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

Children are developing a wide range of skills, which are hugely beneficial for their future learning. However, older children do not always have opportunities to fully put these skills into action when they play independently. Children become confident in communicating and express themselves well. Babies use facial expressions and pointing to communicate successfully. Older children talk with staff and each other and this helps them to forward their ideas and get along together.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children who experience barriers to learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make significant progress from their starting points. Staff accurately monitor and assess children's development and use this information to identify the support children need.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate imagination and creativity in their play. They engage enthusiastically in role-play activities and show a good understanding of the world around them. For example, when caring for dolls, children carefully imitate familiar routines and behaviours, demonstrating their understanding of how to nurture babies. Children also develop their mathematical understanding through play. They confidently use counting and number skills during activities and games. For instance, during a game of 'What's the Time, Mr Wolf?', children eagerly count aloud together, building anticipation as they wait for the 'wolf' to chase them. This creates a fun and engaging opportunity for children to practise counting and develop their understanding of number.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The nursery is orderly, calm and welcoming. Changes in the day are clearly communicated to children along with explanations for rules. Staff explain that running inside might be dangerous, especially when the different age groups of children join together. Children understand and change their play. Staff place a strong emphasis on supporting children's emotional wellbeing. They provide quiet spaces where children can rest, relax or regulate their emotions when needed. Staff talk sensitively with children about their feelings and help them to recognise and manage a range of emotions. This approach is particularly beneficial for some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities who may find emotional regulation more challenging. As a result, children feel understood, supported and included.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well. Staff have a secure understanding of child development and recognise that younger children are still learning how to share and take turns. They use effective strategies to support this learning. For example, timers help children to understand when it will be their turn to use a popular toy. These approaches encourage children to be patient, develop self-control and gain an understanding of fairness. Consequently, children learn to cooperate with one another and develop positive relationships. Leaders demonstrate commitment to supporting children's regular attendance. They offer flexible arrangements that meet parents' needs. Some children divide their time between this nursery and other settings. Since the last inspection, leaders have strengthened partnerships with these providers. Improved communication and information-sharing help to promote greater continuity in children's care and learning experiences.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, children show positive attitudes towards learning. They are engaged in activities, concentrate well and sustain their attention for extended periods. As a result, they are developing the dispositions and behaviours that support their future learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The key-person arrangements are effective and ensure that children are cared for by staff who know them well and understand their individual needs. This is particularly beneficial for babies, who demonstrate secure emotional attachments to familiar adults. For example, they smile broadly when they see their key person and reach out to them for comfort and reassurance. These secure relationships help children to feel safe, settled and emotionally secure.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff are attentive, responsive and nurturing in their care. They provide comfort and reassurance that meet children's emotional needs. For instance, staff hold babies closely while feeding them their bottles and gently soothe them as they settle to sleep. Sleep arrangements are managed safely and consistently. Staff have a secure understanding of safe sleep practices and remain vigilant to ensure that children rest in a manner that promotes their wellbeing. Staff promote regular opportunities for exercise and daily access to fresh air. When circumstances affect the availability of outdoor spaces, staff adapt the provision effectively. For example, during periods when the nursery garden is unavailable due to building repairs, children enjoy walks within the local community. These experiences provide valuable opportunities for physical activity while also helping children to develop a sense of belonging and an understanding of the area in which they live or attend nursery.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have worked hard to improve the curriculum. Overall, staff have a much clearer understanding of what they want children to learn. There is some variation in the quality of staff's teaching and, occasionally, children do not benefit from consistently high-quality support. However, experienced, more-qualified staff are working effectively to model best practice and develop all staff's skills. Staff weave opportunities for learning across the 7 areas of learning into everyday activities. This is especially effective when activities are based around children's favourite books. Not only do children gain essential literacy skills, a love of stories and benefit from supportive teaching to extend their communication and language skills, but early mathematical concepts are taught explicitly. For example, staff count, match and pair with children as they play.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff place an emphasis on promoting children's physical development. They recognise that many children have limited access to outdoor space at home and ensure that they have regular opportunities to develop their physical skills. Teaching focuses on developing children's balance, coordination and stamina. Children put these skills into practice during regular visits to local parks and the nearby orchard, where they enjoy active play and exploration. Staff working with babies provide a nurturing environment where children are encouraged to explore freely and investigate new experiences. This captures babies' interest and supports their curiosity. Older children develop a broad range of skills in readiness for their next stage of learning. For example, they begin to write their names, recognise colours and confidently retell familiar stories. However, staff do not always provide sufficient opportunities for children to apply and extend this knowledge to deepen their

