Funtimes Preschool Ickenham

Inspection of Funtimes Preschool Ickenham Scout Huts, Community Close, Ickenham, UXBRIDGE, Middlesex UB10 8RE

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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The provision requires improvement

Children arrive happily and are welcomed by warm and caring staff. They settle quickly into their self-chosen play and enjoy the activities staff set up for their learning. However, staff do not always consider the individual needs of the children who attend when planning and delivering activities. Although children enjoy their time at the pre-school, as the session progresses, they tend to move quickly from one activity to another and become less engaged in meaningful learning. As a result, the environment sometimes becomes chaotic, and children struggle to follow instruction. This disrupts other children's learning, particularly the period leading up to, and following, snack time. Nonetheless, there are periods when children show levels of perseverance and concentration. For example, young children develop their fine motor skills as they try to thread brightly coloured pipe cleaners into sieve holes.

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The provision requires improvement

Young children feel confident to explore the environment independently and seek out staff if they feel unsettled. Staff respond readily, providing cuddles and are attentive to their individual care needs. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children benefit from plenty of fresh air and exercise. They relish playing in the outdoor area, where staff provide a range of learning opportunities. Children paint pumpkins and compare the blue paint they are using to the colour of the sky. They use their imagination as they role play in the mud kitchen and scoop soil using different utensils to make mud cakes.

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need to do better?

n The quality of teaching is too variable. Staff do not always deliver a curriculum that meets the individual needs of children attending the sessions. They do not always tailor their interactions during activities to ensure that intended learning is fully supported. In addition, staff do not make the most of all opportunities to fully extend children's learning. For example, they do not encourage children to solve problems and try things out for themselves. This impacts on the rate of progress children can make in their development. n Where teaching is stronger, staff positively support children's communication and language skills. For example, staff engage children in conversation as they play alongside them. They help children understand mathematical language as they talk about the full and half-moon. However, at other times, staff do not promote children's language well. They ask children questions but do not give

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need to do better?

them the time they need to consider their response or ask questions that only require a 'yes' or 'no' answer. In addition, they do not always ensure that those children who are quieter and less confident to speak have opportunities to express themselves. n Staff have regular opportunities for professional development. For example,

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need to do better?

18 October 2022 many staff have undertaken training to better support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The manager regularly monitors staff practice. She is clear about areas of weakness that need to be improved to strengthen the quality of teaching. However, the systems in place for the supervision of staff are not fully effective in ensuring the quality of teaching is consistently good. n Partnerships with parents are positive. Parents feel well informed about their child's development and how to support their learning at home. They particularly praise the warm and caring staff team. Parents feel that staff supported their child's transition to pre-school sensitively when they started, to help them settle. They feel that their children are very happy at the pre-school. n Staff monitor children's development closely and share this information across the team. As a result, all staff know children well and what they need to do next

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need to do better?

to achieve the next stage in their learning. They identify gaps in children's learning promptly and show a passion for wanting all children to achieve their best potential. n The manager builds strong links with other professionals involved in children's care and development. She communicates with other settings where children have previously attended to find out about their development. Teachers from schools where children move on to have the opportunity to visit the pre-school to meet children in their own environment. n Staff provide positive opportunities to help children learn about healthy lifestyles. Children independently fetch tissues to wipe their own noses and wash their hands after using the toilet and before meals. Staff interweave learning about how to brush their teeth properly during story activities, and a visit from the dentist is planned to take place imminently. Children keenly share their

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need to do better?

knowledge about which foods are healthy for their bodies and for their teeth. n Overall, children behave well. Staff reinforce positive messages about expectations. For example, they remind children why it is not safe to run indoors, as they might hurt themselves or their friends. Children learn the importance of sharing, taking turns and being kind to their friends.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have worked hard to address the breaches of the requirements relating to safeguarding identified at the last inspection. Staff have had lots of safeguarding training. They have a clear knowledge of the signs that could indicate a child is at risk of harm and the process to follow to keep children safe. They have a clear knowledge of which agencies the designated safeguarding leads should report concerns to. The systems in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children when they start, and on an ongoing basis, are now more robust. Staff are alert to children's safety at all times and closely supervise children as they move freely, both indoors and outdoors.

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Due date

improve the quality of staff interactions with children so they are consistently effective in challenging and extending learning and to better support children's communication and language development 31/12/2022

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Due date

ensure staff better understand how to plan and deliver the curriculum to meet the individual needs of all children attending and ensure intentions for learning are fully achieved 31/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that supervision of staff is successful in providing guidance, coaching and training to staff so that the quality of teaching is consistently good. 31/10/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY551256 Local authority Hillingdon Inspection number 10244697 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 30 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Funtimes Preschool

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reference number

Telephone number 07881517188 Date of previous inspection 20 April 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Funtimes Preschool Ickenham opened in 2018 and is situated in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It operates Monday to Friday, from 9am to 2.30pm, during term time only. The setting accepts funding for children aged two-, three- and four-years old. The pre-school employs seven staff, of whom five hold an early years qualification at level 2 and above.

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Inspection activities

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 manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during a story activity. 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 Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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 October 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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