Rowhedge Under 5’s

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

The provider has not ensured that the manager and staff have a good understanding of child protection procedures.

Staff fail to respond and share information accordingly which compromises the safety and welfare of children.Overall, the quality of teaching is too variable. This is because the manager does not monitor staff practice thoroughly enough to identify weaknesses in staff teaching.

As a result, some staff do not know how to implement many aspects of the intended curriculum. This means that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are not making the progress that they a...re capable of.Staff do not manage children's behaviour consistently.

This results in some children's behaviour becoming disruptive as they do not know what is expected of them.Despite the weaknesses, children enter confidently into the pre-school and are warmly greeted by staff. They independently choose their own resources and lead their play.

For instance, children explore the role-play kitchen and construction area. Staff set out activities to promote children's small and large motor skills. For example, children access a range of mark-making materials and paints.

They enjoy being physically active in the garden. Children climb up and down the climbing frame and ride around the garden on the wheeled toys.

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

Child protection and safeguarding procedures are ineffective.

The provider has failed to ensure that the pre-school's safeguarding policy is implemented and understood by staff. Staff do not respond appropriately to concerns in children's home life, including keeping appropriate records and sharing information with other agencies.Children do not receive enough support to recognise how to interact positively with others.

Staff do not consistently help children to understand the pre-school's rules and boundaries or help children to understand how their behaviour has an impact on others. Staff struggle to manage a range of different emotions children show and children frequently demonstrate poor self-control. Despite some staff completing further training to support children's behaviour, strategies have not been implemented.

Children have some positive learning experiences. For example, they join in with a play dough activity. Staff take the time to model how to use the resources.

At these times, children focus and sustain their attention. However, some staff do not recognise opportunities to extend children's learning or challenge their thinking. For example, when children test their own physical abilities on the climbing rope or spinning hula hoops, staff do not always recognise when to build on children's interest to extend their learning further.

This does not fully support children to build on their existing knowledge and skills.Some staff promote children's spoken language well. They introduce new words to children during activities.

For example, when looking at bugs and insects in a book, staff introduce words, such as 'aphid', to build on children's vocabulary. Children frequently enjoy books and stories with staff and access them independently. The manager has created a book-lending library programme to support children to enjoy reading at home.

This encourages children to develop a love of stories.Children are learning to be independent. For example, when children arrive, they are encouraged to hang up their belongings.

Older children are beginning to recognise their written names and use this skill to record their attendance. Staff encourage children to help set up the snack bar and clear away when they are finished. Staff sit with children during snack and mealtimes to encourage social interaction and conversations.

Staff report feeling well supported by the manager. The manager provides staff with opportunities to discuss children's development and any concerns they may have. However, staff do not receive enough coaching and mentoring to continually improve their teaching practice to help ensure a consistently high standard across 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?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure child protection procedures are understood and implemented, with specific regard to obtaining and recording appropriate records to share with other agencies as required 28/06/2024 develop appropriate strategies for managing children's behaviour that fully support them to make positive choices, including helping children to understand how their behaviour has an impact on others 28/06/2024 improve the implementation of the curriculum to ensure that all children receive consistently meaningful learning experiences that build on what they already know and can do 28/06/2024 monitor staff performance more closely to continue to strengthen and improve their practice so that all children benefit from consistently good quality learning experiences.

28/06/2024

Also at this postcode