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that the nursery provides an inclusive environment that meets the needs of children and their families. Staff work closely with families to make sure that children receive individual support when settling in. This is unhurried and takes as long as children and parents need to feel secure in the nursery's care. Staff, including key persons, fully understand children's past experiences, including when they have been previously known to children's social care. They are sensitive to children's play and supportive in helping them to gain a sense of belonging. Staff are equally alert when children's development does not meet expected patterns and ensure that parents are signposted for further support. Staff work effectively with other professionals to ensure that plans for supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well informed. Since the last inspection, leaders have developed closer working relationships with other settings that children attend,

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Inclusion Expected standard

so children experience greater consistency.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff make extensive observations of children's development and use these effectively to evaluate the impact of teaching and identify next steps in learning. However, they do not always share sufficiently precise information with parents about children's developmental progress to support ongoing learning at home.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The development of children's communication and language is a key priority across the curriculum. Staff provide continual opportunities for children to hear and use new vocabulary. They have a good understanding of bilingual development and recognise that children who speak more than one language may be fluent in their home language while still acquiring English. Through skilled support, including from bilingual staff, children develop confidence in speaking English and make effective progress in their communication skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have instigated positive change since the last inspection. They have successfully strengthened the curriculum and developed more effective partnerships with other childcare providers. As a result, staff have a clearer understanding of what children need to learn, and children benefit from greater consistency in their care and learning experiences. Leaders recognise that some variations in the quality of teaching remain. They are proactive in addressing this and act as positive role models, demonstrating effective practice that less- experienced and student staff aspire to emulate.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The provider has taken appropriate action to ensure that Ofsted receives the information required to carry out suitability checks on those involved in the nursery's directorship. Recruitment procedures for staff and students are robust, helping to ensure that suitable adults work with children. Comprehensive induction arrangements help new staff to understand their roles and responsibilities from the outset. Leaders place a high priority on staff wellbeing and professional development. Staff benefit from extensive training, coaching and ongoing support to strengthen their knowledge and skills. Staffing arrangements are carefully organised so that experienced staff work alongside student staff, providing effective guidance and support. Staff have clear targets for their professional development and are well supported to improve their practice. Consequently, staff take pride in their work and demonstrate a strong commitment to their responsibilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a thorough understanding of the local community, the needs of families and the nursery's strengths and areas for development. This comprehensive knowledge helps them to identify and respond to safeguarding matters that are most relevant to children and families. The nursery provides a wide range of additional support for families, which helps to foster close partnerships with parents. Parents speak positively about the nursery and the support they receive. However, although staff monitor children's progress accurately, the information shared with parents is not always sufficiently detailed. This means that parents do not consistently receive enough information to help them fully support their children's learning and development at home.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has 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

The nursery is an integral part of the local community and provides effective support for children and their families. Children benefit from a safe, secure and welcoming environment where they feel happy and valued. They arrive eager to attend and greet staff with broad smiles, demonstrating the strong relationships they have formed and their sense of emotional security. The curriculum is well matched to children's stage of development. Since the last inspection, the provider has successfully reviewed and streamlined intentions for learning. This has helped staff to focus more clearly on what children need to learn. Children develop the skills they need for their future learning and are becoming confident, independent and sociable learners. They play cooperatively alongside their peers and build positive relationships with others. Children thrive because staff are attentive to their individual needs. They quickly

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

identify when children have special educational needs and/or disabilities or when they face barriers to their learning. Staff work closely with families and other professionals to ensure that children receive timely and targeted support. This helps children to make steady progress from their starting points.

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

Children are motivated and engaged in their learning. Staff thoughtfully plan experiences that capture children's interests, such as activities linked to their favourite stories. Staff are growing in confidence in recognising and making the most of opportunities to extend children's learning during play and daily routines. As a result, children's play is purposeful and meaningful throughout the day. The organisation of the day provides children with valuable opportunities to learn from one another. For example, when different age groups come together at mealtimes, older children demonstrate kindness, care and consideration towards younger children. Younger children observe and imitate positive behaviours and skills. These interactions support children's social development and benefit all children. Children receive respectful and nurturing care. Consequently, they feel safe, secure and valued, which contributes to their good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to embed the curriculum so that all staff consistently use high- quality interactions to extend children's learning. Leaders should enhance teaching for older children to ensure that they have regular opportunities to apply and build on their developing knowledge and skills. Leaders should provide parents with more-precise information about their children's progress so that they have a clearer understanding of their development and can better support learning at home.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the nominated individual, the designated safeguarding lead, the learning manager, staff, parents and children 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 standard 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 standard 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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