Milton Mount Playgroup

Inspection of Milton Mount Pre-School Milton Mount Community Centre, Milton Mount Avenue, Pound Hill, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 3DY

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is inadequate

The deputy manager and one other member of staff are the designated safeguarding leads (DSL). They both have a secure understanding of safeguarding concerns and the reporting procedures. However, they have not ensured that the manager and other members of staff have sufficient safeguarding knowledge. This compromises children's safety and welfare. These breaches to the requirements of registration do not impact on the good quality of education that children receive.

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The provision is inadequate

Arrangements to promote children's learning and development are good. Leaders and staff have carefully considered how to organise the environment. They ensure that children have access to a range of activities that focus on promoting different skills, and staff support children with their chosen activities. For instance, when children decide to play with the building blocks, staff help children to develop their physical skills by encouraging them to work together to make a tall tower. Children laugh with delight when they knock the tower down, and they enjoy reconstructing it again afterwards. This enables children to develop friendships with their peers.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Staff adopt different strategies to promote children's good behaviour. They regularly remind children of the pre-school rules, and staff praise children appropriately when they demonstrate their understanding of them. Staff also supervise children well, which enables them to respond promptly when children need support managing their behaviour. For instance, when children climb on the furniture, staff act quickly and support them to get down.

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need to do better?

n The arrangements to promote children's safety and welfare are not sufficiently robust. Although the manager has good knowledge of the procedures to follow to refer child protection concerns, she does not have a secure understanding of how to manage allegations against staff. Safeguarding knowledge among other members of staff is inconsistent, which does not adequately protect children. n Staff have good knowledge of their key children. They use this information to implement effective support. They understand how each individual child learns, and they adapt their teaching methods to support children's learning styles. For instance, staff use physical movement alongside words to teach children how to blow bubbles. Children watch staff as they demonstrate this action before they attempt to copy what they have been shown. This promotes children's ability to understand and follow instructions. n Staff plan focused activities to extend children's knowledge in specific areas of

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need to do better?

learning. Staff are sensitive to each child's abilities, and they adapt the activities to meet children's individual needs. For instance, staff organise a shape sorting activity. Staff use this activity to enhance children's language skills by

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need to do better?

7 November 2023 encouraging them to talk about the different shapes. Staff modify this activity to help other children to extend their understanding of mathematical concepts, such as learning the names of the shapes. This provides children with targeted support to enable them to reach their learning goals. n The special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) implements strategies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She shares ideas with parents for home learning and works with other agencies involved in children's development. This promotes consistency for children, which helps them to make good progress. n Staff encourage children to develop their self-care skills. For instance, they remind children to wash their hands before they eat. Children demonstrate positive behaviour as they line up patiently while they wait for their turn. During

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need to do better?

mealtimes, staff supervise children, which enables them to respond when children require assistance so that their needs continue to be met. n The manager has regular individual meetings with staff. This provides opportunities for her to identify staff training needs. The manager also observes staff practice. This enables her to coach and mentor staff to help improve their teaching skills. n Parents report that they are happy with the setting and their children have settled in well. They are well informed about their child's daily routines and how they are progressing. Parents receive ideas for how to support their child's learning at home through the pre-school newsletter. This enables parents to be involved in their child's learning journey.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Some staff, including the manager, do not have secure safeguarding knowledge. This includes the procedures to escalate child protection concerns and allegations against adults working with children that are in line with their local safeguarding partners. This compromises children's safety. However, leaders and staff have implemented effective risk assessments, particularly around mealtimes. This helps to ensure that children's medical and dietary needs are met. They have also taken extra precautions to ensure that the premises are safe, which includes additional security so that other hall users cannot enter when children are present.

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Due date

7 November 2023 ensure that all leaders and adults working with children have sufficient safeguarding knowledge 24/11/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 113602 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10314211 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 36 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person Milton Mount Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01293 884312 Date of previous inspection 3 May 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Milton Mount Pre-School registered in 1992 and operates within Milton Mount Community Centre, which is situated in the Pound Hill area of Crawley, West Sussex. There are six members of staff, four of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications from Level 3 to Level 5. The provider is in receipt of funding for early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school opens from 8.30am to 2.30pm from Monday to Friday, term time only.

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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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager completed a learning walk of the nursery with the inspector and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The SENDCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this has on children's learning.

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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

7 November 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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