Childcare Pathways

Childcare Pathways

Unique reference number (URN): EY456775 Address: M K Christian Foundation, Aylesbury Street, Wolverton, MILTON KEYNES, MK12 5HX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 22/01/2013 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Milton Keynes Christian Foundation Limited

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children, including those who speak English as an additional language (EAL), have ample opportunities to develop their communication and language skills. Children who speak EAL have the use of visual props and timetables to support their developing language skills. Staff narrate children's play appropriately, talk clearly and expose children to a variety of new words through conversation, singing and storytelling. These opportunities support all children's growing vocabulary.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known to children's social care and those who face other barriers to learning achieve well from their starting points. Leaders recognise the importance of early identification, and children and their families receive the necessary guidance. Parents and children are signposted to a range of professionals when needed. Children are making good progress for their next stage in learning, including school. Leaders invite schools and teachers into the setting ahead of children starting school. This supports children in preparation for the eventual move on to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders and staff are positive role models for children. They support play and give gentle reminders for behavioural expectations, such as saying 'please' or 'thank you' at snack time. This has a positive impact. For example, on the day of the inspection, one friend reminded another to thank a staff member for his yoghurt. Staff provide children with age-appropriate explanations to support their developing understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For example, staff guide very young children when they are learning to share resources with each other, promoting simple turn-taking. Staff praise children's kindness as they take turns and play imaginatively in small groups with toddlers and pre-school children. This supports children's growing understanding of behavioural expectations and supports their developing social connections.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff know their local community well and actively encourage children's attendance at the setting. The provider offers flexible care to help meet the needs of local families. Staff engage with families well, and relationships with parents are strong. Staff encourage

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Needs attention

children to take books home with them. This supports children's learning at home and their developing early literacy skills.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

Children are confident and happy to enter the nursery. Children seek well-known staff for a cuddle and are happy to engage with visitors. For example, children draw pictures and are confident to describe to visitors what they have drawn. Staff really know the children and their families well, including children from disadvantaged families and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

Children know the routine of the day well. Children come together for mealtimes, and these are sociable times. For example, staff chat to children about the importance of drinking milk to support their bones and their teeth. Staff encourage children to have good hygiene practices, such as regular nappy changing and handwashing routines. The key-person system is highly effective, and staff know all the children very well. Staff nurture and encourage children to have a go, such as attempting to dress themselves or put on their own aprons for messy play. Staff know children's routines well. They understand the importance of good health, rest and exercise and offer support for children to understand the importance of healthy food choices as well as food allergies and tolerances. Leaders prioritise the welfare and wellbeing of all the children.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive targeted support from the nursery staff. With the guidance of leaders and managers, staff are effective at identifying gaps in children's learning and supporting children with SEND. Staff are knowledgeable about children's individual needs and manage these in a positive way. For example, staff have worked with speech and language teams to support children and their families who have been identified as needing further support to develop their emerging language skills. Staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals to provide targeted support and close any gaps in children's learning. Any additional funding the nursery receives is used to support children's individual needs. Staff use their knowledge of each child to put personalised strategies in place, which they regularly review. Staff work closely with parents, make referrals to outside agencies and use action plans, and the local

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Inclusion Expected standard

authority inclusion team, to support children with SEND. This ensures that children get the specific support they need. Children with SEND, as well as those who face barriers to their learning, succeed alongside their friends.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have implemented change to the nursery. The curriculum is under review, with leaders developing what children will learn. Although leaders have a clear vision for the intent of their curriculum, during adult-led activities, staff do not implement this as successfully as they could. For example, staff do not fully consider how to make the best use of the environment they have created. For instance, staff plan enjoyable experiences such as the foam and ice activities. However, children do not always participate in purposeful learning as staff do not always engage children with the planned learning activities on offer.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have a clear understanding of the prime areas of learning for the younger children who attend. There is a good focus on developing all children's early literacy skills. Stories and books are integral to children's learning. Staff make adaptations to support children who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children's physical development is promoted well. Children have opportunities to climb, balance and run freely outside. Additionally, children are learning how to grow their own produce. For example, children discuss cucumbers and use simple mathematical language to discuss the size of the vegetables.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have not informed Ofsted about changes to the nominated individual and the directors. Consequently, Ofsted has not been able to complete all necessary suitability checks for individuals with oversight of the nursery. However, these individuals do not have unsupervised access to children or their personal information. Therefore, to date, there has been no significant impact on children.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders accurately identify their areas for improvement. The nursery has undergone positive change since the last inspection. For example, they have had an expansion to rooms, increased staffing and developed the garden. Although leaders are working hard, changes and improvements are still in their infancy and so currently are not fully embedded.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders know the children and their families well. They swiftly identify when children need additional support and put in place appropriate strategies to help meet children's needs. They have improved the partnerships with parents. Parents comment on the nurturing staff, who know their children well. Leaders have worked with the local authority, made action plans and started to embed the new curriculum. There are regular supervisions of staff, and staff attend a range of training. Staff feel well supported in their roles by leaders, and all comment on wellbeing support positively.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has not met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Leaders do not fulfil the requirement to notify Ofsted about changes to the nominated individual and the directors. This means that suitability checks have not been completed by Ofsted to ensure that every individual is suitable for their role. Despite this, current leaders demonstrate a positive commitment to addressing these weaknesses. For example, some changes were made to address this following notification of the inspection.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Priorities for the nursery accurately reflect leaders' commitment to overcoming the challenges they face. For example, leaders are in the process of developing a new early years curriculum across the provision. This is because staff do not consistently implement the current curriculum as well as possible. Despite this, children enjoy activities, and staff track the progress children make effectively.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children are confident to come into the friendly nursery. Nurturing staff talk with ease about children's home lives. This supports children to feel comfortable in their surroundings. Children's care needs are met. Staff nurture babies and help them in a calm and caring way to find activities that they enjoy. For example, babies have regular opportunities to learn through play and exploration. Toddlers enjoy exploring the ice with a range of animals to find. Pre-school children are learning how to prepare for their next stage in learning. For example, children are independent in self-care needs, mark make with ease and are starting to recognise letters in their names.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Leaders prioritise children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They acknowledge the importance of these children attending and have robust procedures to ensure that attendance is promoted. Staff know the importance of developing all children's communication and language. They quickly identify children with SEND and/or those who

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Inspector:

Amanda Perkin speak English as an additional language and use a range of strategies to support these children.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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curriculum intentions, so all children

benefit from the learning experiences. 03/02/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners and the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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Address:

M K Christian Foundation, Aylesbury Street Wolverton MILTON KEYNES MK12 5HX

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Milton Keynes Christian Foundation Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:30 - 17:30

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standards expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standards set out in statutory and non-statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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