Burghclere Preschool and Toddler Group

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The quality of education is variable.

Staff do not plan a curriculum that focuses precisely enough on helping all children towards their next steps in learning. For example, some children learn how stingrays move through the water and take part in discussions with staff. Other children flit between activities and have limited engagement with staff.

This has an impact on children's progress.Children come into pre-school happily as they easily separate from their parents and carers. They are greeted warmly by kind and caring staff.

Children have good relationships with staff, in particular with their key person. Ch...ildren work together to solve problems, such as how to sweep up the spilt sand. Staff support children's behaviour well as they learn to take turns with the brush and dustpan.

Children carry out simple self-care tasks independently, such as putting on coats. They understand the rules and expectations of the staff as they happily line up ready to go outside.Children enthusiastically take part in mathematical activities, such as matching cubes and creating patterns.

However, there are some inconsistencies in teaching. At times, staff do not support children to think for themselves, or extend children's learning further during activities, such as during water play with measuring jugs and cylinders.

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

Committee members do not have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities as a provider.

As a result, there are breaches in requirements, such as the requirement to notify Ofsted of changes to committee members. Although steps have been taken to rectify this, the committee does not have a secure enough understanding of their roles, including having good oversight of the provision.The progress children make in their learning and development is variable.

Some children make good progress, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff recognise the importance of putting adaptations in place to support children with more complex needs. However, not all children make good enough progress in all aspects of their development.

The curriculum is not focused precisely enough and does not consistently build on what children know and can do. Staff do not regularly challenge and extend children's learning further.Staff comment that their supervision meetings with the manager supports their well-being effectively.

They explain they feel comfortable raising any concerns they may have. However, the manager does not monitor staff practice closely enough to identify and feed back to staff where practice needs developing further, to ensure the quality of education is consistently good.Staff do not support children's language development consistently.

For example, at times, staff narrate children's play and introduce them to new vocabulary, such as 'squishy'. Staff also repeatedly ask children questions. However, they do not consistently leave them time to respond or model vocabulary back to children, so that they hear the correct pronunciation.

This impacts on the progress children make with their language skills.Staff do not consistently promote good hygiene practices. For example, they encourage children to wash their hands before eating.

However, staff allow children to share the same equipment. For instance, children share tubes they put in their mouths without cleaning them first during a bubble blowing activity. This increases the risk of cross infection.

Overall, children behave well. They build friendships with each other and play cooperatively. Staff provide support as children learn to solve minor conflicts, such as when they want to play with the same toy.

Staff help children understand the reasons behind the behavioural expectations. For example, they discuss what might happen if they run indoors.There are good partnerships with the local primary school.

This enables the manager and the school team to discuss what skills children need to prepare them for the next stage in learning. For example, staff are working on children's independence, so they are able to meet their self-care needs while at school.Overall, parents are happy with the provision.

They comment on the warm, kind and caring staff. Parents feel that communication between themselves and staff is effective.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They know the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. Staff know how to report these concerns to the relevant local safeguarding partners.

This includes knowing how to report allegations about members of staff should it be needed. The manager has a good understanding of safer recruitment practices and ensuring staff's ongoing suitability. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of a variety of safeguarding issues.

For example, they talk confidently about the steps to take if they believe staff, children or families are being radicalised.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date implement a more ambitious curriculum that consistently builds on what children know and can do to meet the needs of all children 30/06/2023 improve the arrangements for monitoring staff practice to raise the quality of education to a consistently good level 30/06/2023 ensure that committee members understand their roles and responsibilities, including having oversight of the provision 26/05/2023 implement hygiene practices more effectively to prevent the spread of infections.12/05/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop further interactions with children to support their emerging language skills.