Pata @ Winchcombe Early Years

Inspection of Pata @ Winchcombe Early Years Back Lane, Winchcombe, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 5QJ

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

Leaders have not identified weaknesses in safeguarding practice. This means that children's safety and well-being are compromised. Leaders fail to make sure that the setting's safeguarding policy is implemented when concerns about children's welfare arise. They do not seek advice or make referrals to the relevant agencies in a timely manner. This puts children at risk of harm.

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The provision is inadequate

That said, children arrive happy and are excited to begin their play. They behave well and particularly enjoy the time they spend in the well-resourced outdoor area. The environment promotes children's physical development. Children skilfully manoeuvre ride-on cars and tricycles as they pedal around the road painted onto the tarmac. Young children display a can-do attitude as they carefully side step across a plank of wood, holding their hands out to steady their balance. They respond well to encouragement and praise from staff and proudly ask visitors to 'watch me!'

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The provision is inadequate

Children develop their mathematical knowledge as they create their own 'potions' with coloured water. They use words such as 'bigger' and 'smaller' as they discuss with their friends the best way to transfer the potion from one beaker to another. Children are eager to share and test their own ideas. For example, they demonstrate how to use a large pipette to suck up water from one beaker and squeeze it into another. Older children develop their arm strength and coordination as they carefully pour their potion through a funnel. They explain what they are doing and announce 'it's empty now'.

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need to do better?

n Leaders do not monitor staffs' understanding of safeguarding procedures. Staff, managers and leaders do not effectively share concerns for children's safety and welfare. This means that, in the manager's absence, nobody holds a full knowledge of the safeguarding arrangements in place. n Staff use what they know about children's interests and achievements to plan for their learning. They support children's curiosity and engagement, and encourage children to work things out for themselves. These positive interactions promote and extend children's learning. Children make good progress. n Partnerships with parents are good. Staff encourage parents to share their children's learning and achievements from home. They send home 'proud clouds' which are completed by parents and returned to the setting. Staff display and celebrate children's achievements. This supports children's confidence and self- esteem.

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need to do better?

n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff work with local authority advisers to ensure the curriculum meets their

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need to do better?

9 June 2022 individual needs, and targets for their learning are achievable. n The setting forms partnerships with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists. Staff invite them into the setting to make sure children with communication delays receive targeted support at the earliest opportunity. These measures have a positive impact on children's learning and progress. n Staff place a strong emphasis on developing children's communication and language skills. Children take part in daily singing activities and story times. Staff model language and engage children well in conversations. Older children are able to differentiate between the roles of an author and illustrator. For example, they impressively state that 'the author writes the words' and 'the illustrator draws the pictures'. n Leaders use additional funding effectively to support children's learning and development. They purchase specific resources to promote the learning, health

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need to do better?

and well-being of individual children. n Children learn about the importance of healthy lifestyles and good oral health. Staff work with parents to ensure children receive nutritious lunches and snacks. They support children to make healthy choices and encourage them to eat the savoury foods from their lunch box before they eat other items. n Staff support children to keep themselves safe when they play outside. They set clear expectations for their behaviour. When accessing the wild garden, staff encourage older children to look for potential risks before they start exploring. Staff teach children the safe way to carry garden tools. For example, when children would like to move a spade, they learn to hold it with both hands and walk carefully across the outdoor area. n Leaders engage with staff to support them with their workload and emotional well-being. A member of the leadership team has recently completed a

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need to do better?

counselling qualification to assist her in supporting staff. Staff express feeling supported and speak enthusiastically about their role at the setting.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders do not ensure systems in place for sharing information and monitoring safeguarding concerns are effective. Staff knowledge of safeguarding practice is weak. Although they attend regular safeguarding training and are able to recognise indicators of potential abuse, in the event of concerns for a child's welfare, they do not follow procedures in place to record and swiftly refer concerns to the appropriate agencies. That said, leaders follow robust recruitment procedures when employing new staff. They carry out checks to verify staffs' suitability to work with children. The premises are safe and secure to prevent unauthorised persons from gaining access. A record is kept of all visitors. Staff remind children to think about their own safety and share information with parents online to promote children's safety at home, for example sharing information about choking hazards.

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Due date

ensure all staff understand and follow safeguarding procedures, including how to record and act on concerns about children's welfare 23/06/2022

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Due date

improve systems for sharing information and monitoring safeguarding concerns to ensure appropriate action is taken at all times. 23/06/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2566026 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10233116 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person PATA (UK)

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reference number

Telephone number 01242 603631 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Pata @ Winchcombe Early Years registered in 2019 and is located in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire. It is open from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time only. There are six members of staff who work with the children. Of these, five hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3. The playgroup is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The deputy manager and the inspector discussed activities and intentions for children's learning during a learning walk. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the curriculum lead. n The inspector spoke to children, staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at a selection of documentation and checked the suitability of staff working with the children.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

9 June 2022 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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