The Hamlet Centre Children's Service

Inspection of The Hamlet Centre Children's Service Johnson Place, Vauxhall Street, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 1SJ

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

The provider does not prioritise children's safety when they are eating. Children walk around the setting, grazing on food throughout the day, unsupervised. Risk assessments are not effective. Staff do not support the effective organisation and supervision of children or implement routines for mealtimes. Therefore, children's welfare is compromised.

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The provision is inadequate

Planning for children's learning is not consistently good. Staff do not always plan clear and meaningful next steps, focusing on the skills children need to achieve to extend their learning. Staff do not have high expectations of what children can do to promote positive attitudes to learning. They do not support children effectively to learn new skills or encourage them to join in activities. Staff do not always help children to develop an understanding of the routines of the setting. This has an impact on children's readiness for school.

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The provision is inadequate

Nevertheless, children are happy, develop good relationships with staff and generally behave well. Staff provide learning opportunities that support children's speech and language. Children enjoy singing and demonstrate how they thoroughly enjoy this experience, smiling and laughing with staff. Additionally, staff extend children's sentences and model good language for children to hear. Generally, children are developing good language and communication skills.

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need to do better?

n The provider has implemented a robust procedure for the recruitment and induction of new staff. Staff attend various training opportunities prior to starting to enhance their knowledge and skills. However, the provider has not ensured that staff have a good understanding of the importance of risk assessment. This means children's safety is not assured. n Staff do not implement effective daily routines. Although they work to higher ratios than is required, the organisation of the provision and the deployment of staff are poor. For example, staff do not supervise children well enough to keep them safe. Children are allowed to move around the setting while eating. Staff do not notice when children hide behind furniture to eat apples and crisps. They do not ensure children are within sight and hearing when they are eating. n Staff plan some activities that spark children's awe and wonder about the world.

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need to do better?

Children watch the bubbles slowly float away, reaching out to pop each one. Staff use these opportunities to extend children's vocabulary, modelling words, such as 'bubble' and 'pop'. n Staff plan visits to local schools to support children's transitions. They spend time sharing information to help teachers understand children's specific needs. That said, children do not always gain the necessary skills they need for their

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need to do better?

6 June 2025 next stage of learning. Children learn basic language skills and develop some independence. However, staff do not teach them to sit at a table or to follow a routine. n At times, staff have clear intentions for children's learning. For example, they provide water and a range of containers for children to explore measure and capacity. Staff encourage children to learn and explore measure through filling and emptying containers. They add words to children's play, such as 'heavy, full' and 'empty', extending on children's mathematical language. However, staff's planning for children's next steps is inconsistent. Staff do not always identify what they want children to learn or the specific skills they want children to achieve. This means children's progress is not always good. n The management team have implemented an action plan to strengthen the teaching in some areas. They have identified some key areas for improvement

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need to do better?

and have already begun to implement these changes. For example, they recognise that healthy eating is not promoted well enough and have begun to update policies and provide learning opportunities for children to explore healthier food options.

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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

improve staff's understanding of risk and make sure risk assessments are carried out effectively to identify any hazards, ensuring that these hazards are removed or minimised 13/06/2025

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Due date

ensure staffing arrangements meet the needs of all children, so that children are adequately supervised while eating 13/06/2025

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Due date

6 June 2025 support staff to implement a curriculum that clearly identifies what it is that all children need to learn, that reflects their individual needs and offers appropriate challenge, to help them make good progress. 30/09/2025

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should:

n improve the monitoring of staff practice to develop their knowledge and understanding of how children learn so that all children benefit from consistently good-quality learning experiences.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY435182 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10394705 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 Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 300 Name of registered person The Hamlet Centre Trust

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reference number

Telephone number 01603 766 566 Date of previous inspection 20 September 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The Hamlet Centre Children's Service registered in 2011. The service specialises in supporting children and families with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The service operates a pre-school that opens Monday to Friday from 9.15am to 2.15pm. The pre-school employs eight members of staff, including the manager, seven of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre-school provides government funded early education for all eligible children. The service also operates stay-and-play sessions and a holiday playscheme during school holidays and some weekends.

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Inspection activities

n The provider, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting 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 observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager. n The 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

6 June 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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