Westfield Centre Children's Day Care

Inspection of Westfield Centre Children's Day Care Westfield Centre, Westfield Lane, Pontefract, West Yorkshire WF9 2PU

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children are happy and settled in the care of the staff. However, monitoring and supervision of the staff team, including the manager, has not been effectively implemented. This has led to weaknesses in practice, policies and procedures. Some of these weaknesses went unnoticed until recently, and where weaknesses had been identified, very little had previously been done to improve these areas. The deputy managers are now working closely with the provider and local authority advisor to make secure improvements across the nursery. While the quality of provision for children remains varied, plans are now being implemented to ensure that children benefit from improved outcomes. Children are supervised closely, especially when being escorted to the outside play area, which is across a car park. Staff encourage children to stop and look both ways. Children say, 'No cars,' before safely crossing to the other side.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff plan and provide children with an interesting range of hands-on learning experiences. Children develop some appropriate skills, as staff have an overview of what they would like children to gain from each experience. However, the overall skills, knowledge and attitudes that managers have identified for children to develop over time are not always ambitious enough. The curriculum is also not always effectively implemented. For example, managers confirm they would like pre-school children to know and identify numbers. However, during daily routine activities, recognising numbers is only briefly promoted. There is more focus on supporting children's counting skills, which is more in line with children's developmental needs and abilities.

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need to do better?

n Performance management of staff and managers is not effective. The deputy managers are aware that staff practice has not been monitored and reviewed. Therefore, targeted coaching, support and training has not been provided to help staff continue to develop their skills and knowledge. Also, the provider has yet to consider how to monitor the manager more robustly, to ensure that any weaknesses are more rapidly identified and rectified. n Children relate well to the staff team. They are confident in their surroundings as they engage in play with staff. Babies feel settled and secure. They are held securely while being bottle fed. As they get older, they are encouraged to learn to drink from a cup with handles and how to feed themselves with a spoon. n Children aged two to three years are encouraged to use a knife and fork when eating and to drink from a cup with no handles. However, this is the same intent

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need to do better?

for the pre-school children. The curriculum only builds on children's knowledge and skills in some areas. In other areas, there is less ambition and challenge for children to help them make good progress in all areas of learning.

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need to do better?

29 March 2023 n Support for children's communication and language is varied. Some staff are exceptionally skilled and use sign language with words to help children with possible speech delays to communicate. Other staff are not as skilled at using communication-friendly strategies to support children's speaking skills and understanding of words effectively. n Children engage in a range of daily group-time activities and are also provided with daily opportunities to play outside. There is sometimes a difference in staff's, and the deputy managers', opinions about what skills children are gaining from these opportunities. This is because the curriculum is not clearly focused, known or understood fully by all staff. n Organisation and grouping of children during daily activities and experiences is not always fully effective to meet the developmental abilities of each child. For example, registration time is quite long, resulting in some pre-school children

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need to do better?

losing focus. In the room for two- to three-year-olds, children enjoy singing activities. Staff then direct all eight children to go and wash their hands, even though there is only space for one child to do this. This results in some children becoming restless while they wait for their turn. n During registration time, pre-school children pass a toy around the circle to help them to accurately count the number of children present. As they sing number rhymes, children are encouraged to hold props as they count and sing about fish. n Parents express that their children enjoy attending. They are aware of who their children's key person is and explain how information is verbally shared with them. The deputy managers are considering different ways in which they can share more information with parents about children's ongoing learning and development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider has recently identified significant weakness with the implementation of child protection policies and procedures. The provider has taken their own action to rectify these weaknesses, to ensure that children remain protected from potential harm. The deputy managers, as well as the staff team, have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. They all have a clear understanding of potential indicators of abuse and referral procedures should a concern about a child or staff member arise. The deputy managers have recently introduced risk assessment monitoring checks for accidents in the setting or at home. This helps them to identify any potential issues so that action can be taken to protect children's health and safety.

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Due date

ensure that supervisions and performance management of all staff are in place to monitor the quality of practice, and provide targeted coaching and support to aid continuous professional development 31/05/2023

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Due date

ensure that the curriculum intent focuses on the broad range of skills and knowledge children need to develop over time, and share this with staff so that children are constantly challenged and supported in their play 31/05/2023

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Due date

consider how to effectively support children's spoken language and understanding 31/05/2023

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Due date

consider the organisation and grouping of children when planning and providing routine activities, so that they fully take account of all children's varying abilities and level of understanding. 31/05/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY545703 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 10283044 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 39 Number of children on roll 63 Name of registered person South Elmsall Community Facilities Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01977 642335 Date of previous inspection 31 January 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Westfield Centre Children's Day Care registered in 2017. The nursery currently employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, excluding bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider 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 provider. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The deputy managers joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Staff and children spoke to and communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a planned activity with the deputy managers. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector.

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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

29 March 2023 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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