Mendip 2

The Mill Sure Start Children’s Centre, Wells Road, Chilcompton, Radstock, BA3 4EX

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This inspection: Requires improvement 3

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected Access to services by young children and families Requires improvement 3 The quality of practice and services Requires improvement 3 The effectiveness of leadership, governance and management Requires improvement 3

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This children's centre group requires improvement. It is not good because:

 The numbers of families who are registered with the cluster and who are accessing the activities and services that are offered are not high enough. Although numbers are improving overall, the attendance of those most in need of intervention and support fluctuates too much for those services that are targeted to support them to have a positive impact.  Too many of the evaluations of the cluster’s work have insufficient targets and milestone deadlines in order to demonstrate the difference made to families’ lives and to drive improvement.  Improvements to the accuracy of data and data-sharing protocols between services, particularly from other authorities, have not been swift enough. This has hindered the impact that managers, leaders and the advisory board have had on measuring and challenging the impact of the cluster’s work, which although is adequate has not yet rapidly driven improvements.  The advisory board is not as effective as it could be. Although members of the advisory board use

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This children's centre group requires improvement. It is not good because:

their knowledge from similar roles elsewhere, dedicated training has not occurred, and the terms of reference have only just been established. The attendance of some members is poor.

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This children’s centre group has the following strengths:

 Partnership work continues to be developed. Although for some activities it is too early to show how they improve families’ lives, established ones clearly do.  The support by staff for families in times of crisis is rapid, holistic and involves other agencies. The ‘troubled families strategy’ enables some of the most vulnerable and isolated families to access the help and services they need.  Parents are listened to and where possible the cluster acts upon their needs and desires. Prime examples include: ‘Stay and Play’, now run by families themselves: ‘My Time’, supporting those with minority ethnic backgrounds: safety in the home courses: and the ‘Little Ones Peeps’.  Leadership, management and governance provide an accurate self-evaluation and know what the strengths and areas for development are within the cluster.  Delivery, guidance and advice in sessions seen during the inspection were good; staff are hard

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This children’s centre group has the following strengths:

working and committed, often giving their own time to support families. Children’s centre report

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Information about this inspection

The inspection of this children’s centre group was carried out under Part 3A of the Childcare Act 2006 as amended by the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. The centres that form part of this children’s centre cluster are The Mill Children’s Centre and Wells Children’s Centre.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out by two of Her Majesty's inspectors and one additional inspector.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors held meetings with the leaders of the centres, the headteacher of St Vigor and St John Primary School, Chilcompton, as well as the Chair of the Advisory Board. They also met with other staff who work in the centres, the nursery school staff, and the area special educational needs coordinator. Conversations were held with local authority representatives and those from a range of partner agencies including: health professionals, adult learning, the 'Troubled Families Team', and the Department for Work and Pensions. There were also discussions with parents at different times during the inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors visited both sites as well as an initiative run by members of the local community. Inspectors observed the work of staff in the centres, plus an external early years facilitator. A home visit was undertaken jointly with a family outreach worker and local health visitor.

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Information about this inspection

They observed the centre’s work, and looked at a range of relevant documentation.

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Inspection team

Steffi Penny Her Majesty's Inspector, Lead Inspector Denise Blackwell Her Majesty’s Inspector Lesley Talbot-Strettle Additional Inspector

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Information about the centre/group

The Mill Children’s Centre, with a reach of 468 children aged from birth to four in Chilcompton, and Wells Children’s Centre, with a reach of 674 children aged from birth to four have been in operation as Mendip 2 Cluster since April 2011. The two centres are 10.5 miles apart with different demographics. There are 14 super outreach areas, all five of The Mill’s are classified as rural, with one more deprived than the average for Somerset. Of the nine in Wells, two are classified as rural and three are more deprived than the Somerset average with a total of 242 children aged from birth to four. Overall, the proportions of worklessness and families on benefits for the cluster are lower than the Somerset average. However, there are pockets of deprivation, particularly in some villages and hamlets with very small numbers of children, widely distributed across the reach area. The take-up of formal childcare by

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Information about the centre/group

low-income working families is typically below the Somerset average.

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Information about the centre/group

The Wells Children’s Centre shares a site, but not supervision, with St Cuthbert’s Junior School, Wells. The Mill Children’s Centre shares the same site as the St Vigor and St John Primary School, Chilcompton, along with an attached nursery school. The on-site nursery and school provisions were not part of this inspection as they are inspected separately. Their reports are available on the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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Information about the centre/group

Prior to October 2013 the centres were directly managed by the headteacher at St Vigor and St John Primary School; however, since then the centres are now directly managed by the local authority and have a single advisory board, but separate parent forums. There have been significant staff changes in the last couple of weeks.

