Irby Primary Pre-School

Irby Primary Pre-School Irby Primary School Site, 40a Coombe Road, Irby, Wirral, Merseyside, CH61 4UR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24 May 2016 15 July 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 Good 2

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Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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

 The rate of improvement since the last inspection has been too slow, partly because some key staff were unavoidably absent for long periods.  Leaders have not improved the quality of teaching enough despite regularly observing staff and giving them feedback. At times staff do not make the most of the planned and naturally occurring opportunities to help children learn.  Leaders introduced a new assessment system, but have found it to be time-consuming and occasionally unreliable about children's learning outcomes. Some staff under- estimate children’s learning and progress. Consequently, leaders are unsure how well some children are catching up, for example, children who receive additional funding.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff have created a calm and happy place to learn and children behave well. Staff use information from observations to provide interesting activities which cover all of the areas of learning.  Children are keen to explore the resources and join in activities, and are becoming confident learners. Staff's obvious enjoyment of children's company helps children feel special and valued.  Safeguarding is effective. Staff know how to spot the signs and symptoms of a range of harm. They know what to do if they have concerns about children or adults.

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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

 accelerate the rate of improvement, for example by using supervision and training to ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently good across the team 30/09/2016

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Due Date

 improve the accuracy and usefulness of assessment in order to provide consistently reliable information about children’s progress and to help staff address any variations in learning, for example between different groups of children. 30/09/2016

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Inspection activities

 Her Majesty's Inspector (HMI) viewed all areas of the premises used by children, including the outside play area.  HMI held a meeting with the manager and discussed her evaluation of the setting. She also spoke with parents, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  HMI observed staff working with children and carried out three joint observations with the manager, who also accompanied HMI on most of the general observations.  HMI reviewed evidence of staff's suitability, and their qualifications and training records. HMI also looked at a sample of records linked to the supervision process, complaints, accidents and incidents.  HMI sampled a selection of planning documents and children's assessments, including some two-year-old progress checks. She also reviewed a broad sample of policies and procedures, including those supporting safeguarding and internet safety.  HMI tracked the progress of three children including talking to their key persons,

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Inspection activities

reviewing their assessment records and where possible, observing them with staff.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Leaders are committed to improve further in order to fully meet the legal requirements. The manager observes staff and gives them feedback to help them develop. However, leaders have evaluated that they need to do more to improve teaching and enhance staff’s qualifications. Staff update their safeguarding and first aid training regularly so they are up to date with the latest guidance should they have a concern. Parents appreciate the opportunities to discuss their children’s progress informally and when they look at children’s records in the parents’ evenings. Parents recently became more involved in identifying children’s starting points. However, it is too soon to tell if this is giving staff a clearer picture of the amount of progress children are making. Leaders are working with the local authority to find a more effective way of assessing the outcomes for individual children and groups. Reception class staff from the adjacent school visit during the

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

summer term to meet the children and to talk with staff about their learning needs. This is helping children make a smooth move to school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff teach children the basic skills they need for the next stage of their learning and for school. Some staff find out about how children learn and plan activities to build on this. These staff adapt activities to support their key children. Adults model accurate speech and most staff leave enough time for children to respond to questions. As a result children are learning to express their thinking clearly. Staff provide activities aimed at developing children in all areas of learning. However, some less confident staff do not make the most of these activities. For example, they do not extend children's learning by responding skilfully to children's answers. Assessment is not reliable, and consequently it is not clear to what extent some of the children are making progress and being prepared for school.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The pre-school buzzes with the sound of happy children excitedly talking about the interesting activities they are involved in. Staff nurture children's emotional well-being and confidence well. Children show they feel safe and content in the way they relate confidently to adults, talking about their home lives, interests and concerns. Staff help children to learn about healthy lifestyles. Children manage their own needs well, such as washing their hands. They serve themselves healthy snacks. Some staff plan activities specifically to help children become confident and motivated learners. Children's climbing and balancing skills are developing well and staff are vigilant about safety. Children from the adjacent Reception class 'help out' during outdoor play, as part of a scheme to provide familiar 'buddies' who can welcome the children due to move to the school in September.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Unreliable assessment information makes it difficult for leaders to demonstrate outcomes for some children. However, during the inspection children were seen to be keen to learn. They are developing communication, social, physical, mathematical and early writing skills through activities such as painting with water on paving slabs and counting and naming shapes as they make dinosaurs from building blocks. They enjoy stories and collage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 306407 Local authority Wirral Inspection number 1051479 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 - 8 Total number of places 34 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Gaynor Vaughan

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 15 July 2015 Telephone number 0151 345 1462

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reference number

Irby Primary School Preschool was registered in 1993 and operates from self-contained premises on the grounds of Irby Primary School, Wirral. The pre-school is run by a voluntary committee. The pre-school employs seven members of childcare staff, all of whom hold early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3.30pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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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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