Saints Church Hall, Oval Way, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, SL9 8PZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24 February 2016 20 June 2012

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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 inspection: Inadequate 4

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision is inadequate

 Leadership and management are weak. The provider, who is also the manager, is not meeting a number of legal requirements, which also apply to the Childcare Register.  The manager does not obtain an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check for all adults looking after children to ensure they are suitable to do so. This compromises children's welfare.  The manager does not ensure that there is appropriate fire-detection equipment in place to help keep children, staff and others on the premises safe in the case of a fire. This puts children's safety at risk.  Outcomes for children are not yet good. The manager does not implement effective systems to monitor the quality of teaching and staff performance, or identify children's level of progress and development effectively to plan for their next steps in learning.  The manager does not identify weaknesses effectively and target key areas to improve.

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This provision is inadequate

She does not recognise the effects of these weaknesses on children's care and learning.  Staff do not always provide challenging enough resources and activities to cover all areas of learning, particularly for the older children.

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It has the following strengths

 Parents speak highly of staff. They say that they are kept regularly informed about their children's learning.

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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

 obtain an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check for all members of staff in a timely manner to ensure that all adults looking after children are suitable to do so 24/03/2016

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Due Date

 ensure appropriate fire-detection equipment is in place to help keep children, staff and others on the premises safe in the event of a fire 24/03/2016

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Due Date

 monitor the quality of teaching and staff practice, and use the information gathered to identify the level of children's progress and development accurately, to ensure children make the best progress possible in all areas of learning. 23/04/2016

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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

 improve the effectiveness of self-evaluation to recognise breaches of requirements and identify staff training needs, and take effective action to improve outcomes for all children  provide consistently challenging learning experiences for all children, particularly for the older ones, to help them make better progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's activities and their daily routines.  The inspector spoke with the manager, children, parents and staff throughout the inspection.  The inspector sampled a range of documents available, including those relating to the safety checks and to safeguarding.  The inspector checked the suitability of the manager and staff working with children.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is ineffective. The provider, who is also the manager, has failed to follow appropriate recruitment procedures. She has not ensured that all staff undertake the required Disclosure and Barring Service check, including established and newer members of staff. This puts children at risk. However, the manager and staff know the correct procedures for identifying and reporting welfare concerns about a child. The manager has some understanding of her responsibilities; however, she does not reflect on the quality of the provision effectively. She does not help staff to improve their quality of teaching, such as through regular supervision meetings, or identify their training needs to support their professional development. The manager does not monitor children's progress effectively to help them achieve as much as they can. However, she is working with the local authority to improve outcomes for children and raise the standard of the provision.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff have a sound understanding of children's individual needs and the activities they enjoy. Children make their own choices in their play, and staff provide a range of learning experiences that reflect some of children's changing interests. However, these experiences are not always challenging enough, particularly for the older children, to ensure all children make the best possible progress. For example, not all staff recognise how to use questions to extend children's thinking skills in activities and routines.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's welfare is not assured because the manager has not ensured that all adults caring for the children have completed the required suitability checks. The manager and staff check the premises and outside area daily to ensure all areas are safe for children to use. However, the manager has failed to meet all fire safety requirements. She has not ensured that there is appropriate fire-detection equipment in place, which puts children, staff and visitors at risk. Nevertheless, the manager and staff work well with parents to settle children. They form close relationships, which promotes children's emotional well- being effectively. Children behave well. They learn to understand some boundaries, share resources, take turns and respect others. Children follow good hygiene routines. They learn about the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables and have plenty of fresh air every day. This contributes to their understanding of a healthy lifestyle.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children gain some of the necessary skills for going to school, particularly in their communication and language development. For example, they practise their letter sounds freely and learn to recognise and write letters in preparation for school. However, older children are not fully challenged to make good progress in all areas of their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 107981 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 1021755 Type of provision Sessional 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 36 Number of children on roll 30 Name of provider Frances Cameron-Wilson Date of previous inspection 20 June 2012 Telephone number 07774047323

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Setting details

Chiltern Nursery School first opened in 1966. It operates from a church hall in Gerrards Cross. The nursery is open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am until 3pm, on Thursdays from 9am until 1pm, and on Fridays from 9am until 12 noon, during school term times only. The nursery receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The provider employs six members of staff, four of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 3. The provider is also the manager. She holds a qualification in Montessori practice at level 4.

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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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