Norcot Early Years Centre

Norcot Early Years Centre 82 Lyndhurst Road, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 6UB

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24 May 2018 8 April 2014

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Inadequate 4

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate 4

p.1

This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

p.1

This provision is inadequate

 Staff's knowledge and understanding of safeguarding referral procedures are weak. Not all staff are deployed effectively in the toddler and pre-school room to meet the safety, health and well-being of the children, especially when outside.  The management team has failed to ensure that all staff have sufficient induction, support, individual meetings and training to fulfil their roles and responsibilities.  Children's health and well-being are compromised. Staff do not ensure that the risk of cross-infection is minimised at all times during routine activities and mealtimes.  Staff do not manage children's behaviour well. For example, they do not give consistent messages to support children's understanding of right from wrong.  The quality of the provision has deteriorated. The management team has not met the recommendations from the last inspection, which shows a poor capacity to improve.  Some staff's teaching practice is poor and does not help children make sufficient

p.1

This provision is inadequate

progress. Not all staff interact with children purposefully, and they fail to plan activities that are suitable, challenging and enjoyable to meet their individual needs.  Staff do not make the best use of all opportunities to encourage parents to contribute to their children's development.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Staff provide children with daily experiences for fresh air and exercise.  Children in the baby room are happy and benefit from a suitable amount of support.

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

 ensure all staff know how to implement the setting's safeguarding policy and procedures and are confident in how to make a referral if concerned about a child's welfare 24/06/2018

p.2

Due Date

 ensure that staff are deployed effectively and that children are supervised at all times to meet their individual needs and keep them safe 24/06/2018

p.2

Due Date

 ensure staff receive effective support, coaching and training to fulfil their roles to identify and target weaker aspects of children's learning and the quality of staff interactions, to improve outcomes for all children 24/06/2018

p.2

Due Date

 review hygiene routines to ensure necessary steps are taken to prevent the spread of infection, with particular regard to snack and meal times 24/06/2018

p.2

Due Date

 ensure children's dietary requirements are understood and maintained by staff at all times 24/06/2018

p.2

Due Date

 ensure staff understand how to implement appropriate behaviour management strategies for all children 24/06/2018

p.2

Due Date

 ensure staff give children opportunities to use and develop their home language, as part of their communication and language development 24/06/2018

p.2

Due Date

 plan challenging and enjoyable experiences that cover all the areas of learning and development effectively, taking account of the individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child, including those who need more support 24/06/2018

p.2

Due Date

 ensure staff provide good-quality learning experiences, and effective support and interaction, to engage all children, to help them make good progress. 24/06/2018

p.2

Due Date

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

Due Date

 build stronger partnerships with parents to encourage children's learning at home  use self-evaluation effectively to identify any weaknesses, including any breaches of requirements, and take action to improve the quality of the provision.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed activities and learning experiences available to children.  The inspectors observed interactions between children and staff and spoke to children.  The inspectors asked staff questions about their work and observed practice with the registered provider.  The inspectors spoke to parents available about their views and opinions of the provision and considered these.  One of the inspectors undertook a joint observation with the deputy manager, and both inspectors sampled documentation.

p.3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is not effective. Some staff have a poor understanding of the referral procedures to follow in the event of a child protection concern, which puts children at risk. Staffing is sufficient; however, not all staff are deployed effectively to meet children's needs. For example, when toddlers and pre-school children are outside playing they are left without supervision too frequently, which jeopardises their safety. The management team has failed to meet the recommendations from the last inspection. For instance, not all staff are aware of the different languages children hear and use at home. The management team provides staff with supervision, appraisals and training. However, these are not robust in identifying and addressing weaknesses in teaching and the quality of care provided to meet the needs of the children. Parents spoken to at the inspection, comment that they are happy. However, not all are aware of who their child's key person

p.4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

is to work together to support children's learning. The management monitors individual and groups of children's progress and staff's practice. However, management is not effective in identifying and acting upon weaknesses, particularly in relation to breaches in requirements.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Staff fail to meet the individual needs of all children attending. For example, during a story time in the toddlers' room, they wake children by standing them up and calling their names as it almost lunchtime. The quality of teaching is inconsistent and at times poor, depending on the rooms the children are in. For example, some children who do not speak English are left for too long crying and walking around without staff's interactions. Staff plan activities; however, they do not fulfil the learning expectations. For instance, staff do not use mathematical language in children's play to support their targeted mathematical development. The provision has recently had a new influx of staff. However, not all staff talk and engage purposefully with children to support their communication and language, and too often staff miss opportunities to enhance children's learning. For example, staff in the toddlers' room sit with children while they play without talking to them. Also, children

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

in the pre-school room have to wait for long periods before staff respond to their questions. Dispute this, interactions in the baby room are encouraging.

p.4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Staff do not follow the setting's health and safety procedures for serving children's food and consequently put children's health, well-being and safety at risk. For instance, staff do not adequately monitor children with known dietary requirements to ensure they are eating the correct meal. Staff fail to ensure hygiene procedures are met and put children's health at risk further. For example, in the baby room staff encourage children to eat the pasta that has been outside in the rain and explored with by others. Furthermore, in the pre-school room staff fail to monitor how children are serving their meals. This results in some children rummaging through the food with their fingers to find a piece of pizza. Staff do not manage children's behaviour well. For example, children who run around are not told why they should not do this and staff count at them to get them to stop. However, when this does not work children are made to sit on the floor. This results in children not

p.4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

understanding why rules are in place or the consequences of their actions appropriately.

p.5

Outcomes for children are inadequate

Not all children are consistently challenged in their development purposefully to make good all-round progress in their learning. Some children are at risk of falling behind due to the lack of support and engagement offered to them by staff. Some children are upset and wander around with very little comfort, while others walk around aimlessly or sit disinterested in group-time activities that are too long for their age. For example, children as young as two are expected to sit and listen to stories for over 10 minutes. Consequently, not all children make the good progress expected to be ready for school.

p.5

Setting details

Unique reference number EY257099 Local authority Reading Inspection number 1068640 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 0 - 5 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 97 Name of registered person Norcot Early Years Centre Governing Body

p.6

reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 April 2014 Telephone number 01189 015577

p.6

reference number

Norcot Early Years Centre re-registered in 2004. The nursery is located in Tilehurst, Berkshire. The nursery is open from 8am to 6pm from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years old. There are 22 members of staff working at the nursery. Of these, two hold qualified teacher status and 13 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3.

p.6

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.6

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.6

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.7

reference number

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

p.7

reference number

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

p.7