St. Oswald's Pre-School

St. Oswald's Pre-School St Oswald's Primary School, Padgate Lane, Padgate, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 3LB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 May 2017 26 February 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

 The provider and manager have failed to appoint a deputy to act as manager when required. In addition, they have failed to follow the correct procedure regarding informing Ofsted of changes to committee members.  Staff's knowledge and understanding of some aspects of safeguarding are weak. This compromises the safety and welfare of children.  Assessments of children's development do not include information from parents about their child's existing skills. This impacts on the accuracy of assessments.  Planning for children's next steps in learning is not yet sufficient. This means that not enough is done to challenge the most able children to help them make the best progress possible.  Reflection on the quality of the provision is weak and does not ensure that all statutory requirements are met.  Supervision of staff is not effective in raising their knowledge and quality of practice.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff are caring towards children and this helps them to settle and feel at ease. In turn, children behave well and play cooperatively with each other and staff.  Children are happy and settled in the welcoming provision. They have access to well resourced indoor and outdoor areas and are provided with healthy snacks. They have daily opportunities to develop their independence and physical skills.

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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

 ensure there is a named deputy appointed to take charge in the manager's absence 23/06/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that Ofsted is provided with the necessary information needed to carry out suitability checks on committee members 23/06/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that all staff have an adequate knowledge of how to appropriately respond to concerns relating to allegations against staff and of wider safeguarding issues, such as potential extremism 23/06/2017

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Due Date

 ensure the safeguarding policy is in line with the guidance and procedures of the relevant Local Safeguarding Children Board 23/06/2017

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Due Date

 improve systems for the supervision of staff performance to raise their knowledge and overall quality of practice 30/06/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that assessments of what children can and cannot do are accurate and include information from parents detailing their children's existing skills 30/06/2017

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Due Date

 implement effective planning systems that build on and challenge children's individual needs to help them make the best progress possible. 30/06/2017

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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

 ensure that systems for self-evaluation identify weakness and drive improvements.

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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 and welfare.  The inspector spoke with staff and a parent helper and interacted with children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector evaluated an activity and discussed the impact on children's learning with a member of staff.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including staff qualifications and supervision records and checked evidence of the suitability of staff and others working in the pre-school.  The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is not effective. The provider and manager have failed to identify a named deputy to take charge in the manager's absence. This means that when the manager is absent those with safeguarding responsibilities and other staff have limited understanding of some aspects of safeguarding. For example, they are not aware of the reporting procedures should allegations against staff or wider safeguarding issues arise, such as potential extremism. In addition, the safeguarding policy is not in line with current guidance set by the Local Safeguarding Children Board. Nevertheless, staff have attended some safeguarding training and know the signs and symptoms of potential child protection concerns. The provider and manager have failed to complete the correct procedure to enable Ofsted to complete relevant suitability checks for all committee members. This compromises children's safety. This also contributes to the weak evaluation of practice to

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

ensure requirements are met and improvements made.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Although most staff are qualified, supervision arrangements are not yet sufficient to ensure they are developing the skills they need to deliver high-quality teaching. This also impacts on their ability to accurately assess children's development and understand the importance of gathering relevant information from parents about their children's existing skills. This means that planning is not always based on children's individual needs. For example, staff do not ensure sufficiently challenging play experiences are provided. Nevertheless, children enjoy their time taking part in various play experiences, such as listening to stories, singing and early mark making for future writing.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Weaknesses in staff's knowledge of safeguarding impacts on children's safety and welfare. Children show familiarity during routines, such as letting staff know if they need the toilet and managing their own personal care routines. Children show increasing levels of self- esteem and older children form close relationships with their peers. Staff promote opportunities for children to learn through responsibilities. For example, they routinely put away resources and are learning ways to use equipment safely. Children access various opportunities to promote their physical skills. They enjoy dancing, climbing and moving their bodies in different ways using equipment and in the outdoor play areas.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

When children start at the pre-school not enough is done to accurately establish what they can do or already know. As a result, there is not yet a holistic understanding of children's starting points that also include parents' views. Staff do not yet sufficiently plan for children's next steps in learning and as a result, children are not making the progress of which they are capable. Children gain a positive awareness of diversity through a varied and interesting range of play experiences. Young children are keen explorers who are beginning to develop a sense of curiosity through sensory exploration. Older children are confident communicators and are motivated to learn during their chosen play experience.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 315247 Local authority Warrington Inspection number 1090816 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 19 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person St. Oswalds Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 26 February 2015 Telephone number 01925 825425

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reference number

St. Oswald's Pre-School registered in 1991. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, term time only, from 8.45am to 11.45am and 12.15pm to 3.15pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, 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

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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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