Chuckles Pre-School

Inspection of Chuckles Pre-School Keldholme Lane Community Centre, Gillamoor Court, Alvaston, Derby, Derbyshire DE24 0RU

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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

Children's safety and well-being are compromised. Leaders do not record children's accidents and injuries. They do not consistently share information with parents about accidents or carry first-aid equipment when on outings. Leaders do not have a comprehensive understanding of the requirements they need to meet, including how to support children's learning and development. They do not recognise weaknesses in their own or staff practice or gaps in knowledge that have resulted in several breaches of requirements and poor quality of teaching. Leaders do not plan an ambitious curriculum that can be implemented effectively. Consequently, children do not benefit from carefully planned activities or receive enough support to help them make progress in their learning.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite these weaknesses, children appear happy and settled at the pre-school. They display secure attachments with staff and generally behave well, playing alongside their friends. Children receive praise from the staff, which promotes their self-esteem and helps them understand right from wrong. Children are kind to friends and visitors. They invite them to share their play dough and provide them with a rolling pin. Children enjoy rolling the play dough and using cutters to make dinosaur shapes. Children benefit from outings into the local community. They visit local parks and see newborn lambs in farmers' fields. Children learn to keep themselves safe. Staff talk to children about road safety, and children learn to wait until cars have passed before crossing the road. Staff introduce some mathematical concepts, such as fast and slow when observing traffic.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff have significant gaps in their knowledge and understanding, which results in children's safety not being assured. Leaders and staff do not follow a robust procedure for recording injuries and accidents. They do not consistently record accidents and injuries and promptly share this information with parents. Consequently, when children have accidents, there is a risk that injuries are not monitored, as parents are not made aware of them. Furthermore, staff do not ensure they can respond appropriately in the event of an accident or injury. For example, they do not carry a first-aid kit when taking children on a walk in the local community. n Leaders have failed to notify Ofsted of a significant event, which is a requirement of registration. However, there was minimal impact on children's safety and welfare, or learning and development, as a result of this failure to notify. Leaders acknowledge this was an oversight and are now fully aware of

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need to do better?

their duty to notify Ofsted in the future. n Leaders and staff do not have a robust understanding of how to support children's learning and development. The curriculum is not well developed or

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need to do better?

4 February 2025 sequenced to meet children's individual needs and ensure they make the best possible progress. Leaders and staff do not prioritise closing gaps in children's learning or carefully plan activities to help close these gaps. For example, staff prioritise children learning to ride a bicycle rather than supporting them with toilet training or developing their communication and language skills. Consequently, children do not make enough progress in their learning and are at risk of falling behind. n Leaders do not identify weaknesses in their own teaching skills or those of other staff members. They do not recognise gaps in knowledge and have not kept their early years knowledge up to date. Furthermore, leaders do not provide any professional training, support, coaching or guidance for their staff. This does not help raise the quality of teaching. n Children are becoming independent in managing some aspects of their self-care,

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need to do better?

such as feeding themselves and putting on their coats. However, staff do not teach children how to manage personal hygiene, such as blowing their noses or washing their hands. They quickly step in and do these tasks for children without giving them a chance to try for themselves. This does not help children to develop the skills they need to be ready for school. n Leaders promote some aspects of children's health as they take them on daily walks where they benefit from exercise and fresh air. However, although children eat fresh fruit for snacks, leaders do not provide a balanced, nutritious main meal for children. This does not ensure children's good health or help them to learn about healthy eating. That said, staff ensure children have access to fresh drinking water and provide regular reminders to stay hydrated. n Overall, staff support children's communication and language development. They teach children new vocabulary as they learn about different vehicles such as

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need to do better?

lorries and motorbikes. Staff narrate children's play and generally talk to them as they play. However, staff do not always use questioning techniques to encourage children to think and respond. They ask questions that require a yes or no answer rather than using questions to help children think critically and develop problem-solving skills. Furthermore, staff ask lots of questions in quick succession, which confuses children. n Parents say they are happy with the care provided at the pre-school and that their children have grown in confidence since attending. Staff gather information from parents when children first start about what children already know and can do and what their interests are.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

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

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Due date

keep a written record of all accidents or injuries and first-aid treatment given and share this information with parents 04/03/2025

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Due date

ensure children's safety is assured on outings, including ensuring a first-aid kit is always accessible 04/03/2025

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Due date

undertake appropriate training and professional development to improve skills and knowledge of how to support children's welfare and to meet their learning and development needs 04/03/2025

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Due date

ensure activities are consistently planned and implemented to incorporate children's next steps and help close gaps in their learning 04/03/2025

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Due date

provide staff with targeted support and coaching to further improve the quality of teaching. 04/03/2025

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should:

n strengthen arrangements to promote children's independence skills to help them prepare for their next stage of learning n improve children's healthy lifestyles by adapting all meals and snacks provided to ensure they are healthy and nutritious n improve questioning techniques to give children more time to think and respond.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 206128 Local authority Derby Inspection number 10367807 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 30 Number of children on roll 5 Name of registered person Rowley, Diane Rowley

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reference number

Telephone number 01332 756918 Date of previous inspection 26 February 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Chuckles Pre-School registered in 1992 and operates from Keldholme Lane Community Centre in Alvaston, Derby. The pre-school opens from Tuesday to Thursday, during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff, all of whom hold an early years qualification at level 2 or above. The pre-school provides funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The deputy manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and management of the pre-school. 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 and the manager carried out a joint observation of a group activity. n Parents shared their views of the pre-school with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.

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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

4 February 2025 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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