Ashenground Community Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

The provider has a poor oversight of the daily operation of the pre-school. They are unclear on their responsibilities and demonstrate a lack of understanding of the requirements of the early years foundation stage. This includes a poor knowledge of safeguarding, and of safer recruitment processes, which impacts on children's welfare.

There is no system in place for the supervision of staff to help improve the quality of teaching.Children arrive happily and settle well. Staff are friendly and welcoming towards children.

However, staff do not fully understand their role as a key person. This means some children do... not receive the support they need, and they do not develop secure attachments with their key person. This significantly impacts on their development and emotional well-being.

Staff use additional funding children receive appropriately and children make some progress in their development. However, children do not receive consistency in their learning. This is because teaching is highly variable and there is a lack of good quality interactions from staff.

This has an impact on the progress children make. For example, some staff have poor questioning skills, which leads to children becoming disengaged and they leave the activity. Some children learn how to take turns effectively with others.

However, not all staff consistently support this. Despite the weaknesses in teaching, children behave well. They follow the routine of the setting.

They listen well to staff and follow simple instructions.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

The provider is not involved in the day-to-day running of the setting. They do not know how to effectively support the manager in improving the quality of the provision.

This has led to weaknesses and inconsistencies in practice and the provision.The provider and the management team are unclear of their key roles and responsibilities. They lack understanding on how to ensure children remain safe.

For example, they are unclear on the procedures to follow if an allegation is made about a member of staff. They do not follow safer recruitment processes. This compromises children's safety and welfare.

The arrangements for performance management of staff and the manager are poor. The provider and the manager are aware of some of the weaknesses in staff practice but have failed to address these. However, staff do comment positively about the support for their well-being.

They comment that the manager is approachable and that they 'can always talk to her'.The manager and staff do not receive effective supervision or coaching. This means training needs are not effectively identified and implemented.

The key-person system is ineffective. Some children do not receive the interactions they need to develop secure relationships with their key person. This is because staff lack knowledge and understanding on the importance of secure attachments for children.

The manager has an overview of the curriculum and what she wants children to learn. However, this is vague and staff do not consistently implement this. For example, the manager identified that children do not recognise numerals.

So, she placed numerals on the play dough mats. However, when children played with the play dough, the numerals were not introduced to children by staff.Staff do not consistently interact with children to deliver a good quality curriculum.

For example, some staff do not know how to engage with children who are less confident. This means some children did not interact with staff for long periods of time during the inspection. This does not help children develop positive attitudes to learning.

Staff do not effectively support children's language skills. Children do not have enough time to reply to questions staff ask. Some staff do not focus on listening to children and responding to their ideas.

This means children become disengaged.Some children build on what they know through play. For example, children make 'hot chocolate' in the mud kitchen.

This leads to children using the tablet to find a recipe. They then follow it to make hot chocolate and marshmallows with real ingredients.Parents are happy with the provision.

They comment positively on the communication between themselves and staff. Parents say their children are happy and enjoy coming to pre-school.Staff meet children's basic care needs.

Children regularly play outside. They have a nutritional snack and enjoy dunking apple slices in milk. Children learn they wash their hands 'to keep the germs off'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.The provider does not have an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding. They do not know how to keep children safe from harm if an allegation is made about a member of staff.

The provider does not ensure that staff suitability is rigorously checked when they are recruited. The provider does not always seek appropriate references for staff. This puts children's safety at risk.

Staff do understand and can recognise the basic signs and symptoms that may mean a child is at risk of harm. They know to report concerns to the designated safeguarding lead. However, some staff do not know that they can refer concerns themselves directly to the appropriate professionals if needed, and the process to follow.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action.

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to: Due date ensure all staff understand the policy and implement the procedures to safeguard children, including those relating to whistle-blowing 04/02/2022 ensure all staff have an up-to-date and current knowledge of safeguarding, including what to do if a concern is raised about staff 04/02/2022 ensure that robust recruitment processes are followed at all times to confirm the suitability of staff 04/02/2022 ensure that staff understand the role of the key person and the importance of emotional attachment for young children 04/02/2022 implement effective systems for supervision, coaching and professional development of staff and the manager, to improve the quality of teaching and learning.04/02/2022 To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure staff understand how to successfully support children's communication and language development 04/02/2022 ensure that staff understand the intent for the curriculum and their role and responsibilities in its delivery, to ensure all children make good progress in their learning.

04/02/2022

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