Sowood Pre-School And Community Association

Inspection of Sowood Pre-School And Community Association Sowood Pre School, Stainland Road, Sowood, Halifax, Yorkshire HX4 9HY

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

The management committee do not ensure that designated officers who oversee safeguarding are known to Ofsted. This means that the required checks have not been completed to ensure their suitability. Nevertheless, children are happy and enthusiastic learners. They play cooperatively together and take turns. Staff have a good understanding of children's needs and what causes some to have difficulties. They have high expectations of children, praise them and give sensitive support. Children learn to behave well.

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The provision is inadequate

Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, parents are not able to come into the pre-school. Staff provide a warm welcome as they greet children and their parents in the car park. They check that all family members are well and provide time for discussions about children's learning. Staff maintained contact with families when the setting was closed due to the pandemic. They provided packs for the children with ideas and activities to complete at home.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff ensure that children spend plenty of time outdoors each day. Children thoroughly enjoy making models using wood, screws and real tools. Staff teach children how to use the screwdriver carefully and safely. Children turn the screws confidently and successfully fasten pieces of wood together. Children display how safe they feel in the care of staff working directly with them.

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need to do better?

n The management committee implement robust recruitment procedures to check that childcare practitioners are suitable to work with children. However, they have failed to provide Ofsted with the required information about all people involved in the operation of the setting, including those who oversee safeguarding. This means that suitability checks have not been carried out on all individuals involved in making decisions that affect children. This means that children's safety is not fully promoted. n The pre-school manager is dedicated to providing good quality learning experiences for children. She is ambitious for children and has high expectations of what they can achieve. Staff provide a well-planned and varied curriculum to help deepen children's learning and knowledge of the world. Staff sing songs, read stories, introduce new words and help children to say words correctly. Children make good progress in their communication and language

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need to do better?

development. Older children use well constructed sentences and a wide range of vocabulary. n Children display their imagination as they work together to make a tent using wooden structures, blankets and elastic bands. They delight in making the tent into a 'dark cave'. Staff use this opportunity to introduce torches and teach

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need to do better?

2 July 2021 children how to create light in the dark. They tell stories with expression, about bears in caves and encourage children to join in. However, at times, staff answer their own questions and do not give children the time they need to think and share their own ideas. n The manager and staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. Staff provide children with individually tailored support. They help them to understand the process for daily tasks, such as washing their hands and getting ready for lunch. Children learn to cope well in situations they find difficult. Staff offer an inclusive environment for all children. The manager uses additional funding effectively to provide extra sessions and enrich children's learning. n Staff encourage children's physical development particularly well. Children develop good physical strength and control of their bodies. They display high

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need to do better?

levels of energy and enthusiastically practise forward rolls on mats in the garden. Staff remind children where to place their head when doing this to help prevent any injuries. Children learn to be independent. They pour their own drinking water from the dispenser. Staff teach children how to cut their own food at lunch time using a knife and fork. n Parents value the support that staff give to their children and are pleased with the progress they make. Parents feel that staff provide children with 'wonderful experiences'. They state that they 'trust staff' and there is 'a really good vibe here'. n Children enthusiastically and excitedly pour water from large containers into pipes so that they can float play resources down them. Staff help them to understand how the force of the water is like a waterfall and moves the objects at speed. However, on occasions, staff do not consistently adapt the resources

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need to do better?

provided to help the youngest children achieve success during activities. This means at times, they are disappointed and become frustrated.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The management committee does not have a thorough understanding of its responsibilities with regard to safeguarding. They do not implement robust procedures to ensure the suitability of all committee officers. Despite this, staff working directly with children have accessed appropriate training and demonstrate a good knowledge of how to protect children. They know the signs that may indicate a child is at risk from harm. Staff provide careful supervision during activities, which contributes to children's safety. The manager puts effective procedures in place to ensure that children who have severe allergies are well supported and safe.

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Due date

provide Ofsted with the information required to enable suitability checks to be completed and establish the suitability of all committee officers, in order to effectively safeguard children. 10/09/2021

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should:

n adapt learning resources more effectively so that the youngest children are able to succeed in achieving their goals n support staff to develop more effective questioning skills so that they consistently listen to children's ideas and extend their thinking skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY561596 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 10194190 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 25

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Name of registered person

Sowood Pre-School And Community Association

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reference number

Telephone number 01422374367 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Sowood Pre-School and Community Association registered in 2018 and is managed by a committee. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including one with a level 6 qualification. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together. They discussed what the manager wants the children to learn, how the pre-school is organised to support children's independent choices and how the curriculum is planned and sequenced for the different groups of children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of practice with the manager and discussed teaching and the impact on children's learning. n Parents told the inspector about how staff support their children at pre-school and how pleased they are with their progress. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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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

2 July 2021 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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