Micklefield Childcare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Children's safety is not assured at this setting. Risk assessments are not robust.

Staff do not have a good understanding of how to keep children safe. As a result, hazards and risks to children are not identified or reduced. For example, stair gates are easily opened by children.

Additionally, staff have not ensured that children understand appropriate risk and how to keep them selves safe, for example they do not intervene when children rock backwards on chairs.Children's learning is not supported to a good level. Activities do not engage or challenge children.

As a result, children become bored and lo...se focus quickly. At these times, children's behaviour deteriorates. The rules of the setting are not embedded well enough to ensure that children understand what is expected of them.

For example, staff do not ensure that children are aware of the importance of sitting down to eat their snack. As a result, children take food from the table and walk around eating. This does not adequately protect children from the risk of choking or eating food that does not meet their dietary requirements.

The curriculum does not meet the learning needs of children, in particular the youngest. Activities are not planned effectively to build on what children already know and can do. This means that children do not make the progress they are capable of.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

The provider does not ensure the safety of children at the setting. Although some risks are identified, these are not addressed to ensure that children are kept safe. For example, children are able to open safety gates and front doors without effective supervision.

In addition, staff did not notice when children were observed to walk around with pencils in their mouth and supervision at snack time is not sufficiently vigilant.Leaders and managers have not identified weaknesses in staff practice, which impacts on their teaching and interactions with children. The curriculum has a focus on what the staff want children to achieve during their time at the setting.

However, staff do not have a clear understanding of how to plan activities within the curriculum to meet the needs of all children and to challenge them to learn new skills. For example, there are inconsistencies in how staff engage children in conversation to support their communication and language development. In addition, the provider does not ensure that staff have a secure understanding of how children learn.

The activities that staff plan for children lack a clear purpose. The provider does not ensure that children build important knowledge or develop a positive attitude and motivation to learn. For example, children enjoy an activity to make play dough.

However, no resources are provided for children to extend their learning and skills and, as a result, children lose interest.Staff have rules for the children to follow at the setting. However, these are not embedded effectively to ensure that children understand why these are important.

Additionally, due to the lack of available resources and poor organisation of daily routines, children become boisterous and run around. Staff do not consistently remind children about how to behave, such as not running indoors. As a result, children do not learn to control their behaviour.

Overall, staff support children's independence well. For example, children self-serve their snacks using tongs, and they show pride as they put their coats on for outside play. However, staff do not consistently help children to develop the skills they need to keep themselves safe.

For example, weakness in some aspects of the daily routine mean that children become impatient as they wait to go outside and open the stair gate. Although staff are aware that children are able to open stair gates and external doors, they do not put appropriate measures in place to stop this.Children enjoy spending time in the garden, where they explore activities that help develop their physical skills.

Children show how they skilfully balance on stepping stones. They successfully use tools to dig in the flower beds and with support from staff wait for their turn on the slide.Staff know families well.

Parents appreciate the support they receive from staff and the regular communication about their children's day and progress. Staff work with other agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that referrals are made so children receive the support they need in the quickest time possible.

Staff have put strategies in place to help children with SEND make appropriate progress.Managers ensure that staff have secure knowledge in relation to protecting children from the risk of abuse. They understand the agencies to notify if they have concerns about a child and the role of the agencies.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date devise and implement effective risk assessments to ensure risks are removed or minimised to keep children safe 17/02/2025 ensure children are adequately supervised, including when eating, to ensure their safety 17/02/2025 provide staff with the coaching and support they need to be able to plan and deliver a well-sequenced curriculum that promotes all areas of children's learning 17/02/2025 monitor to ensure that staff provide children with consistent support to learn how to manage their own behaviour and to understand what is expected of them 17/02/2025 improve the organisation of routines, particularly when transitioning between activities, to more effectively reflect children's needs.

17/02/2025