An inspection of Once Upon A Time Pre-School has highlighted several areas of concern regarding staff practices and child safety.
The report found that staff members do not consistently assist children in managing their emotions or resolving conflicts. In some cases, children were left to handle disputes on their own, and opportunities to teach conflict resolution were missed.
Supervision during mealtimes was also flagged as a significant issue. Instances of children sharing food from each other’s lunchboxes went unnoticed by staff, raising concerns about safety and hygiene.
Inspectors also pointed out that staff failed to adequately teach children how to stay safe, which could pose risks to their wellbeing.
Transitions between activities were described as chaotic, leading to restlessness and disruptive behaviours among the children. The lack of staff coordination during these transitions left some children disengaged and without structured learning opportunities.
While the pre-school follows a structured curriculum, the report noted that learning objectives were not consistently applied, limiting the children’s educational development.
The pre-school has been given until November 18 to address these issues. The required improvements include implementing consistent strategies to help children regulate their emotions, training staff to better teach safety practices, improving supervision during mealtimes, and refining transitions to keep children engaged and productive.
Despite these concerns, the inspectors did highlight some positive aspects of the pre-school’s operations. The pre-school effectively uses additional funding to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Staff work closely with parents and external professionals to implement tailored support plans.
The pre-school’s safeguarding practices were also praised for prioritising children’s safety and wellbeing. Activities such as bubble machines and songs were noted for encouraging language and literacy development, while outdoor play opportunities were praised for supporting physical development and curiosity.
Once Upon A Time Pre-School caters to 80 children aged 2 to 4 years and operates Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4pm, during term time. It employs 18 staff members, 16 of whom are Level 2 qualified or higher, with two holding early years professional status.
The pre-school has 60 available places and continues to work towards addressing the concerns outlined in the inspection report.
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