Ladybirds at St Barnabas

Inspection of Ladybirds at St Barnabas St Barnabas Church Halls, Stopford Rd, Gillingham, Kent ME7 4NQ

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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 Good

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The provision is inadequate

There are breaches in the safeguarding requirements because the provider and safeguarding lead have not taken appropriate action when an allegation has been made against staff. Furthermore, the provider has failed to notify Ofsted about changes to the committee. This has a significant impact on children's safety and well-being.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite the breaches in requirements, children are happy and enjoy attending. They settle quickly and have built good attachments to staff. For example, children play close to their key person, who provides reassurance when needed. This helps them feel secure.

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The provision is inadequate

Children behave well and are kind and considerate. They have started to build friendships. For instance, they play with small characters, sharing and taking turns to decide what happens next.

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The provision is inadequate

Children have opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, indoors they balance on beams and play on the slide. Outdoors, they throw balls into nets and use the climbing frames. They also learn about the wider world and how to take care of living things as they tend to the pumpkins, strawberries and peas that they have grown.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are taught and encouraged to become independent, which supports their eventual move to school. For instance, they pour their own drinks and put spread on their toast during snack times. Afterwards, they clear away their plates and know which bins to put food into for compost.

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need to do better?

n The safeguarding lead has not followed safeguarding policies and procedures. They have failed to inform the local safeguarding partners and Ofsted that an allegation has been made against a member of staff. This is a breach of the requirements of the early years foundation stage. n The provider has failed to inform Ofsted in a timely manner that there have been changes to the committee. This means that some members have not be adequately checked to ensure that they are suitable to fulfil the role. This puts children at risk. n Staff place a strong focus on children's communication skills. They read books and have lots of conversations during the day. For instance, they introduce new words while playing with dinosaurs, such as 'Allosaurus'. This helps to extend children's knowledge and vocabulary. However, staff do not fully consider the individual learning needs of younger children during large-group times. As a

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need to do better?

23 May 2022 result, some children become distracted and disrupt the session by talking or rolling on the floor. n Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, are becoming confident communicators. Staff learn words from their home language to support their developing communications. n Staff know their children well. They plan and sequence their curriculum to build on what children know and can do. Staff provide resources that are suitable for each child's individual needs. For example, various ability puzzles and scissors. Most children make steady progress in their learning. However, staff do not consistently support quieter children to become engaged in their learning. This has an impact on the overall progress they make. n Staff are good role models and have appropriate expectations for children's behaviour. Staff are consistent in their approach, so all children are developing a

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need to do better?

sense of right and wrong. For example, children wait patiently for their turn while making dough and when waiting to climb the ladder to the slide. Staff praise and value children's achievements, which helps to build their self-esteem. n Staff support children to develop healthy life styles. They offer healthy food and drink at snack times. Children have regular opportunities to play outdoors and move their bodies in a variety of ways, such as running, throwing and catching. Children also have the opportunity to learn about their oral health as they role play being in a dentist from past experiences. n The manager holds regular individual meetings with all staff. As a result, staff feel supported. The manager regularly observes staff practice in order to help and guide them in how to improve their practice. n Overall, parents give positive feedback about the setting and staff. They are happy with their children's care. They comment that their children enjoy their

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need to do better?

time at the setting and that they will be sad when they start school and no longer attend. They particularly like the assessments that they receive about their child's learning and use this as a tool to support learning at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are not sufficiently robust to ensure children's safety. The designated safeguarding lead has not demonstrated she has a clear understanding of the setting's safeguarding policies. The provider has not ensured that all required suitability checks have been completed for committee members. Nevertheless, staff have a clear understanding of the signs which could indicate a child is at risk of abuse. They know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare. They receive regular training and have a good knowledge of wider safeguarding issues, such as radicalisation and extremism. The manager completes thorough risk assessments on the premises to ensure children play and learn in a safe environment.

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Due date

ensure the safeguarding lead has a secure knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding policy and the procedures to follow in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff 24/05/2022

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Due date

ensure the provider takes prompt action to notify Ofsted of any changes to committee member, so suitability checks can be completed. 24/05/2022

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should:

n review the organisation of large-group activities to consistently support the needs of younger children n put in place procedures to ensure the needs of quieter children are supporter, so they can fully engage in activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY482225 Local authority Medway Inspection number 10228946 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 28 Number of children on roll 43

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Name of registered person

Ladybirds Pre School at St Barnabas Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01634570688 Date of previous inspection 11 October 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Ladybirds at St Barnabas registered in 2014. It operates from a church hall in Gillingham, Kent. The pre-school is open on Monday through to Friday, from 9am to 3.15pm, during term time only. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are eight staff, the manager holds a level 5 qualification and six staff hold a level 3.

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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 this into account in her evaluation of the setting. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection, and took account of their views. n The inspector and manager completed two joint observations together.

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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

23 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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