Stone & Fairford Leys Pre school

Inspection of Stone & Fairford Leys Pre school Maple House, 74 Oxford Road, Stone, Aylesbury HP17 8PL

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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 Good

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The provision is inadequate

Children are not well prepared for their future learning. They do not benefit from high-quality, well-planned learning opportunities. This is because staff do not assess their development well and so activities lack purpose and challenge. Children try to find their own avenues for learning, but they quickly become bored. They move from one area of the room to another without purpose.

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not experience effective key-person arrangements. Their learning needs are not met as their key person does not find out what they know and can do. Children are not well supported by staff, as they do not have a shared understanding of their development.

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not have positive attitudes to their learning. They are not stimulated by the activities on offer. They do not develop new skills and knowledge for their future learning. For example, when children are supposed to learn about types of buildings and tools used in building, staff praise them for banging hammers aimlessly into cardboard boxes. Children compete for attention such as by calling out. They are not helped to learn to listen to others and take turns to talk.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite the lack of stimulation, children do appear happy in pre-school. They are safe because leaders deploy staff effectively in different areas, in order to maintain staff ratios.

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need to do better?

n Leaders do not implement an effective key-person system. For example, children have a nominated key person. However, they do not gather or share information with other staff about children's learning. As a result, staff do not know how to support children, who consequently lack stimulation, and wander around without purpose. This has a significant impact on children's personal development and attitude to learning, as they are not well prepared for the next stages of their education. n Staff have a poor understanding of what children know and can do. Their assessments are not effective. For instance, they are unable to talk about children's starting points, their achievements and the progress they make. This means that they do not have the information they need to plan suitable learning experiences and they do not interact with children well in their everyday play. This has a significant impact on children's learning and development.

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need to do better?

n Staff do not plan challenging and enjoyable learning experiences for each child. Due to their poor understanding about what children know and can do, the play opportunities that they provide lack purpose. Staff do not demonstrate a good understanding of the skills and knowledge children need to develop and this

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need to do better?

1 April 2022 reflects in the activities on offer. This has a significant impact on children's behaviour and their attitudes to learning. For instance, children do not benefit from purposeful interaction with staff and they seek attention from visitors. The environment becomes disorderly and children wander from one activity to the next without focus. n Leaders do not ensure that staff have access to high-quality professional development. For example, when volunteers become permanent employees, they do not receive robust induction training. This means that they do not understand the expectations of their roles. This is demonstrated when staff act in a supervisory capacity during children's activities. For instance, when children use materials to make models, staff stand next to them ripping sticky tape off a roll. They hand it to children with no interaction. Staff do not recognise that they can use these opportunities to develop children's skills, such as learning to use

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need to do better?

tools to cut, and talking about their ideas. These poor interactions have a significant impact on children's learning and development. n Leaders do not supervise staff performance effectively. For example, staff report that leaders do not observe them working with children or provide coaching to help them improve their performance. This means that leaders do not monitor delivery of the curriculum and they do not identify weaknesses in practice. As a result, leaders are unaware of inconsistencies in approaches to developing children's independence skills, which is central to their vision. This means that these poor interactions continue and they have a significant impact on children's learning and personal development. n Despite these weaknesses, parents report that they find staff friendly and approachable. They particularly comment on arrangements put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic to have opportunities to talk to staff and for children to

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need to do better?

visit prior to attending. Children also enjoy opportunities to borrow books from the 'lending library' to take home and share. n Staff provide daily opportunities for children to have fresh air and exercise. For example, children enjoy spending time outdoors with their friends. This supports their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have assessed risks well during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have established robust procedures to help to keep children safe, such as enhanced cleaning. Leaders ensure that they deploy staff in the right places at the right time to help them maintain the required ratios and keep children safe. Staff demonstrate, through discussion, that they are familiar with local safeguarding partnership procedures. For instance, they know where to refer concerns about children's welfare and about staff practice, if they are not taken seriously within the pre-school. Staff can describe some signs and symptoms of abuse, including neglect, domestic abuse and sexual abuse. Leaders ensure that they keep staff informed of safeguarding updates in their staff meetings.

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Due date

implement an effective key-person system and ensure key people share information with other staff, particularly in relation to children's curriculum and what they need to learn next 03/06/2022

p.4

Due date

ensure that staff use assessment activities effectively to help them find out about what children know and can do and to inform the planning process 03/06/2022

p.4

Due date

ensure staff plan a challenging and enjoyable learning experience for each child 03/06/2022

p.4

Due date

improve staff support, ensuring that staff have access to high-quality induction and professional development to help them to understand their role and support children's learning effectively 01/07/2022

p.4

Due date

improve procedures for monitoring staff practice and staff supervisions and ensure that staff receive effective coaching and support to improve their personal effectiveness. 01/07/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY476403 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 10214547 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 26 Number of children on roll 39

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Name of registered person

Stone and Fairford Leys Pre-School Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01296 748247 Date of previous inspection 6 September 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Stone & Fairford Leys Pre school registered in 2014. It is situated in Stone, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9am until 3pm during term time only. The pre-school offers term time before-school care from 7.30am to 8.45am, and after-school care from 3.15pm to 5.45pm, with the exception of Friday, when care is provided to 5.15pm. A holiday club operates during some longer school holidays. The provider employs eight members of staff who work with children in pre-school and three members of staff who work before and after school. Of these, seven members of staff hold qualifications at level 2 and above. The provider receives funding to offer free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n A tour of the premises was carried out to make sure the areas used by children are safe and secure. This included new areas on the first floor of the building that are now used for before- and after-school care. n The inspector went on a learning walk with the deputy manager to find out about the curriculum and how it is implemented. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching, and she and the deputy manager jointly evaluated the effectiveness of staff interactions with children. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate points in the inspection to find out about their key-person responsibilities and how they are supported in their role. n Parents and children spoke to the inspector and their views were considered.

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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

1 April 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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