Dreamcatchers Preschool

Inspection of Dreamcatchers Preschool Knaphill Methodist Church, Broadway, Knaphill, WOKING, Surrey GU21 2DR

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

The management team does not follow its recruitment procedures robustly, and not all staff have a secure and up-to-date knowledge of the local Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures. This compromises children's safety and well- being. Despite these serious weaknesses, the staff provide a well-thought-out and welcoming environment where children can participate in a varied curriculum.

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The provision is inadequate

Children enjoy using their imagination and play at being shopkeepers. They enjoy looking at books and 'reading' them to each other or listening to stories read by staff. Children like to sit calmly with staff and complete puzzles or simple games. They confidently create their own artwork. For example, children use scissors, paper, glue and other materials to create their own monsters and sock puppets. However, staff do not always use their assessments of children's learning to challenge them further.

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The provision is inadequate

At times, children whose speech is still emerging get frustrated as they cannot communicate to staff what it is they want or need. It takes staff time to work out what the children want, and they have not considered other ways to support children to express their needs. However, once staff establish these, children settle quickly back into their task. Overall, children build strong bonds with the staff and each other. Most are aware of what is expected of them, follow the pre-school rules and behave well. However, staff accept that they are struggling to manage some challenging behaviour promptly. This leads to them having to leave the children they are engaging with to attempt to deal with recurring episodes of poor behaviour. At these times, the children that staff are engaging with are left to complete activities by themselves.

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need to do better?

n Managers do not reflect effectively on their practice. They fail to identify that they do not robustly follow their recruitment procedures and allow staff unsupervised access to children before they receive all the suitability checks they initiate back as complete. In addition, not all staff demonstrate an up-to-date knowledge of the local authority safeguarding procedures to follow if they identify a concern about a child's welfare. This compromises children's safety. n The majority of children engage in the activities and learning available, and staff sit with them and build on what children know. However, staff have to spend a lot of the session trying to manage the challenging behaviour of a few older children. This leads to other children being left to get on with activities by themselves or waiting a while for the next activity, such as going out. n Staff observe and assess the children and identify meaningful next steps to

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need to do better?

assist them in gaining the skills they need for their future learning. However,

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need to do better?

11 February 2020 staff do not always make good use of these next steps to consistently extend and challenge children further. They talk to children and take an interest in what they are doing. However, staff have not put in place effective strategies to help children whose speech is still emerging to communicate their needs. These children get frustrated trying to get staff to understand what they want. n The staff provide children with a range of opportunities to build on their awareness of healthy lifestyles. Children enjoy weekly walks out in the community, such as to the library to change and select books to read. They learn what foods are healthy for them. For example, children recall how they put whole eggs into cups of sugary drinks and other liquids to see the effect these have on the shells. However, children's personal development and well-being cannot be assured as these are undermined by the weaknesses in safeguarding.

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need to do better?

n Staff provide effective interventions for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work with parents to implement strategies to support children's identified needs. n Parents speak highly of the relationship they and their children have with staff. They report that they are very happy with the care their children receive. Parents feel well informed about what their children are learning and the developmental progress they are making. n Children participate in a range of activities that increase their awareness of the local community, the wider world and diversity. Staff provide practical activities that enable children to experience other countries' festivals and cultural celebrations.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team does not robustly follow its safer recruitment procedures. This has led to staff having unsupervised access to children before all of their suitability checks have been completed. The manager, who is the designated safeguarding lead, demonstrates a secure understanding of the process to follow if she has a concern about a child's welfare. However, not all staff at inspection were confident about their safeguarding knowledge and could not demonstrate an up-to- date awareness of the local Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures. Staff complete daily risk assessments to help identify potential hazards and then swiftly address these.

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Due date

11 February 2020 ensure all staff develop a secure knowledge of the current local Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures 16/03/2020

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Due date

implement robust recruitment systems and ensure that any person who has regular contact with children is not left unsupervised with them until all suitability checks are complete 16/03/2020

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Due date

improve behaviour management strategies to help manage challenging behaviour more effectively and enable all children to engage in their learning 16/03/2020

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Due date

make more effective use of knowledge from children's assessments to plan and deliver learning experiences that provide consistently good levels of challenge for all children, including the most able 16/04/2020

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Due date

develop strategies to help children communicate their needs and build on their language development further. 16/04/2020

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY549373 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10126999 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 25 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person Dreamcatchers Preschool Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07876243518 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Dreamcatchers Preschool is a privately owned setting which registered in 2017. The pre-school operates on Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 8am to 2pm and on Wednesday and Thursday from 8am to 1pm, during term time and school holidays. Five staff and a volunteer work directly with the children over the week. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status, one holds a qualification at level 6 and two hold a qualification at level 3. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk around the pre- school. The manager discussed the learning intentions of the activities and resources provided. n The inspector had a meeting with the manager and the deputy manager, who are the registered providers, and discussed the management of the pre-school. n The inspector sampled a range of policies and procedures, including those linked to safeguarding, staff suitability and children's records. n Discussions were held with the staff, the designated safeguarding lead and the special educational needs coordinator to gain an understanding of their knowledge. n The inspector spoke to parents and children and gathered their views.

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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.

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Inspection activities

11 February 2020 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.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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