Staplehurst Under 5 Playgroup

Inspection of Staplehurst Under 5 Playgroup The Village Centre, High Street, Staplehurst, Tonbridge, Kent TN12 0BJ

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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 Good

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety and welfare are not assured. Staff's poor knowledge of safeguarding, lack of suitability checks for the management committee, ineffective risk assessments and poor staff deployment impact on children's safety. Despite this, staff work well to help children settle at playgroup. For example, they listen to children's requests and make sure that activities are set up for them to enjoy, such as play dough.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff struggle to balance the needs of all children. They get to know children well and plan a curriculum to ensure that children can access activities. For example, children take part in singing and games to learn how to follow instructions. However, not all children receive enough focused support to ensure that their learning needs are consistently met. As a result, not all children make enough progress in their learning. Staff are aware of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's and parents' personal, social and emotional development. They provide appropriate support to new families starting at the playgroup.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff do not always supervise children well enough to support their learning needs and safety. Despite this, children behave well. Each day, staff explain to children what the behaviour expectations are at the playgroup. Staff help children to understand about taking turns with toys and address any conflict that arises. Children develop suitable friendships with each other.

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need to do better?

n Staff do not receive enough support from the management committee or the manager of the setting. Supervision arrangements do not help to identify how to develop staff practice or give staff opportunities to share concerns they may have. As a result, the management are not aware of the significant gaps in staff knowledge. This limits the opportunity for staff to develop their practice and the overall quality of the playgroup to improve. n The committee have not ensured that all members are known to Ofsted, for all relevant suitability checks to be completed. The committee do not have a procedure in place to ensure that they notify Ofsted when members have left. This was raised at the last inspection and has not been addressed. This places children at risk. n Partnership working with parents is inconsistent. Staff are not always responsive enough to the information that parents share with them. Staff give some

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need to do better?

support to parents to help with children's behaviour at home. However, the partnership working is not strong enough to support key messages about children's health. In particular, around healthy eating and oral health. As a result, children do not always receive healthy food and drink at playgroup.

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need to do better?

29 September 2022 n Staff do not make sure that they deploy themselves effectively at all times to meet the needs of children. For example, staff do not always observe when children put things in their mouths. Staff cannot always see when children go to play in the outside area. When outside, staff are not aware of each other's movements and leave children in areas of the garden where other staff cannot supervise them. This places children at risk. n The support for children's learning and development is inadequate. Some children receive appropriate support to meet their needs. However, not all children's needs are given enough focus. Staff work with professionals to gain further insight for some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, this is not consistent for all children. As a result, not all children make enough progress to help them be ready to start school. n Staff interactions with children are positive. For example, staff use sign language

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need to do better?

with children to help develop their communication and language skills. Staff have discussions with children about their play and help introduce new language. Parents report that this has had a positive impact on their children's communication since starting at the playgroup. n Children form suitable relationships with their key person. Children go to staff for comfort when they have hurt themselves. They giggle with excitement as they jump around and sing. Staff support children well to learn how to begin to manage their own care needs. For example, they help children to wash their hands before eating.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety is compromised as a result of staff's poor safeguarding knowledge. The designated safeguarding lead lacks an understanding of key safeguarding information and is not aware of the poor safeguarding knowledge of the team. The staff team lack a basic understanding of child protection concerns and when to take action to keep children safe. They do not know the local authority procedures to follow if they identify concerns about a child or if an allegation is made against a member of staff. Staff who have not had all suitability checks completed are left in sole charge of children. Although the risks of this are identified, the lack of organisation within the setting means that risk assessments are not effective. This does not ensure children are safe.

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Due date

29 September 2022 ensure that the designated safeguarding lead has a suitable knowledge of their roles and responsibilities, including of the local authority safeguarding procedure to follow in the event of a concern about a child 14/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that staff have a secure understanding of what may impact on children's welfare and what to do in the event of a concern 14/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that staff know what to do in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff 14/10/2022

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Due date

provide the required information to Ofsted to enable suitability checks to be completed for all committee members 14/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that risk assessments identify all risks to children and are implemented effectively to keep children safe 14/10/2022

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Due date

implement effective supervision arrangements for staff to enable them to share concerns and to support their development, in order for them to fulfil their roles and responsibilities 14/10/2022

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Due date

deploy staff effectively at all times, paying particular attention to when children are using the outside area 14/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that children are supported to learn about healthy eating and oral hygiene, and receive appropriate food and drink during the day 14/10/2022

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Due date

implement effective partnership working with parents to ensure that all information is acted on and the needs of children are consistently met. 14/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that all children's learning and development needs are identified and met consistently throughout the day. 14/10/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127636 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10257727 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 20 Number of children on roll 27

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Name of registered person

Staplehurst Under Fives Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07792 938947 Date of previous inspection 17 March 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Staplehurst Under 5 Playgroup registered in 1989 and is managed by a committee of current and past parents. The group is situated in Staplehurst, Kent. The group operates each weekday during term time from 9am to midday. They run afternoon sessions on Monday and Wednesday until 2.45pm, and until 2.30pm on Thursday. There are five members of staff. Of these, three have early years qualifications to at least level 2. The manager holds early years professional status. The setting receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector spoke to parents and took their views into consideration. n The inspector sampled documentation such as suitability checks and paediatric first-aid training certificates.

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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 September 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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