St Clements Pre-School

St Clements Pre-School St. Clements Church Hall, 55 Kinson Avenue, POOLE, Dorset, BH15 3PH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24 June 2016 1 March 2016

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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 Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Children are not kept safe. Staff fail to share relevant information with other services when there are indications a child is at risk of harm. Assessments to determine the safety of resources are weak. Children using the climbing frame, for example, are at risk of injury because there is insufficient safety matting to protect them if they fall.  Leaders and managers have failed to make essential improvements to the pre-school since the last inspection.  Staff supervision meetings are not frequent enough and areas for development are not identified or addressed. This limits the effectiveness of supervision and as a result, staff are not supported to improve their own practice and skills.  The quality of opportunities for children to learn and develop has deteriorated since the last inspection. Too many children are left to their own devices to occupy themselves and they do not do as well as they could as a result. Children are not well-prepared for

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This provision is inadequate

school or for the next stage of their education.  New systems intended to plan what children learn are not yet effective. The curriculum does not reflect children's learning needs.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are kind to one another. They readily chat and laugh with one another while they play.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to:

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Due Date

 improve knowledge of safeguarding requirements and responsibilities so that concerns are effectively assessed and information is shared with relevant services without hesitation 08/07/2016

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Due Date

 improve risk assessment processes so that all equipment, including the climbing frame, is safely presented and children are kept safe 08/07/2016

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Due Date

 implement effective supervision processes and performance reviews so staff receive accurate feedback on the quality of their work which helps them develop their practice and teaching skills 25/07/2016

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Due Date

 ensure managers and the committee develop well-coordinated and effective leadership to establish and maintain safe, good quality early years provision that meets the legal requirements of the early years foundation stage. 25/07/2016

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Due Date

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 improve the quality of teaching so staff make sure all children benefit from interesting and exciting learning opportunities that help them to learn as much as they can and be ready for school 30/09/2016

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Due Date

 make best use of recently introduced systems that review the curriculum so that children's next steps of learning are included in daily activities. 30/09/2016

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spent time observing children playing.  The inspector discussed an evaluation of children's play with the manager during the session.  The inspector spoke with parents, committee members, the manager, deputy manager and children.  The inspector looked at a range of relevant documentation including suitability checks, children's learning records, safeguarding documentation and staff supervision notes.  This inspection was carried out as part of Ofsted's risk assessment process. Concerns were received about the rigour of the pre-schools' safeguarding procedures and the effectiveness of its leadership and management.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Leadership is ineffective and the pre-school is poorly managed. Managers have not promptly identified or addressed weak practice despite additional committee meetings and frequent visits from local authority development officers. Little progress has been made on the setting improvement plan. Key pre-school personnel have failed to work collaboratively and have not done enough to raise the quality of care and education children receive. Safeguarding is ineffective. Although staff have improved record keeping of safeguarding concerns, these are not shared appropriately with other services. Systems to track the progress of children are in place and aim to ensure children do not fall behind in their learning. Staff explain these systems competently and demonstrate they know what children need to learn. However, in practice these systems make little difference to how well children do and much of the teaching is of poor quality.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Staff have low expectations of what children should do. Some children spend almost the entire session chatting with friends on the climbing frame, including those who will be starting school in a few months' time. Children demonstrate social skills that are at typical levels for their age but they miss the chance to develop further skills in literacy and mathematics, for example. The local authority has helped staff to streamline their observations of what children can do and what they need to learn next. A newly implemented 'floor book' provides a solid system of curriculum evaluation and planning. However, staff do not make best use of this information. They do not provide challenging and interesting activities that hold children's interest or help them learn. On too many occasions, children have little to occupy or motivate them.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children behave well. They cooperate and follow the routines of the session, such as sitting down for snack time or listening to a story. It is clear that children respect the staff who care for them. They appear content to come into pre-school when they arrive. Parents report that staff look after their children well. There is a relaxed and informal atmosphere to the pre-school that suits the emotional needs of children. Local schools have sound links with the pre-school. Class teachers make visits and get to know the children. This assists a smooth transition, and children have the chance to prepare for the next stage of their education. However, poor safeguarding practice and lack of attention with regards to keeping children safe while they play on the climbing frame means children's welfare is put at unnecessary risk.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Too many children make insufficient progress. Some older children are below levels of development that are typical for their age. Records show children have not yet achieved expected levels in communication, language or literacy, for example. Staff are aware of those children who need extra help with their development. However, a lack of sound teaching hinders the progress these children can make.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 109592 Local authority Poole Inspection number 1043455 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 34 Number of children on roll 12 Name of registered person St Clements Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 1 March 2016 Telephone number 01202 738454

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reference number

St Clements Pre-school registered in 1993. It is a committee-run pre-school located in the St Clements Church Hall in Poole, Dorset. The pre-school is open weekdays during term time from 9am to 12noon, and until 3pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The pre- school employs three members of staff. All staff hold a level 3 early years qualification.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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reference number

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