Holders Farm Kindergarten

Holders Farm Kindergarten 43 Osea Way, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 6JS

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Inspection date 28 January 2019 Previous inspection date 16 October 2014

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision is inadequate

n The manager and staff have insecure knowledge and understanding of the kindergarten's safeguarding policy and procedures and do not keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. n The manager and staff demonstrate weaknesses in their knowledge of statutory guidance, such as the 'Prevent' duty guidance. n The manager does not have effective arrangements in place for the supervision of staff to support, coach and train staff to raise the quality of the provision higher. n Teaching is variable. The manager does not support staff to undertake appropriate training and professional development. She does not provide staff with opportunities to help improve their understanding of how children learn and develop. n Staff do not evaluate the impact of large group activities and planned daily routines to establish if these activities are an effective teaching method for all children.

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It has the following strengths

n Parents speak very highly of the staff and comment how much their children enjoy attending the kindergarten. Parents are encouraged to play an active role in their children's development. They meet with their child's key person regularly to share information about how their child is learning in the kindergarten and at home. n Staff greet children with a friendly smile and a hug for those needing a bit of reassurance. This helps children to part from their parents and carers with ease and to settle quickly into the kindergarten session. n Children's early literacy skills are effectively enhanced. Many children leave the kindergarten able to read simple words and form recognisable letters and shapes.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure that all staff and managers have up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues and are able to take action to refer any concerns to the appropriate authority at the earliest opportunity 18/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure all managers and staff have up-to-date knowledge of statutory guidance, such as the 'Prevent' duty guidance 18/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

implement arrangements for the supervision of all staff to support, coach and train staff and to raise the quality of the provision for children 18/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

improve the quality of teaching to ensure that children receive varied and purposeful learning opportunities. 18/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n review the organisation of large planned group activities and routines to evaluate whether this method of teaching is appropriate for all children.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector held a number of discussions with staff and the provider, who is also the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working at the setting. n The inspector observed an adult-led activity and evaluated it with the manager. n The inspector spoke to children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to at the inspection.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is ineffective. The manager and staff demonstrate some knowledge of the types of abuse and the indicators that may cause them to be concerned about a child's welfare. However, their understanding of the statutory guidance relating to issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty, is weak. The manager does not demonstrate appropriate understanding of the action to take, should an allegation be made against a member of staff. The manager does not have effective arrangements in place for the supervision of staff. They are not supported to enhance their knowledge of how children learn, for example, through appropriate training and professional development opportunities. Staff and managers meet informally to discuss the planning and to evaluate the success of activities. Parents are asked to share their views of the kindergarten. Managers make some use of this feedback to inform their continuous improvements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The quality of teaching is not consistently strong. The manager and staff focus some learning opportunities around large group activities and set daily routines. Some children benefit from these daily planned group activities. However, staff do not evaluate the impact they have to establish if they are appropriate learning opportunities for all children. Children enjoy becoming different characters as they dress up in a range of costumes. They develop their imagination as they become a new 'super hero' or a 'pretty princess'. Children enjoy exploring the feel and texture of cooked spaghetti. They squeeze the spaghetti between their fingers and talk about how it feels. They then add different coloured paint and create colourful paintings with the spaghetti. Staff make frequent observations of children's play and use the information to identify children's next steps in learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Weaknesses in the manager's and staffs' understanding of safeguarding mean that children's welfare is not assured. Children have some opportunities to guide their own play and learning. They are able to ask to play with the resources presented around the playrooms. Children are settled and happy. They approach staff for cuddles and reassurance and enjoy the immediate response they receive from staff. Children have daily opportunities to experience fresh air and exercise, for example, they play in the kindergarten garden and they go for walks in the local environment. Children's physical development is promoted through a range of indoor and outdoor learning. For example, children climb in and out of the toy castle in the garden, kick balls to each other and participate in music and movement sessions.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children generally make progress from their starting points and are prepared for their next stage of learning, such as school. However, weaknesses in the quality of teaching mean that children do not always make the best progress of which they are capable. Children are familiar with numbers up to twenty and begin to use simple calculation. For example, after counting the children present, they tell staff that there are more boys than girls. In addition, some children can write their own names independently.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 203670 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10060589 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 39 Name of registered person Colyer, Pauline

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 16 October 2014 Telephone number 01245 262593

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reference number

Holders Farm Kindergarten registered in 1971. The kindergarten employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including one who holds qualified teacher status. The kindergarten opens from Monday to Friday term time only. Sessions are from 9.30am until 3.30pm. The kindergarten receives funding for the provision of early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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.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 . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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