Oakengates United Church Pre-school

Inspection of Oakengates United Church Pre-school Oakengates United Church, Stafford Road, Oakengates, TELFORD, Shropshire TF2 6JH

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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 is compromised due to the inadequate use of risk assessments in the setting. Children are not supervised when leaving the room to access the toilets, which puts their welfare at risk. Children follow some of the routines within the setting, such as joining in with adult-led activities. However, during child- initiated time, children are not encouraged to engage in meaningful play. Therefore, children run around or wander aimlessly when not directed by an adult. Children join in with adult-directed activities that they are interested in. They talk about colour mixing with paint and make marks on paper. However, staff are not clear about the learning intentions for all children, which prevents them from making adequate progress.

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The provision is inadequate

Children seek out staff to play with them and engage in conversation that interests them. However, weaknesses in teaching skills mean that children's learning is not always extended. Children make choices at healthy snack times and are learning to be independent. They spoon their own fruit onto their plates and talk about their likes and dislikes.

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need to do better?

n Currently, children independently access the toilets located in the corridor of the church premises. The manager has not adequately risk assessed the potential hazards involved, such as children accessing unsafe additional rooms without adult supervision. This compromises children's safety. n The manager and staff want children to enjoy their experience in pre-school and provide them with some activities that they feel that they will enjoy. However, as there is no clear vision for the curriculum in the setting, the potential for progression is very limited. n The manager and staff make some resources accessible that they think children will enjoy playing with during child-initiated time. However, children are often prevented from making choices about what they play with and where they can play. n Adult-led activities are not always well planned and do not offer appropriate challenge for children. All children take part in the same activities, which are not

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need to do better?

differentiated according to ages and abilities. This means that children lose interest as they are not being appropriately challenged. n When children are left unattended to use the toilet, staff do not monitor that they are washing their hands. This means that children are not taught good hygiene routines. n Staff do not offer appropriately stimulating activities to encourage interest and cooperative play. This leads to children running or walking around without an agenda as they are not provided with any direction from staff. This has a

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need to do better?

13 October 2022 negative impact on children's behaviour and attitude towards learning. n The arrangements for supporting children to settle in are effective. For instance, staff work with parents to find out relevant information about children's interests, needs and current stage of development. Parents are invited to attend settling-in sessions with their child, which helps children to settle in with ease. n Children are provided with opportunities to pour their own drinks at snack time and are provided with a drink at lunchtime. However, they do not have access to fresh drinking water throughout the day unless they ask for it. This means that children with communication and language difficulties or English as an additional language are being deprived due to barriers in their communication. n Parents speak highly of the setting and value the input that they receive from the manager and staff. The manager offers children a well-balanced menu that

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need to do better?

is cooked on site. Children's dietary needs are adhered to, and parents are provided with healthy meal ideas. n Parents and carers are particularly grateful to staff for sharing books with children that they can bring home and read with their families. This enables children to embrace their love of books and develop their literacy skills. n The manager reflects on practice with staff. However, she does not act on this to ensure that teaching continually improves. Staff are not provided with opportunities to support their professional development needs. n The manager and staff have worked hard on developing their outdoor area. They have made it secure by adding a fence around the perimeter and have widened it to maximise the little space that they have. However, time spent outdoors is limited. This impacts on children's physical development. n The manager makes use of additional funding to provide children with extra

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need to do better?

sessions or one-to-one support. Staff make use of support from other agencies, who advise on strategies to promote development in speech and language. Staff share some of these strategies with parents.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The breaches in safeguarding and welfare requirement mean that children's overall protection cannot be assured. Risk assessments are not appropriately conducted to ensure that children are safe from harm in the setting. Despite this, there are appropriate recruitment arrangements in place to check the suitability of the pre- school staff. Furthermore, staff show appropriate knowledge about the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm and know how to report any concerns. Staff know how to gain more help and advice where needed. The setting takes appropriate steps to notify Ofsted of any changes to the membership of the management committee.

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Due date

implement effective risk assessments to improve child supervision when they are using the toilets 27/10/2022

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Due date

consider the individual needs of children and use this to plan challenging and enjoyable experiences 27/10/2022

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Due date

strengthen supervision to provide support, coaching and training for staff to develop teaching practice across all areas of learning 27/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that children are encouraged to make choices about their learning, including where they want to play and the resources they want to play with 27/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that fresh drinking water is available and accessible to children at all times. 27/10/2022

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should:

n make better use of the outdoor space to support the physical needs of children who attend n support children to understand appropriate behaviour and to follow the rules of the setting to help keep them safe n supervise handwashing to support children's understanding of how to maintain good hygiene.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 208242 Local authority Telford & Wrekin Inspection number 10234324 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 11 Number of children on roll 11

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Name of registered person

Oakengates United Church Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07788678582 Date of previous inspection 7 December 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Oakengates United Church Pre-school registered in 1968. The pre-school employs three members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 2 and 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8.30am until 2pm, with the exception of Wednesday when the session is 8.30am until 1pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 observed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about the curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at pre-school. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and

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Inspection activities

outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager. 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 pre-school.

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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

13 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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