Blaby Pre-School

Inspection of Blaby Pre-School Parish Church Rooms, Church Street, Blaby, LEICESTER LE8 4FA

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is inadequate

The provider, who also manages and has oversight of the setting, has not identified gaps in staff's knowledge and understanding of safeguarding. These gaps in safeguarding knowledge may mean concerns are not identified and dealt with swiftly. In addition, she has allowed people undertaking work experience to have unsupervised access to children. Furthermore, the provider does not recognise that teaching is not supporting younger children to make the progress they are capable of.

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The provision is inadequate

The quality of teaching is variable. Older children benefit from positive interactions from staff and receive good support for their learning. However, younger children do not benefit in the same way. Staff understand what it is these children need to learn next. However, they do not plan activities or provide the support younger children need to help them build on what they already know and can do. Consequently, not all children develop positive attitudes to learning.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite this, children are happy to attend the pre-school and leave their parents easily, giving them a wave as they run into the playroom. They make choices in their play and are provided with opportunities to develop their self-help skills and become independent. Staff are warm and kind towards children. They offer cuddles and reassurance when children need them. This helps children to feel secure and build positive relationships with others. Staff are generally good role models for children. They say 'please' and 'thank you' and encourage children to be kind to others. Children are praised for their good behaviour and do behave well.

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need to do better?

n The provider has not ensured that all staff have a secure understanding of safeguarding procedures. Some staff do not know what action to take in the event of an allegation being made against anyone working in the pre-school. They do not recognise the signs that may alert them to a child being radicalised or exposed to extreme behaviours. Furthermore, the manager has allowed work experience students to have unsupervised contact with children. This practice does not fully ensure children's safety. n The curriculum supports older children well to be sure they are ready for the next stage in their learning, such as school. For example, they listen and follow instructions well, have good independence and are confident. However, younger children do not make the same progress. Staff do not use what they know about these children to plan a challenging and worthwhile curriculum. Consequently, younger children spend long periods wandering and playing alone with no

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need to do better?

interactions from staff, or encouragement to join in activities with other children. n All staff have regular supervision meetings with the manager to review and

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need to do better?

19 June 2025 assess their practice. However, these arrangements are not effective in supporting staff to reflect on their practice through robust and purposeful feedback and discussion. The provider states that she provides targets to staff but these are not monitored closely enough to have a positive impact on the quality of teaching. This has led to gaps in the progress younger children make in the setting. n The provider admits that she has lost her focus and does not ensure that her own roles and responsibilities are carried out well enough. The lack of an effective overview of the setting has led to weaknesses in the pre-school that she has not identified. n Staff interactions and engagement with children is variable. They do not effectively support children who need extra help with their speech and language skills. Staff know these children are not making the same progress as their peers, but do not take appropriate steps to support this. As a result, some

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need to do better?

children's speaking skills are not well-developed, and they are not helped to widen their vocabulary or use full sentences. n Since the last inspection, the provider has ensured that they have taken action to address the weakness previously identified. She has ensured that all staff working with the children have completed a paediatric first-aid course to be sure they can act appropriately should any child in their care require first aid. n Parents speak highly of the pre-school and of the positive relationships their children have with the staff. They comment on being informed of how and what their children are learning, and that staff share ideas of how to build on learning at home. Parents comment on the good support older children receive in readiness for school as they are helped to develop confidence and good listening skills. n Older children work well in small groups and show they have formed positive

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need to do better?

friendships within the pre-school. Staff encourage them to greet each other by name when they arrive. Children show good imagination as they pretend to be a dog and are cared for by their peers, who offer them pretend food and 'teach them tricks'. Staff talk to them during this play asking appropriate questions to encourage them to think about what foods dogs eat and how they can be healthy.

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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

ensure all adults working with children know how to report concerns about an adult who may have harmed a child and what to do should you believe a child or adult is being drawn into extremism or showing signs of being radicalised 09/07/2025

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Due date

ensure adults gaining work experience are supervised appropriately when working with children 26/06/2025

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Due date

ensure the arrangements for staff supervision enable staff to receive effective coaching and support to improve the quality of teaching 09/07/2025

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Due date

ensure more robust oversight of the setting, in order that the safety and learning needs of all children are met 09/07/2025

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Due date

build a curriculum that is clear, ambitious and consistently implemented across the pre-school, particularly for younger children 09/07/2025

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Due date

ensure that staff know and understand how to support younger children to develop good communication and language development. 09/07/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY438937 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10395177 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Blaby Pre-School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07759496760 Date of previous inspection 30 January 2025

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Information about this early years setting

Blaby Pre-School registered in 2011. The pre-school employs six members of staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 5. The pre-school opens from 9am until 3pm, from Monday to Thursday and from 9am until 12 noon on Friday, term time only. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The deputy and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the preschool and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. 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 assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector and provider/manager carried out a joint observation of an activity. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector spoke with the provider/manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the preschool.

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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

19 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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