Squirrels Corner Pre School 2

Inspection of Squirrels Corner Pre School 2 Townhill Park Community Centre, Meggeson Avenue, Southampton, Hampshire SO18 2FH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Although managers have high expectations for children's learning, staff do not always implement effective teaching. This means that, sometimes, children's learning is not challenged well enough. In particular, staff do not support toddlers speech and language development consistently.

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The provision requires improvement

Children make choices about what they want to play with from the activities available to them. They show a love for the outside and benefit from plenty of fresh air and exercise. Children enjoy developing risk-taking skills. For example, pre-school children showed effective spatial awareness as they rode balance bicycles in the garden. They also developed balance and coordination as they rode the bicycles up and down a ramp.

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The provision requires improvement

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff work in partnership with other professionals. They are aware of the children's needs and provide effective one-to-one care and education.

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The provision requires improvement

Most children are happy and settled in the care of the staff. However, at times, children who are unsettled receive little attention from staff to help engage them. These children then drift between areas and do not settle well at activities or play. Overall, children's needs are mainly known and met well. However, sometimes, not enough information is gathered about children's backgrounds, for example their home language and culture, to enable staff to use this information to help them better understand and meet children's needs.

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need to do better?

n Managers have an overview of the curriculum and know what they intend children to learn. However, this is not embedded into practice. Not all staff have a good enough understanding of the children's needs to provide consistent support to them. Some staff's interactions do not support young children's developing speech and language skills effectively. This does not ensure children gain the skills they need for the future. n Staff make observations and assessments of children's learning. This helps them have some understanding about what children already know and can do. Although children make some progress in their learning, they do not make the progress they are capable of. n Most children behave well. However, at times, staff do not ensure the environment is organised as effectively as possible to support children. For instance, the noise levels in the pre-school room become too high. This does not

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need to do better?

enable children to hear what is said to them and distracts some children from their play and learning. Sometimes, staff do not manage routines well enough to

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need to do better?

3 May 2022 meet children's needs. For example, after lunch, the pre-school room became a little chaotic, which led to some children's behaviour deteriorating. At times, staff do not quickly respond to children's inappropriate behaviour, to help consistently guide them to understand right from wrong. n Staff encourage children to be independent. For example, children in the pre- school room take themselves to the toilet and all children independently wash their hands. n Parents report they are happy with the pre-school service and comment positively about the support they and their children receive. However, sometimes, staff do not gain sufficient information to help them support children's needs more effectively. In particular, information to enable them to acknowledge and support children's individual backgrounds, to help value each child more as an individual. n Staff report they feel supported by the committee and managers. There are

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need to do better?

arrangements in place for the supervision and performance management of staff. In addition, staff complete ongoing training and professional development. However, these measures have not had a sufficient impact to ensure staff provide children with a consistently good quality of education. n Some committee members have not provided Ofsted with the required information to check their suitability. This is a breach of requirements. However, the committee members have completed Disclosure and Barring Service checks and have no direct contact with children at the pre-school. In addition, they are not involved in any sensitive information or decision-making. This means there is no impact on children's welfare. n Children have access to a good range of toys and resources. Additional funding is used effectively to support children's individual needs. For instance, children enjoy music and movement sessions from a specialist company, which helps

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff have an appropriate knowledge of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse. They know the procedures to report concerns about children's welfare and any concerns relating to allegations against a colleague. Staff take effective steps to ensure the premises are safe and secure. They complete risk assessments and follow good hygiene practices. This promotes children's safety and good health. The committee and managers follow safer recruitment procedures when recruiting new staff. They complete appropriate checks to ensure the ongoing suitability of staff working with the children.

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Due date

supply the information required to Ofsted to check all committee member's suitability 13/05/2022

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Due date

ensure staff gain a good understanding of how to support children's communication and language development and implement effective teaching and interactions with children to help them make further progress. 03/06/2022

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should:

n monitor the quality of the provision effectively, to ensure staff provide consistently good teaching and interactions to support children's behaviour, learning and development, to help children gain the skills and knowledge they need for their future learning n implement effective information gathering and sharing processes with parents and carers, including gaining more details about children's home languages and cultures, to provide effective individual support and care that meets their needs and which helps them to feel settled and engaged in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2502594 Local authority Southampton Inspection number 10194399 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 34 Number of children on roll 60

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Name of registered person

Squirrels Corner Pre-School Management Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07808436313 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Squirrels Corner Pre School 2 registered in 2018. It operates in the Townhill area of Southampton. The pre-school is open each weekday, from 8.30am to 3.30pm, term time only. The provider receives funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 10 staff employed to work with the children; most of these hold relevant early years qualifications at level 3.

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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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector observed the interactions between the staff and children and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The deputy manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the curriculum intentions and what they want the children to learn. n Discussions were held with the deputy manager and staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector gained some parents' views through discussion. n The inspector observed the quality of the education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a planting activity with the

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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

3 May 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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