Shelf Preschool and Out of School Club

Shelf Preschool and Out of School Club

Unique reference number (URN): EY266155 Address: Youth And Community Centre, Wade House, Shelf, Halifax, HX3 7PB Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 09/06/2003 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Locality Support Services Limited

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders work closely with families and explain the importance of children's regular attendance at the setting and how it promotes their learning and development. Children enjoy their learning and display positive attitudes to learning. They concentrate well and staff support them to listen and develop this valuable skill, to help support children with their transitions to school. Older children learn to work collaboratively on tasks and support one another. For example, during obstacle courses, as they offer words of encouragement to their friends and reminders of what comes next.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well and understand what is expected of them. They follow established routines and enjoy taking on responsibilities as they help to tidy up and look after their environment. Staff support older children to resolve any interpersonal conflicts. They ask children what they can do if they both want to play with the same toy. Children suggest that they share and take it in turns and decide between themselves who has the first turn.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff support children to be resilient and to persevere when they find tasks difficult. For example, together they explore how they can make it easier to knock down tins by throwing a bean bag. They discuss different solutions and decide that if they sit down and throw it like a frisbee they will be more successful in knocking them down.

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Achievement Needs attention

The youngest children do not always receive the targeted support they require, compared to that received by the older children. The planning of experiences for younger children is not as well considered, in order to consistently support their next steps in learning. Babies explore sensory resources. They push and squeeze liquid-filled bags and watch the glitter and small items move around inside. They learn that they can make the items move in different ways. They also take part in water play, washing the baby dolls and twisting the different body parts to wash them.

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Achievement Needs attention

Older children demonstrate early mathematical skills, such as counting and simple addition and subtraction. Older children practise a range of skills as they complete an obstacle course. They throw beanbags towards a target to knock down tins and count how many they hit. They manoeuvre their bodies confidently, in a range of ways, as they balance and crawl on and under different obstacles. Children demonstrate their physical skill as they build and construct. They understand that the magnets inside the shaped pieces make each one stick together. During construction activities, children build with purpose and select different shaped pieces for their creations, using squares for the walls of the house and triangles for the roof.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff do not implement risk assessments well enough to fully promote children's welfare and wellbeing. Staff step over the partitioned baby area and do not consider the associated risks for themselves and others until this is pointed out to them. Prickly brambles at children's face height have been allowed to grow into the main play area in the garden. Although children were not seen playing in this area there is nothing preventing them from doing so.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

However, all staff understand the requirements around safer eating and safer sleeping. Everyone at the setting has attended specific training and understands their responsibilities. Meals are healthy and nutritionally balanced. Staff supervise children at mealtimes and sit with them, offering support. For example, children with excess food in their mouths are encouraged to take smaller mouthfuls and the reasons for this are explained to them. Staff discuss what is an appropriate amount to be able to eat safely. Children are safely supervised when sleeping and staff regularly check on sleeping children to ensure their safety. Leaders understand the risks associated with the use of digital technology and share this information, gained from training, with parents.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Children have lots of opportunities for outdoor play as leaders recognise that not all children have access to a garden at home, or parks that they can easily access, particularly as the seasons change and the nights get darker earlier.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The curriculum for the youngest children is not as consistently well planned and thought out as it is for the older children in the setting. The youngest children enjoy sensory activities and exploratory play, but consideration is not given to tailoring the curriculum so that it continually builds on their knowledge and skills. Learning for these children is more incidental than planned for, in any meaningful way, to encompass the different areas of learning. However, the curriculum for older children is much more considered. Learning priorities are clear and well understood. Teaching takes account of children's individual stages of development and their next steps in learning. Therefore, the curriculum is much more sequenced and considered for these children.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Interactions are caring and supportive and all staff meet children's care needs well. Older children show good recall, as they remember all the instructions on how to navigate the obstacle course and what they need to do at each station. They offer one another encouragement and remind their friends that they have to, 'crawl under the table'. They use positional language in their instructions and model back what staff have told them.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

