Cogges Pre-School

Inspection of Cogges Pre-School Cogges Church Centre, Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 3LA

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Staff plan a range of experiences based around the different areas of learning. They provide resources and activities that encourage children to use their small and large muscles. Children have opportunities to use different craft materials to make pictures and models. They have access to an attractive display of books and a cosy area in which to look at them. Children can use resources to play imaginatively. For example, children have access to resources that enable them to make pretend meals and re-enact other experiences from home. However, staff are not fully confident about how to extend children's play, to build further on what children already know and can do. The curriculum is not consistently implemented well enough to ensure children are engaged regularly in high-quality learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Children show they feel safe and secure. There is a generally happy and relaxed atmosphere, with plenty of smiles and laughter from both children and staff. Children new to pre-school receive very effective support to settle and become familiar with the routines of the day. However, the weaknesses in the implementation of the curriculum lead to times when children, although happy, are not engaged in meaningful learning.

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need to do better?

n The recently appointed manager has steered the pre-school through a period of change. She has built staff morale and ensured children continue to receive a warm welcome. However, alongside her new responsibilities she has continued to carry out other roles at the pre-school. This has given her limited opportunities to identify and address the variations in the quality of the provision. For example, she has not identified that staff are not engaging children well during some group times when all children come together. Committee members, although supportive, have not had enough oversight to identify the support the manager needs in her new role. n Staff identify what individual children need to learn next. However, they do not consistently grasp opportunities to focus on these next steps. For example, although staff identify children who need help to make friends, they do not consistently help these children to interact more with their peers. Children who

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need to do better?

appear happy to play do not routinely benefit from the adult interactions that help extend happy play into happy and meaningful learning. n Staff provide high levels of support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff advocate hard for these children to ensure they get the specialist help they need. They meet children's needs with kindness, respect and dignity. This has a positive impact on these children's well-being, good health and progress. n Staff monitor children's progress. However, they do not always complete the

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need to do better?

8 February 2023 required progress checks for children aged between two and three years. This means that opportunities are lost to assess all children's progress fully and identify any areas of concern. n Children thoroughly enjoy the recently introduced small-group activities. Overall, the teaching is more effective at these times. For example, children enjoy exploring the different sounds that instruments make and concepts such as 'quiet' and 'loud'. This helps build on their developing listening skills. n Children behave typically for their age. Staff are good role models. They teach, by example, the benefits of being helpful, polite and kind. Children are learning well how to be these things too. n Children gain a positive view of following an active lifestyle. Staff ensure the garden is inviting and is available for most of the day. Children have plenty of space to run and move, and are encouraged to do so. They enjoy using the

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need to do better?

wheeled toys and large building materials. n Staff have good intentions. They are open to developing their teaching skills. At present, they lack confidence to fully develop the curriculum. This has an impact on the breadth of experiences to which children are exposed. For example, staff are not confident about how to best help children learn about the wide range of cultures that reflect modern Britain. n Parents speak warmly of the staff. They appreciate their kindness and the 'family feel' of the pre-school. They report that their children are happy and cared for well. However, parents do not have a clear picture of their children's learning at pre-school. This has an impact on their ability to build further on children's developing skills at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a suitable understanding of the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They understand the risks to children of being exposed to domestic violence or extreme ideologies. Staff know how to share any such concerns, and the importance of doing so promptly, to keep children safe. The manager undertakes sufficient checks to ensure those employed to work with children are suitable to do so. Staff ensure the premises are safe and secure. They supervise children closely at all times.

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Due date

8 February 2023 ensure the manager has the time, skills and support to guide the staff team to deliver a consistently high-quality curriculum effectively 01/04/2023

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Due date

ensure all staff have an accurate understanding of when and why progress checks need completing for children aged between two and three years, and ensure they are completed for all relevant children. 01/04/2023

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should:

n develop a deeper, and fully accurate, understanding of the responsibilities and requirements that come with being members of a management committee n focus professional development for staff on improving their confidence to develop and deliver a broad and relevant curriculum well n improve arrangements for sharing information with parents about their children's progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 134463 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10263928 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 33 Number of children on roll 33 Name of registered person Cogges Under Fives Association Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01993 774594 Date of previous inspection 17 May 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Cogges Pre-School registered in 1992. It operates from Cogges Church Centre in Witney, Oxfordshire. The pre-school operates from 8.30am to 3pm on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and from 8.30am to midday on Tuesday. The pre-school is open term time only. The provider employs eight members of staff, of whom two hold a relevant qualification at level 5 and four hold a relevant qualification at level 3. The pre-school provides free early years education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 her evaluation of the provider. n The inspector and the manager completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation. n Parents shared their views and the inspector took these into account. n The inspector held meetings with the manager and representatives of the committee to find out about the leadership and management of the setting.

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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

8 February 2023 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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