Woodlands Pre-School

Inspection of Woodlands Pre-School Netley Marsh Community Hall, Woodlands Road, Woodlands, SOUTHAMPTON SO40 7GE

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is inadequate

Children's welfare and safety are compromised. The current manager, who is the designated safeguarding lead (DSL), does not have a clear understanding of the safeguarding processes that she must follow. This prevents her and staff from keeping children safe effectively.

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The provision is inadequate

Children who need additional support are identified but referrals are not made. This prevents children from receiving the interventions they need. Therefore, these children do not make the progress they could and they are not prepared for their next stage of learning, such as school.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are too often left to find their own learning, with little enhancement from staff. This limits purposeful learning and prevents staff from building on what children already know and need to know next. When adult-guided play does occur, some children show they are uninterested as they do not listen or pay attention to staff. Some choose to leave the activity and do something else of their own choice.

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The provision is inadequate

Children have many opportunities to explore their surroundings. They go on daily walks around the park and spend a large part of their day in the pre-school's allotment. They problem-solve as they work out which size of apple they can roll down tubes into water. They show good physical strength as they construct using heavy wooden blocks.

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need to do better?

n Leaders of the pre-school fail to understand and carry out their roles and responsibilities. This includes informing Ofsted of changes to the committee and providing the new manager with a robust induction. Leaders do not hold the manager accountable for her responsibilities. This approach fails to ensure that statutory requirements are met, which compromises children's safety, welfare and education. n The DSL has a weak knowledge of child protection. She does not recognise and therefore act on indicators that children could be at risk of harm. She does not share relevant information in a timely manner to enable children to get the support they require. This has a significant impact on children's overall well- being. n Staff do not have a good enough knowledge of safeguarding to keep children safe. They follow internal procedures if they have concerns in relation to children's welfare. However, they do not follow these concerns up to ensure

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need to do better?

they have been passed on to relevant outside agencies. n Staff supervision is not effective. Weaknesses in staff's practice and in the implementation of activities are not identified. For example, some children are

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need to do better?

18 July 2022 reluctant to engage and demonstrate they are bored as they turn away and leave a listening-and-attention activity. Staff use limited language and provide no instructions for children to follow. Despite observing this, the manager and deputy fail to identify weakness in the activity. This hinders reflective practice and improvement. n Staff do not manage children's behaviour consistently. Some children become disengaged and begin throwing items such as small rocks. Some staff divert children's attention to an activity of interest and others ignore the behaviour. This prevents children from understanding the rules and boundaries of the pre- school and what is right and wrong. When children present concerning behaviour, staff are not quick enough to identify that it could be a safeguarding matter. n Planning is poorly designed. There is little adult-guided play and this does not fully support children to be ready for the next stage in their learning. Teaching is

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need to do better?

neither engaging nor challenging, which results in children not wanting to participate. n Children enjoy some activities, but these do not always extend their learning. However, they show interest in the resources in the environment, such as the role-play ice-cream shop, arts and crafts activities and small-world play. n Staff do not work effectively with parents and other professionals if a child's development gives cause for concern. This hinders children from getting the support they need to progress well in their learning and development. Nonetheless, staff are knowledgeable about their key children's interests. They do use assessment well to identify where children are in their development. However, the failings occur when no action is taken to bridge those identified gaps. n Children's physical development is supported well. They have many opportunities to move in different ways. For example, they balance on wooden

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need to do better?

beams, roll large balls and manipulate dough.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The DSL has weak knowledge of her responsibilities to safeguard children. Her poor understanding has led to her failing to act responsibly. For example, when concerns have been raised, she has not taken further action. This also prevents her from providing advice and guidance to staff. She does not know how to manage an allegation made against a staff member internally, or who she must refer to externally. Staff's safeguarding knowledge is inconsistent. Some staff know signs that could indicate a child is at risk of harm. However, they do not fully understand their own responsibilities in escalating concerns should the DSL fail to act.

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Due date

take action to ensure those with lead responsibility for safeguarding improve their knowledge and understanding of all safeguarding matters, including how to manage an allegation against a staff member, in order to provide support, advice and guidance to all other staff 24/09/2022

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Due date

ensure all staff, including those with lead responsibility, understand the safeguarding policy and procedures, with particular regard to recognising when a child may be exposed to a risk of harm, and when they should escalate their concerns externally should those with lead responsibility fail to respond appropriately 24/09/2022

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Due date

ensure all staff, including those with lead responsibility, understand and follow the statutory guidance 'Working together to safeguard children', to ensure that concerns about children's safety or welfare are referred without delay to those with statutory responsibilities 24/09/2022

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Due date

take action to ensure effective supervision and coaching systems are in place to support gaps in staff's knowledge, with particular regard to their safeguarding responsibilities and how they engage and challenge all children 24/09/2022

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Due date

ensure those with governance understand their roles and responsibilities so all statutory requirements are met, such as informing Ofsted of changes to the committee, providing the new manager with a robust induction and holding those that manage the pre-school accountable 24/09/2022

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Due date

18 July 2022 review procedures for supporting behaviour to ensure all staff are consistent with the support strategies to be used, and can identify when behaviour could become a safeguarding concern 24/09/2022

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Due date

ensure all staff are aware of children whose progress in the prime areas of learning may indicate cause for concern, and that these concerns are shared effectively with parents in order to get appropriate support from other professionals 24/09/2022

p.5

Due date

take steps to improve the curriculum planning and delivery to ensure children are accessing adult-guided play, which takes into consideration what individual children need to know next and challenges them to be prepared for their next stage in learning. 21/10/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 507964 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10108514 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 26 Number of children on roll 34 Name of registered person Woodlands Pre School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07880921627 Date of previous inspection 17 June 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Woodlands Pre-School opened in 1982. It operates in the Community Hall in the village of Netley Marsh, in Hampshire. The pre-school opens during term time only. It operates on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9.15am to 3.30pm. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for children aged two, three and four. There are seven staff working with the children, including the manager. Six staff members hold relevant early years qualifications at levels 3 and 4.

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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 The inspector and new manager carried out a learning walk across all areas of the pre-school to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n A joint observation was carried out by the inspector and deputy manager to observe the quality of teaching. n The inspector held discussions with children, staff and parents at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector looked at a sample of documentation. This included safeguarding documentation, behavioural tracking and suitability checks. n A leadership meeting was held with the inspector and both the current manager and new manager.

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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

18 July 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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