Pathways Childcare

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 09/11/2004 Inspector Name Sally Ann Smith

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Pathways Setting Address Lid Lane Cheadle Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire ST10 1QA

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

Pathways Childcare Centre opened in 1996. It operates from two rooms on the first floor within Bishop Rawle C.E.(A) Primary School. The centre is situated in the village of Cheadle. A maximum of 20 children may attend the centre at any one time. The centre opens Monday to Friday from 07:30 until 17:30 all year round. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 48 children from 2 to 8 years on roll. Of these 19 children receive funding for nursery education. The setting provides support for children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The centre employs seven staff, all of whom hold early years qualifications.

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How good is the Day Care?

Pathways Childcare Centre provides satisfactory care for children. Staff work well together as a team and provide a friendly and welcoming environment. They are conscientious and use their time effectively to support the children. Comprehensive written policies and procedures are in place but are not consistently understood by staff. Good standards of hygiene practices are in place to prevent the spread of infection. There is a procedure in place if children become ill to ensure that they are well cared for and all staff have received first aid training. Monthly fire drills are practised with the children. Staff are familiar with procedures for child protection but are not confident in their knowledge where an allegation is made against a member of staff. Children are provided with a wide range of fun and interesting activities, although opportunities for pre-school children to self select resources are limited. Staff interact

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How good is the Day Care?

positively with the children and encourage conversation. They are aware of children's individual needs and are mostly successful in meeting them. Good use is made of space to provide children with a variety of different play opportunities to cover all areas of their development. Staff use positive and sensitive methods of

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How good is the Day Care?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 behaviour management and children's self esteem is promoted by praising good behaviour Children's individual achievements are recognised and children are awarded certificates in recognition of these. Children learn to share and take turns in their play and when speaking and listening. Partnerships with parents are good and information is shared on a regular basis. Parents receive written information about the setting as well as regular newsletters. Children are allocated to a key member of staff who ensures that parents are consulted about their child's care. Parents are welcome to contribute their observations of their child at any time.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the setting was required to make the outside play area secure. They have a separate area in the playground which is fenced off and is locked when the children are playing. They were required to obtain written permission from parents for seeking any emergency medical treatment for their child, this is now available and all children's information is stored in a filing cabinet in the office to maintain confidentiality. The nappy changing area has a safety gate separating this area from the main playroom to meet health and safety requirements.

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What is being done well?

• Staff work well together providing an organised and structured routine to support children's care and learning. They relate and interact well with the children and take an interest in what they say and do. • Children's behaviour is very good and they listen to instructions from staff and respond appropriately. Children are well aware of the setting's routines and boundaries and learn to share and take turns. Children's achievements are acknowledged and recognised and this further develops children's self esteem. • Staff establish good relationships with parents and information is regularly and consistently shared. Parents receive newsletters and talk to their child's key worker to discuss developmental progress.

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What needs to be improved?

• staff's understanding and implementation of the setting's policies and procedures, including child protection opportunities for pre-school children to self-select resources • familiarisation with current legislation and guidance regarding special educational needs and disability and the implications for the setting.

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PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS (This section applies only to inspections carried out

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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inspection or 1st April 2004 whichever is later.)

Since 1 April 2004 Ofsted have not received any complaints about this provider.

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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The Registered Person must take the following actions by the date shown

Std Action Date 13 Further develop the written child protection procedures and staff's understanding where an allegation of abuse is made against a member of staff. 01/01/2005

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 2 Further consolidate staff's understanding and effective implementation of the setting's policies and procedures. 3 Increase opportunities for pre-school children to self-select resources. 10 Familiarise staff with current legislation and guidance regarding special educational needs and disability and the implications for the setting.

