The Old School Children's Centre Ltd

Inspection of The Old School Children's Centre Ltd The Old School, Church Hill, Whitchurch, Tavistock PL19 9ED

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

This is an inclusive setting, where everyone is welcome. Staff celebrate family heritage by greeting children in their home language as well as English. Children enjoy learning about different celebrations, including St. David's Day. They look at maps with staff and learn where Wales is located, for example.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff know what they want children to learn. However, the quality of teaching and the delivery of the curriculum does not effectively build on younger children's next steps. Leaders do not coach and mentor staff working with the youngest children as well as they could, to ensure they make the progress they are capable of. Additionally, the deployment of staff does not always meet babies' care needs to support their emotional development.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff support children to develop their independence skills well. Babies learn how to drink from open cups with staff support and begin to feed themselves with a spoon at lunchtime. Toddlers find their belongings such as coats and wellies, ready for outdoor play. Older children attend to their own personal needs well. They wash their hands ready for lunch, find their water bottle and then look for their name card on the table.

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The provision requires improvement

All children play cooperatively. They form positive relationships with peers and staff. Children behave well and develop an understanding of sharing. For instance, pre- school children take turns when playing a board game.

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need to do better?

n Leaders do not coach and mentor staff who work with the younger children effectively, to improve the implementation of the curriculum. Although staff assess children's progress accurately, they do not always provide the support babies and toddlers need in their learning. For example, staff know to develop children's speech and language skills, but at times, they do not interact with younger children often enough. Although these children wander and explore contentedly, they do not receive the support and attention they sometimes need from staff to help them make consistently good progress. n Pre-school children thoroughly enjoy group story times. Staff use intonation, expression and actions as they captivate children's attention. Children learn new words, such as 'vaccination'. Staff ask children if they know what this means. Some children share their own views and use vocabulary, such as 'needle' and

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need to do better?

'injection'. n Staff deployment in the baby and toddler room is not always effective in meeting children's individual needs and supporting children to engage. For example, at times staff focus on chores, such as cleaning and tidying, instead of helping the

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need to do better?

10 March 2025 children to get down from the table after mealtimes and get dressed so they can play outside. The environment becomes a little chaotic for short periods, when staff do not communicate with each other effectively. Younger children spend too long waiting and some become upset and unsettled. n Staff attend training and use this to benefit children. For instance, toddlers enjoy a planned science activity using water, foam and food colouring. Staff encourage children to squeeze pipettes to absorb the colouring and then release it over the foam. Children watch with wonder as the colour trickles through the foam and down into the jar of water. Staff talk to children about how this relates to rain falling from the clouds. n Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents provide written statements about their views of the setting. They comment that staff are caring and have built positive connections with children. Parents report on how staff develop children's

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need to do better?

social skills, such as how to share. Staff keep parents informed of their children's progress and invite them into the setting for key events to celebrate children's achievements. n Children benefit from being outdoors, where they develop their physical skills. Toddlers choose from a variety of items and carry them to the water tray. Staff help them to guess whether their item will float or sink to test their predictions. Older babies roll small balls to one another. Staff role model taking turns. Pre- school children enjoy a group game, counting how many steps they will take before they reach the 'wolf' and then run away excitedly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Due date

support, coach and mentor staff working with the younger children to ensure the delivery of the curriculum builds on children's next steps effectively 18/06/2025

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Due date

deploy staff more effectively to help younger children feel secure and settled. 18/06/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2698728 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10372407 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 68 Number of children on roll 87 Name of registered person The Old School Children's Centre Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01822612362 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Old School Children's Centre Ltd registered in 2022 and is located in Whitchurch, Tavistock, Devon. The provision is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. There are 18 members of staff who work directly with the children. Three staff are level 6 qualified, fourteen staff hold relevant level 3 childcare qualifications and one member of staff who is unqualified is training for her level 2 apprenticeship. The setting provides government funded places for childcare and also receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.

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Inspection activities

n Leaders and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke to the nominated individual and registered individuals 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 nominated individual and the inspector carried out a joint observation and discussed the impact this had on children's development. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector via written statements. 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

10 March 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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