Barrow Pre-School

Barrow Pre-School Barrow C E Primary School, Barrow Lane, Great Barrow, CHESTER, CH3 7HW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 7 March 2017 Not applicable

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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 progress check for children aged between two and three is not carried out effectively enough. Staff do not ensure the check is completed in a timely manner and do not encourage parents to share it with other professionals, specifically health visitors.  There are weaknesses in planning that lead to less than good teaching. Subsequently, children are not fully challenged in their learning.  The provider does not rigorously monitor staff practice to ensure that staff offer quality learning and development experiences for children.  Staff do not work closely enough with parents to promote consistency between children's care at home and at the pre-school, in relation to children's dietary needs.  Staff do not consistently involve parents in the assessments of the starting points for children's learning. They do not give them enough support to share what they know their child can already do when they first start.

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It has the following strengths

 Children's learning is well promoted outside. They grow apples to make into apple juice to drink, look for animals and feed birds. Some children are able to recognise common birds, such as robins. Children develop physical skills outside. They enjoy running races.  Staff manage children's move from pre-school to school very well. Children benefit from the pre-school being situated within the school. They become secure in the school environment and develop strong relationships with teachers and pupils.  Children are well behaved. They follow rules, such as using quiet voices inside. Staff reinforce children's good behaviour by giving them a sticker for tidying up the toys.

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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

 work more closely with parents to agree when to complete the progress check for children aged between two and three, and encourage parents to share their child's progress check with other professionals, especially health visitors 03/04/2017

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Due Date

 ensure staff plan activities that enable children to learn in ways that truly challenge them 03/04/2017

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Due Date

 improve the performance management of staff to ensure they offer quality learning and development experiences for children. 03/04/2017

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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

 strengthen partnership with parents to regularly review children's dietary needs  support parents more effectively to share what they know about their child's achievements when children first start attending.

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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 held a meeting with the pre-school manager and chairperson of the committee. He looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school and the host school.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the pre-school manager.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Staff receive an annual appraisal and objectives are set at these meetings for staff to complete training. However, these objectives do not focus precisely enough on developing outstanding teaching. Supervision of staff is not good enough to promote continual improvement between appraisal meetings, in order to raise the quality of practice to an exceptional level. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff have completed safeguarding training and know how to report any concerns about the welfare of children. The committee check staff's suitability during recruitment and by ask them to disclose any changes that may affect their suitability to work with children. The manager evaluates the pre-school's provision and uses parent feedback to make improvements. For example, staff have used parent's ideas to create a mud kitchen outside to enhance children's imaginative play.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff's planning of activities is not good enough as they do not take enough account of the ways children learn. As a result, teaching is not tailored sufficiently to their individual needs and therefore does not lead to consistently good progress. Parents are asked to share information about children's likes, interests and things they can do at home when they first start attending. However, some parents have not shared information about children's learning at home because staff have not fully supported them to do so. Staff have a strong focus on preparing children for school. They use the same teaching methods as the host school to teach children how to form letters correctly.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff provide parents with a written progress check for children aged between two and three years. However, they do not discuss or agree with parents when the most useful time is for them to complete the summary. Staff also do not encourage parents to share it with other professionals, including their children's health visitor. Before children start at the pre-school, staff gather information about children's care needs, including dietary information, such as food allergies. However, over time staff do not always review these details with parents, in order to establish if children's dietary needs have changed. This means that staff do not always maintain consistency between children's diet at home and in the pre-school. Nevertheless, children are taught how to keep healthy and follow good hygiene routines. Children have warm relationships with staff, and parents are complimentary about their children's attachments to the staff.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Weaknesses in planning mean that children are not making consistently good progress from their starting points. However, children are improving their mathematical skills. They are able to match quantities to numerals, count up to 10 and add numbers together. Children are developing their independence. They get their own cup at snack time and pour their own drink. Children are becoming imaginative. For example, they act out familiar stories on World Book Day.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY495757 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 1031654 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 3 - 4 Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 12 Name of registered person Barrow Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01244 981313

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reference number

Barrow Pre-School was registered in 2015. The pre-school employs two members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and one at level 2. The pre-school opens term time only. Sessions are from 9am to midday on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and from 8.45am to 3.15pm on a Tuesday. The pre- school provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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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

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

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