Ambito Walton Childrens Centre

Inspection of Ambito Walton Childrens Centre Walton Childrens Centre, 99 Cavendish Drive, Liverpool, Lancashire L9 1NB

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

At times, children's safety is significantly compromised. This is due to the provider making significant changes to the provision and type of care and education provided, without ensuring that staff have been appropriately trained and supported. As a result, staff do not fully understand their roles and responsibilities, and do not have the required skills, knowledge and expertise to support the needs of the children. This leads to staff failing to offer required supervision of children, overlooking potential hazards and, at times, providing poor support for learning.

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The provision is inadequate

All children that attend the setting have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most staff have very limited or no specialised understanding of how to support children with SEND. That said, staff do follow instructions from speech and language therapists and other professionals. This goes some way to helping children to work towards achieving their education, health and care plan (EHC plan) outcomes.

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The provision is inadequate

Despite significant weaknesses in the quality of care and education, children happily enter the setting. They freely access the indoor and outdoor space and have equipment to help them to develop their physical skills. Staff enable children to investigate in their own individual ways. They focus the curriculum on communication and understanding development. The environment is carefully set up to expose children to a wide range of play experiences. The resources help them to begin to make sense of the world around them.

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need to do better?

n Professional development support for staff is not good enough. The provider does not ensure that staff develop specific skills in areas where they need it most in order to keep children safe and support their needs. That said, staff complete thorough mandatory training regularly and receive supervision meetings. However, the support provided is not focussed enough to help them to raise their practice to the highest level. This is particularly impactful as children attending have a vast range of needs that require expertise that staff do not currently have. Children's care needs are not met. n The person taking responsibility in the absence of the manager, who is also the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), is unable to carry out their roles effectively. They have limited time to carry out their responsibilities as the SENCo. n The lack of support and training for staff impacts on children's safety. Some staff

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need to do better?

are not aware of potential dangers to children and fail to support children to learn safe behaviours, particularly when eating. During the inspection, children were observed to be laying on the floor on their backs eating whole apples and

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need to do better?

9 September 2022 bread. Staff are not proactive in ensuring that children are adequately supervised when eating snacks. This poses a risk of choking. n Staff use some strategies that external professionals request they deliver to support children's development. These strategies help children to work towards the outcomes within their EHC plans. However, due to a lack of specialised knowledge around children's diagnoses, some staff do not fully understand the rationale for these strategies. Furthermore, some staff are not confident in knowing what strategies to use when children show that they are not engaged. Due to some staff's lack of skills and knowledge, the curriculum is heavily focused on EHC plan outcomes, which means, sometimes, children's experiences in learning are narrowed. n The provider overlooks the benefits of making early links with other settings that children attend. They do not gather information about children's previous

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need to do better?

experiences in learning. They are unable to provide continuity in learning. That said, staff welcome school teachers in to observe children prior to them moving on to school. This helps children to transition more smoothly and to prepare them for future learning. n The provider failed to notify Ofsted of a change to the nominated individual, the person in charge, and the opening times of the setting. These are breaches of statutory requirements. However, the provider acted on instructions as requested. Despite these breaches, the provider demonstrates a positive attitude to working with Ofsted. The breaches do not have an impact on children's safety, well-being or learning. n Since the provider changed the type of provision offered to children, parents have not experienced good enough partnership working. Parents whose children attended the nursery before September 2022 comment they felt very supported

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need to do better?

with their child's transition to the setting. However, families starting in September have had a less-positive experience. New parents have not been consulted about what their children know and can do by the staff working with their children. New parents are not provided with details about what their children will do while at the nursery, nor have they met the staff. n While many of the children have very limited language and communication skills, staff still use single words and simple sentences in their interactions with them. Children are able to freely explore while adults gently participate and join in. Children have access to books. They turn the pages and carefully look at the pictures. This contributes to children beginning to make links with previous experiences and early learning. n Staff consider children's interests when organising the environment. For example, to support children who like to climb, they installed a safe climbing

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need to do better?

frame and wall. Children spend time strengthening their legs and learning to balance as they use the climbing frame with support. Staff set up a miniature farm with plastic animals and tractors to help children to begin to use animal sounds in play.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

9 September 2022 Staff are not aware of the choking risks posed to children when eating snacks. They fail to recognise unsafe behaviours by children that leave them at risk of harm, including eating dirty food from the floor. However, staff are confident in their responsibility to share information with the appropriate authorities if they have concerns about the welfare of a child. They are aware of the vigilance required in identifying any concerns of abuse of vulnerable children. Staff are aware of parental issues, such as financial worry, that could impact on children's attendance. They take action to support good attendance. Consideration has been given to keep children safe during evacuations, as staff use safety harnesses. They ensure that doors can be secured so that children are safe and unable to leave the premises unattended.

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Due date

ensure that all risks to children are considered and action is taken to reduce risks where necessary, particularly in relation to arrangements for snack and mealtimes 16/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that staff receive appropriate training that provides them with the knowledge and skills to support all children's care and learning, with specific regard to children with SEND 16/10/2022

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Due date

put in place arrangements for the supervision of staff that provides support, coaching and monitoring that aims to raise the quality of practice to the highest levels 16/10/2022

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Due date

ensure that the person identified to take charge of the setting in the absence of a manager is supported to carry out the responsibility of their role 16/10/2022

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Due date

engage in a regular two-way flow of information with other settings that children attend, ensuring continuity in children's care and learning 16/10/2022

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Due date

9 September 2022 ensure that information is provided for parents regarding their children's progress, the range and type of activities provided, staffing and how to access more information 16/10/2022

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Due date

improve knowledge of the statutory requirements, particularly when required to make notifications to Ofsted. 16/10/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY557168 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 10190198 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 12 Name of registered person Salutem Ed Bidco Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0151 294 4899 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The setting registered in 2018 and is situated in Liverpool. The setting operates during term time only from 9am to 3pm for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are six members of staff. Of these, five staff are qualified to level 3.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken this into account in the evaluation of the nursery. n The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) lead led the inspector on a learning walk and explained how the curriculum is planned and implemented. n Discussions were held with staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector observed practice in all rooms and evaluated the quality of personal care routines, together with the SENCo lead. n The inspector tracked the experiences of two children. n The inspector looked at documents, including staff qualifications and evidence to demonstrate the suitability of staff, children's EHC plans and paediatric first-aid certificates.

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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 September 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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