Puffins Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Children's safety and well-being are put at risk because the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) does not consistently follow safeguarding policies and procedures to protect children from harm.

Leaders do not ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of all children. Expectations for all children are the same, regardless of their age and stage of development, and, as a result, toddlers do not receive targeted input from staff to build on what they already know and can do. Staff concentrate their interactions on the older children.

Leaders do not ensure that staff are deployed effectively enough to support the you...ngest children to engage fully in the learning opportunities offered to them. At times, these children wander around without the support they need to immerse themselves in learning.Children arrive at the pre-school happy.

They separate from their parents with ease. Children across the setting independently choose what they want to play. Staff focus on supporting children's emotional development.

They are warm and caring and take prompt and timely action when children become unwell at the pre-school. New children settle quickly. Staff support children to behave well.

Children are learning to take turns and share resources.

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

Leaders do not ensure that all safeguarding issues are managed effectively. Although staff know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare and how to record and report their concerns, the DSL does not always act on these concerns and report them promptly to the relevant agencies when needed.

The curriculum focuses on getting older children ready for school and does not include learning outcomes to support the younger children to enable them to achieve. Staff plan activities to support older children's learning and development. For example, pre-school children explore play dough, where they pinch and roll the dough, developing the muscles in their hands in preparation for writing.

However, staff do not plan how best to support the toddlers to help them get the most out of their learning. Younger children do not get the challenge they need to be active learners, or to explore and investigate fully, to help them make good progress across all areas of learning.Leaders do not always organise staff well to meet the younger children's learning needs.

Frequently, staff focus on daily routine tasks. Toddlers mix with pre-school children for most of the day. During these times, children do not receive the attention, interaction and focus they need from their key staff.

Staff encourage children to be independent in readiness for their move to school.Children confidently wash their hands when they arrive and before mealtimes. Staff support older children to learn how to set the table for their friends and to put on their coats before outdoor play.

Children are learning to follow daily routines, such as tidying up and sitting down for circle times.Staff acknowledge children's cultural backgrounds. They plan activities that reflect the festivals and events that children celebrate at home, such as Chinese New Year.

Children have opportunities to learn about different foods.Leaders welcome guidance and support from the local authority to enable them to identify ways in which some improvements can be made. This has helped them to find ways to make mealtimes more of a social occasion for all children.

They provide low chairs that allow toddlers to sit at the table with the older children, enabling all children to talk together while they eat.Staff receive regular supervision, which focuses on some aspects of their development and training needs. While leaders observes staff as they work with children, they does not robustly identify the weaknesses in staff practice.

Staff work well with parents to provide children with consistency in their care. Parents say the low staff turnover makes them feel confident that staff know their children well. Parents state their children have settled in quickly and have increased their social skills since starting 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?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure that any safeguarding concerns are reported to the appropriate agencies in a timely manner to help protect children from harm 09/02/2024 design and implement a broad and balanced curriculum, with particular regard to the toddlers so that they receive targeted learning opportunities that help them to make good progress across all areas of learning 15/04/2024 deploy staff more effectively to meet the needs of all children so that they receive the support and interactions they need to actively engage in purposeful learning.

22/02/2024