Little Gems

Little Gems Henfield Youth Centre, Deer Park, Henfield, BN5 9JQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26 September 2016 Not applicable

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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:

 Staff do not consistently make good use of their assessments of children's play to support their progress as effectively as possible. They do not always plan activities that build on and extend children's existing individual knowledge, skills and interests.  The manager has not fully established an effective system for supervising staff and supporting their ongoing professional development.  The manager and the staff team do not make effective use of self-evaluation. Areas of practice that require improvement are not always identified promptly to address weaknesses.  Some activities, such as large group sessions, are not always well planned to take into account the needs of the younger children who become distracted and bored.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are happy and settled. They choose from a variety of resources and confidently lead their play.  Staff have good relationships with children and are sensitive to their individual needs.  Parents are welcomed into the nursery, for example, they are invited to join local outings with the children. Staff keep parents appropriately informed about children's activities and care on a day-to-day basis.  Staff are vigilant in keeping children safe. For example, they supervise children closely and conduct thorough risk assessments of the premises and any outings.

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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 staff consistently use their assessments of children's achievements to plan appropriately challenging activities that help children make the best possible progress in their learning. 26/10/2016

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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

 improve the opportunities for staff to receive regular training, support and coaching to help raise the quality of teaching and their practice further  make effective use of self-evaluation to identify and address any areas for improvement as quickly as possible  develop further the organisation of activities for groups of children, to further involve all those taking part to help extend their learning and keep them fully engaged.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children and staff taking part in activities indoors and outdoors and accompanied them on a local walk.  The inspector had discussions with the manager and staff members about their practice and children's learning and development.  The inspector sampled paperwork including children's files.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke to parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. The manager carries out thorough suitability checks on staff prior to them starting work with children. Staff understand how to recognise and report any child protection concerns to help support children's safety and well-being. The quality of teaching is not consistent. The manager has some meetings with staff to discuss their performance. However, she does not always review their practice thoroughly enough to quickly identify areas where they need support. Staff attend essential training courses, such as first aid, but opportunities to further develop their teaching skills are not fully in place. The manager has begun to review the provision and has taken some steps to make improvements, for instance, by changing the management structure. However, systems for continually monitoring the strengths and weaknesses are not fully developed.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff gather appropriate information from parents before children start, to help them understand children's individual needs. They have recently begun to implement a new system for planning and assessing children's development. However, at present activities do not always build effectively on children's individual skills and help them to catch up. Nevertheless, children enjoy their time at the nursery and take part in a balanced range of activities each day. Staff support children's communication and language skills appropriately. For instance, they talk to children as they play, share stories and repeat words. They plan some interesting experiences that children are eager to take part in. For instance, children enjoy collecting natural materials on an autumn walk and have fun in the park.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff offer children calm, consistent guidance and have clear expectations for their behaviour. For example, children quickly learn the daily routines for mealtimes and wait patiently as they prepare for an outing. Children have some good opportunities to develop independence skills. For instance, they cut up their fruit at snack time and wash up their plate and cup when they have finished. Staff act as good role models. They help children gain useful skills to keep themselves safe. For example, they talk to children about the rules before they go on outings, and children remember not to run indoors.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children make steady progress in their learning and development from their starting points. They become more independent and learn to do some things for themselves. Children play well together and learn to share and take turns. Some older children recognise their name and count confidently. They learn some skills that help prepare them appropriately for the next stage of learning and for the move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY482473 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 995501 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 - 4 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 34 Name of registered person Little Gem's With Big Imaginations Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07716100655

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reference number

Little Gems registered in 2014. It operates from the Henfield Youth Centre in Henfield, West Sussex. The setting is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 51 weeks a year. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are five members of staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 5, and three hold a qualification at level 3.

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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

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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