Little Wonders Pre-School

Inspection of Little Wonders Pre- School 2-4 Guild Close, Birmingham B16 8EL

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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 needs are not always met. For example, staff, including the manager, do not always recognise potential risks to children to ensure their safety. This means children run around while they eat and when holding pencils. Key persons are not utilised effectively to support children's personal needs. For example, several staff repeatedly attempt to feed children who do not wish to eat their lunch. Staff do not know enough about other staff's key children to support their individual needs.

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The provision is inadequate

Some children find listening to staff and following rules difficult, especially when they are asked to share with their peers. At times, staff take resources from children rather than giving them a choice to cooperate and share. This does not promote children's positive behaviour. Staff do not always use children's interests to extend their learning. This restricts children from further exploring the activities they clearly enjoy.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite this, children are happy. They enjoy exploring books in the setting's well- resourced library. Children spontaneously copy words and actions modelled to them by staff. For instance, they spread out their arms to show how big a caterpillar would be after eating a week's worth of food. This promotes children's understanding of the concepts taught.

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need to do better?

n Children's safety is compromised because not all staff are vigilant enough in assessing hazards in the environment and identifying potential risks to children. For example, staff do not notice when children are running around eating food. This increases children's risk of choking. n Children are not always taught about good eating habits through staff's practice. For example, staff allow children to run around outdoors with pencils in their hands, and they take things from children without explaining the dangers. This does not give children the essential knowledge to promote their own health and safety. n The newly appointed manager has begun putting some arrangements in place to improve the quality of children's education. However, she has not yet embedded all areas for improvement. This means staff often use ineffective behaviour management strategies to support children. As a result, some children snatch,

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need to do better?

shout and squabble over toys. n Key persons demonstrate how well they know their key children. However, they do not consistently work in the same room as their key children to ensure that children's personal needs are continuously met. This does not help children to settle.

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need to do better?

20 June 2023 n Staff do not always make a conscious effort to support children through sufficient activities that reflect their interests. For example, when children show an interest in a particular story, staff do not extend this further to broaden children's experiences. n Children develop an awareness of mathematics through play. For instance, they notice numbers displayed in the environment, and they count the legs on a pretend spider. While staff play with children, they use some words, such as 'pairs', 'short' and 'long'. This means children hear mathematical concepts to support their play. n Staff use observation and assessment to identify those children who may need additional support. When children first start at the setting, staff know to gather key words from parents and carers for those children who speak English as an additional language. This aims to help children to hear familiar words alongside

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need to do better?

the English language. n Staff talk to children about the transition to school to prepare them for the next stage in their education. Children look at the uniforms they will wear when they go to school and compare them to the clothes they wear now. n Parents have opportunities to engage in their children's learning. For example, staff engage parents in two-way communication to talk about their children. Parents have the opportunity to come into the setting to read stories to the children and to take books home. The newly appointed manager demonstrates a clear vision for working in partnership with parents, including the importance of signposting parents to training and support that they may find helpful.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's welfare is not assured, as there are some weaknesses in practice that have a negative impact on their well-being. For example, staff do not identify potential hazards associated with children running around eating food and holding pencils, and they fail to recognise that such practice could cause children harm. Despite this, staff have secure knowledge of different types of abuse and key indicators of concern, including the impact abuse can have on children's learning. They know who to contact should they have concerns about a child. Staff signpost parents to external training providers to promote their 'digital skills'. This in turn gives parents a greater awareness of online dangers children may be exposed to.

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Due date

20 June 2023 ensure staff understand how to identify and minimise all potential risks and hazards to children 04/07/2023

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Due date

implement an effective key-person system to ensure that all children's individual needs are met 04/07/2023

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Due date

improve behaviour management strategies to ensure that staff teach children how to keep themselves safe and behave well 04/07/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure staff act on children's interests to extend their learning and experiences. 18/07/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2624616 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10289275 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 40 Number of children on roll 49 Name of registered person West Smethwick Enterprise

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reference number

Telephone number 01213030334 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Wonders Pre-School registered in 2021 and operates in Ladywood, Birmingham. The setting opens Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 8.45am until 3pm. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are nine members of staff, eight of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications from level 3 to level 5.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting 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 area manager, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the early years curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children throughout the day and evaluated the impact on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the management team, staff, and children at appropriate times during the inspection. The views of parents were considered by the inspector. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity with the area manager. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

20 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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