Blossom Years Valeswood Road, Downham Pre-school - BR1 4RD

Inspection of Blossom Years Valeswood Road, Downham Pre- school - BR1 4RD 41 Valeswood Road, Bromley BR1 4RD

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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

On arrival, children receive a warm welcome from the manager and deputy manager, which helps them to separate from their parents. Children enter the pre- school happily, confidently and feeling safe. They form strong attachments to staff, which brings them some comfort and reassurance. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are times when some children struggle to regulate their feelings and emotions. They need clear messages on how to behave appropriately, but some staff are not always consistent in their management approach. Despite this, children are largely independent in their play. They choose activities that interest them, such as manipulating play dough to make different shapes.

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The provision requires improvement

Generally, children are motivated to learn. For example, during group times, they enjoy repeating words, singing songs and answering questions, which helps to support their language skills. At times, though, the organisation of some aspects of the day does not sufficiently support the learning needs of all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, they become disengaged and confused. There are opportunities for children to exercise, but their physical health is not always assured. This is because some staff do not follow the pre-school's handwashing procedures consistently.

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need to do better?

n The manager is passionate about her work with children. She also demonstrates a caring and nurturing approach towards staff, who state that they enjoy working with each other. The manager offers staff mandatory training, such as safeguarding and paediatric first aid, to protect children's welfare. However, the arrangement for monitoring staff's practice has become less effective since the last inspection. This affects the quality of the learning experiences that children receive. n Overall, staff plan a wide variety of age-appropriate activities for the children. For example, they talk to children about the festival of Holi and ask them to experiment with colours to embed their learning. However, staff do not make effective use of observations and assessments to ensure that children's next steps are identified and planned for accordingly. For instance, children who need additional support with their social and physical skills do not receive suitably

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need to do better?

challenging activities. As a result, children's progress is not as good or rapid as possible. n Staff form strong links with parents and a range of professionals to identify children's care and learning needs. Parents are very positive about the manager and staff, who they find 'friendly' and 'professional'. They state that their children enjoy attending the pre-school. n Children play in a bright, welcoming and well-resourced learning environment

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need to do better?

4RD 8 March 2023 with positive displays of people and languages from around the world. This helps to increase children's understanding of diversity. n Children initiate their own play. They have lots of fun as they play with the kitchen utensils and equipment in the 'home corner'. Children practise their early writing and painting skills in preparation for school. There are also some opportunities for children to run, jump and move their bodies in different ways. However, the weaknesses in promoting children's learning, behaviour and personal development mean that they do not acquire all the knowledge and skills needed for their future education. n Staff build close and trusting relationships with the children. Having said that, some staff are less confident in tackling children's challenging behaviour, resulting in varied behaviour management strategies. This happens, for example, when children shout, struggle to share toys or wander around the

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need to do better?

classroom. As a result, not all children understand what is expected of them, which affects them and others. n The manager is currently working with her senior staff to reduce the paperwork requirements to enable staff to improve interactions with children. Although she evaluates the quality of the provision, this is not robust enough to identify all areas for development. For example, the manager has failed to identify that staff do not always have high enough expectations of what children can do and achieve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Senior leaders ensure that staff complete rigorous checks before they start work with children. They monitor the ongoing suitability of staff to help keep children safe. All staff receive safeguarding training to keep their knowledge of the signs and symptoms of neglect and abuse up to date. This includes how to identify any signs of extremist views and behaviour. Staff know how to escalate any concerns, such as if they have concerns about colleagues. The manager works closely with external agencies to support children and their families, when necessary. Overall, she deploys staff appropriately to help them supervise children's play.

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Due date

4RD 8 March 2023 develop staff's understanding of how to consistently manage children's behaviour, including giving clear and consistent messages to children to help them understand the consequences of their actions for others 23/05/2023

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Due date

improve arrangements for support and coaching to ensure that all staff deliver consistent and strong teaching practice 23/05/2023

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Due date

increase staff's understanding of how to make effective use of observations and assessments to help all children make rapid progress in their learning. 23/05/2023

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should:

n review the hygiene procedures to ensure that these are implemented consistently to reduce the risk of cross-infection n improve the organisation of some aspects of the day, such as between activities and routine tasks, so that all children stay focused and engaged in their learning n make more use of the self-evaluation process to identify all areas for development to ensure that actions are taken swiftly.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY489484 Local authority Bromley Inspection number 10264495 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 50 Name of registered person Blossom Years Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07756057987 Date of previous inspection 16 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Blossom Years Valeswood Road, Downham Pre-school - BR1 4RD registered in 2015 and is located in the London Borough of Bromley. The pre-school is open during term time only, from 8.45am until 3.15pm, Monday to Friday. There are six staff members who work with the children. Of these, four staff members hold childcare qualifications at levels 2 or 3. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the pre-school 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 pre-school. n The manager led the inspector on a learning walk and told her what they wanted the children to learn at the pre-school. They carried out a joint evaluation of an activity together. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. She engaged with the children at appropriate times during the inspection. n Parents spoke with the inspector to share their views on the quality of the provision, which were taken into account. n The inspector spoke with staff to understand how they support different groups of children. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff and senior leaders during

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Inspection activities

the inspection. She checked relevant documentation, including staff qualifications and suitability checks.

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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

4RD 8 March 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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