Riddins Mound Childcare Centre

Riddins Mound Childcare Centre Training & Enterprise Centre, Applewood Grove, Cradley Heath, West Midlands, B64 6EW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 June 2016 5 August 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 Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision is inadequate

 Sandwell Adventure Play Association Committee (the committee) has not followed the correct vetting procedures to enable Ofsted to carry out checks on their suitability. They do not take all reasonable steps to protect children’s welfare.  Not all staff fully understand the setting’s safeguarding procedures and how to protect children who are at risk of harm. This places children’s welfare at risk.  Staff are not well supported to improve their practice through effective supervision and support. Some staff have not attended safeguarding training for many years. Children are not fully protected from risks and hazards in the outdoor play area.  Leaders do not know the strengths and weaknesses of the setting. The leaders do not effectively monitor the quality of the provision or the performance of staff.  Weak teaching outdoors and children’s poor attendance mean that children do not make the progress they are capable of making.

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It has the following strengths

 Parents who made their comments known all spoke of their high regard for the staff. They say their children have made good progress in their learning while at the setting.  Children behave well when they attend the setting. They are taught to be kind and considerate to each other.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to:

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Due Date

 ensure that all members of the Sandwell Adventure Play Association committee are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their roles by fully implementing the required vetting procedures 29/07/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that the person designated to take lead responsibility for safeguarding children has the required skills, knowledge and experience to fulfil the demands of the role 29/07/2016

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Due Date

 ensure all staff working with the children, including relief workers, are trained to understand their safeguarding responsibilities and ensure that all staff have up to date knowledge of safeguarding issues 31/08/2016

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Due Date

 put appropriate arrangements in place for the supervision of staff; provide them with support, coaching and training that enables them to promote the interests of children 29/07/2016

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Due Date

 take all reasonable steps to ensure children are not exposed to risks and demonstrate how risks are safely managed 29/07/2016

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Due Date

 improve the daily experience of children in the pre-school by implementing an effective system of quality assurance and performance monitoring 31/08/2016

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Due Date

 improve outcomes for the children by accurately evaluating the setting’s strengths and weaknesses, including contributions from senior leaders, parents, children and other stakeholders; and taking effective action to overcome weaknesses. 31/08/2016

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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 learning and development of pre-school children by ensuring their prompt and regular attendance and ensure that they are able to maximise their learning and progress 31/08/2016

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Due Date

 enhance children’s learning and development during outdoor play, by planning challenging and enjoyable experiences for each child. 31/08/2016

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed the improvements that the leaders have made since the last inspection.  The inspector observed children during a range of play and learning activities in the designated play areas, including outdoors. The inspector carried out a joint observation with the pre-school leader.  The inspector held meetings with the on-site leaders and staff.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation including children's learning journals and staff's planning of children's learning and development activities.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of the committee members, all staff working at the premises, and the professional qualifications and training of leaders and staff.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and those of children spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector explored the safeguarding arrangements, the security of the premises and how effectively the leaders have identified and taken steps to minimise any

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Members of Sandwell Adventure Play Association Committee do not understand their legal responsibilities to safeguard children. Committee members have not responded appropriately to requests from Ofsted to provide all relevant information in respect of their suitability. The leaders have failed to act on advice, guidance and support from the local authority. Members of the committee have failed to understand their responsibilities to ensure the requirements of Early Years Foundation Stage are met. Consequently, there are a number of breaches of the welfare, learning and development requirements which impact on the staff’s ability to improve outcomes for children. The role of the designated safeguarding lead is not well established in practice. Leaders do not always recognise when children’s safety is potentially at risk. They are unable to explain confidently the referral procedure without referring to the setting’s safeguarding policy. Leaders, at all

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

levels of the organisation, do not routinely monitor the performance of staff and the quality of the teaching, learning and care practices. They do not evaluate the effectiveness of the provision. Leaders do not involve parents sufficiently in helping to improve the quality of practice at the setting and self-evaluation is weak. Leaders do not provide effective supervision and support for staff. On-site leaders undertake annual appraisals with staff but these are not sufficient to provide staff with an opportunity for confidential discussion of sensitive issues affecting their professional practice. Permanent staff employed at the setting are encouraged to attend mandatory training events. However, leaders do not support relief workers to attend professional development activities to improve their childcare and safeguarding practice. As a result, relief workers do not have an up-to-date understanding of good safeguarding practice. The arrangements to

