Preschool@stmarks

Preschool@stmarks St. Marks Church, St. Marks Road, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 8DE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 September 2017 7 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:

 Assessments of children's progress are not consistently accurate.  Staff do not always plan children's learning experiences effectively. Sometimes, activities do not reflect children's individual learning styles or are not challenging enough to promote a consistently good level of progress.  Systems to supervise staff are not robust enough to ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently good.  Staff do not provide enough opportunities for children to develop and use their home languages in play.

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It has the following strengths

 The manager has some understanding of the quality of the provision. She and the deputy manager have a clear vision for the future of the pre-school. They are passionate about developing the service they provide.  Staff develop good relationships with children. Children settle in well, respond to staff's instructions and demonstrate an understanding of the rules and routines of the pre- school.  Parents are consistently involved and engaged in children's learning. They are encouraged to contribute to children's learning records and feel well informed.

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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

 improve the quality of assessment so that it accurately reflects children's progress 09/10/2017

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Due Date

 ensure children are provided with suitably challenging learning experiences that reflect their learning preferences and styles 09/10/2017

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Due Date

 develop supervision procedures to improve staff's teaching skills so that these are consistently good 09/10/2017

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Due Date

 create and use opportunities for children to use their home languages in play. 09/10/2017

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the areas of the premises used for childcare purposes. She observed activities in the indoor and outdoor areas. The inspector assessed the impact of staff practice on children's learning.  The inspector spoke to parents and carers, as well as reviewing their written feedback to take their views into account.  The inspector met with the leadership team. She reviewed and discussed relevant documentation, including the pre-school's self-evaluation form, staff qualifications and policies.  The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector jointly evaluated an activity with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Assessments are not robust or accurate enough to ensure that children have made progress. The manager has a good understanding of how the pre-school can be developed to provide better outcomes for children. Staff benefit from some constructive feedback about their practice through supervision and monitoring. However, this has not been effective enough to ensure that teaching is consistently good. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a clear understanding of how to identify and report concerns relating to safeguarding and wider child protection issues. Risk assessment is effective in identifying and minimising potential hazards.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The quality of teaching is not consistently good. Staff plan activities to support children's next steps. However, they do not fully make use of what they know about children to ensure these activities are suitably challenging and engaging. During free play, however, staff successfully follow children's interests and ideas. Children engage in play with malleable dough. They manipulate the dough and use tools to make shapes. Staff use block play as an opportunity to label shapes to increase children's understanding of mathematical concepts. Children enjoy exploring making marks in the outdoor area. They use large brushes and water, observing the effects of the brush on a brick wall. Staff provide resources for children to access freely. Children play imaginatively with small- world dinosaurs and cars. Staff play along with their games and support turn taking well.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff do not use or seek to create opportunities for children to develop the use of their home languages at the pre-school. They do provide some resources and learning experiences that increase children's understanding of the wider world, however. Children have good relationships with staff and their peers. They learn to play alongside one another and seek staff out for comfort or support if required. Staff use appropriate strategies to help children understand positive behaviour. Children benefit from opportunities to make decisions and choices. For example, they choose whether to play indoors or outdoors. Children also engage in physical play and exercise to help keep their bodies healthy. Children show a sufficiently good understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children do not make enough progress due to the variable quality of teaching. However, staff do support them to develop some of the basic skills that prepare them for their future learning and the move to school. For example, children are confident to try new things as staff use praise and encouragement well. Children follow instructions and communicate well with adults. Children have opportunities to develop their early literacy skills, for example, as they listen to stories told with puppets or practise making marks.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 305325 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 1101823 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 30 Number of children on roll 25 Name of registered person Maya Onions Preschool @ Stmarks Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 7 May 2014 Telephone number 07928832831

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reference number

Preschool@stmarks registered in 1974. The pre-school employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The pre-school opens from Tuesday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am until 1.15pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Sessions on a Wednesday are 9.15am until 12.15pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two- and three-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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