Sidemoor Preschool

Sidemoor Preschool Pear Tree Childrens Centre, Broad Street, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B61 8LW

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 4 November 2016 20 November 2013

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Inadequate 4

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

p.1

This provision is inadequate

 Vulnerable children are not consistently protected from harm. Staff who have lead responsibility for safeguarding do not always recognise possible signs of abuse or neglect or ensure concerns about children's welfare are reported to relevant agencies.  Information about specific safeguarding issues regarding children and families is not always shared effectively between staff who have lead responsibility for safeguarding or with other staff involved in their care.  The leadership and management of the pre-school have not identified weaknesses in safeguarding practice and failures to meet regulation. They do not adequately check how well they and the staff understand and implement the pre-school's policies and local safeguarding procedures.  Staff do not always successfully engage some young children in learning about and using information and communication technology.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Staff are kind and attentive. They give children reassurance and encouragement. Children are happy, settled, confident and relish exploring the well resourced, child- friendly surroundings.  Staff interact well with children. They enthuse children, so they are keen to join in and often concentrate well. Staff skilfully help children to communicate effectively. Children use expressive language and a wide vocabulary to recall events, talk about what they are doing and to respond to questions.  Children thoroughly enjoy stimulating, often challenging opportunities to be physically active, in order to explore their natural surroundings and to investigate and create using different media and materials.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

Due Date

 ensure that managers and staff recognise signs of possible abuse and neglect at the earliest opportunity, and respond in a timely and appropriate way, especially regarding injuries to children and any comments made by them or adults that cause concern 09/12/2016

p.2

Due Date

 ensure staff with lead responsibility for safeguarding and other staff working with children are well informed about specific safeguarding issues regarding children and families, so that any concerns about a child's welfare are promptly identified, understood and responded to appropriately 09/12/2016

p.2

Due Date

 improve the monitoring of staff practice and implementation of the pre-school's safeguarding policies to ensure these are in line with Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and are rigorously applied, in order to protect children. 09/12/2016

p.2

Due Date

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

Due Date

 explore additional ways to encourage young children to select and use a range of information and communication technology equipment for different purposes.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation of an activity with the deputy manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the deputy manager and the pre-school supervisor. She spoke to staff from the children's centre and the pre-school and children during the inspection.  The inspector looked at and discussed documentation. This included the pre-school's self-evaluation form and improvement plans, evidence of the suitability and training of staff and procedures and records relating to the protection of children.  The inspector took account of parents' views from her discussions with them during the inspection and from their feedback to the provider.

p.3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. The leadership and management of the pre-school are not checking that the pre-school's safeguarding policies are being effectively applied. The manager and staff attend regular safeguarding training and often discuss safeguarding issues. However, the manager and other staff who have lead responsibility for safeguarding do not always recognise and respond appropriately to possible signs of neglect or abuse. There are instances where they have not informed relevant agencies of concerns highlighted by children's injuries, behaviour or their or other's comments. Staff who have lead responsibility for safeguarding do not always share enough information about safeguarding concerns and incidents. This means they, and other staff working with vulnerable children, do not know enough about their circumstances and the level of risk. This affects how rigorously the management and staff

p.4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

monitor children's welfare and reduce the risk of any further harm. Some aspects of leadership and management are effective. Robust recruitment and well-targeted training ensure staff are well qualified and knowledgeable about the learning and development requirements. Staff's teaching is good. They skilfully promote children's purposeful learning, good health and safety during calmly managed sessions. Parents' views about their children's backgrounds, interests and abilities are welcomed and followed up. Parents appreciate regular opportunities to talk to staff about their children's routines, activities and progress. They comment on how much their children enjoy coming to pre-school and how well they are developing. The provider, staff and children's centre continue to collaborate to give families advice and support regarding their play, behaviour and care.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The manager and staff have embedded robust observations, assessments and planning. They have a sound knowledge of children's starting points, interests, abilities and future learning needs. Staff are confident, skilled teachers who follow up children's next steps for learning and promote their sustained progress. They work with parents and other professionals to give well-targeted support to children who have special educational needs and disabilities, so they progress well. Children enjoy rich and varied activities. They often help themselves from a wealth of interesting resources that prompts their ideas and sustained play. For example, they are inspired by an extremely well-equipped mud kitchen. Children are engrossed as they carefully select and use utensils, containers and ingredients, including soil, water and other materials. Children talk about quantities and imaginatively describe what they are making. They offer adults cups of 'tea' and realistic

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

looking 'cakes'. Children also practise early writing skills using different media, tools and equipment, such as the interactive whiteboard. Information technology is not consistently used to proactively support children's learning.

p.4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's well-being is not consistently protected. The management and staff are not always vigilant enough about highlighting and addressing concerns about children's behaviour, injuries and welfare. In other respects, the adults ensure children are well supervised and kept safe at the pre-school. They carefully check the safety and security of the premises and the condition of toys and equipment. Children are taught how to safely use resources and how to manage risks during more challenging outdoor and physical play. Children's specific health conditions, allergies and care routines are understood and effectively managed by staff. Children make healthy choices about what to eat and drink. They relish being active and outdoors. Children competently use a wide range of apparatus and wheeled toys. They become more independent in seeing to their personal care and good hygiene. Children are well behaved as staff ensure they know what is

p.4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

happening next and what is expected of them. Children play well together and enjoy each other's company, for instance, during relaxed, social snack times. They like helping to put away toys and talking about their families and experiences.

p.5

Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress in relation to their starting points which are often below expectations for their age. They are confident, eager learners who communicate effectively and are well prepared for school. Children are resourceful, enjoying using numbers for counting and solving practical problems. They enjoy well-told stories, songs and rhymes. They write in different contexts and recognise some letters in print and the sounds they represent.

p.5

Setting details

Unique reference number EY365014 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 1065069 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 44 Name of registered person Sidemoor Pre-School Playgroup Committee

p.6

reference number

Date of previous inspection 20 November 2013 Telephone number 01527 870828

p.6

reference number

Sidemoor Preschool was registered in 2008. The pre-school employs nine members of childcare staff. The provider holds a level 4 qualification and the other staff hold appropriate qualifications at level 2 or 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who speak English as an additional language and children who have special educational needs and disabilities. There are close links with the children's centre where the pre-school is located. Pre-school staff run a stay-and-play session for parents and children from the local community on Thursdays from 1pm until 2.45pm.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.7

reference number

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

p.7