Sundon Stars Pre-School

Sundon Stars Pre-School Cheynes Infant School, Cranbrook Drive, Luton, LU3 3EW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26 April 2018 1 May 2014

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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 does not have robust systems to identify why children have had numerous injuries and why staff are not consistently aware of how these have happened. This compromises children's safety and welfare.  The provider has failed to address the weaknesses in leadership and management to ensure that all staff receive effective support. Frequent changes to management have had a negative impact on the overall quality of the pre-school, causing a sharp decline since the previous inspection.  The provider does not ensure that children who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities receive swift intervention to help meet their needs. As a result, some children do not make the progress of which they are capable.  Staff do not have effective plans to support children's behaviour and they frequently have to deal with children's poor behaviour. Consequently, this has a negative impact

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This provision is inadequate

on the quality of teaching, which is inconsistent.  The key-person approach does not consistently meet the needs of young children. As a result, children's well-being is not adequately supported.

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It has the following strengths

 There is a new, highly qualified, experienced and motivated manager in post. She and senior staff have identified areas that require improvement, and have multiple plans to address these weaknesses.

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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

 take all necessary steps to promote children's safety and welfare and to reduce accidents 26/05/2018

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Due Date

 implement effective supervision, support and coaching for all staff, including managers, to help improve their personal effectiveness and the quality of teaching 26/05/2018

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Due Date

 improve the timeliness of support for children who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities so that their individual needs are quickly and effectively met 26/05/2018

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Due Date

 implement effective plans to support children's behaviour in a manner that is suitable for their individual age and stage of development 26/05/2018

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Due Date

 establish effective key-person arrangements so that children's individual needs are met and children develop a strong relationship with a consistent familiar person. 26/05/2018

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Inspection activities

 This inspection was brought forward following a risk assessment process.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector discussed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is ineffective. Children have had numerous accidents in a short period, and staff are not consistently aware of how these accidents have occurred. Therefore, staff are not able to keep children safe from injury. Although the new manager is making positive changes, such as to the physical environment to try to prevent accidents from occurring, this is yet to have an impact. The manager has a strong knowledge about safeguarding and is beginning to implement various changes to further strengthen staff's knowledge of safeguarding issues, such as through training. The rapid succession of managers at the pre-school has led to a lack of continuity and organisation for staff, children and parents. This has had a detrimental effect on the overall quality of the pre-school. Although staff have supervision sessions, the provider has failed to ensure that performance management is consistent or effective. Staff have experienced a range of different

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

guidance and approaches from each manager. This has left them without clear direction or suitable support to carry out their roles effectively.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

The quality of teaching is inconsistent. Staff are often preoccupied with dealing with children's conflict and managing their behaviour. As a result, they are unable to sustain the quality of their teaching to robustly support children's learning. The provider does not seek swift specialist support for children who have SEN and/or disabilities. As a result, support plans are still in their infancy and there is no evidence of a positive impact on children's development. Children's poor behaviour has an impact on other children's learning. At times, they act in ways that are unsafe for themselves and others. However, staff know the children well and share regular information with their parents. Some of the older children develop a good awareness of early letters and sounds, promoting their early literacy skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Staff do not help children to develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe and manage their behaviour appropriately. They continually direct children, inhibiting their ability to learn about identifying risks and managing their own behaviour. For example, when staff momentarily move away from equipment in the garden, children act in ways that are unsafe, such as pushing each other. The key-person approach is ineffective. Staff routinely change the key person for all children turning three years old, but they do not understand the reason why. This does not benefit children and unsettles them.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Not all children make the progress of which they are capable. Plans to support children who have SEN and/or disabilities are not yet embedded and, as a result, they are not making the same progress as their peers. This means that some children are not developing skills in readiness for starting school. Some children are confident talkers and use language as a way to share their ideas and communicate with others. Older children play imaginatively in the role-play area.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY431075 Local authority Luton Inspection number 1134760 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 34 Number of children on roll 46 Name of registered person Pre-School Learning Alliance

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 1 May 2014 Telephone number 01582 591225

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reference number

Sundon Stars Pre-School registered in 2011 and is managed by the Pre-school Learning Alliance. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The manager is qualified at degree level. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday during school term time. Sessions are from 9am to midday and 12.30pm to 3.30pm, with an optional lunch club. The pre- school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. Children who have SEN and/or disabilities attend the pre-school.

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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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