Stowupland Pre-school & The Mighty Oaks

Stowupland Pre-school & The Mighty Oaks Church Road, Stowupland, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 4BQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13 April 2016 16 June 2015

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Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 Staff do not always implement plans to support learning swiftly enough to help individual children to make good progress. Not all children are suitably prepared for their future moves on to school.  While each child has a key person who develops a bond with them, this system does not work effectively enough when a key person is absent. Not all children have consistently good levels of support in place to help develop their emotional security.  The teaching of younger and less-able children is not consistently good. Staff do not always effectively support the development of their communication and language.  Assessment and monitoring of the progress that individual and groups of children make are not always effective in accurately identifying gaps in their learning.

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It has the following strengths

 Children have many opportunities to learn about others and the world around them. Regular visits from people who work in the local community enhance children's understanding of different ways of life.  Children develop their physical coordination. They climb, pedal, and run in the outdoor play environment and in the nearby field. They regularly play outdoors, giving them the opportunity for fresh air and exercise.  Parents value that staff are approachable and make time available to discuss their children's care and learning.

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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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Due Date

 plan for the individual needs of each child to tailor their care and learning experiences to help them meet their next steps in development and prepare them for school 13/07/2016

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Due Date

 improve the key-person system to ensure that all children consistently benefit from settled and secure relationships to enhance their emotional security and well-being 29/06/2016

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Due Date

 improve the quality of teaching for younger and less-able children to appropriately support them to gain key language skills. 13/07/2016

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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

 increase the precision of the monitoring of individual and groups of children's progress to be able to target teaching more specifically and to close identified gaps in learning.

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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 spoke with staff and children at appropriate times.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the setting manager.  The inspector held meetings with the setting manager and provider. She looked at a selection of the setting's policies and procedures and children's records.  The inspector checked the evidence of the suitability and the qualifications of staff working with children.  The inspector spoke with a small number of parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The qualified staff receive training to help them to recognise when a child may be at risk of harm. Staff are aware of the actions they must follow if they have concerns about a child. The manager recognises the need to improve the quality of provision for younger children. Since the last inspection, the manager has recognised the need to increase staff's knowledge and skills in working with this age group. Staff have begun to aim some activities that they provide more specifically at the learning needs of this age group. However, staff do not always effectively promote the learning of younger children during all planned activities that they participate in. Managers are beginning to monitor the progress made by all children. They have begun to identify and put in place plans to close identified gaps in learning. However, the system they use is not consistently accurate. As a result, staff do not always target their

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

interventions to close gaps in learning quickly.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff assess children's progress and generally recognise what children can and cannot do. Activities provided cover the seven areas of learning. However, the routine whole-group times do not support the emerging communication skills of younger children. They cannot always see or hear staff well enough. During less-structured time staff interact appropriately with children as they play. Staff generally plan for the identified needs of their key children. However, there is sometimes a delay in planning for some children's individual next steps. While out on a nature walk staff notice what draws children's attention and talk to them about what they have observed. This helps to increase their understanding of the world. Regular visits from people who work in the local community enhance children's understanding of different ways of life.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Risk assessments and daily checks by staff create a safe environment. Staff get to know children and their interests. They find out information about children from parents when they first begin. Staff provide activities and toys that link to what children like doing. Where children have recognised special educational needs, staff work with parents to identify how to support them. Despite recent changes to the key-person system it is not yet working effectively. Staff are not consistently aware of how best to support individual children when their key person is absent. Children learn how to keep themselves healthy. They participate in activities that promote their understanding of healthy eating and the need for regular exercise.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Outcomes for children are not yet good. Most children make steady progress from their starting points in learning. They develop the ability to wait to take their turn, and to socialise as they enjoy playing together. Older children generally develop listening skills and are able to follow adult-led activities. Over time, children develop their confidence to speak in a group.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 251678 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 1018055 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 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 65 Name of provider Stowupland Pre-school & The Mighty Oaks Committee Date of previous inspection 16 June 2015 Telephone number 01449 678550

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Setting details

Stowupland Pre-school & The Mighty Oaks was registered in 1999. The pre-school employs nine members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. Sessions are from 8.45am until 11.45am and 12.45pm until 3.45pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 8.45am until 12.45pm on a Friday, during term time. A lunch club is available to use from 11.45am until 12.45pm each day. The pre- school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a small number of children with special educational needs or disability.

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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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