URN EY550630 · Inspected 2026-04-28 · Published 2026-06-08 · Inspector: Anna Marshall
Old Moat Childcare Unique reference number (URN): EY550630 Address: Old Moat Children's Centre, Old Moat Lane, Manchester, M20 1DE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 11/08/2017 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Community-Minded Ltd Inspection report: 28 April 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Urgent improvement Safeguarding standards not met Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that adequately protects children from harm. Leaders do not follow their own safeguarding procedures, when concerns about children's safety and wellbeing are raised. The designated safeguarding leads do not act quickly enough to address multiple concerns. They do not make timely notifications to relevant agencies. This leaves children at risk of harm and does not provide support and assistance to parents and carers when needed. Leaders do not ensure that safeguarding policies and practices are clearly understood by all staff. Staff lack the knowledge of how to notify relevant agencies if they have any concerns about a child's welfare or safety and leaders fail to act. Leaders and staff do not follow whistleblowing processes. This results in a closed safeguarding culture, where children's safety is not prioritised. Leaders do not have a clear understanding of safe recruitment processes. They fail to obtain references from previous employers and do not seek further clarification, when references are vague. Leaders are not ensuring that staff are suitable to work with children. This means that children's safety is not assured. Leaders' lack of safeguarding management, knowledge and closed culture significantly affect the setting's ability to provide a safe and caring environment for children. How we evaluate safeguarding When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes: 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. Achievement Urgent improvement Children do not experience a broad and balanced curriculum. They are left to wander and are not encouraged to engage in purposeful activities. Children do not make expected progress in all areas of learning due to staff not effectively supporting their personal, social and emotional development. Children's needs are not met, and this impacts their ability to feel safe, secure and learn. Children who are disadvantaged and those who speak English as an additional language do not make secure progress across all areas of learning. They do not experience a rich- language environment to develop their speaking and listening. Children do not have opportunity to hear and use new words in a range of contexts. They do not secure a firm foundation that will support them in their next stage of learning. Children are developing their large physical skills through the outdoor learning environment and having regular opportunity to climb, run and jump. Children are supported to build independence through self-help skills, such as wiping their nose and putting on their coats. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement Leaders do not ensure that staff are deployed effectively, resulting in inconsistencies in practice. For example, leaders do not ensure that staff effectively implement the curriculum, which impacts negatively on the consistency of practice. Leaders do not ensure that staff deployment supports children to build secure attachments to a key person. Leaders and staff do not understand the importance of limiting transitions to effectively support children to feel safe and secure. They often move children between different rooms during the settling- in process. This prevents children from establishing secure relationships. Staff do not meet children's individual needs, particularly for young children and those who are disadvantaged. They leave children who are unsettled to cry and wander. Staff do not respond when children become increasingly upset. Staff use generic praise, which does not provide feedback on what children are achieving. Staff identify key resources to support children's engagement and participation in routines, such as objects of reference and routines cards. However, they do not consistently use these with children to support their engagement. Staff do not effectively support positive behaviours. For example, staff use visual aids, such as traffic lights cards to indicate either negative or positive behaviour. Staff focus on correcting inappropriate behaviour using the red card, which children grab and scrunch up. Staff then do not use the green card to recognise positive behaviour. This inconsistent approach does not support children to learn and understand positive behaviour. As a result, children find it difficult to regulate their own feelings and emotions. Leaders support regular attendance. They call parents and carers if children do not arrive for their session. Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement Leaders do not ensure that the key-person system is effective in meeting the individual needs of children. They have not considered the consistency of staff to ensure that children can build secure attachments to a key person. For example, new babies experience changes in their key person during the settling-in period, even though there are a small number of babies attending. Staff do not respond to children's needs or support their emotional wellbeing. For example, young children cry and wander for long periods of time. Staff do not offer comfort or reassurance. Staff do not ensure children's emotional wellbeing is met. Leaders do not ensure that risk assessments are completed thoroughly. Although staff complete daily checks of the premises, such as the outdoor area, they fail to identify and remove hazards to children. For example, staff fail to identify the unsafe storage of equipment, brambles and a used fire bin. This means that children have access to resources and items that may cause them harm. Staff do not consistently support children to be independent in managing their own personal needs, such as wiping their nose. At times, young children are left to wander with runny noses. Staff do not recognise children's individual needs. For example, staff do not respond to babies' non-verbal cues, such as sleep signs, and this causes children to become distressed. Staff ensure that children have regular access to the outdoors and engage in physical play. They supervise mealtimes effectively to ensure children's safety. Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement Leaders do not have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They do not ensure that teaching is consistent. Staff have limited knowledge about what children know and how they learn. For example, they provide activities that have narrow learning opportunities and limits the language that children hear. Some activities do not provide children with the opportunity to develop a broad range of knowledge and skills. Staff do not provide activities that build on what children already know and can do. Activities lack ambition and purpose. For example, staff prepare a worm activity to support children's counting skills. This is not pitched at the right level for children and they quickly become disengaged in their learning. Staff identify areas of learning, where children need support. However, they do not provide specific next steps to help children achieve. Staff do not plan for the individual skills or knowledge that children need to learn for their future learning and development. For example, where staff identify children's physical development as an area that they need support, next steps are limited to fine motor skills, rather than the precise skills children need, such as pincer grip and hand–eye coordination. Leaders and staff do not effectively support children's social and emotional development. This is affecting children's ability to participate in learning and hinders their growth and development. Staff do not consider barriers that children who are disadvantaged may encounter. They do not make any adjustments based on these children's individual needs and circumstances. Staff do not effectively support children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) to develop a secure understanding of English. They use basic strategies, such as repeating words and do not provide a rich-language environment using books, songs and rhymes. Staff are discouraged from using children's home languages as this is seen as excluding others. This further disadvantages children with EAL and prevents them from securing their understanding of English. Staff create individual education plans to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, due to staff's lack of knowledge the additional support in place does not effectively help children with SEND to make secure progress. Overall, staff support children's physical development. Children have access to a large outdoor space with a variety of equipment, such as climbing frame, ropes for swinging, balancing equipment and bikes. Inclusion Urgent improvement Leaders do not have a secure understanding of the needs of children who are disadvantaged. They do not effectively remove barriers to children's learning. For example, leaders do not work effectively with other agencies to access support for children, parents and carers. This means that gaps in learning widen and children do not make secure progress. Leaders do not ensure that children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) are supported to gain a sound command of English. Staff use some strategies, such as using picture cards when communicating with children. However, these are inconsistent and children do not make secure progress. This has a negative impact on children's ability to settle and make progress in their speaking, which has a direct impact on their overall learning and development. Leaders assess children's language levels, both in English and their first language, where possible. However, they do not turn their assessment into daily support for children. The lack of immediate support within the setting means that children with EAL do not make consistently secure progress. Leaders work with parents to create individual education plans for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, these plans are not individualised and do not help children with SEND to make progress from their starting points. Leaders use funding to provide additional staff members to support children with SEND. However, this has limited impact on outcomes for children. For example, staff interactions are poor and they do not know how to keep children with SEND engaged in their learning. Leadership and governance Urgent improvement The provider fails to notify Ofsted and relevant agencies, when they have any safeguarding concerns as required. This shows that they do not focus on what is best for children and do not keep children safe from harm. Leaders fail to follow safer recruitment processes. They do not complete all required checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Leaders have created a closed culture of safeguarding. For example, leaders do not share relevant information with staff in designated safeguarding lead roles, preventing them from effectively fulfilling their role. Leaders and staff do not follow whistleblowing procedures and, therefore, children are put at risk of harm. Staff have a poor understanding of safeguarding. They have an implicit level of trust that leaders are following the correct procedures, and lack knowledge of what to do if they were not. There are significant concerns regarding the provider's ability to keep children safe, particularly those children who are disadvantaged. Leaders do not have the capacity to improve the quality of the provision. Leaders and staff have had extensive support from the local authority, including tailored professional learning and mentoring. However, staff are unable to implement this learning into practice. Leaders have not ensured that there is an ambitious curriculum for children. They have not supported staff to implement a curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. Leaders have not ensured that staff understand the importance of establishing secure attachments with children, particularly babies. This has a negative impact on children's mental health and wellbeing. Staff generally feel supported by leaders. They are able to access training to support their professional learning and development needs. However, staff are unable to implement this learning into practice to benefit children. Staff work with parents and share regular updates on the activities that children take part in. