Bacton Under Fives

Inspection of Bacton Under Fives The Playcentre, c/o Bacton Community Primary School, Tailors Green, Bacton, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 4LL

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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

The organisation of the setting is poor, which compromises children's safety. For instance, at times, staff struggle to count how many children are in the pre-school room during group registration. Children lose interest and become restless. They argue over the lid of a puzzle box and push over a plastic chair. Staff fail to support children to develop an understanding of appropriate behaviours.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff deployment across the setting is not effective in meeting children's needs. Some children do not benefit from consistently good-quality adult interaction and often play on their own. At times, the environment becomes cluttered, with toys scattered over the floor. Babies struggle to move across the room, and older children step on or fall over toys, resulting in minor accidents. This disorderly environment hinders children's learning.

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The provision is inadequate

Children, nevertheless, show that they have built good relationships with staff. They readily leave their parents and carers at the door to go into their rooms. Staff offer cuddles and comfort to babies and older children when they need reassurance. Children particularly enjoy opportunities to be outdoors. Pre-school children are eager to climb on the new wooden pirate ship and enjoy making 'cakes' at the outdoor mud kitchen. Staff monitor what children are doing at these times.

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need to do better?

n The organisation of the after-school club is poor. A serious incident occurred when two school-aged children left the setting and staff were unaware. During the inspection, staff were unclear who will be working with the children attending the after-school club and were uncertain who they were due to collect from the school. The provider has, however, taken some action to help minimise the risk of children leaving the setting unsupervised. For example, staff have placed locks on the external gates. n The provider does not have a sufficient oversight of the setting or a secure understanding of their role and responsibilities. The provider has failed to inform Ofsted of changes to the committee. As a result, suitability checks have not been completed for new members. This has been raised as an action at a previous inspection. Furthermore, the provider does not ensure that the manager understands the role of the local authority designated officer and when to report

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need to do better?

any safeguarding concerns. n Monitoring of staff practice is poor. New staff receive an induction process when they first start at the setting and have discussions with the manager during their probationary period. However, procedures to oversee all other staff's practice, such as supervision meetings, are not effective. As a result, the quality of

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need to do better?

19 June 2023 education is not good enough to ensure that children benefit from meaningful learning. n Staff do not implement effective strategies to manage children's behaviour. Most children play cooperatively together and build friendships. However, at times, some pre-school children have disagreements between themselves or have difficulty sharing resources with each other. Staff are not vigilant enough to intervene, as they do not see what is going on in the rest of the room. They rely on children sharing information about what has happened. As a result, staff do not support children to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. n Staff do not provide children with a curriculum that challenges and extends their learning. Despite staff sharing that their focus is to support children in preparation for school, they do not do this effectively. Staff do not support children's personal, social or emotional skills. For example, staff complete simple

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need to do better?

tasks for children that they could do for themselves, which does not support them in developing their independence. n Staff do not achieve successful partnership working with the local school. They do not gather relevant information, on a daily basis, about the children who attend the after-school club. This means children do not benefit from continuity in their care. n Parents comment about the service provided, stating that their children are happy at the setting. Staff communicate with parents about what their children have been doing during the day, through both verbal feedback when they collect their child and via electronic communication. n Staff talk to children about what they are doing and ask questions to help support children's communication and language skills. They sing rhymes and songs and, in the main, children join in with the actions. Children of all ages enjoy listening to stories read by staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Weaknesses in leadership and management mean that children's safety is not assured. Staff do not provide an environment that consistently prioritises children's welfare. Staff undertake child protection training and know the signs they must be alert to that may indicate a child is at risk of harm or abuse. However, the provider does not ensure that staff's understanding is regularly checked. As a result, the manager and staff are not confident in their understanding of the safeguarding procedures. This includes how and when to report any child protection concerns about staff to the appropriate agencies.

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Due date

ensure all staff, including the designated safeguarding leads, are aware of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children and know how to record and refer any concerns about children's safety or welfare to statutory agencies without delay 07/07/2023

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Due date

deploy staff to ensure children are appropriately supervised and their needs are met 07/07/2023

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Due date

take all reasonable steps to ensure that children are not exposed to risks and are able to play safely 07/07/2023

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Due date

ensure all staff manage children's behaviour appropriately and consistently 07/07/2023

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Due date

ensure Ofsted is provided with the necessary information about new committee members to enable the relevant suitability checks to be carried out. 07/07/2023

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Due date

implement an effective system of supervision, support and coaching to monitor staff's performance and improve their skill, ensuring that children remain challenged and engaged and receive consistently good-quality learning experiences 21/07/2023

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Due date

ensure that any relevant information is shared with the local school with regard to the handover for children attending the after-school club 21/07/2023

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Due date

19 June 2023 improve the curriculum for personal, social and emotional development to help children manage their emotions and understand the impact their actions may have on others. 01/09/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 251403 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10299360 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 50 Number of children on roll 63 Name of registered person Bacton Under Fives Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01449 780079 Date of previous inspection 31 October 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Bacton Under Fives registered at the current premises in 2010. The setting employs 15 members of childcare staff, an administrator and a cook. Of these, 13 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The setting opens on Monday to Friday, from 7.45am to 5.30pm, for 51 weeks of the year. Funded early education is provided 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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed their curriculum and what it is that they want their children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this has on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation together. n Parents and carers shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual, who is also the manager, about the leadership and management of the setting. Relevant documentation

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Inspection activities

was reviewed, which included evidence of the suitability of staff working in 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

19 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

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