Little Spinnakers Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

The pre-school has undergone significant changes since the last inspection. Oversight of the provision is weak. Poor management of the pre-school by the committee has resulted in significant breaches of the welfare requirements.

Changes to the managers have not been notified to Ofsted. Furthermore, Ofsted has not been provided with the information required to check the suitability of all committee members. Consequently, children's safety and welfare are not fully promoted.

Children develop bonds with staff, to help them feel settled. They build some early friendships with their peers, such as when they take turns... threading cereal hoops onto string. Pre-school children develop early independence, so they can manage their personal needs confidently.

Staff provide activities that support younger children's physical development. For instance, toddlers take turns in making their way down the slide, sitting excitedly as staff say 'ready, steady, go'. However, during some times of the day, the supervision of older children is not well managed.

Staff fail to identify potential risks in the environment. Consequently, they do not take action to address these risks, to keep children safe.The staff team works well together.

However, staff do not receive enough support in their roles. Staff supervision is poor. The manager's and staff's training needs are not identified or supported well enough.

This has an impact on whether staff have the skills and knowledge to fulfil their roles. The curriculum is not designed with a focus on what children need to know or be able to do next. Consequently, although staff recognise that some children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language (EAL), need additional support with their speaking skills, they fail to focus on how to support them.

This does not ensure that children make good progress from their starting points.

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

Children's safety and welfare are not assured. Committee members hold lead roles in ensuring staff are suitable and the pre-school is run safely.

However, a lack of committee oversight has led to a decline in standards since the last inspection. Lines of accountability are unclear. The support for the managers is lacking.

The nominated individual has failed to notify Ofsted of changes to the committee and the names of the managers. They have not ensured that suitability checks are completed for all committee members. That said, managers are aware of some weaknesses in the setting.

They show a dedication to addressing these weaknesses. However, the lack of support from the committee hinders this.The curriculum is not well designed or tailored for the differing ages and abilities of the children.

Staff focus more on activities and less on the learning intentions. Children do not benefit from focused teaching to help target areas where they need the most support. For instance, children take part in a group activity to support their listening and attention skills.

They quickly lose interest and begin to engage in other activities as other children join them, and learning opportunities are lost. Managers recognise that some children lose interest and the activity is not tailored to their needs.Leaders do not plan and implement an effective programme of learning for communication and language for children, including those with SEND and those who speak EAL.

Staff model language for younger children to hear as they talk to them during activities. However, where older children need additional support with their speaking skills, this is not well planned or provided for. Staff do not provide targeted help to those children who need it.

This means that some older children do not make enough progress in their speaking skills.Staff supervision is poor. The committee does not put in place effective supervision for the managers to help them fulfil their roles.

Managers often cover staff absence in the rooms and are unable to fulfil their roles, including the continuous improvement of the setting. Staff do not benefit from effective supervision to address training needs and professional development and ensure they receive the coaching and support they need. This has an impact on their knowledge and skills and the quality of teaching they provide children.

Older children are keen to manage some routines for themselves. For instance, at mealtimes, older children learn how to open packets and squeeze yoghurts to be able to feed themselves confidently. However, some children become unsettled and begin to run around the room with mouthfuls of foods, which presents a choking hazard to them.

Staff fail to notice that they are still eating. This does not assure children's safety.Risk assessments are not well understood or implemented by staff.

Some activities planned and provided present risks to children, which staff fail to identify. For instance, pre-school children explore fruits and vegetables in the role-play area. Staff fail to identify that some children do not understand they cannot eat the foods.

They take bites of foods and run around with large pieces of apple in their mouths, but staff fail to notice this. This presents a risk to children's safety.Staff are kind and caring.

They offer children cuddles and reassurance when they need extra comfort. Parents comment on the kindness of the staff and how they help children to settle into new routines. Parents say staff keep them updated about their children's daily activities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date devise and implement a curriculum that supports every child's learning and development in all areas, including those children with SEND and those who speak EAL 19/02/2024 implement an effective programme for children's communication and language to ensure every child makes appropriate progress in their speaking skills 19/02/2024 ensure that all persons with governance and oversight understand their roles and responsibilities, including ensuring that Ofsted is provided with the necessary information to carry out suitability checks on all members of the registered body 19/02/2024 ensure all staff, including the manager, are provided with an appropriate programme of professional development to enable them to support children's learning effectively 19/02/2024 ensure the managers have effective support to develop their skills and confidence to fulfil all requirements of their role, including having oversight for the quality of the provision 19/02/2024 implement practice monitoring arrangements and regular staff supervision that promote teamwork, sensitive discussions, professional development and the continuous improvement of the setting 19/02/2024 ensure that children are supervised effectively at all times and that they are always within sight or hearing, including being vigilant to the potential risk of choking when children are eating 29/01/2024 ensure risk assessments are robust and effective in identifying and minimising potential risk to children.

29/01/2024