Ashfield Nursery School

Ashfield Nursery School 7 Ashley Avenue, Cheriton, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 4PT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29 January 2018 27 February 2017

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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 has not informed Ofsted of the manager's appointment at the nursery. This is also a breach of the Childcare Register.  The provider does not ensure that the named deputy is suitably competent and qualified to take charge during the manager's absence.  Arrangements are not in place to ensure that staff adequately supervise children and meet their needs effectively at all times.  Staff do not assess all children's progress adequately to enable them to effectively plan to meet children’s next steps in learning. The manager does not have accurate information to enable her to monitor the progress of individuals and groups of children, to identify and address any gaps in their learning. Some children do not make sufficient progress.  The manager does not support staff sufficiently to raise the quality of teaching. Staff do not effectively interact and extend children's learning, to ensure children are actively

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This provision is inadequate

involved and build effectively on their progress.  Staff do not make full use of opportunities to extend children's mathematical understanding of numbers, size and distance.  Self-evaluation is not fully effective in identifying areas for improvement and weaknesses in practice.

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It has the following strengths

 Children have formed strong bonds with the staff, who are caring and kind towards them. Staff support children to feel settled and secure.

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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

 improve knowledge and understanding about changes that must be notified to Ofsted 12/02/2018

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Due Date

 ensure that the named deputy is suitably qualified and has the capability to take charge in the manager's absence 12/02/2018

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Due Date

 ensure that staff supervise children adequately and meet their needs effectively at all times 12/02/2018

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Due Date

 ensure that staff assess children's development regularly and accurately and that they use this information to identify and close gaps in learning and plan effectively for children's individual learning needs 05/03/2018

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Due Date

 develop the tracking and monitoring system to help track the learning progress of individuals and different groups of children more effectively 05/03/2018

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Due Date

 provide effective support, coaching and training for staff that raises the quality of their teaching skills and practice and improves outcomes for children. 05/03/2018

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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

 provide more opportunities for children to build on their early mathematical skills  strengthen the use of self-evaluation to identify weaknesses in practice, target areas for improvement and implement changes that raise outcomes for children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the manager about changes that have been implemented since the last inspection and the action plans she has to further develop the setting.  The inspector observed activities in the playrooms and in the outside learning environments.  The inspector carried out joint observations with the manager.  The inspector talked to the provider, manager, staff, children and parents to gain their views on the setting.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including the safeguarding policies and procedures, staff qualifications and children's development files.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is not effective. The provider does not have a secure understanding of the changes that must be notified to Ofsted. For instance, they have not informed Ofsted of the change in management of the nursery. The manager works at the nursery in term time only and for three days each week. In her absence, there is a deputy who acts as the manager, but he does not hold the level 3 qualification needed for the manager's role. The provider does not make sure that staff supervise and engage with children effectively. For example, during the inspection two staff stood together talking and eating and did not interact with children or extend their learning. The provider does not adequately evaluate the service she provides to raise standards and drive improvement. For example, although the manager has addressed all actions set at the previous inspection, there are still clear weaknesses in practice. Leaders have failed to make sure that all staff have a secure

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

understanding of how to assess children's progress, which was a recommendation from the last inspection. As a result of inaccurate assessments of children's learning, the manager has not been able to gather sufficient information to monitor progress being made by individual or groups of children, to help ensure that all children receive the support they need. The manager and staff have a secure knowledge of child protection and of signs and symptoms to look for that may indicate concerns about the welfare of a child. Staff have positive relationships with parents and other early years professionals who are involved with the children. They promote continuity of care for children appropriately.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Staff do not carry out accurate observations and assessments of children's learning, or effectively monitor their progress. Therefore, they are not able to identify the next steps in children's development or address any gaps in their learning. Staff do not sufficiently challenge and extend children's learning to enable them to make good progress. For instance, staff do not consistently support children to develop their mathematical skills, such as naming shapes or exploring size, as they use a variety of resources and during activities. The manager carries out ongoing supervision which helps her to identify some staff training needs. However, staff do not have a secure understanding of how to make use of opportunities that arise to extend children's knowledge and motivate them to learn. For example, staff do not extend children's mathematical understanding of concepts such as distance as they push toys down slopes. However, staff working with babies provide

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

activities that they know they will enjoy. For example, babies enjoy playing with musical instruments and looking at themselves in the mirror. They listen as staff read stories to them.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Staff do not provide children with a suitably challenging learning environment. They do not consider how to best support children to gain independence. For example, staff provide resources such as a play traffic light in the gardenthat children cannot reach by themselves to change the colour during their play. Children's behaviour is appropriate for their age. Staff working with babies have a secure knowledge of their daily routines and make sure they have a cuddle before laying them down for a sleep. Staff provide children with healthy snacks and are aware of how to meet the needs of children who have food intolerances or allergies. Children enjoy going outside to exercise. For instance, they practise using scooters to move around the garden, as well as walking along balance beams, to develop their physical skills. Children learn to respect similarities and differences between themselves and others, and enjoy exploring the wider community.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Children are not making the progress they are capable of in their learning and development. Children do not receive appropriate support to help them to develop life skills. For example, younger children do not have sufficient opportunities to gain independence and develop early literacy skills. Children are not prepared well enough for their next stage in learning and their eventual move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 126978 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1088443 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Nola Mary Yarney

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 27 February 2017 Telephone number 01303 275759

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reference number

Ashfield Nursery School registered in 1968. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5.30pm, throughout most of the year. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The provider employs 10 staff, eight of whom hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The manager holds a relevant early years qualification at level 4.

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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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