Chestnut Trees Preschool

Chestnut Trees Preschool Memorial Hall, Highworth Road, Shrivenham, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN6 8BL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 3 May 2017 25 March 2015

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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

 Children's welfare is significantly compromised. The committee, manager and staff do not have an adequate understanding of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children's welfare effectively. This results in further breaches in statutory requirements.  The provider has failed to notify Ofsted of changes to the committee or provide all relevant details of the current committee members to Ofsted to enable the required suitability checks to be completed to help protect children effectively.  There are gaps in staff's knowledge of safeguarding procedures, such as recent changes to safeguarding legislation and guidance, placing children at further risk.  The provider has failed to obtain Disclosure and Barring Service checks on all staff and volunteers to ensure their suitability to protect children. In addition, the provider fails to ensure that unvetted staff do not have unsupervised contact with children.

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This provision is inadequate

 The manager fails to ensure that there is at least one member of staff who holds a current first-aid qualification available at all times children are present to swiftly respond to an emergency or accident.  The management team does not ensure all relevant records required by Ofsted are available for inspection purposes and available to parents. Self-evaluation is weak.  The quality of teaching is poor and learning is incidental. Staff know children's interests and abilities, but do not provide effective challenge. Children's progress is inadequate.

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It has the following strengths

 Children play outdoors daily. They enjoy regular fresh air and exercise.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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Due Date

 ensure the committee has a clear understanding of its roles and responsibilities to monitor the provision effectively to identify any breaches of requirements 10/06/2017

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Due Date

 notify Ofsted of any changes to the committee and supply all relevant details so that the required checks can be completed to ascertain their suitability 10/06/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that all staff have a suitable and up to date understanding of safeguarding procedures, including the governments statutory guidance ''Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015'' and the ''Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales 2015'' to respond to any concerns they may have about children in their care 10/06/2017

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Due Date

 ensure an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check is obtained for every person who works directly with children, and that people whose suitability has not been checked do not have unsupervised contact with the children at any time 10/06/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that there is at least one qualified first aider on the premises and available at all times, who is able to respond quickly to an emergency in the building or garden 10/06/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that all required records are available for inspection and made available to parents 10/06/2017

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Due Date

 implement effective systems to supervise and coach staff to make sure that staff effectively fulfil their roles. 10/06/2017

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 ensure the required progress check for children aged between two and three years is carried out and provide parents with a short written summary of this check, including their child's development in the prime areas 10/06/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that staff use what they know about children's interests and abilities to tailor activities to meet their individual needs and that all children are effectively included, supported and challenged during planned activities. 10/06/2017

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's play during indoor and outdoor activities.  The inspector looked at a sample of children's assessment records and a range of other documentation.  The inspector spoke with staff, children and parents at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective. The provider has failed to notify Ofsted of changes to the committee members or submit the required documentation for their suitability checks to be completed. Consequently, Ofsted are unable to establish if all persons responsible for the pre-school are safe and suitable for their role. The provider has also failed to obtain an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check for all staff and volunteers and ensure these adults are not left unsupervised with children. The manager and her deputy, who is designated lead for safeguarding, have a poor understanding of safeguarding matters, despite the deputy attending training. For example, they do not ensure that all staff are aware of their responsibilities to protect children, including in regard to the Prevent duty. Self-evaluation is poor and is not used effectively to identify breaches in requirements. The committee fails to monitor the provision effectively or

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

recognise that the significant weaknesses in practice have a detrimental impact on children's safety, welfare and learning. The manager was unable to produce all paperwork required for inspection. For example, staff files, qualifications and recruitment documentation were not available on the premises and easily accessible.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Arrangements to ensure the completion of the required progress check for children aged between two and three years are weak. This limits the involvement of parents and delays the provision of extra support to meet children's needs. Although most staff are qualified, they do not use their skills to interact, challenge or support children's learning effectively to help them make sufficient progress. Staff fail to build on what children know and can do. They are often not on hand to provide support and challenge to children in their learning. For some children, activities are mundane and they lose interest. They do not all engage in purposeful play. During the inspection, children enjoyed some activities, such as investigating the movement of water as they poured it down tubes. However, staff failed to build on this interest and extend their learning. Children who have English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

receive effective support overall. Staff work closely with other agencies. Parents state their children enjoy the homely environment.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Weaknesses in leadership and management significantly compromise children's safety. The provider does not promptly complete staff vetting processes to ensure children's welfare. Arrangements for staff deployment in the event of an accident in any area of the premises are ineffective. The manager is the only first-aid qualified member of staff and there are no contingency plans to cover her absences. This places children's health and safety at further risk. Children are assigned a key person, who monitors their well-being and works with their parents. Some staff have worked in the pre-school for many years, providing consistency for children and parents, which fosters bonds between them. Children generally behave well and follow simple rules. For example, they learn to tidy up and receive praise from staff, which supports their self-esteem.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Children do not make the progress of which they are capable in the pre-school. Any progress is incidental. The skills and knowledge that children possess cannot be attributed to the teaching that they receive. Children enjoy their time with their friends, but do not receive the support they need to build on what they know and can do, or prepare them well for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 133721 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 1089481 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 24 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person Chestnut Trees Preschool Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 25 March 2015 Telephone number 07973 418 202

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reference number

Chestnut Trees Preschool first opened in 1970 and registered in 2001. It operates from the Viscountess Barrington Memorial Hall in Shrivenham, on the Oxfordshire and Wiltshire border. The pre-school is open daily during term times from 9am until 2.45pm. The pre- school receives funding to provide free early education to children aged three and four years. Four staff work with the children. Three of the staff have early years qualifications, including the manager who is qualified to level 6.

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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

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

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