Boxmoor Hall Pre School

Boxmoor Hall Pre School Hemel Hempstead Sports Centre, Park Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1JS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 3 November 2016 28 March 2013

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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

 The provider has not notified Ofsted of the appointment of two committee members, meaning that not all suitability checks have been completed. She does not keep all the required records for suitability checks of staff and committee members at the pre- school. Therefore, children are not adequately safeguarded.  The premises are not organised to allow young children privacy when toileting. Children do not have the opportunity to play outside every day.  Staff do not accurately assess children's abilities to support their good progress. They do not target areas where children may need additional help or sufficiently challenge them in areas where they are most able.  Partnerships with parents are not effective. Staff do not work with parents when their children start at the setting to determine children's abilities. They do not have enough accurate knowledge to inform parents about children's ongoing progress.

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This provision is inadequate

 Planned activities do not always take full account of young children's learning needs. Staff do not use activities effectively to make best use of learning opportunities.  The provider has not evaluated her practice to ensure that all legal requirements are met. Staff supervision meetings do not focus on providing staff with coaching or training to improve the quality of their teaching.

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It has the following strengths

 Children play happily and have positive, caring relationships with the staff.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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Due Date

 record details at the setting for all staff Disclosure and Barring Service checks, including the date obtained and who carried out the check 17/11/2016

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Due Date

 provide children with daily access to outdoor activities 17/11/2016  complete accurate assessments of children's progress to ensure they accurately reflect children's abilities and use the information to identify children's next steps in learning to support them to make good progress 17/11/2016

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Due Date

 improve the two-way flow of information with parents; obtain information in relation to children's starting points from parents when they first begin attending to ensure that learning accurately meets children's needs from the start and provide accurate ongoing information about children's learning 17/11/2016

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Due Date

 strengthen the planning of adult-led activities, to challenge younger children in order to maximise their learning during these activities 17/11/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that premises are fit for purpose and suitable for the age of children cared for this relates to toileting arrangements for the younger children 17/11/2016

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Due Date

 improve the use of staff supervision meetings to provide coaching to help them improve the quality of their teaching 17/11/2016

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Due Date

 provide Ofsted with the necessary information to enable them to complete suitability checks on committee members. 17/11/2016

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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

 evaluate the quality of the care and education provided to ensure that all legal requirements are met.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector observed a planned activity and jointly evaluated this with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant records, such as the setting's self-evaluation and saw some evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views. She also spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at a range of documents including the safeguarding policy. She also viewed some observation and assessment records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. Children's safety is compromised. The provider has not notified Ofsted of the appointment of a committee member who has served for the last five years and one that has served for nearly a year. This means that Ofsted has not been provided with the information to enable them to carry out the required suitability checks. Furthermore, at the time of the inspection the manager was unable to provide evidence that a Disclosure and Barring Service check had been completed for one of the committee members. The committee members have some access to the children and deal with sensitive information. The manager has completed checks on the suitability of staff as they are appointed. However, she does not keep a record of the date of the Disclosure and Barring Service checks and who has obtained them as required. Despite this, staff take steps to minimise risks in the environment. They

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

are aware of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and how to refer any concerns regarding children's welfare. The manager completes staff supervision meetings, but she does not use these effectively to help staff improve the quality of their teaching. Training opportunities are limited to mandatory training. The committee members and the manager do not review the provision well enough to ensure that all requirements are met.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

The manager and staff do not gather accurate starting points for children. They are not confident in making assessments of children's progress using appropriate guidance. Staff do not review, or focus attention, on areas where children's progress is not at expected levels for their age. For example, there are some two-year-old children who, according to assessments, are not at the expected level for communication and language. There are no steps in place to support them or to check the validity of assessments. Staff do not understand how to have age-appropriate but high expectations for the two-year-olds. In some areas of learning children have made good progress, but staff do not recognise when children are achieving a higher level or identify appropriate next steps in learning. Planned activities are not well organised. For example, children make pictures out of paint and leaves for bonfire night. Staff do not take account of what children may or may not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

already know about the event. Therefore, their discussions with children do not support their learning effectively. Staff talk to the children and introduce mathematical concepts, encouraging children to choose leaves and discuss their sizes. However, children are given limited resources, children are asked to choose one colour each to paint with and the leaves are all of a similar size and colour. Staff encourage children to identify colours, but do not target their teaching to support children to make good progress in all areas of learning. Parents review their children's learning profiles, but as assessments are not accurate the information does not help them to extend children's learning at home.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

The toileting area for the younger children is not suitable to meet their needs. Children have no privacy when using the potty. This means that they do not know how to keep themselves safe when toileting. The pre-school has an outdoor area but the manager does not ensure that children benefit from access to activities outdoors every day. However, children do benefit from some physical exercise. They use equipment indoors, such as tunnels and a small trampoline to develop some physical skills. Children behave well. They listen to the staff and respond quickly when reminded of expected behaviours. Children have fruit for their snack and are taught about healthy food choices. The staff give children some opportunities to develop their independence. For example, children pour their own drinks with some support and staff provide a bowl for children to wash their hands after painting. Children learn about celebrations of several festivals each year and

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

there are resources to support diversity.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Children do not make consistent progress in all areas. They do not gain enough of the skills they need for school, or the next stage in their learning. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well by their key person using key words and visual aids to help their communication and understanding. However, this practice is not consistent across the staff team.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY289559 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1064601 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 - 3 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 8 Name of registered person Boxmoor Hall Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 28 March 2013 Telephone number 07963381380

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reference number

Boxmoor Hall Pre School is run by a committee and was registered in 2004. The pre- school operates, from 9.15am to 12.15pm, Monday to Friday, term time only. The pre- school employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. One staff member holds an appropriate qualification at level 1. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children and supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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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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reference number

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