The Horseshoe Community Pre-School

Inspection of The Horseshoe Community Pre-School Banstead Youth Centre, The Horseshoe, Bolters Lane, Banstead, Surrey SM7 2BQ

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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 is not assured at this setting. The provider has not notified Ofsted of changes to the committee. This means that the required suitability checks have not been completed. This is a breach of requirements. In addition, leaders do not have a good enough understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, while the main entrance to the building is secure, leaders have not fully considered internal arrangements to prevent unauthorised access to the rooms within the setting. This compromises children's safety. In addition, deployment of staff is not planned effectively, and, as a result, children are not always supervised at mealtimes effectively. This means children are out of sight and hearing, which places them at risk of choking.

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The provision is inadequate

The quality of education children receive is poor. Recent changes mean that leaders are faced with staffing challenges and undertake a workload that is unachievable. As such, leaders do not ensure that staff are delivering an effective curriculum to help children make the progress they are capable of. Although staff plan activities that they know children will enjoy, they do not understand how to implement learning to meet children's current needs. For instance, children spend time running around without purpose. Staff try to engage children in activities. However, many children become restless, disengage and wander around the room. Furthermore, children demonstrate unwanted behaviour at these times, such as running indoors. This does not instil positive attitudes towards learning.

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need to do better?

n Those who have governance of the provision have not all had their suitability for their role confirmed by Ofsted. Ofsted knows of the nominated individual and suitability checks have been carried out to deem them suitable. Nevertheless, Ofsted has not been notified of other committee members. There is some confusion about the roles and responsibilities within the governance of this provision. This means that suitability checks have not been completed. n Leaders identify the significant risks around the shared use of the premises and have risk assessments in place. However, the measures in place to mitigate these are not robust enough. While the main entrance to the building is locked, staff do not ensure that doors to the setting's rooms are closed and secure. This means that other building users can access the rooms within the setting at any time without staff's knowledge. This does not promote children's safety.

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need to do better?

n Babies are well supported at mealtimes. However, there is poor oversight in the pre-school room at mealtimes. For example, children self-serve their snack and walk a short distance back to the table while eating. As such, this poses a risk of choking. n Staff do not give children clear boundaries to help them understand what is

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need to do better?

23 September 2025 expected of them. When children show unwanted behaviour, staff do not explain why the behaviour is not suitable. This means children do not learn to develop appropriate behaviour. n The quality of education that children receive is variable. Leaders know what they want children to learn and experience at the pre-school. However, sufficient time has not been given to supporting staff to implement the curriculum effectively. As such, staff do not have a shared understanding of the skills they want children to develop as they move through the setting. n Staff mostly remind children to blow their nose and wash their hands after using the toilet. However, this is inconsistent. Staff do not always model good hygiene practices to children or consistently support them in managing their personal care needs. As such, children's health and hygiene practices are not always promoted effectively. n Mostly, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported.

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need to do better?

Staff can explain that children have gaps in their learning and development. Although they have accessed some training to support children, this is not embedded in practice. n Parents are happy with the care their children receive. Staff communicate well with parents to inform them about their child's learning and next steps. Parents receive information on how they can help support learning at home, particularly when preparing their child for transition to school. This means parents feel involved in their child's learning and know how to support their next steps.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

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Due date

ensure that committee and management members have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities 31/10/2025

p.3

Due date

review and improve the arrangements for security, to prevent unauthorised people from gaining access to the rooms within the nursery 31/10/2025

p.3

Due date

23 September 2025 ensure that staff are deployed effectively, so that children remain within sight and hearing while eating 31/10/2025

p.3

Due date

monitor the delivery of the curriculum, to ensure that it is ambitious for all children consistently across the setting and that the curriculum intentions are being met 31/10/2025

p.4

Due date

ensure that staff promote good hygiene practices by teaching children the skills they need to manage their own personal care needs, including handwashing 31/10/2025

p.4

Due date

ensure that effective and consistent strategies are in place to manage children's behaviour that help children understand what is expected of them. 31/10/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number 122744 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10407484 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 35 Number of children on roll 15 Name of registered person Horseshoe Community Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07886403682 Date of previous inspection 10 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

The Horseshoe Community Pre-School registered in 1974 and is a committee-run provision based in Banstead, Surrey. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9am to 3pm, term-time only. It employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, and above. The pre- school provides government funded places.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years foundation stage curriculum. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. 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 the education and considered the impact on children's learning. This includes a joint observation with the manager. n Parents, staff and children shared their views and experiences of the setting with the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection. 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

23 September 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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