St Gabriel’s Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Children's safety continues to be compromised.

Despite weakness being identified at the last inspection, too little has been done to address these and there are further significant breaches of legal requirements. There continues to be very little oversight by the committee and lines of accountability are unclear. Changes to the committee have not been notified to Ofsted and information to check the suitability of those who take lead roles in governance has not been provided.

Where staff work with other agencies involved in children's care, there is insufficient information sharing to meet children's needs. Arrang...ements for staff supervision continues to be poor. Although staff have supervisions, where coaching, training and support is identified, the manager does not take action to address these.

Consequently, teaching is variable and at times ineffective. Children come into the setting happily and staff know their likes and dislikes. However, when children first start, leaders do not gain required information about them.

Parents and carers do not receive the information they need about children, to help them to continue learning at home.Children benefit from some changes to the setting. For instance, staff have reviewed mealtimes to limit children waiting for long periods.

However, despite leaders focusing on a more precise curriculum for children, this fails to address weakness in children's progress, particularly in their speaking skills. Some children struggle to communicate and this leads to periods of frustration. Staff try to manage this, helping children to learn about acceptable behaviours.

However, children become frustrated when they cannot share their wants, needs and wishes. Staff recognise that some children need further focus with their speech. However, because of the lack of targeted supervision and support, they do not know how to target this area of children's learning.

Consequently, children do not make the progress they are capable of.

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

Managers and staff do not benefit from effective oversight from the committee. The lack of support for managers and staff has resulted in further weakness.

Changes to the committee have not been notified to Ofsted, which is a legal requirement. Furthermore, where changes have been made Ofsted has not been provided with the necessary information to ensure the suitability of new committee members. This does not assure children's welfare.

The manager, who is the designated safeguarding lead, does not work with other agencies involved in children's care, including with social services. There is poor communication to ensure that children's needs are met through a shared partnership. Records relating to safeguarding are poorly maintained.

This does not promote children's welfare.Staff do not benefit from effective supervision to help them in their roles. The manager has put in place regular supervisions, which support staff welfare.

However, the manager places too little focus on addressing weaker aspects of teaching practice for some staff. At times, some staff stand around and do not interact with children. Despite the manager acknowledging this, she does not address weaker practice.

This does not ensure that children benefit from high-quality teaching and limits the progress they make.Children arrive at the setting happy. Staff greet them and show genuine kindness.

They take the time to get to know children. However, the manager acknowledges that she has not gained key information for some children. This means, should an emergency occur, the manager does not have vital information, such as the child's date of birth, parent contact information or the child's home address.

Furthermore, despite staff developing relationships with some families, there continues to be a lack of information shared about what children are learning and how parents and carers can continue to support this at home. This continues to be a weakness, which has not be addressed from the previous inspection.Staff understand what children know and can do.

They play activities which children take part in with enthusiasm. For instance, funding has been used to provide sports activities. Children listen to the instructor and practise being 'runner beans' and 'frozen beans' as they run quickly and then stand very still.

Staff join in with the activity and encourage and support children in their listening and attention skills. However, despite staff having knowledge of gaps in some children's communication skills, targeted support is ineffective. Staff recognise that some children need extra support to catch up in this area of learning.

However, they are not sure how to do this, and fail to put in place targeted support. Consequently, gaps in children's speaking skills continue to widen. This does not help children to be sufficiently ready for their future learning, including their eventual move to school.

Staff help children to be independent. For instance, children learn how to collect plates and cups at snack times, they learn how to pour drinks and tidy away after they have finished. Staff encourage children to learn to be toilet trained, as they learn to attend to their own needs confidently.

Staff praise children when they manage activities for themselves, this helps to build on children's confidence and self-esteem.

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 ensure that those with responsibility have effective oversight of practice and provision and an understanding of their roles and responsibilities 29/05/2024 provide the necessary information in order for Ofsted to check the suitability of committee members 29/05/2024 ensure all important information is swiftly and regularly shared with outside agencies, including children's social care, in order to effectively safeguard children 29/05/2024 improve staff supervisions to identify training needs and put in place coaching and support to raise the quality of teaching 29/05/2024 ensure that the required necessary information is obtained for every child cared for by the setting, including their personal details, parent's details and the details of who to contact in the case of an emergency 29/05/2024 ensure that parents and carers have regular communication about how their children are doing, so that they are fully aware of their children's next steps and how they can help them at home.29/05/2024 To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date develop staff's understanding of children's individual needs, including their next steps, to help them to provide more effective, targeted support and encouragement for children's learning, particularly around children's speaking skills.

29/07/2024