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has not met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met Voluntary Childcare Register requirements This setting has not met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Children's safety is compromised at this setting. Leaders do not ensure that adults who work with children have had all required suitability checks. Risk assessments are weak. Although staff carry out daily safety checks, they fail to identify hazards in the environment. For example, children play among large brambles outside and equipment is stored unsafely. This does not ensure children's safety. Children do not receive the quality education that they rightly deserve. This is particularly evident for children who are disadvantaged. For example, leaders fail to ensure that these children get the external support that they need to flourish and thrive. Low expectations and a lack of meeting children's individual needs have become common place. This lack of understanding means that gaps in children's learning widen and they fail to make secure progress. Children do not experience an ambitious curriculum. Activities are mundane and lack purpose. For example, staff provide water play for children with no clear intent to children's learning. Children show poor concentration and flit from one activity to the other. Staff are unaware of children's next steps in learning and provide them with generic learning experiences. This means that children lose interest in their learning and become bored. The key-person system is ineffective and does not meet the individual needs of children. For example, children do not experience high-quality interactions that support them to form secure attachments. Children are left to wander with limited interactions from staff. They do not experience consistency of staff due to poor deployment and frequent changes to their key person. For the duration of the inspection, children could be heard crying and did not settle. Staff are not equipped with the skills and expertise to support children's emotional wellbeing. This means that children do not feel safe and settled at this setting. Staff have limited knowledge to support children's language and communication skills. This means that children do not have the opportunity to engage in frequent quality conversations that use and embed new words. Children do not develop a rich range of vocabulary. Children develop their physical skills through the large outdoor environment. They develop control and coordination skills. For example, children kick a ball to staff. Children generally behave well and play side by side at similar activities with their peers. Children's interactions together are minimal and focused predominately on non-verbal gestures or they engage alongside staff. Children's attendance is encouraged with leaders contacting parents and carers, when children do not attend sessions. Next steps The provider is not meeting the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action. We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to have taken the following actions by the assigned date: Action Completion Date ensure that leaders effectively implement safeguarding policies and procedures to keep children safe from harm 08/06/2026 ensure that leaders immediately notify concerns about children's safety or welfare to their local authority children's social care team 08/06/2026 ensure that leaders understand and implement effective systems and procedures to recruit and ensure ongoing suitability of staff to have regular contact with children 08/06/2026 ensure that leaders complete effective risk assessments to ensure that the premises is safe and suitable for children to attend 08/06/2026 ensure leaders establish an effective key-person system that meets children's individual needs 08/06/2026 To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date: Action Completion Date ensure that the whistleblowing policies and procedures are understood by the team and implemented into practice 08/06/2026 ensure leaders plan and implement a curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do 08/06/2026 About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs coordinator, parents and children during the 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. A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection. Inspector: Anna Marshall About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY550630 Address: Old Moat Children's Centre Old Moat Lane Manchester M20 1DE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 11/08/2017 Registered person: Community-Minded Ltd Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 17:30 Local authority: Manchester Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 28 April 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 1 to 11 Total number of places 30 Our grades explained Exceptional Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it. Strong standard The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them. 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. Needs attention The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements. Urgent improvement The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn. 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