Dunmore Pre-School

Dunmore Pre-School Farm Road, Off Austin Place, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1NA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 April 2016 17 June 2013

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3

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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3

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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

 The manager does not always ensure that the support available for staff to develop their teaching skills is effective.  At times, the organisation of the day means that children are not fully engaged in activities that encourage their learning further. This leads to an inconsistency in the quality of teaching and in children's outcomes.

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It has the following strengths

 The manager and staff regularly assess children's development, and additional support for children is put in place when needed.  Staff work well in partnership with other early years professionals, such as speech and language therapists and staff at the local children's centre. This helps children receive individual support to help them catch up with their peers.  Staff encourage children to be independent. For example, children get themselves ready for the garden, help to wash up and wipe their own noses.  Children have strong emotional well-being and develop positive self-esteem and confidence.  There are good opportunities for all children to practise their early writing skills. For example, young children enjoy making marks in the paint and older children access other suitable writing resources.

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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

 ensure support for all staff to improve teaching is effective 28/05/2016  ensure children benefit from well-planned and challenging learning experiences at all times. 28/05/2016

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager to assess the quality of teaching and support for children's learning.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation, such as records of children's learning and progress, safeguarding policies and suitability checks.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager.  The inspector observed interactions between the staff and children.  The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the day.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The manager monitors the staff as they engage with the children, such as through observations, and conducts regular individual meetings with them. However, this is not always effective in how it improves staff practice or the quality of teaching. For example, the manager does not always intervene or role model best practice when some children are not engaged or suitably challenged. There are opportunities for staff training; however, this is not always used effectively to reduce the minor weaknesses in the teaching practice. The manager and staff work well in partnership with parents. They regularly receive details about their children's development and good information about how they can support children's learning at home. Safeguarding is effective. All staff fully understand and know the correct procedures to follow to support children's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The staff support children's mathematical development well. For example, children used and followed mathematical positional language, such as 'left', 'right', 'up' and 'down'. Children develop their physical skills effectively, for instance, as they carefully use tweezers to sort pom-poms into different coloured pots. However, teaching is not consistent and, for example, children are not always able to access all areas of the environment to support their learning. After children finish eating, in particular, staff do not consistently plan exciting, motivating and challenging learning opportunities that continue to encourage children's learning and development well. At other times, children engage positively in activities.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The environment is welcoming and stimulating, with a wide variety of resources. Children are happy and content. Staff manage children's behaviour in a positive, calm and age- appropriate manner. The effective key-person system encourages children to settle well. Staff help children to feel valued and respected as individuals. For example, they display their art work and photographs of the children at play. Children play with a good range of resources that help them learn about people's differences and similarities. Staff support children's physical well-being effectively, for example, with play and exercise in the fresh air and during outings locally.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Not all children make the best possible progress because there is inconsistency in the quality of teaching and learning. However, children are well prepared emotionally and supported in their move to school. For example, children enjoy visits to the school to gain familiarity with the environment. All children develop good communication and language skills. For example, they love to sing and confidently make up their own songs.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 133399 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 1028453 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 45 Name of provider Dunmore Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 17 June 2013 Telephone number 01235 202103

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Setting details

Dunmore Pre-School registered in 1993 and is managed by a committee of parents. The pre-school operates from a detached self-contained building in a residential estate in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3.30pm during school term times. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are seven members of staff, of whom five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and the manager has Early Years Professional Status.

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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

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Setting details

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Setting details

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Setting details

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