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Information about the centre/group

In October 2013 the cluster manager, responsible for the operational management and service delivery day to day of the Mendip 2 cluster was seconded to a different post until March 2014 and a temporary management arrangement put into place. Previously the role of the service manager (responsible for all aspects related to the delivery of countywide provision of children’s centres in Somerset) was to provide help and guidance to the cluster manager who was directly supervised by the headteacher at St Vigor and St John Primary School. The temporary arrangement is that the service manager now directly supervises the interim cluster manager working with the headteacher. There is currently a public consultation process taking place with a view to the extensive reshaping of children’s centre services and provision in the whole of Somerset.

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Information about the centre/group

The range of services provided by the Mendip 2 cluster includes family outreach support, health services, parenting, volunteering and some adult education.

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Information about the centre/group

Most families are White British, but there is a growing number from minority ethnic backgrounds. Children’s skills, knowledge and abilities on entry to early years provision are typical for their age.

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What does the group need to do to improve further?

 Sharpen the monitoring of participation rates across all services to ensure the most vulnerable and in particular potently isolated families can access the full range of services available to them, sustain their engagement and make the appropriate progression.  Improve the quality of all evaluations so that they include: - definitive and clear measurable expected outcomes - milestones to track progress - timescales for completion - indicators for the next steps to ensure progression.  Improve the impact of leadership, management and governance on outcomes for families served by the cluster by:  improving the use of data so that analysis is accurate, precise and drives the improvement of the cluster’s performance  ensuring effective, and more speedy, sharing of information between partner agencies and other authorities.  Improve the role that the cluster advisory board plays in the support and challenge to the cluster

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What does the group need to do to improve further?

about its performance by ensuring that:  all members receive timely, regular and appropriate training  key representative personal are involved  the group membership is manageable in size  there is a review of the value and contribution of the individual members driving improvements  members attend meetings more frequently and consistently  by working closely with the local authority the cluster’s delivery plan is cohesive, that key priorities are clear, and that there are specific measurable targets for each  the cluster can better evidence the impact of the whole range of work undertaken.

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Inspection judgements

Access to services by young children and families Requires improvement

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Inspection judgements

 The number of families attending early childhood services offered through the cluster is rising. Close working with health professionals and the recent improvements in sharing data with Bath and North East Somerset Local Authority provides good potential to increase family participation further. The take-up of formal childcare by low-income working families is an area that the cluster continues to aim to improve, along with a need to engage more fathers in activities.  The large majority of families, including those with disabled children, young and teen parents, and children and families from minority ethnic groups, are accessing a range of pertinent services.  The number of targeted families engaging with the programmes on offer is variable. Some of the most isolated and disadvantaged families do not have sufficient access to all the services provided by the cluster. Where services are offered they are very well supported by the cluster and

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Inspection judgements

attendance is good. However, services are offered too infrequently to target families in rural communities, especially where they do not travel to either of the main centre buildings.  The number of teenage parents accessing education and/or training countywide is good. However, data are sparse in identifying the levels of programmes that are followed in relation to their original entry point. There is a lack of effective analysis of data to ensure effective and appropriate access to the right services and courses.  Good partnership working with a wide range of providers both statutory and voluntary ensures families have access to appropriate support to meet individual needs. The cluster uses universal services effectively to provide support for identified families. Clear referral routes are in place and there is a cohesive approach to working across a range of services to best serve the needs of the

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Inspection judgements

families.  Effective partnership working with the ‘troubled families strategy’ is ensuring families with complex needs are being supported appropriately. Centre workers are able to identify families who may otherwise ‘slip through the cracks’ because of their rural isolation. This also results in better engagement of families who are already used to support from centre workers. For example, immediate support is available with the provision of safety equipment showing families they will be helped. Because centre staff already work with these families they are more willing to engage with the ‘troubled families strategy’.  Partnerships with adult learning are improving. The Wells centre is now able to deliver parenting courses with funding from adult learning, and plans are in place to deliver sessions in Chilcompton. Due to staff absence this is still in the early stages.  Case-file reviews show that parents benefit from good quality early help to support them at times

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Inspection judgements

of difficulty and particularly in crisis; as a result, outcomes for these families are improving. Support for families experiencing domestic violence has been particularly effective in reducing the risk of harm to children.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of practice and services Requires improvement

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Inspection judgements

 Partnerships are effective in meeting most families’ needs. Services for children with special needs provide a rapid response in Wells through the work of the area special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) and ‘Portage Team’. Multi-agency meetings review individual cases across the reach area, ensuring a holistic approach to meeting the needs of the family.  Children receive high quality provision particularly within the Wells centre ‘Stay and play’ and in the linked nursery at Chilcompton. ‘Stay and play’ sessions cover all areas of learning and encourage parents to support and be involved with their children’s learning and development. Staff know the children very well and provide activities that engage and challenge them so that they are ready for school, and that families health and well-being are improved.  Planning of all activities for children covers all areas of learning and sessions are evaluated.

