Hurstpierpoint Preschool

Inspection of Hurstpierpoint Preschool Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 9UY

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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

There are weaknesses in the manager's oversight in ensuring committee members complete relevant suitability checks. Although she is aware of the processes required, she does not ensure that committee members have completed these. As a result, some committee members are not vetted and have not been confirmed suitable to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. In addition to this, safeguarding is ineffective. Some staff do not have the secure knowledge needed to keep children safe. This compromises children's safety.

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The provision is inadequate

The quality of education the children receive is weak. Staff undertaking activities with children are not clear about the intentions of the activity or the areas of learning being promoted. Overall, children do not receive a sufficient level of support to progress well in their learning. Staff do not build on what children already know to extend and strengthen their knowledge and skills. As a result, children are not making the progress they are capable of.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Children use some good social skills. However, at times, they become bored, and this impacts on their behaviour. For example, children lay over each other and push into each other as they wait at group times. Children's behaviour is not consistently managed by staff. The expectations for behaviour are confusing for children and, as such, they do not always behave appropriately.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Despite these weaknesses, children are happy and share warm and close relationships with staff. Children have regular opportunities for outside play, where they like to ride on various bicycles and learn to negotiate space.

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need to do better?

n Leadership and management is not effective. There are significant weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements and quality of teaching. n Despite regular staff supervisions, the manager does not monitor staff's practice effectively to raise the quality of teaching. In addition to this, she does not identify gaps in staff's safeguarding knowledge effectively. Therefore, staff do not know the procedures to follow if they have a concern about the behaviour of a colleague or in the event of an allegation against a member of staff. This does not assure children's safety. n The manager has a vision for a broad and balanced curriculum. However, staff are not confident in the delivery of this, and the intended curriculum on offer is limited and uninspiring. Staff are not clear about children's precise next steps and do not know what children already know and what they want them to learn next. As a result, aims of learning experiences are not understood by staff.

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need to do better?

Furthermore, staff do not always recognise how activities are supporting children

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need to do better?

12 May 2023 to learn across all seven areas of learning. Although children's interests are considered when planning activities, these often lack challenge and staff interaction. This means that children lack concentration and motivation, and they are not always able to reach their full potential. n The key-person system is weak. When key staff are absent, their key children's needs are not met consistently because the other staff do not know enough about them. Not all staff know of strategies in place to support individual children. For example, they do not use visual cues designed to support children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) to understand daily routines. This impacts on children's well-being, as well as their development. n Staff do not set clear expectations for children's behaviour, often resulting in confusion. For example, some staff watch and smile as children run indoors

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need to do better?

during an imaginative game. Other staff remind children not to run indoors and ask for 'walking feet'. In addition to this, children are not supported to manage their own behaviour for themselves. Children become frustrated with each other. Although staff intervene and comfort children, they do not teach children how to resolve their own problems or understand their own or other's feelings. n Staff do not provide children with a language-rich environment to help them develop their vocabulary and language skills. They do not take advantage of opportunities to develop meaningful conversations. Although staff generally respond when children speak to them, their responses often close conversations rather than extend them. For example, children excitedly talk about their tadpoles that have turned into frogs. Staff acknowledge this, but they quickly move on. They do not use these opportunities to extend conversations around

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need to do better?

the children's own curiosities. This does not help children learn new words and support their communication and language development. n Children do not have opportunities to be independent. They are not able to choose what to do, as daily activities are set by staff. In addition to this, staff consistently complete simple tasks for children rather than encouraging them to do things for themselves. For example, they pour children's drinks and place fruit on their plates. This inhibits children's ability to develop the confidence to make their own choices, have their own ideas and prepare them for future life skills. n Parents report that their children are happy and settled. They comment that their children particularly enjoy accessing forest school and the benefits this has on their children's love for the outdoors.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Weaknesses in safeguarding impact upon children's safety. Staff have some knowledge of child protection procedures. However, the manager and those responsible for lead safeguarding roles fail to contact relevant agencies to share concerns without delay. In addition to this, the manager has not identified that staff need additional training to know what to do if they have a concern about the behaviour of a colleague, including who to contact to report this. The process for

p.3

Safeguarding

12 May 2023 checking the suitability of committee members is not followed. This does not ensure they are suitable to fulfil their roles. Nonetheless, children are well supervised. Staff have a good understanding of risk assessment.

p.3

Due date

improve staff's knowledge of the safeguarding policy and procedure, specifically in the event of a concern about a colleague's behaviour and how to respond in line with the guidance and procedures of local safeguarding partners 05/06/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure the person who takes the lead responsibility, takes action to notify agencies in a timely manner where there are concerns about children's safety and welfare 05/06/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure Ofsted is provided with relevant information so vetting processes can be completed for all committee members, to ensure their suitability 05/06/2023

p.4

Due date

improve arrangements for mentoring, monitoring and supervising staff in order to identify and address issues as they arise and provide coaching to improve staff's personal effectiveness 05/06/2023

p.4

Due date

develop the key-person system to ensure it is effective to always meet the needs of individual children 05/06/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure staff are consistent in managing children's behaviour and helping children to learn what is expected of them 05/06/2023

p.4

Due date

12 May 2023 establish an ambitious curriculum that builds on children's existing knowledge, skills and capabilities and engages them fully in their learning across each area of learning 05/06/2023

p.4

Due date

improve staff's knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop to ensure practice is adjusted to meet individual children's learning needs 05/06/2023

p.5

Due date

develop processes in place to support children who speak EAL, ensuring strategies are used consistently so that children who speak EAL make the best possible progress. 05/06/2023

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should:

n offer more opportunities for the children to try things for themselves, to gain independence skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 113538 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10276154 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 40

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Name of registered person

Hurstpierpoint Pre School Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01273834144 Date of previous inspection 4 July 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Hurstpierpoint Preschool registered in 1967. The pre-school is open each weekday, term time only. Monday to Thursday sessions are available between 9am and 3.30pm, and on Fridays from 9am to 12pm. There are nine members of staff, five of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. One member of staff has achieved early years teacher status. The pre-school 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 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 manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they wanted their children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager carried out a joint observation of a small-group activity with the inspector. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the provision with the inspector.

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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

12 May 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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