YMCA Thames Gateway Romford Preschool

Inspection of YMCA Thames Gateway Romford Preschool Rush Green Road, Romford, Essex RM7 0PH

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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

Staff do not follow risk assessment effectively, which compromises children's safety and well-being. Children are not protected from dangers. The areas children can access are not sufficiently risk assessed by staff, specifically the kitchen area. Staff do not maintain safety measures effectively. For instance, some cupboards have faulty safety catches, which means children can trap their fingers in the doors. This demonstrates that staff are not teaching children how to keep safe in all environments.

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The provision is inadequate

The provider does not plan and implement an ambitious curriculum. Staff set up experiences that are not stimulating and interesting. For instance, activities are set up to last the day, and staff refresh them; however, the activities are not sparking children's curiously or supporting their next steps in education. As a result, children flit from one activity to another without any real engagement. Children are learning, but they are not making the good progress of which they are capable.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are not learning the value of listening to their friends and staff. For instance, when staff ask children to stop running, children often stop, pause and then continue running. Staff do not consistently challenge this behaviour. As a result, children are not learning how to be respectful, and staff are compromising children's safety.

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The provision is inadequate

Children happily come into the setting. Staff build caring relationships and interact warmly with all children. Staff receive training to improve their understanding of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to a higher level.

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need to do better?

n Staff do not have a proactive approach to establishing what poses risks to children's safety. For instance, in the kitchen area, kitchen draws store sharp kitchen utensils, such as a vegetable peeler, a tin opener, and digital food temperature probes. Another draw stores children's knives, which are not safe to use without supervision. These are easily accessible to children, which puts them at risk of harm. Staff are not teaching children how to keep safe. n Staff do not set clear expectations for children's behaviour or provide children with strategies to manage their behaviour for themselves. For instance, staff do not intervene when children snatch resources from others. Staff fail to teach children about acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. As a result, some children get upset, and staff do not help children to understand how their behaviour impacts on the feelings of their friends. n Children in receipt of additional funding, such as early years pupil premium,

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need to do better?

13 July 2023 benefit from effective experiences to support their interests. For instance, children learn about the animal kingdom through a hands-on workshop. n Staff set up the learning environment to ensure children can access resources to support them to be physically active. For example, children enjoy painting and using malleable materials such as sand and soil. Staff supervise children to cut their own fruit at snack time. These experiences help support the development of children's small and large muscle skills. n Children enjoy learning about mathematical concepts. For example, they like to count and make arrangements with shapes. Staff sit with the children during this focused activity; however, they do not provide enough challenge to encourage children's learning further. n The managers assess practice through regular supervisions and observations of staff. However, they are not successfully recognising and addressing all

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need to do better?

weaknesses in practice. As a result, swift action to improve the quality of education for children is not in place. For instance, during a group session, staff do not engage and support children to focus. Staff halt the activity when the younger children lose interest. The older children then flit from activity to activity without engaging in meaningful learning. This does not build on children's listening and attention skills to support their next stage of learning. n Parents are encouraged to share and read books with their children in the setting. Staff help support children's early literacy skills, for example they sing nursery rhymes with the children and children enjoy looking at books independently. n The managers and staff build friendly relationships with parents. Staff arrange termly meetings with parents to talk about their children's time at the setting. Key persons build relationships with children, and this helps to develop children's

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The managers and staff do not risk assess the premises effectively to help identify and minimise hazards. This compromises the safety of the children. However, the managers and staff are alert to signs that indicate that a child is at risk of harm. Staff are trained to understand the provider's safeguarding policies and procedures. The recruitment and induction of staff is thorough, and individual suitability assessments are completed. Staff conduct regular fire drills, and children know where to go in the event of a fire.

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Due date

13 July 2023 improve the use of risk assessment to ensure that all risks to children's health and safety are identified and minimised 01/09/2023

p.3

Due date

ensure staff provide appropriate and consistent behaviour strategies to all children, with specific regards to ensuring children's behaviour is managed suitably, to help children to feel safe and understand how to manage their own feelings and behaviour 01/09/2023

p.4

Due date

plan and implement an ambitious curriculum that helps all children to engage in meaningful learning and make the progress of which they are capable. 01/09/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 100261 Local authority Barking and Dagenham Inspection number 10296131 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 48 Number of children on roll 24 Name of registered person YMCA Thames Gateway

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reference number

Telephone number 01708 766 211 Date of previous inspection 6 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

YMCA Thames Gateway Romford Preschool registered in 2012. The pre-school is located in the YMCA building in Romford, in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. The pre-school opens during school term time only, from 8.30am until 3pm, Monday to Friday. The out-of-school club runs from the same premises and opens five days a week, during school term times, from 3pm until 6pm. The holiday multi-activity club operates from 8am until 6pm. The pre-school employs five members of staff, three of whom hold relevant early years qualifications. The pre- school is in receipt of funding for the provision of 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 nursery 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 and inspector observed two joint observations. n The inspector spoke to the staff, parents and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed 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

13 July 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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