Little Owls Pre School

Little Owls Pre School Hutton Scout and Guide Headquarters, Off St.Marys Road, Hutton, Weston-Super- Mare, Somerset, BS24 9QP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 October 2016 21 November 2013

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The manager does not consistently follow safer recruitment and vetting procedures to obtain full suitability checks for all new staff. For example, she does not obtain and follow up references. This is also a breach of the Childcare Register requirements.  Although older children enjoy their time at the setting, staff do not consistently provide sufficiently challenging learning experiences to help them make good progress and extend their learning.  The manager and staff do not involve parents in assessing children's skills and abilities at the start. They do not have successful ongoing partnerships with parents and all other settings that children attend, to enable continuity in children's learning.  The manager does not closely monitor the progress that all children make, to identify any patterns in learning between individual and groups of children to close gaps promptly, adapt the educational programmes and help children make good progress.

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It has the following strengths

 The effective key person approach helps staff build positive relationships with children. Children are happy, settled and secure.  The manager and staff work well with other professionals to seek advice and follow consistent strategies that help children who require additional support to achieve.

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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

 improve recruitment and vetting procedures, to ensure that all required suitability checks are carried out for all new staff 09/11/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that staff accurately link planned activities with older children's learning needs, to improve the quality of teaching and provide good challenge for all children 09/11/2016

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Due Date

 improve the partnership with parents, to identify children's starting points and share information relating to children's learning needs through a two-way flow of information, to help children make good progress in their learning. 02/11/2016

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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

 improve the arrangements to monitor the progress that individual and groups of children make, to identify any patterns in learning to close gaps promptly and adapt the educational programmes  establish links with all other settings that children attend, to share and receive regular information about children's learning and general experiences elsewhere.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during planned activities and children's self-chosen play.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector took account of the views of children, parents and staff spoken to on the day of inspection.  The inspector held meetings with the manager at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector sampled documentation, including suitability checks for staff, policies and procedures, and children's learning records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff have a clear understanding of child protection issues and know how to refer any concerns about children's welfare promptly. However, the manager does not ensure the suitability of all new staff, although she makes sure that they complete the Disclosure and Barring Service suitability checks. The manager appropriately supports staff to build their skills and knowledge. This identified the need for training to focus on behaviour management, leading staff to improve how they support children to behave. The manager generally evaluates well to identify future improvements, such as increasing children's outdoor learning experiences. However, she does not monitor the progress that individual and groups of children make to assess the quality of teaching and provision, and target any patterns in children's learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff do not find out about children's needs from parents when they first attend, to plan activities based on what children already know. Although staff accurately observe and assess children's learning, they do not use this information effectively to plan challenging experiences that extend older children. For example, during group activities, staff focus on younger children's learning and provide no additional challenge for older children, meaning they do not practise or develop new skills. Staff miss opportunities to engage with parents and other settings that children attend. They do not share detailed information about children's achievements and next steps regularly, or seek others' contributions towards children's assessment, to ensure consistency in their experiences. At times, staff support older children's mathematical and literacy skills well, such as asking them to count how many children are present and to find their name labels.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Weaknesses to the recruitment of new staff do not fully ensure children's safety and well- being. Staff help children to be happy and confident, however, they do not fully support them to be successful learners. Children understand familiar routines and behave well. For example, during circle time, they understand expectations and show enthusiasm for their additional responsibilities when chosen to be the 'golden star'. Children develop good social skills, and spontaneously show affection to others and staff.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children develop some skills in preparation for school, although they do not receive consistent challenge to learn to listen, share their thoughts and ideas, and think critically. Children enjoy their play and, at times, work well together to solve problems, for example, how to move a heavy box of toys. Weaknesses to the quality of assessment, teaching and partnerships hamper the rate and progress children are capable of making.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY377876 Local authority North Somerset Inspection number 1062201 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 - 8 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person Martin Howell and Serena Howell Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 21 November 2013 Telephone number 07757201694

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reference number

Little Owls Pre School registered in 2008 and operates from a Scout hut in Hutton, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset. The pre-school opens each weekday, except for bank holidays and some school holidays. Sessions run from 9am to midday and 12.45pm to 3.45pm, with the option for children to stay at lunchtime from midday to 12.45pm. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are six members of staff working with the children, including the provider/manager. Of these, five 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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