Yateley Community Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Weaknesses in safeguarding mean that children's safety cannot be assured. Managers fail to ensure that staff know how to keep children safe and protect their well-being.

Furthermore, suitability checks for staff are not robust. However, staff sensitively comfort children who are finding it difficult to separate from their parents on arrival. This helps children settle and feel secure.

Staff are not consistent when reinforcing the rules and boundaries of the indoor and outdoor environment. For instance, some children walk around the room and outside without shoes and socks on and climb on furniture. Staff have not... put effective strategies in place to promote and support children's behaviour.

Inconsistencies in rules and boundaries mean that children are confused and are not fully aware of what is expected of them. Staff do not support them to regulate their emotions and their behaviour deteriorates.On occasion, staff do not fully control the noise levels within the room and some children find it difficult to concentrate.

This negatively impacts on their engagement in activities and the quality of teaching. At times, the high noise levels distract staff from effectively supervising children. Staff do not effectively manage behaviour to enable children to become fully engrossed in their activity and make progress in their learning.

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

The manager has failed to notify Ofsted of changes to committee members as required. This means Ofsted has not been able to carry out relevant checks to ensure their suitability for this role. However, the manager now understands her responsibility to do this in the future.

The manager does not have effective oversight of the care and provision. Although she recognises some weaknesses in practice, she does not address these well, or recognise new weaknesses as they develop. This has a direct impact on children's behaviour and attitudes and the care that they receive.

In addition, managers and staff do not consistently handle confidential information about children appropriately and in line with policy and procedures.The manager has not established a well-structured curriculum that focuses on specific areas of learning for the children in her care. Staff have not developed the curriculum in line with children's current needs, to support them in the areas where they need it most.

Children, therefore, do not benefit from a curriculum that is well thought out. As a result, children at different ages and stages of development do not make all the progress of which they are capable.Generally, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported appropriately.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) reaches out to local agencies for guidance and support. She uses this information to inform the children's tailored learning plans. However, the overarching weaknesses in the curriculum and the ineffective management of children's behaviour inhibit the progress that the children are capable of achieving.

Staff do not effectively deploy themselves to ensure that they are sufficiently supervising the children at all times. For instance, at times, there are fewer staff outside with more children and more staff inside with fewer children. As a result, they do not always notice when children's needs are not met, or unwanted behaviour.

This has a negative impact on the care and education that children receive.Staff carry out routine risk assessments within the daily routine. However, they do not thoroughly assess the risks for the activities that are out on offer for children to investigate and explore.

For example, staff slip on jelly that has fallen on the floor from an activity that is set out. Steps to minimise the risk are only taken after an accident has happened. Failure to identify potential risks compromises the safety of children and staff.

Parents express that communication is open and effective. They feel that staff value them as partners in their child's care and learning. Parents express that, should they have concerns, they feel they can address these with the manager and staff, and they would be handled appropriately.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.The manager has not put rigorous systems in place to ensure all those who have contact with children are suitable to do so. As a result, children's safety is compromised.

The manager has failed to ensure all staff have robust knowledge and understanding of the processes to protect children. In turn, staff lack confidence to demonstrate how they would act in response to safeguarding concerns. There are inconsistencies in staff awareness of the action to take when referring concerns or allegations against staff to the relevant body.

These gaps in knowledge prevent staff from following the correct procedures when reporting concerns to the local safeguarding partnership. This does not sufficiently protect children.

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 ensure all staff have robust and consistent safeguarding knowledge that is in line with local safeguarding children partnership processes 12/12/2023 put robust systems in place to ensure all staff are suitable to work with children 12/12/2023 ensure Ofsted is provided with all the information necessary to complete the required suitability checks for all members of the committee 12/12/2023 ensure information about children is handled sensitively and in a way that maintains confidentiality and complies with data protection procedures 12/12/2023 ensure staff are effectively deployed to so that children are well supervised at all times 12/12/2023 take action to ensure rigorous risk assessments are carried out on the premises and activities, to identify, minimise and remove risks to children and staff 12/12/2023 improve all staff's knowledge, understanding and skills to ensure they can effectively manage children's behaviour 20/01/2024 implement a curriculum that is well structured, ambitious and meets the needs of all the children.

20/01/2024

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