Noah's Ark Childcare Centre

Noah's Ark Childcare Centre 20-24 Lucas Terrace, Princerock, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 9LD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 February 2018 31 October 2017

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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

 There has been limited improvement in the provision since the last inspection. The provider has appointed a new manager but fails to provide adequate support, monitor the provision effectively or work proactively with the manager to make necessary improvements.  The provider does not ensure the manager and staff take appropriate steps to maintain children's safety as they play. They expose children to unnecessary danger.  The manager fails to report all safeguarding issues. She also discloses confidential information about children to unauthorised people, further compromising their welfare.  The manager does not check that staff follow the agreed procedures for recording details of medication administered to children or that parents are informed.  Partnerships with parents are not effective. The manager fails to ensure all parents can access information relating to their children's progress.  The manager does not deal with parents' complaints effectively. She fails to keep a

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This provision is inadequate

record of all complaints and their outcomes, as required.  Staff do too little to build on what children already know and can do. Children do not make the progress they are capable of, particularly in their communication and language and mathematical development.

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It has the following strengths

 Children occupy themselves using the variety of resources and enjoy some planned activities.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to:

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Due Date

 ensure staff, including the manager, receive the support they need to fulfil their roles successfully 26/03/2018

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Due Date

 use risk assessment effectively to identify any potential risks to children's safety and take prompt action to minimise risks so as to maintain a safe play environment indoors and outdoors 26/03/2018

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Due Date

 ensure that any child protection concerns are reported to the relevant agencies without delay 26/03/2018

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Due Date

 maintain confidentiality of children's personal details 26/03/2018  ensure staff follow the setting's medication procedure effectively and check that parents are informed on the same day or as soon as reasonably practicable where medication is administered 26/03/2018

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Due Date

 build effective partnerships with parents to develop a consistent approach to children's individual learning needs 26/03/2018

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Due Date

 keep a record of any complaints and their outcome. 26/03/2018

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Due Date

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 make better use of assessment and plan and implement effective systems to support children in their learning, especially in their communication and language development and development in mathematics 19/04/2018

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Due Date

 develop consistent arrangements so all staff know how to support individual children's next step for learning. 19/04/2018

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children playing independently, with friends, and with staff in all learning environments.  The inspector spoke to children, staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager, of children during a routine activity.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and nominated person/owner to discuss how they organise the setting, support staff and monitor children's progress.  The inspector sampled documents relating to complaints, children's progress and staff qualifications.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The manager, who is new in her role, is struggling to do all that is needed to improve the provision. The provider fails to give the new manager adequate support or monitor the management of the provision successfully. While the new manager has spent time getting to know staff and children, she has failed to ensure that all documentation required for the effective management of the provision is effectively maintained. Safeguarding is not effective. The provider, manager and staff fail to meet their responsibilities to safeguard children's safety and welfare. The manager and staff fail to identify safety risks where children play. For example, during the inspection, long nails and screws were left in reach of young children playing outdoors. Even when the hazards were pointed out to the manager neither she or staff took prompt action to remove the items or minimise the risk to children. The manager, who is also the designated safeguarding officer, does not report

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

all safeguarding matters to the relevant agencies, as required. Furthermore, she shares confidential information about children with unauthorised people, which may expose children to further risk. The gaps in children's learning and ineffective use of assessment and planning have not been identified.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Children's key persons know children's individual learning needs and interests, and compile some suitable plans to extend their learning. However, they do not ensure that these plans are implemented or share what children need to learn next with their co-workers. For example, despite knowing that children are not progressing well in mathematics, staff fail to introduce mathematical language and concepts into children's play. While children are generally occupied they are not suitably challenged and make insufficient progress. Staff fail to generate a good two-way flow of information with parents. They use an online system to share children's progress with parents but they and the manager were unaware that not all parents have access to the system. Some parents express a lack of knowledge about their children's progress.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Continued failures in the leadership and management of the provision, and lack of vigilance in relation to identification of risks, compromise children's welfare. Despite the weaknesses, overall, children are happy and confident. They show positive self-esteem and enjoy the company of staff and their peers. Staff manage children's behaviour appropriately and children behave well overall. They make adequate progress in their physical development and follow suitable hygiene routines.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Babies and children do not receive the support they need to make adequate progress in their learning. They happily play together but are not effectively engaged in purposeful play that builds on their knowledge and skills. Children who need extra help to develop their communication skills do not receive the support they need. Children do not gain all the skills they need to prepare them for the next stage in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 117135 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 1117765 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 4 Total number of places 38 Number of children on roll 48 Name of registered person Noah's Ark Childcare Centres Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 31 October 2017 Telephone number 01752 601909

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reference number

Noah's Ark Childcare Centre registered in 1996. It is located in Plymouth, Devon. The nursery is open each weekday from 7am to 6pm, all year round. There are 10 members of staff. All except one hold an appropriate early years qualification, with three at level 2; four at level 3, including the manager; and two at level 6. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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

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