Pure imagination Childcare

Inspection of Pure imagination childcare Aston Court, Aston Road, Basildon SS15 6NX

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

Children's welfare and safety are not assured due to weaknesses in leadership and management. Risk assessments are not effective and hazards in the environment are not removed. Staff do not adequately supervise children and fail to notice until it is pointed out to them when children require help and support to keep themselves and others safe. This compromises children's safety.

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The provision is inadequate

The provider does not ensure that children receive the level of education to which they are entitled. Although children enter the setting happily, staff do not offer the support and teaching that children need to make good progress. Leaders do not have a good knowledge and understanding of how to assess and plan for children's individual learning needs. This hinders children's ability to become keen learners. Staff's interactions with children are poor and do not encourage children's critical thinking or communication and language skills. As a result, children do not develop the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for school.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff fail to engage children in activities for sustained periods. This means that children often wander around the room when they lose interest in activities, with no purposeful interaction from staff. This leads to poor behaviour, such as children grabbing toys from one another and throwing sand at each other. Staff do not use appropriate behaviour management techniques. They do not help children to understand why their behaviour is inappropriate or help them to learn about boundaries.

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need to do better?

n The provider does not protect children's welfare at all times. Risk assessments concerning the outdoor area are ineffective. Staff complete a visual check of the outdoor space, however, they fail to identify significant hazards to children's safety. For example, there are large pieces of broken glass on the floor and discarded rubbish where children play. In addition, staff are not vigilant and they do not notice when children put too much food in their mouth at once. n The provider has failed to design an effective curriculum or ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to support children in their learning. The lack of clear intentions for children's learning and poor planning mean that children do not benefit from purposeful or challenging experiences that move them on to their next stage of learning. As a result, children, including those with funded places and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities,

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need to do better?

do not make the progress that they are capable of. n Although all children have an allocated key person, the setting's key-person system is not effective. The provider does not seek to gain vital information about the children before they start at the setting. In addition, the provider fails

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need to do better?

6 June 2023 to share this relevant information about the children with the staff who care for them. This does not help to ensure that children's specific needs are met. n Children enjoy listening to stories and joining in with song time. However, staff's interactions with children are poor. Some staff engage briefly with children, but this is mainly to issue instructions for their behaviour, often from across the room. They do not help children to sustain a conversation, challenge their thinking or introduce new vocabulary. This means that children do not benefit from good-quality interactions that support their developing communication skills. n Leaders do not ensure that children's behaviour is managed appropriately and consistently. Staff do not recognise that the behaviour of some children may be due to a lack of stimulation. They do not act as positive role models or set clear expectations for children's behaviour. On occasions, unwanted behaviour goes

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need to do better?

unnoticed. When this behaviour is noticed, staff do not manage it sensitively or give children explanations to help to them understand what is expected of them. Children do not receive support to understand the impact that their behaviour has on others. Sometimes, children show kindness to each other. This is not recognised by staff. Therefore, children do not receive praise to reinforce this positive behaviour. n The provider has failed to implement adequate arrangements for the supervision of the manager and staff. Weaknesses in practice are not identified and, as a result, staff do not receive the support, coaching, or training they need to improve. This has a negative impact on children's progress. n Leadership and management are poor, and not enough is done to ensure that children have a good early years experience that helps them to be prepared for the future. The setting is not managed effectively, and this contributes

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need to do better?

substantially to the inadequate judgement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety and well-being are not assured. The provider does not ensure that staff have a thorough understanding of how to carry out the setting's risk assessment procedures. Staff do not receive training to help them to understand their role and responsibility in keeping children safe. Leaders and staff have a limited knowledge of the safeguarding procedures to be followed if concerns arise about a child or a colleague. They do not recognise the behaviours or actions that may indicate a cause for concern. This demonstrates a lack of ability in taking appropriate steps to safeguard children.

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Due date

ensure that risk assessments are effective, and take all reasonable steps to ensure that children are not exposed to unnecessary risks 27/06/2023

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Due date

implement an effective key-person system that meets all children's needs and ensures that information relating to children is gathered and shared with others who work with them 27/06/2023

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Due date

ensure that all required information about children is obtained, including parental responsibility 27/06/2023

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Due date

ensure that children's behaviour is managed in an effective and appropriate way 27/06/2023

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Due date

provide effective supervision, training and support to managers and staff so that all staff working with children have the knowledge and skills to fulfil their roles successfully 27/06/2023

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Due date

train staff to understand the safeguarding policy and procedures to help them to identify behaviours in colleagues that may give them cause for concern, and so they know how to report these concerns appropriately. 27/06/2023

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Due date

design a curriculum that provides a range of interesting and stimulating activities to meet individual children's learning needs, focusing on what they need to learn next to secure their good progress 27/06/2023

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Due date

6 June 2023 ensure that children have rich opportunities to develop their communication and language skills so that the development of their spoken language firmly underpins all seven areas of learning. 27/06/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2715991 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10296075 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 40 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Hurley, Leanne

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reference number

Telephone number 07939992769 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Pure imagination childcare registered in 2022. The setting employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, five staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3. The setting opens during term time only for the pre-school and during school holidays for out-of-school care. Pre-school sessions are from 12.30pm until 3.30pm on Monday, 9.30am until 3.30pm on Tuesday and Thursday, and 9.30am until 12.30pm on Wednesday. Out-of-school care is provided during the school holidays from 9.30am until 3.30 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The setting also offers after-school care on Tuesday from 3.30pm until 5.30pm. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed 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 their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the registered individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n This was the first inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider

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Inspection activities

and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider.

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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

6 June 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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