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Inspection judgements

Nevertheless, plans are not focused sufficiently to clearly show what children are intended to learn or how to extend those who are more able. Evaluations do not identify next steps, especially for target families, and do not show whether children’s development is typical for their age.  Parents are very happy with the services the centre offers. They feel they are well supported both individually and in group sessions and some are involved in governance of the centre. The cluster strives to create a fully inclusive environment where families feel safe, supported and respected. Staff listen to their views and where possible act upon them. But, parents are not always aware that they have been listened to or of the outcome of their suggestions.  Although staff can immediately tell you about each of the children they work with, tracking currently does not show whether children’s development is typical for their age or whether they

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Inspection judgements

are in need of additional support. Children’s achievements are related to the early learning goals, and they are shown in documents that are fully shared with parents. These are not shown in comparison with the typical levels of development for different ages. As a result parents are not always aware of whether their children need additional help.

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management

 Leadership and governance of the cluster require improvement because the advisory board and other leaders do not use data and evaluations well enough. The cluster rightly focuses on meeting the local priorities and needs as agreed with the local authority. The provision in the more rural areas is known to be limited. Although numbers may be small, some isolated and vulnerable families’ needs are not being met as effectively as they could be and not enough is planned to improve the situation.  Minutes and discussions of the cluster advisory board show that the challenge provided by the board to drive forward the improvements needed is limited. This is due in part to a lack of clear, measureable success criteria for some priorities, which makes it more difficult for members to evaluate the centre’s ongoing performance. However, too few members attend regularly enough, and have not demonstrated their ability to drive improvements for families. There has not been

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management

enough training for their roles and their terms of reference have until very recently been unclear.  Financial management is secure and resources for families are appropriately deployed and utilised.  Safeguarding arrangements, policies, procedures and practices meet requirements. A particular strength is the quality of case files. These files are maintained to a high standard with very clear paper trails of the support given to families and impact of the support. They are securely audited, ensuring children and families are appropriately protected. The implementation of the Common Assessment Framework is used effectively to assess need and shape support for families.  Priorities within the development plans are informed by self-evaluation and analysis of local authority data ensuring services are matched to need. However, recording, evaluating and responding to the target families is insufficiently robust and is not used effectively. A number of

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management

groups have a small percentage of target families engaging with the services; not all of these regularly attend and monitoring is ineffective.  Parents regularly contribute their ideas and views which are used to improve service planning and delivery. The cluster listens to families very well and adds or adapts programmes where feasible. However, it is not always clear to families how well they have been listened to or if actions are taken forward by the cluster from their suggestions.  Good development of volunteers to run a ‘Stay and Play’ has ensured continuation of a valuable service to the community but not for the full range of targeted families. The centre supports volunteers, and a regular monthly drop-in clinic is run by the local health visitor with centre staff. New families are joining the session and are encouraged to access the Cluster’s services, by staff and word of mouth by other families.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Practice consistently reflects the highest aspirations for children and their families and as a result inequalities are reducing rapidly and gaps are closing. Grade 2 Good Practice enables most children and their families to access good quality services that improve children’s wellbeing and achieve the stated outcomes for families. Grade 3 Requires improvement Performance is not as good as it might reasonably be expected to be in one or more key areas. Grade 4 Inadequate The needs of children and families in its area are not being met and/or the leaders and managers are not providing sufficient challenge to bring about improvement to the quality of services.

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Children's centre group details

Unique reference number 80396 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 424830 Managed by The local authority

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five in the reach area

Centre leader Angie Baxter Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01761 233 795 Email address abaxter.educ.somerset.gov.uk

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This group consists of the following children’s centres:

 URN 23221 The Mill Sure Start Children’s Centre  URN 23478 Wells Children's Centre guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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This group consists of the following children’s centres:

(Ofsted) regulates and inspects to 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,

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This group consists of the following children’s centres:

please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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This group consists of the following children’s centres:

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

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