Taw Tots

Inspection of Taw Tots North Tawton Youth & Community Centre, Barton Street, North Tawton EX20 2HN

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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

Leaders do not provide staff and managers with the training, coaching and support that they need to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. As a result, they do not ensure that staff keep children safe or support their learning and development and their well-being. Leaders do not ensure that staff assess risks, which leads to children being exposed to equipment and situations that put them at risk of accidents and injury. In addition, leaders do not ensure that there is an effective key-person system in place to ensure that staff meet children's needs and work with parents.

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The provision is inadequate

Children do not make the progress of which they are capable while at the setting because leaders do not design a curriculum which ensures that children gain the skills they need for future learning. This means that staff do not build on what children already know and can do, or help them to learn what they need to. Although staff focus on providing activities that children enjoy, their interactions do not support or extend learning. For example, children enjoy playing with dolls and prams and they do this for a long time independently but receive little interaction from staff to promote their language and learning.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are happy and staff are kind and caring. However, staff do not provide children with the support they need so that children learn about positive behaviours and how to manage their emotions and form respectful relationships with others.

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need to do better?

n Leaders do not ensure that risk assessments are effective so that staff can take appropriate steps to identify and minimise risks to children. Staff do not take precautions to check environments for harmful objects before allowing children access to the area. Staff are not aware of risk assessments in place for the environments they visit with children. For example, on visiting the local play park, staff allow children to play on equipment that is not age- and stage- appropriate. Children are exposed to play situations that leave them vulnerable to accidents and injury. n Leaders have not considered what they want children to learn or how, and when, they are going to teach new skills and knowledge. As a result, they have not designed a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum. Older children do not have enough opportunities to build on their developing independence. For example, staff dress them for a visit to the park without encouraging children to

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need to do better?

try to put their own shoes and coats on. Staff do not teach children to follow positive routines. Children do not develop an understanding of how to take care of their own health and hygiene needs, such as having clean, washed hands before eating or wiping their noses when needed.

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need to do better?

12 April 2024 n Leaders do not ensure that staff know their roles and responsibilities or have the knowledge and skills needed to ensure that they meet children's needs. For example, when children sit down together at mealtimes, staff sit with them and support them as they eat. However, staff seat children in high chairs that are not stage-appropriate, and this hinders children's independence, physical development and comfort. Staff do not make good use of transition times to engage children in purposeful play and learning. Children spend a great deal of time waiting for their needs to be met with little to do. For example, when preparing for an outing, children have to wait a long time for staff to get the equipment and everyone ready. At lunchtimes, children wait, seated in their chairs, for a long time before their lunch is ready for them. During these times, children's behaviour deteriorates and they become unsettled and upset.

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need to do better?

n Staff interact with children and follow them from activity to activity, and these interactions support children in developing an interest in their chosen activities. When staff do model language for children and provide specific instructions, children are eager to engage and excitedly repeat words. For example, when playing with farm animals, children enjoy repeating the animal names. However, the quality of staff interactions varies across the team and most staff do not model language frequently enough to expand children's developing vocabulary and engage them in conversation. n The key-person system is ineffective and does not support children's progress, development or well-being. Although each child has a key person, staff do not know enough about the children they are caring for to support them in their learning. There is inconsistency in staffing, and this impacts on children's well- being, as they do not have a constant person they can seek help or reassurance

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need to do better?

from. n Communication with parents is regular and parents feel that they are kept well informed of the activities their children have enjoyed. They are also told about their children's care needs, such as daily sleeps, the food they have eaten, and nappy changes. However, parents are not informed of their child's progress or next steps in learning and do not have regular contact with their child's key person. n Staff do not consistently support children in managing their feelings and behaviours. They do not have the skills and knowledge of how to manage some situations when children hurt others, for example. When children show unkind and hurtful behaviours towards others, staff ignore these behaviours at times, and they do not teach children how to develop care and respect for others. For example, when children repeatedly and deliberately push others over, or take toys from them, staff comfort the hurt or upset children, but do not support

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need to do better?

children to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. This greatly affects other children's self-confidence and well-being. Children become unsettled and tearful, and disengage with learning. n Children enjoy exploring books and excitedly share these with staff. Children listen to stories and show confidence turning pages and pointing to pictures.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.4

Safeguarding

There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

p.4

Due date

ensure that risk assessments are effective and that staff understand how to identify potential hazards to take appropriate action when they find a risk, to ensure children's safety at all times 16/04/2024

p.4

Due date

provide all staff, including managers, with the training, support and coaching they need to meet their roles and responsibilities, to support children's learning, development, safety and well- being 14/06/2024

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Due date

design and implement a curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do and what they need to learn next 14/06/2024

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Due date

improve quality and frequency of staff interactions with children, with particular regard to supporting children's communication and language development 14/06/2024

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Due date

ensure that the key-person system is effective to meet the individual needs of their key children and to build a positive relationship with the parents 17/05/2024

p.4

Due date

12 April 2024 ensure that staff provide children with consistent messages about expectations for good behaviour, to help them form respectful relationships with others and to recognise and manage their emotions and feelings. 08/05/2024

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2662836 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10332984 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 10 Number of children on roll 21 Name of registered person Exbourne Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07918841186 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Taw Tots registered in October 2021 and operates from the village community hall in North Tawton. It is open each weekday, from 7.45am to 5pm, for 51 weeks of the year. There are eight members of staff who work directly with children. Of these, seven hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3 or above, and one holds a level 2 qualification.

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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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The interim manager, previous manager, and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with the nominated 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 carried out a joint observation of a communication and language

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Inspection activities

activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The interim 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

12 April 2024 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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