Abington Vale PlaySchool

Inspection of Abington Vale PlaySchool 10 Bridgewater Drive, Bridgewater Drive, Northampton, Northants NN3 3AF

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

The provision is inadequate

Children's welfare is not well supported by managers or staff. Managers and staff do not follow the setting's policies and procedures to protect children effectively and keep them safe.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Staff do not have high enough expectations for children's development. They do not use information well enough from assessments to inform their teaching interactions with children. Some children, who require additional support, are not identified by staff quickly enough. These children make slower progress from their starting points as a result. However, where staff have already identified a specific learning need for a child, staff provide focused activities to address this.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Children know the routines of the setting well, and show that they are happy and independent. They register their own attendance with their unique name badge and display this on the 'Mr Tickle' board. Children immediately find their friends and begin to play with the activities set out. Children display some good behaviours but some demonstrate a lack of focus in the activities available to them.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Children become engrossed in a parachute game and jump up and down in excitement. Staff bring this activity to life as they encourage children to use their imaginative skills. Children pretend they are running away from tigers and jaguars and reach for their drink bottles in their pretend back packs. This supports children's physical and creative development effectively.

p.2

need to do better?

n Managers have not addressed the weaknesses in their safeguarding practice which have been previously highlighted to them. These remain breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Managers and staff fail to identify when to record their concerns about a child's welfare. They do not demonstrate sufficient knowledge to be able to respond to concerning information or identify and help children who may need support from other agencies. n Staff invite people into the setting who help children to learn about different animals and broaden their experiences. Children are given the opportunity to carefully touch snakes and cockroaches. While taking part in the activity, they recall earlier stories about these animals. This supports children's skills in communication and language, and understanding of the world. However, children who require additional help are not given effective support by staff to

p.2

need to do better?

participate in activities such as this. Staff do not make sure that their interactions with children are always purposeful. n Managers make sure the environment is well resourced. They take into account all areas of learning when they plan activities for children. This means children

p.2

need to do better?

6 November 2019 do have the opportunity to develop all necessary skills. However, sometimes staff do not interact with children effectively and children's learning is not well supported. For example, staff do not assist children when playing with threading pens. As a result, children become frustrated and throw the pens in anger. n Staff do not always support children to look after their own personal care to prevent the spread of germs. For example, they do not remind children to cough into their own hands or to throw tissues away when they have wiped their own noses. n Staff do not encourage children to understand about healthy food choices. While children are eating their packed lunch, staff do not intervene when they eat their 'treats' first and ignore other nutritious foods. n Children pretend to make a birthday cake out of play dough. Staff encourage the children to talk about themselves and who is important to them in their lives, so

p.2

need to do better?

they can sing 'Happy Birthday' to them. This helps children to begin to understand about celebrating significant events in people's lives. n Staff do not make sure they have established effective relationships between other childcare settings children attend. As a result, staff do not find it easy to share or freely discuss important information about children's well-being or development.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Managers and staff do not understand and implement their safeguarding policy and procedures. Their failure to identify and act on concerns about children means that children's safety and welfare are compromised. Staff also do not demonstrate a robust knowledge of being alert to wider safeguarding issues such as the 'Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales 2015'. However, managers and staff make sure that accidents that occur are managed and recorded effectively. Managers make sure that all staff working with children have a paediatric first-aid qualification.

p.3

Due date

6 November 2019 ensure all staff understand the safeguarding policy and procedure and have an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues so that they can identify and respond to signs of possible abuse at the earliest opportunity 27/11/2019

p.3

Due date

ensure that the lead practitioner knows how to identity, understand and respond appropriately to signs of possible abuse and neglect 27/11/2019

p.4

Due date

ensure all staff develop a secure knowledge and understanding of the 'Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales 2015' in order to identify children who may be at risk of being exposed to extreme behaviours or views 27/11/2019

p.4

Due date

implement arrangements to enable a regular two-way flow of information between parents and providers, when a child attends more than one setting, to ensure children's development and welfare needs are consistently promoted 27/11/2019

p.4

Due date

implement effective procedures to promote the good health of the children attending the setting, to prevent the spread of infection. 27/11/2019

p.4

Due date

consider children's stages of development in order to plan challenging and purposeful activities 27/11/2019

p.4

Due date

strengthen the quality of staff interactions with children, so that they make the best of every learning opportunity, to extend and challenge children's learning. 27/11/2019

p.4

should:

n help children to understand how to make healthy food choices, for example, during lunchtimes.

p.5

Setting details

Unique reference number 220115 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 10072581 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 to 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person Abington Vale Playgroup Committee

p.6

reference number

Telephone number 01604 603345 Date of previous inspection 21 April 2016

p.6

Information about this early years setting

Abington Vale PlaySchool registered in 1992. It employs six members of childcare staff. All members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3. The playschool opens on Monday to Friday during school term time only, from 9am until 3.30pm. It provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

p.6

Inspection activities

n The inspector completed a tour of the premises with the provider. They talked about how the provider organises the playschool, and the play and learning experiences they provide for children. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. She completed a joint observation with the provider. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. She held a meeting with the provider and reviewed a sample of documents, including evidence of staff suitability. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

p.7

Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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.7

Inspection activities

6 November 2019 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 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.

p.7

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection activities

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.8

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8