During nappy changes, those working with younger children talk to them about what they are doing and what they are going to do next. They talk about the cloud mobile above them and what they can see. However, there is less language used during other activities with babies to encourage and effectively support their language development.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders seek support and guidance where they have concerns about children's development. They acknowledge that they would benefit from further training on how best to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities as they have limited experience of this. Leaders have identified some training but are yet to attend.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Overall, the curriculum is not equally ambitious for all children. Inconsistencies in practice and curriculum planning mean that younger children do not receive the same level of quality curriculum as the older children at the setting.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders understand that children can face various barriers to their learning and wellbeing. Leaders take account of children's patterns of attendance when planning different experiences for children. They arrange outings and trips on different days to ensure that children do not miss out and that all have the opportunity to take part in these experiences. Leaders consider how best to support children who are in receipt of funding, as well as the ways in which this funding can be used to make a positive difference for children. For example, they purchase specific resources and equipment, designed to have a positive impact on children's achievement and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders understand there are areas that they need to improve on. However, they do not take swift action to address these in order to quickly bring about improvement. They have engaged in some professional development since opening the pre-school, as a new addition to their registration. They have worked with the local authority and have identified some training, which is intended to develop their practice and improve outcomes for children. However, recent staff changes have had an impact and, consequently, the qualification requirements for working with under 2s are not currently being met. Leaders understand that this needs to be addressed and they are in the process of considering how best to meet this requirement. Leaders understand that the curriculum for babies is not of the same standard as it is for older children, but have not sufficiently explored the underlying reason for this.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have attended safer-recruitment training and understand their responsibilities to ensure the continued suitability of staff. Leaders support their staff to attend training, although this training is mostly generic and not targeted professional development to bring about improvements in individual staff practice.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders proactively work in partnership with parents. They seek parent's feedback and take their suggestions on board. Leaders share information about how parents can support their children to become increasingly independent at home and what they can do to ensure children are ready for their transitions to school. Leaders are developing partnerships with schools and seek feedback about how previous cohorts of children have settled. They ask what more they can do to support children and ensure they acquire the skills needed to facilitate a smooth transition.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has not met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has not met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children's learning and the quality of interactions are variable across the setting, although leaders do recognise this as an area for improvement. Children enjoy the experiences offered and have positive attitudes to learning. However, much of the learning for the youngest children is incidental, rather than planned for, to build on their skills sequentially.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Settling-in procedures are effective and staff work collaboratively with families to ensure regular attendance and a smooth transition to the setting. Children develop close and trusting bonds with staff who are nurturing and attentive to their care needs. While this is the case, their safety is not always prioritised as well as it should be due to inconsistencies in risk assessments and their failure to effectively minimise risks.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children learn to become increasingly independent during daily routines and enjoy taking on responsibilities to tidy up and help staff prepare for mealtimes. Children develop positive social skills and friendships and show care and consideration for others. For example, they reassure their friends they will wait for them while they go to the bathroom, so that they don't miss their turn in the game. Children work collaboratively on tasks and enjoy problem- solving. For example, they discuss which house will be stronger for the little pigs and whether to use the paper or the bricks to build it, before testing out their ideas.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure risk assessments are effective in identifying and minimising risks to children 07/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure at least one member of staff working with under 2s holds an approved Level 3 qualification and is suitably experienced in working with children under 2 years 02/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve staff's knowledge of, and expertise in, how to consistently support the youngest children's communication and language development 02/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve the planning and oversight of the curriculum for children under 2 years and ensure it takes account of, and effectively builds on, children's individual next steps in learning 02/09/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve knowledge and confidence in the graduated approach in effectively supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities 02/09/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents and carers, children and those with specific roles, such as designated safeguarding leads, during the inspection.

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Address:

Youth And Community Centre Wade House Shelf Halifax HX3 7PB

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Locality Support Services Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:00,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 08:45,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 15:15 - 18:00,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Children numbers

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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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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