Noah's Ark Pre School (Wells)

Noah's Ark Pre School (Wells) c/o St Joseph and St Teresa Catholic Primary School, Lovers Walk, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2QL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20 July 2017 11 March 2015

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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 provider has not kept Ofsted informed of changes to the manager, and members of the management committee have not completed the correct process to provide Ofsted with their details to carry out all suitability checks.  There is no named deputy to take charge in the manager's absence, as required.  The manager does not ensure all staff are secure in their knowledge of how to use children's interests to plan for, engage and motivate their enthusiasm to learn consistently. Although staff include children, some activities lack challenge and stimulus for older children to make consistently good progress.  Staff occasionally miss opportunities to encourage children to ask questions and find out what they want to know, to understand their world better.

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It has the following strengths

 The new manager is beginning to provide support to improve the quality of staff's teaching. This is still in the early stages and does not yet have a big enough impact.  Children are confident, secure and happy. They share good relationships and behave well.  Older children have good opportunities to attend the local school and become familiar with the environment, supporting their emotional preparation for school well.  Children love being outdoors and active. They have daily opportunities to choose where they prefer to learn and are confident in developing their 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 the management committee completes the correct process to inform Ofsted of changes to its members, and when a new manager is appointed within the required 14 days 31/08/2017

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Due Date

 ensure there is a named deputy who is qualified and experienced to take over in the manager's absence 16/10/2017

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Due Date

 ensure staff use children's interests to plan challenging experiences, especially for the older children, and guide their development through positive and targeted interaction and activities, that help all children to make consistently good progress across areas of learning. 31/08/2017

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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

 increase opportunities for children to ask questions and find out what they want to know, to extend their understanding of the world.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke with parents, children and staff, and took account of the provider's self-evaluation.  The inspector held a meeting with the nominated person and manager, and carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector checked safeguarding information and the safety of the premises.  The inspector sampled documentation, including policies and procedures, children's development records and planning.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff know how to keep children safe and what to do if they are at risk of harm. Staff supervise children and meet the child-to-staff ratios well. The provider has not informed Ofsted of changes to the committee and manager. However, they do carry out suitability checks on anyone working with the children to protect them. There is not a deputy who is experienced and qualified to lead in the manager's absence. Staff keep accurate records of any accidents the children have, which the manager reviews to find ways to minimise risks further. The management team and staff are committed to using self-evaluation to improve outcomes for children. For example, they are looking at how to improve their planning to include parents and children more. Staff have had training to make more use of their observations to assess children's needs, although systems are not yet fully effective. The manager monitors children's

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

progress to identify any gaps in learning. There are successful partnerships with parents, to share information to support children's needs.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff observe children's learning to plan for their next steps. However, not all staff have a thorough understanding of how to use children's interests and encourage them to take part in activities that they are less motivated in, to focus on closing any gaps in their development. For example, they do not think of creative ways to encourage boys' early writing skills. Staff do not challenge older children, such as helping them to see why things happen and how things work, or to solve problems. Staff repeat daily group activities that help children gain confidence and revisit learning. For example, children know the days of the week, discuss the weather and work out the date. Staff provide appropriate support to help children to count. However, they miss opportunities to help them ask questions and find out what they want to know, such as during show and tell.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff help children to develop their self-care skills well and be independent. For example, young children change their shoes to go outside without adult help. They peel fruit and pour drinks for snack time. Staff help children to develop a positive awareness of their own culture and other people's differences. Some children explore the range of resources and most lead their play confidently. However, not all children are consistently motivated to engage in their learning. For instance, when older children sit doing nothing, staff ask what they would like to do but do not stimulate their interest enough, so children often lack enthusiasm to join in activities.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children make steady progress and develop the basic skills they need for future learning. However, not all activities are sufficiently challenging for older children to progress as much as they could. Activities do not consistently incorporate all children's learning needs, and help them to solve problems or think of different ways of completing tasks, for example. Children enjoy stories and develop early mathematical skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 143014 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 1089652 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 16 Number of children on roll 17 Name of registered person Noahs Ark (Wells) Pre-school Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 11 March 2015 Telephone number 07773 688943

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reference number

Noah's Ark Pre School (Wells) registered in 1992. It operates from the grounds of St Joseph's and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School in Wells, Somerset. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday from 8.55am to 3pm, during term time only. The pre-school is run by a committee of parents and receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The committee employs a manager and three staff, three of whom hold childcare qualifications at level 3.

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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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