Northowram Methodist Church Pre-School

Northowram Methodist Church Pre-School Northowram Green, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX3 7JE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 May 2016 21 May 2015

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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 Good 2

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

 The provider has failed to notify Ofsted about changes to committee members and the nominated individual. In addition, the necessary information has not been given to Ofsted to enable the required checks to be carried out to establish their suitability.  The provider does not keep an accurate record of the Disclosure and Barring Service checks for all committee members.  The provider has failed to notify Ofsted within the required timescales that a new manager has been appointed.  Self-evaluation and action planning are generally weak. Not enough has been done to ensure the safeguarding and welfare requirements are met. The recruitment of staff is not safe. The pre-school manager and staff reflect on the quality of what they provide to support children's learning and development.  Occasionally, planned activities are overly ambitious and pitched at a level that is beyond the expected capabilities of most children who attend.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff provide a well resourced and welcoming environment. Children develop strong and close attachments with staff, helping to support their emotional well-being.  Children who have special educational needs are well supported. Partnerships with other professionals are good. This helps to promote consistency in children's learning.  Parents are very complimentary about the pre-school and feel the staff are approachable and supportive of their children's care and learning needs.

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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 Ofsted are provided with the necessary information required to enable checks to be completed to establish the suitability of all committee members and the nominated person, in order to effectively safeguard children 17/05/2016

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Due Date

 ensure an accurate and up-to-date record is kept of the Disclosure and Barring Service checks completed for all committee members 17/05/2016

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Due Date

 improve knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements and ensure that safe procedures for recruiting staff are implemented. 24/05/2016

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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

 make effective use of self-evaluation to help identify breaches in requirements and improve the quality of provision for children  review and monitor the planning of activities to ensure that they provide the right amount of challenge, but enable all children to achieve success.

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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.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She checked relevant documentation, including risk assessments, policies, procedures, medication records and evidence of the suitability of all staff working in the setting and some committee members.  The inspector discussed the pre-school's self-evaluation process with the manager and staff.  The inspector checked and discussed children's learning records and planning documentation with staff.  The inspector took account of the views of some parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective. The provider has failed to notify Ofsted in a timely manner about changes to the committee members and the nominated individual. Therefore, the required checks have not been carried out to determine their suitability for the role. The provider does not have a thorough understanding of their responsibilities to meet the statutory requirements. Members of the committee, whose suitability has not been assured by Ofsted, are involved in the recruitment of staff. This indicates a lack of understanding of the basic principles of being a registered childcare provider. Furthermore, records about the Disclosure and Barring Service checks for all committee members are not up to date and accurate. Ofsted has also not been notified of a change of manager. These weaknesses all have a significant impact on children's welfare. Nevertheless, all pre-school staff who work directly with children are trained in

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

safeguarding children. They identify a range of signs and symptoms of possible abuse or neglect and understand how to keep children safe from harm. The manager of the pre- school has put in place a written safeguarding policy, which meets requirements. Staff understand the process to be followed should allegations be made against a colleague. The manager has researched recent changes to legislation and has shared new guidance documents with staff. Daily risk assessments are carried out in the pre-school to ensure any potential hazards are minimised and the premises and resources are safe for children. All staff have completed paediatric first-aid training, which helps to equip them with the knowledge needed to respond to any medical emergencies. The pre-school has been through a number of recent changes. The new manager is striving to improve the quality of the pre-school. The learning and development recommendations set at the last

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

inspection have been addressed. Appropriate supervisions and appraisals are carried out to help staff understand their roles and responsibilities in meeting the care and educational needs of young children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The pre-school manager and staff are well qualified. Staff regularly observe children engaged in play. They make accurate assessments and use these to generally plan suitably challenging experiences to extend children's learning further. Staff track children's learning each term and identify any areas where children are not achieving in line with typical expectations. Timely interventions are put in place to help children catch up in their learning and development. The manager regularly checks the assessments that staff make of children's learning to monitor the progress they make. Children are motivated in their learning and persist in their explorations. They enjoy filling buckets of water from the garden tap and concentrate well as they use large paintbrushes to paint the wheeled toys with the water. Staff ask thought-provoking questions about plant and animal life cycles as they play matching games with children. They provide children with praise and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

encouragement for their efforts, helping to strengthen children's learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's welfare is not assured. This is because the provider does not ensure that all the safeguarding and welfare requirements are met. Nevertheless, other aspects of children's welfare are supported. The manager has worked with the local authority advisor and has recently put in place a new process for the recording of accidents, injuries and incidents. In addition, the procedure for recording and administering children's medication has been reviewed and strengthened. Children are well behaved and understand the clear expectations that staff have of them. Children enjoy moving their bodies when taking part in action songs. They challenge their skills as they skilfully climb on the climbing frame and show good body coordination as they bounce on the outdoor trampoline. These experiences help to promote children's physical well-being. Children are provided with healthy drinks and snacks which support their healthy development and meet their

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Outcomes for children are good

Children's progress is good. They are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including starting school. Children are developing good literacy and mathematical skills. They demonstrate their knowledge of a range of songs and rhymes and enjoy listening to stories. Older children talk confidently about a range of topics during group times as they enthusiastically share their news.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 303786 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 1016074 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 25 Number of children on roll 32 Name of provider Northowram Methodist Church Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 21 May 2015 Telephone number 07922 110 504

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Setting details

Northowram Methodist Church Pre-School was registered in 2007. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including two with qualified teacher status. The pre-school opens on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings during term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am until 11.45am. The pre-school provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who have 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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