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by the time of the next inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Pathways Children's Centre offers good quality provision overall which helps children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is generally good. Staff work effectively to provide a wide range of activities and valuable learning experiences. Children are confident and eager to learn. Staff are well deployed to support children although they do not always effectively question children to extend their learning. Staff have developed plans which are effective and provide a solid framework that covers the six areas of learning although some staff are not always clear of what children are to learn from an activity. Although staff regularly observe and assess children's progress this is not used to inform planning to take account of children learning at different rates. Children's behaviour is good and they are polite, courteous and take turns when speaking and playing. They respond positively to the high expectations, support and

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How effective is the nursery education?

encouragement from staff who provide positive role models and recognise and reward their achievements. Leadership and management are generally good. The person in charge is continually improving standards and quality and encourages staff to attend relevant training to develop knowledge and skills. She responds to advice from early years professionals and values staff's contributions. The team are currently developing strategies to evaluate activities, identify weaknesses and improve practice with the implementation of an ongoing action plan. Partnerships with parents are very good. They are well informed about the educational provision and their child's learning. They receive good quality information verbally and through newsletters, open evenings and a notice board, which displays the curriculum, plans and various themes. Parents are very supportive of the children's learning and complete teddy's diary when he goes home

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How effective is the nursery education?

with their child. They provide photos and captions to share with the other children.

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What is being done well?

• The children's behaviour is exemplary and they demonstrate care and consideration for others. They are well behaved, polite and courteous and say please and thank you without prompting. • Staff work collectively as a team and plan activities to ensure that the needs of all children are met. They listen to the children and take an interest in what they say and ensure that all children have a turn when speaking in a large group. • Staff welcome advice and support from other early years professionals and update their knowledge by attending regular training courses to improve

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 practice. • Partnerships with parents are very good and they are well informed about their children's progress and learning. They are encouraged to share what they know about their child and take "teddy" home to enable their child to share personal experiences of their family and home.

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What needs to be improved?

• short term planning • the effective use of assessments and evaluations • the opportunities for children to develop their independence skills and make effective use of the computer

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident and eager to learn and happily separate from their carer. They enjoy sharing their own personal experiences at circle time and their achievements are rewarded with a certificate. Children learn about their immediate environment and how people live as well as other cultures. Children relate well to each other and staff but are not always able to develop their independence such as selecting resources.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children initiate conversations and use language to connect ideas in roleplay. They are beginning to recognise their names and initial sounds in words. Children are encouraged to practise their emergent writing skills and use a variety of different forms such as writing shopping lists and prescriptions in the "hospital". Children enjoy listening to stories and rhymes and maintain good levels of concentration although questioning sometimes lacks sufficient challenge to consolidate their learning.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children recognise and count numbers from 1 to 10 with some children able to count to 15. Children explore addition and subtraction through practical activities and rhymes and have daily access to a maths table where they can recognise numbers, play with large dice to look at adding and prediction and play with calculators, rulers and scales. Children use appropriate language to describe position such as next to, behind, up and down, although this is not always extended for more able children.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are interested in their surroundings and have visited the local supermarket to operate the tills and look at bar codes, bills and lists. Visits from the fire service, a nurse and midwife help the children to understand about the care of babies and themselves as well as safety issues. Children use programmable toys, cameras and CD players to learn about everyday technology. Although they have access to a computer, limited use is made of this resource.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children move confidently, stopping and starting appropriately to negotiate obstacles. They practise sitting, standing and balancing on various parts of their body, although this is not always extended for more able children. They are learning to control their movements by playing games such as musical statues. Children work out how much space they need and share space when playing together. Children are developing an increasing awareness of their bodies and the importance of staying healthy.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children join in favourite songs and use instruments to make sounds in different ways such as drums and rain makers. They respond to and imitate sound with body movement, hissing and slithering like a snake or jumping like a frog. Children enjoy using their imagination especially in role play and this is developed and extended by changing the role play corner to become a travel agents, shop or hospital. However, children have limited opportunities to self select art and craft materials.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• further develop short term plans to include sufficient detail to enable practitioners to make the best use of activities and questioning to promote the learning of all children. Show how activities may be adapted to take account of children developing at different rates. • make effective use of children's assessments and evaluation of activities to inform future planning. • increase opportunities for children to further develop their skills using information technology and to balance and climb.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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