Holy Cross Pre-School

Holy Cross Pre-School Tracyes Road, Harlow, CM18 6JJ

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 6 February 2018 20 March 2014

p.1

3

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

p.1

This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 At times, staff assessment of children's learning is inaccurate. Consequently, activities do not always provide suitable levels of challenge or fully meet children’s individual learning needs.  Systems for the effective monitoring and supervision of staff are not fully developed to improve teaching to a good level. This means that staff are not fully supported to understand the responsibilities of their roles.  Staff do not take reasonable steps to support some children who speak English as an additional language to use their home languages in their play and learning.  Staff do not always use appropriate language to manage children’s behaviour in a positive way.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Parents make positive comments about the quality of care provided by staff. They say that they feel involved in their children's learning and enjoy attending special events at the pre-school.  Staff foster children’s independence well. Children are encouraged to choose their snacks and feed themselves. They find their belongings and put on their coats to go outside.  The manager has formed effective relationships with other providers of settings that children attend and the host school. This helps to support children’s continuity of care.

p.1

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:

p.2

Due Date

 implement a consistent system for assessment to accurately monitor and track children's progress, and use this information to plan challenging activities and support them to make good progress in their learning 06/03/2018

p.2

Due Date

 improve the support provided to all staff to ensure that they are sufficiently skilled and knowledgeable and they have a clear understanding of their roles in teaching children 06/03/2018

p.2

Due Date

 ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to provide opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to develop and use their home languages in the pre-school, to help support them to make good progress in their communication and language skills 06/03/2018

p.2

Due Date

 provide support to staff to ensure that they consistently manage children's behaviour appropriately. 06/03/2018

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector held a meeting with the provider. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the provider.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The provider has developed some systems to monitor staff performance. However, these are not rigorous enough to support staff to fully understand the responsibilities of their roles or improve the quality of their teaching to a good standard. The provider is aware of the weaknesses within the pre-school and is keen to improve practice. She has sought support from the local authority and has developed a clear action plan that identifies key priorities with realistic targets to make improvements. Safeguarding is effective. Staff are suitably trained and have a sound understanding of the pre-school's safeguarding policy. This contributes to keeping children safe. The provider completes risk assessments and daily checks of the premises to ensure that they are safe and suitable for children.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The quality of teaching is variable across the pre-school. Overall, staff recognise that children learn through play and generally support them appropriately so that they make some progress in their learning. However, weaknesses in assessment mean that activities do not always provide appropriate levels of challenge. This means that there is little evidence to show how much progress children are making. Additionally, some staff do not know how to effectively support children who speak English as an additional language to use their home language in their play. In spite of these weaknesses, children enjoy their time at the pre-school. They access a variety of resources across the different areas of learning. For example, children have opportunities to spend time in a sensory room where staff support them to explore and investigate resources, such as coloured lights, mirrors and torches.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff do not consistently manage children's behaviour in a positive way, to ensure that their well-being is fully promoted. Despite this, staff know children well and generally share positive relationships with them. Staff promote children's good health. They provide children with nutritious snacks and support them to follow robust hygiene routines. Children have regular opportunities to play outside and exercise. They enjoy participating in a 'safari hunt' as they look for hidden animals in the garden.

p.3

Outcomes for children require improvement

Not all children enjoy good levels of challenge in their learning due to the weaknesses in assessment and activity planning. Children are generally motivated to learn and develop some of the main skills needed for the next stage of their learning. For example, children learn how to use scissors safely and are beginning to recognise their names in print.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY468257 Local authority Essex Inspection number 1102714 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 44 Number of children on roll 64 Name of registered person Nats Nursery Ltd

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 20 March 2014 Telephone number 01279306327

p.4

reference number

Holy Cross Pre-School registered in 2013. The pre-school employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and two hold level 2. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 8.45am until 11.50am and from 12.10pm until 3.10pm, with a hot lunch offered between sessions.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

reference number

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

p.5