Charlton Acorns Pre- School

Charlton Acorns Pre- School Charlton Village Road, Charlton, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 7HG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31 January 2017 15 May 2014

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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 management team does not monitor and support staff effectively to improve the quality of teaching and staff's interactions with children.  The management team does not ensure that staff are deployed well to supervise children effectively, to engage them in purposeful play and to meet their individual needs. Some children lose interest in the resources and activities set out and do not make good progress in their all-round learning and development.  The provider does not check that all staff follow good hygiene practice to minimise the risk of cross-infection.  The manager's self-evaluation of the provision does not identify key weaknesses and aspects that require improvement.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff make good use of opportunities to extend children's mathematical knowledge and understanding. For example, they encourage children to count and recognise numbers.  Parents praise the regular information they receive regarding their child's development and feel they are included in future planning for their child's learning needs well.  Staff work in close partnership with other professionals to provide consistency of care between the pre-school and other settings that children attend.  Recruitment procedures are effective and all staff complete the required checks to ascertain their suitability to work with children.

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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

 monitor staff practice effectively to identify weaknesses in teaching and provide the support they need to improve their interactions with children 01/03/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that staff are deployed more effectively to supervise children well and to meet their needs and engage them in purposeful play 13/02/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that all necessary steps are taken to follow good hygiene routines and reduce the risk of cross-infection. 13/02/2017

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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

 use self-evaluation effectively to identify any weaknesses, and take action to improve the quality of the provision.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed children's activities indoors and outdoors.  One inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.  The inspectors had discussions with the children, staff and the manager.  The inspectors took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection and through written feedback.  The inspectors looked at a range of relevant documentation relating to safeguarding and staff suitability, as well as policies, procedures and children's progress records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. Staff know what to do if they are concerned about a child's welfare. However, the management team does not check that staff deploy themselves effectively to supervise children and interact with them well. The provider does not ensure that the setting is well-maintained and that staff are vigilant in reducing the risk of infection. For example, children play on carpets that are not cleaned regularly. Since the last inspection, staff have attended training and increased opportunities for children to learn letters and sounds and to develop their literacy skills. The manager evaluates the provision and monitors children's progress, but she does not identify the variations in staff practice. Staff do not receive the support they need to develop their skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff carry out observations and assessments on children's development. Parents add comments to children's assessment records regularly and share children's ongoing learning from home. This helps to build a clear picture of children's abilities. Staff use what they know about children to plan for their next steps in learning. However, the inconsistencies in staff interactions with children affect the progress children make. Plans for children's future learning are not always implemented effectively and children do not all make the progress of which they are capable. Some staff help children to learn new vocabulary. For example, as children mix cooking ingredients staff talk about the textures and introduce words such as 'squidgy' and 'yolk'.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

On occasions, children are left for long periods of time with very little interaction or guidance from staff. This has a negative impact on children's enjoyment and learning experiences. Some staff support children's health and well-being well. For example, during a baking activity, children learnt that eating raw eggs can give them poorly tummies. However, other staff are not vigilant in minimising the spread of infection. For example, they do not notice when children put chewed food back into fruit bowls. Staff help children to learn behavioural expectations. For example, they intervene when children take pictures away from each other and talk about the benefits of sharing.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children develop some useful skills to help to prepare them for school. For example, they show some independence when they pour their own drinks. They develop their physical skills well. For example, they climb on large tree trunks and set up cones that they knock down by kicking balls. However, the lack of staff support and interaction with children limits their overall progress. At times, children do not show interest in the resources and activities provided and do not engage in purposeful play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 133720 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 1068485 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 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 52 Name of registered person Charlton Acorns Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 15 May 2014 Telephone number 01235 224 088

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reference number

Charlton Acorns Pre-School registered in March 1993. It is run by a parent-management committee and first opened in 1968. It operates from its own building within the grounds of Charlton Primary School, on the outskirts of Wantage, Oxfordshire. It is open on weekdays during school term times, from 9am until to 3pm. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. It employs nine staff, seven of whom hold relevant qualifications at level 2 and above, including one member of staff who has attained early years professional status.

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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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