Lavendon Pavilion Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Staff's capacity to implement the well-designed curriculum and to monitor children's good progress is compromised by the lack of support and supervision from pre-school leaders. Staff are passionate and care about their work.

They want the very best for children and are committed to providing children with high-quality learning and care. However, too often, they are tasked with undertaking duties outside of their role and this takes their time away from children. Staff are alert to when children need extra help and make sure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive support from external professi...onals as soon as possible.

The early intervention encourages all children to make good progress in their development. Despite their good learning experiences, children's safety is compromised by the poor knowledge and understanding of the directors who, as the registered provider, lead the pre-school. As a result, although children show high levels of confidence and security in the care of staff, this is undermined by consistent failures in measures that are designed to help keep them safe.

Children behave well and are learning about how to regulate their behaviour and get along sociably together. Children attending the pre-school get to know each other well and start to form close friendships. Staff ensure that the curriculum encourages children to learn the essential skills they need in readiness for when they move on to school.

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

The provider has failed to take suitable action to ensure that Ofsted has received all the necessary information so that they can make a decision about the suitability of all directors. This is a repetition of a weakness that was identified at previous inspections. The provider was alerted that Ofsted had not received this information several times.

Despite this, the provider has not ensured that this vital step has been taken to help confirm the suitability of those who are responsible for leading the pre-school. This compromises children's safety and demonstrates a disregard and lack of commitment to implement safeguarding measures designed to help protect children.The provider does not implement a robust recruitment procedure for staff.

They do not ensure that all stages of safeguarding checks are carried out, such as undertaking further checks when staff have lived and worked abroad. Therefore, the process has flaws and does not form a full picture of staff suitability.The policies and procedures relating to safeguarding contain information that is out of date and inaccurate.

Consequently, information provided for staff and parents to explain how to take action in the event of a concern about children's safety are ineffective. This further compromise children's safety.Staff are overburdened and under pressure.

They are often left to try to manage situations, incidents and paperwork that are the responsibility of the provider. This leads to them feeling unsupported and affects their morale. The staff team is close and work together well, offering each other support.

However, the lack of oversight of the provider is having a negative impact on staff's ability to their job. They feel compromised as they cannot concentrate on teaching children as they have to deal with multiple different tasks.Children enjoy opportunities to be physically active and test out their skills.

Staff ensure there are multiple ways for children to practise what they know and can do. Children delight in putting on puppet shows, retelling stories and playing with dough as they combine their imagination with increasing physical coordination and confidence.Staff have a sound awareness of child development and, as a result, are ambitious and knowledgeable about what to expect from children's progress.

Staff share regular information with parents so they know how well children are progressing and how they can support their learning at home.There is good structure to the pre-school day and activities are organised well. Staff communicate the routine well to children.

Consequently, children know what is happening and what is expected from them. Staff use a visual timetable of pictures to support children's understanding. Staff talk to children, commentate on their activities, introduce them to new words and engage in meaningful conversations.

This helps children to hear and use language as they play and learn.Children arrive excitedly in the morning and show their pleasure in seeing the staff who care for them. Relationships between children and their key persons are strong and staff know all about the children they care for.

Parents are welcomed into the setting and staff spend time exchanging information to help with a smooth handover. There are good relationships with the local school and other providers, meaning children receive consistency and good support when moving on from the pre-school.

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?

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

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to: Due date take immediate action to ensure that Ofsted is provided with the necessary information to enable them to carry out suitability checks for all directors 05/11/2024 improve arrangements for checking the suitability of staff to ensure that all information is gained to assess their suitability to work with children 05/11/2024 implement a safeguarding procedure that is accurate, informative and clear to support staff and parents if they have a safeguarding concern about a child 05/11/2024 provide a suitable working environment for staff, where they receive supervision and support that enables them to focus on supporting children's care, learning and development.

05/11/2024

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