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

safeguard children are not effective. This places children at potential risk of harm. The committee has not put in place effective systems to ensure outcomes for children are good and improving. They have failed to address key issues of concern including children’s poor and irregular attendance.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Children do not routinely access activities and learning experiences that are challenging and focused on their learning. This is because leaders have not ensured that teaching and planning is of good quality and focused on how to support children’s learning and development outdoors. Indoors, staff provide some good quality of teaching and children are enthusiastic learners. However, staff’s planning of activities and learning outdoors is much less effective. This, together with children’s poor attendance, means that children do not make the progress they are capable of making. Staff effectively track and monitor individual children’s learning, development and progress. However, they do not know if they are effectively helping to close the inequality gap between the most disadvantaged children and their peers. This is because they do not compare the learning and development of individuals and groups of children. Staff have an accurate understanding

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

of children’s starting points. They know the children and parents well and have a good an understanding of each child’s interests. However, they do not use this good knowledge to support the children's learning outdoors. The staff make effective use of the early years outcomes to accurately assess children’s learning and development. Most pre-school children start the setting with skills and abilities below those typical for their age. Once they are settled into the pre-school, many children make good progress in their learning from their starting points, despite the weak teaching outdoors. However, children are not as well prepared as they could be for school due to the weaknesses in teaching during outdoor play and their poor record of attendance. For instance, children have too few opportunities to secure their good physical development.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Staff do not carefully check the safety of the outdoor play area before children are allowed out to play. On the day of the inspection, a dead bird, empty plastic bottles and an accumulation of debris and rubbish had piled up in one corner. Children could potentially access the area putting them at risk of potential harm. The numbers of children attending the sessions are very low, especially in the pre-school. Children are not being well prepared for good attendance at school. Children miss out on learning opportunities due to their frequent non-attendance. Consequently, this reduces the setting’s ability to improve outcomes for the children. Children are polite and well-mannered. Staff encourage children’s good behaviour and confidence through consistent use of praise. The out-of-school club children explained ‘we don’t want bullies, we respect each other, no racism or discrimination is allowed’. The lack of challenge and learning during outdoor play

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

does not affect children’s good behaviour. Relationships and interactions between children and children and staff are caring, attentive and affectionate. Children are encouraged to take responsibility for small tasks. Staff use routines, such as snack time, to reinforce children’s learning and to promote healthy eating and physical well-being.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

The pre-school children are increasingly independent and socially confident. They form strong emotional attachments with staff and other children. Children’s good behaviour was not affected by the lack of challenge and learning during outdoor play. Children of all ages are enthusiastic and eager learners. Most pre-school children make good progress from their starting points. Pre-school children complete complex jigsaw puzzles. They develop their physical skills through a range of activities, for example, as they hold the puzzle pieces and turn them until they fit. They develop cognitive skills as they solve puzzles and develop their emotional skills as they learn to be patient. Pre-school children develop the skills they need to support good writing techniques. They eagerly practise their mark- making and writing. Two, three- and four-year-old children use mathematical language in their play; the older pre-school children count confidently.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 255175 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 1032515 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 - 14 Total number of places 44 Number of children on roll 21 Name of provider Sandwell Adventure Play Association Committee Date of previous inspection 5 August 2015 Telephone number 01384 567 162

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Setting details

Riddins Mound Childcare Centre is run by Sandwell Adventure Play Association (SAPA). It was registered in 1993. It is open Monday to Friday, all year round. The pre-school runs from 9am until 12 noon throughout the year and the out-of-school sessions run from 2.30pm until 6pm during term time only. The playscheme runs from 8am until 6pm during the school holidays. The play centre runs from 3.15pm until 6.15pm during term time and from 12 noon until 3pm during the school holidays. There are five members of staff who work with the children. Of these, one has a level 6 qualification, three have qualifications at level 3 and one member of staff has a level 2 qualification.

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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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