Acorns - BP

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 25/01/2005 Inspector Name Helen Deegan

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Acorns Nursery Setting Address Meadhurst Club Chertsey Road Sunbury-on-Thames Middlesex TW16 7LN

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Bright Horizons Family Solutions Ltd. 2328679

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Bright Horizons Family Solutions Ltd. Address 2 Crown Court Crown Way Rushden Northamptonshire NN10 6BS

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

Acorns Nursery is managed by Bright Horizons Family Solutions for British Petroleum and has been registered since 2001. The Nursery occupies purpose built premises set within the grounds of B.P.'s Meadhurst Club. It caters soley for the children of B.P. staff and their contractors. The nursery is open from 08:00 until 18:00 Monday to Friday excluding Bank Holidays. The accommodation is arranged on one level and is divided into two main rooms for children aged under two years and children aged two to five respectively, plus associated offices and facilities. There is a small area of integral outdoor play space, plus access to adjacent outdoor play facilities which are within the grounds of the Club. There is a high ratio of staff, the majority of whom have a relevant childcare qualification and a current first aid certificate. The setting is accredited to receive nursery funding and currently there are 18 children in receipt of funding. There is

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Information about the setting

appropriate support for children with special needs and currently one child receives a special educational needs grant.

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Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

The provision for nursery education at Acorns Nursery is acceptable and of good quality overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children's progress in physical development is very good, in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development it is generally good but progress in mathematical development has significant weaknesses. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff provide a secure and friendly setting which builds on children's confidence. They manage behaviour effectively and provide good support for children at the activities but miss opportunities to encourage the children to explore and extend their learning to other areas. Some staff have a limited understanding of the foundation stage curriculum and how children learn and activity planning sheets are not completed prior to activities taking

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How effective is the nursery education?

place. Staff provide good support for children who have special educational needs and record evaluative observations about all children's achievements, however the information is not used effectively to inform future planning and ensure sufficient challenge for all children. Leadership and management are generally good. Staff receive an annual appraisal and training needs are identified, however staff training needs are not sufficiently met with regard to implementing the "world at their fingertips" approach to learning and monitoring has not highlighted all weaknesses. Regular staff meetings are held and parents are asked to give feedback on an annual anonymous questionnaire. Partnership with parents is generally good. Parents receive good information via regular verbal feedback, written reports and parents' evenings but are not offered information which allows them to be involved in their child's learning. They are

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How effective is the nursery education?

invited to share what they know about their children with staff.

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What is being done well?

• Staff provide a secure and friendly setting which builds on children's confidence and self esteem. • Children have good opportunities to develop their physical skills using large and small equipment and staff ask them questions which help them gain health and bodily awareness. •• Opportunities for children to mark make and write for a purpose during role play activities are good and staff provide word labelling so that children gain an awareness that print carries meaning.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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What needs to be improved?

• staff knowledge of the foundation stage curriculum and how children learn • planning, observation and record keeping to ensure that children's individual learning needs are met and they are sufficiently challenged • opportunities for children to explore and investigate freely • staff's role in extending and challenging children when participating in their activities and encouraging them to initiate activities independently • opportunities to extend maths such as simple calculation and mathematical concepts into general activites.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children concentrate well at adult led activities such as making play dough. They relate well to staff and each other and can share and take turns. Staff miss opportunities to encourage children's independence and self help skills at activities such as meal times. Children gain an awareness that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs via positive reflection of diversity within the resources and as they celebrate various religious festivals.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children speak confidently to staff and each other. Staff provide word labelling around the room so that children gain an awareness that print carries meaning and some children can write their own name. The book area is uninviting and not well used and staff sometimes miss opportunities to extend children's language beyond the obvious. Children have good opportunities to mark make and write for a purpose at the role play area and writing table.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children can name different shapes, colours and sizes and use simple mathematical language during general play activities. There is no number line to encourage children's developing understanding of number. Staff miss opportunities to introduce basic mathematical concepts such as matching, sorting, pattern making and simple calculation, for example one more and one less into everyday activities, including mealtimes. Children experiment with weight and capacity as they pour and fill with water.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children develop their IT skills on the computer and play imaginatively with telephones and tills in the role play area. They have limited opportunities to explore and investigate freely or to design and make their own creations using a variety of resources and techniques. Staff encourage children to notice features of the natural world such as observing their shadows when the sun comes out and growing plants.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently and safely with good control. They have good opportunities to climb and balance on the permanent adventure playground structures and use small equipment such as scissors and pastry cutters with increasing confidence. Staff encourage children to develop their health and bodily awareness by talking about what makes them healthy.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children play imaginatively in the role play area, dressing up and acting out familiar roles. They draw and paint to represent images, however few examples of children's own art work are displayed. Children explore different textures at activities such as sand, water, dough and finger painting. They have limited opportunities to play the musical instruments or to move imaginatively to music.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• improve staff knowledge of the foundation stage curriculum and how children learn • improve use of the activity planning sheets to ensure that staff are clear about the learning aims of activities and develop observation and record keeping so that children's individual learning needs are identified and they are sufficiently challenged.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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