Bushytails Pre-School

Inspection of Bushytails Pre-School Kingsthorpe Village Primary School, Knights Lane, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN2 6QL

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

Children's welfare and safety are compromised because of continued, significant breaches of requirements. Staff caring for children do not have an appropriate understanding of many aspects of child protection. The manager is not implementing a curriculum that is helping children to gain skills for the future. Staff do not assess children's development carefully enough. They do not understand what individual children need to learn next. Staff expectations for children's learning are too low. Children are not engaged in adult-led activities that are carefully planned to build on what they already know and can do. They do not benefit from the ongoing sharing of information, particularly with parents, about their learning and development.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite these weaknesses, familiar staff welcome children into the pre-school and help them to settle. Children appear happy, keen to see their friends, and confident to choose their own activities. However, as the day progresses, children lose their enthusiasm. They start to wander and appear bored, as activities offer insufficient challenge, particularly for the older children. Small brushes and pots of water are set out for children to paint on tiny chalk boards. However, children quickly move on to the next activity, as the boards are too small and the marks they make are difficult to see. Children handle spades to fill buckets with sand. However, the lack of exciting resources fails to ignite their curiosity and they rapidly loose concentration. This has a negative impact on children's engagement and learning. Children enjoy carrying out some simple tasks for themselves. They develop independence as they visit the bathroom and wash their hands before meals and

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need to do better?

n The manager does not demonstrate the capacity to improve or sustain improvements. Breaches of requirements raised at recent Ofsted inspections have still not been addressed. These continued breaches compromise children's safety and ability to learn well. n The manager does not evaluate the pre-school or review staff practice to strengthen the provision and promote improvement. Weaknesses in staff's teaching practice have not been identified. The manager does not offer staff regular ongoing supervision, support and coaching. As a result, none of the staff have any identified areas for development. Staff who are new to the pre-school are not supported to understand the pre-school's policies and procedures. Finally, managers and staff do not know how to respond to safeguarding issues. n Staff do not identify gaps in children's learning to focus on. They do not work together and share what children need to learn next. Consequently, children do

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need to do better?

not receive the support they need to learn. Some children struggle to maintain

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need to do better?

22 March 2022 their attention, think critically or build on what they already know. Subsequently, gaps in children's learning remain and children are not well prepared for school or the next stage of their learning. n During some activities, staff talk and interact with children to build on their learning. Children are, generally, confident to ask questions and talk about their experiences. However, staff do not organise the day effectively. Changes to the daily routine are cumbersome and interactions during mealtimes are, generally, poor. Staff do not recognise when activities are not being utilised well and children have become bored. n Staff do not plan any purposeful learning activities matched to children's development to help to engage them. This means children do not consistently benefit from learning experiences, which has a negative impact on the level of progress they make. Previous actions have been raised to improve the quality of

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need to do better?

education, however, weaknesses remain. n On arrival, staff discuss children's general well-being with their parents. Because of this, staff know when children have not had a good start to the day and are upset. However, the sharing of information with parents about their child's learning and development is less frequent. Consequently, parents are not fully informed about how they can support their children's learning at home. n Children develop warm relationships with staff. They are confident as they mix with children of different ages and with all of the staff in the pre-school. Children, generally, follow staff requests and respond appropriately to gentle reminders regarding behaviour. Children eat healthy foods at mealtimes and staff follow appropriate hygiene procedures.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff do not prioritise children's safety. Staff do not understand the action to take if a child was at risk of abuse or neglect. They do not know how to contact the local authority for advice or to make a referral. The manager and staff are not secure in their knowledge of how to deal with an allegation against a member of staff. They are not clear about current safeguarding legislation and guidance, such as the 'Prevent' duty. The manager does not ensure the safe recruitment of staff. Procedures to induct staff safely into their new role are not implemented.

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Due date

22 March 2022 ensure managers and staff are trained to understand and implement the safeguarding policy and procedures 18/04/2023

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Due date

ensure managers and staff understand how to respond and report allegations against a member of staff 18/04/2022

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Due date

ensure managers and staff are trained to understand and implement the governments statutory guidance regarding the 'Prevent' duty 18/04/2022

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Due date

implement effective arrangements for the supervision of staff, to provide support, coaching and training to promote consistently good teaching and learning 18/04/2022

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Due date

implement rigorous induction procedures, to ensure new staff are supported to understand information about emergency evacuation procedures, safeguarding, child protection, and health and safety issues 18/04/2022

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Due date

establish a regular two-way flow of information with parents and/or carers to help support and build on children's learning and enable parents and/or carers to extend learning at home. 18/04/2022

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Due date

ensure that staff observe and assess children's learning accurately, to consistently identify where children are in their development from their starting points and to target any gaps in their learning 18/04/2022

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Due date

22 March 2022 develop the curriculum to ensure this clearly identifies what it is that all children need to learn and how this reflects their individual needs, offers appropriate challenge, and reflects their interests, to help them make at least good progress. 18/04/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY271062 Local authority West Northamptonshire Inspection number 10226831 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 27 Name of registered person Bushytails Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07765 970 912 Date of previous inspection 13 July 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Bushytails Pre-School registered in 2003. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, all members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications: three at level 5, one at level 3 and one at level 2. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 8.45am until 11.45am and from 12.30pm until 3.30pm, with a lunch club on Monday to Thursday from 11.45am until 12.30pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This inspection was prompted following Ofsted's risk assessment process. n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the pre-school manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the pre-school manager. She reviewed relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector and the manager completed a walk around the nursery and discussed the manager's plans and reasoning for the early years curriculum

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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

22 March 2022 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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