St Oswalds Pre School Group

Inspection of St Oswalds Pre School Group Rubery Community & Leisure Centre, Holywell Lane, Rubery, Rednal, BIRMINGHAM B45 9AD

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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

The leadership and management of the setting is ineffective. The provider does not ensure staff effectively support children to embed a solid foundation on which to grow and learn. Not all staff have a robust understanding of safeguarding procedures. This means children may not be protected should a concern arise. The provider was not available for the inspection and recently informed Ofsted that the deputy is acting as the manager. The acting manager and staff are left to operate the setting alone. They spend the majority of their time on routine tasks to keep the setting operating. This impacts on the quality of teaching offered to children to support their learning and development.

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The provision is inadequate

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not well supported. For example, although advice and guidance is provided by the local authority, it is not implemented by staff. Staff know all of the children well and are clear about their next steps. However, they do not provide meaningful activities or effective support to help all children make progress in relation to their starting points.

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The provision is inadequate

Children arrive happily at the setting. They enjoy playing with their friends and have warm and secure relationships with staff. Most children readily engage in conversations with staff, which helps to develop their communication and language skills. They sing along to familiar songs and wave and smile at visitors. Children choose from a wide selection of activities which interest them. For example, they climb the ladder and come down the slide laughing with each other. Children make marks in the sand, which helps them gain skills in early writing. Children have opportunities to explore their own interests. For example, they look for bugs in the mud outdoors.

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need to do better?

n The provider has an extremely poor oversight of the setting and has not been to the premises since January 2022. Insufficient progress has been made since the last inspection. This is in relation to supervision arrangements to support staff in their role, the key-person system and the arrangements for supporting children with SEND. In addition, staff do not have a robust understanding of safeguarding procedures. n Little consideration is given to the well-being of staff. They are not provided with opportunities to undertake appropriate training and professional development. Staff receive no support or coaching. They are not afforded sufficient time to focus on teaching. They are not effective in ensuring all children make progress in their learning. n The curriculum is not well planned or implemented. Although staff undertake

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need to do better?

29 June 2022 assessment of children's learning and development and identify where there are gaps, these are not addressed. The progress checks for children between the ages of two and three years are not in place for all children. In addition, not enough consideration is given to what children already know and what they need to learn next. Staff have taken on the responsibility in the provider's absence for the planning of the activities. Although this helps children develop some skills, the learning that takes place is incidental and this limits the progress they make. n Staff have developed some relationships with external agencies. They liaise with the local schools that children will be attending to help prepare them for this move. Staff have links with the local authority special educational needs co- ordinator (SENCO) but do not use the advice given to support individual children. Although additional funding is applied for, it is not used to support

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need to do better?

children in their development. This delays the progress individual children could make. n Children behave well. They are respectful to each other while waiting their turn to use the toilet and wash their hands. The most able children discuss their lunch and talk about their choice of apple or pear and water or milk at snack time. Older children listen and follow instructions confidently. They help to tidy up and choose a story, which they listen to attentively. n In preparation for the move on to school, staff explain to children what is going to happen next, discussing with them the summer holidays, for example. They help children to understand about the school they will move on to by looking at photographs of the school and the local area. Staff help children to see the difference in the clothes they wear now and the uniforms they will be wearing when they move on to school. n Parents speak positively of the staff and the settled relationships their children

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need to do better?

have with their key person. However, staff do not provide enough information about children's next steps to help parents to continue their child's learning at home. This means continuation in children's learning is not promoted.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff have a robust understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. The practitioner designated to take lead responsibility for safeguarding children has not been enabled to provide support, advice and guidance to all other staff on an ongoing basis, to ensure their knowledge. Not all staff understand the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm or the action to take should a child protection concern arise. They do not fully understand the procedures to follow if an allegation is made against a member of staff. Records which confirm that all staff are suitable to work with children are not easily accessible and available. This means children may not be protected should a concern arise. That said, effective risk assessment ensures that the premises are safe.

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Due date

ensure the practitioner designated to take lead responsibility for safeguarding children is enabled to provide support, advice and guidance to all other staff on an ongoing basis, to develop their knowledge 20/07/2022

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Due date

train all staff to understand the setting's safeguarding policy and procedures 20/07/2022

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Due date

support all staff to undertake appropriate training and professional development opportunities to ensure they offer quality learning and development experiences for children that continually improve 20/07/2022

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Due date

ensure supervision arrangements for all staff foster a culture of mutual support and teamwork and to effectively support their well-being 20/07/2022

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Due date

improve the key-person system to ensure that every child receives tailored care and learning that meets their individual needs 20/07/2022

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Due date

provide effective support for children with SEND, including using any external funding which may be available to support them 20/07/2022

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Due date

ensure records are easily accessible and available, including the criminal records check reference number, the date the check was obtained and details of who obtained it, and recruitment records for all staff 20/07/2022

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Due date

29 June 2022 provide sufficient detailed information to parents about their child's next steps to support learning at home. 20/07/2022

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Due date

plan and implement an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum, that staff understand, to give children a breadth of experiences and prepare them for the next stage in their learning 30/08/2022

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Due date

ensure progress checks are undertaken for all children between the ages of two and three years 30/08/2022

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Due date

ensure targeted plans are in place to support children where assessment identifies that their progress is less than expected, to understand their needs and shape teaching and learning experiences that support their progress. 30/08/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY370158 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10245439 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 24 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person St Oswalds Pre School Group Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 07956761180 Date of previous inspection 14 September 2021

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Information about this early years setting

St Oswalds Pre School Group registered in 2008. The pre-school is located in the Rednal area of Worcestershire. The pre-school opens 9am until 2.30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, term time only. There are five members of childcare staff employed who all hold qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre- school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. 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 deputy manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with parents and children during the inspection. n The inspector held a meeting with the deputy manager and looked at relevant documentation.

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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

29 June 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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