Croston Acorns Nursery and Pre School

Croston Acorns Nursery and Pre- School Dob Bridge Cottage, Brick Croft Lane, Croston, LEYLAND, PR26 9AA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/01/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children make good progress with their learning and development because staff make accurate observations of their achievements and support the children in ways that suit their preferred learning styles. This ensures that children enjoy their learning and are eager to participate.  Children are active and creative learners who are enthusiastic and responsive. They make individual choices about how they wish to spend their time.  Children form strong bonds with staff and each other, allowing them to be safe, secure and happy.  Positive relationships with parents and carers are well established. This contributes well to children's well-being and enables them to make good progress in their learning and development.  There is a strong, well organised staff team, who have a shared vision for driving improvement and work well together to achieve targets.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Resources and activities across the nursery areas do not consistently reflect diversity and the wider community, to ensure children receive positive messages about peoples differences and similarities, during their play.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the three main play areas and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the owner of the nursery and held discussions with the manager and staff of the nursery including some key persons.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the nursery's self-evaluation and at a representative range of documentation. This included children's learning records, staff development records and some daily records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector also took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager of the nursery in the playroom.

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Information about the setting

Croston Acorns Nursery and Pre-School was registered in 2012 on the Early Years Register. It is situated in Croston, near Leyland in Lancashire. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three playrooms and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. They all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The manager and deputy manager have a Foundation Degree in Early Years, Care and Education and are working towards a BA (Honours) degree in Early Years and Childhood Studies. One member of staff is working towards Early Years Professional Status.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 72 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 enhance resources to reflect the wider community and the diverse world to broaden children's knowledge of people and communities and reflect an inclusive ethos.

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who attend

Children are happy and enjoy their time in this welcoming and friendly environment. Staff are skilful practitioners, who have a good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage which ensures that children make good progress towards the early learning goals. Children in all areas of the nursery are eager to learn and are well-occupied. Babies benefit from a warm and caring environment with attentive staff who support them well in their play and respond promptly to their needs. For example, staff recognise when babies are tired and give them cuddles to help settle them.

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who attend

Staff support effective language development by reading to babies and supporting them to copy sounds and gestures. Resources, such as treasure baskets, enable babies and young children to explore using their senses. Crawling babies move freely around the room and find their own play opportunities. Children enjoy looking at the family photographs with the staff. One child laughs with delight when shown a picture of his family. As a result, children are nurtured and valued within the environment. Each child's key person completes an accurate and initial assessment of what children know and can do on entry, using detailed information from parents and their own observations. Informative and accessible records of children's learning show clear links between observations and assessments of children's progress. The planning system within the setting is uniquely tailored to support each individual child. Next steps of learning are acted on during

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who attend

activities and these are enhanced accordingly, in order to support and extend children's learning. Parents are well informed of their child's progress because records of children's learning and newsletters are shared with them every term. Parents know from their children's responses that they enjoy being at nursery and are able to contribute to their child's learning and development records with their observations from home. This helps staff to effectively support children's continued learning.

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who attend

Children make good progress and are very well prepared for starting school. Children are confident speakers as staff make time to listen to them about their play and what is important to them. Teaching practice is effective as staff enhance children's learning through effective open questioning that encourages many possible answers. For example, children describe the dragon they are chasing outdoors and explain that the fairy den is a safe place to hide. This encourages the children to express themselves freely, build on their vocabulary and use language to connect ideas and explain what is happening. Children learn about relationships as they play well alongside each other on the computer, choosing different colour sequences and shapes. They also play co-operatively in imaginative play by helping to throw the shredded paper over each other to represent snow.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children have strong bonds with their key person and enjoy close relationships with other adults within the room. This helps them to feel safe and secure. Parents are closely involved in helping children settle into nursery by sharing what they know about them through the detailed 'All about me' document. These enable staff to have an in-depth knowledge of each child's background and individual needs, and build a picture of their, likes, dislikes and interests. Effective arrangements are in place to assist smooth transitions and help children move to the next phase of their learning. When children move rooms, they have a gradual settling in period where they become familiar with the new environment and new routines. This continues when children leave for school. Teachers from the surrounding schools are invited to come into pre-school and meet the children and staff to discuss their learning and development. Consequently, children feel a

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Inclusion is given good attention and all children are warmly welcomed, valued and respected. Although children with English as an additional language are supported with their home language in print around the room, the setting's resources do not consistently reflect an inclusive ethos where children can gain an increased awareness of different cultures and diversity. Children's behaviour is good because they respond well to the staff members. Staff deal with any issues sensitively and use appropriate strategies to support a 'can do' attitude in promoting independence. Gentle reminders help children understand about being kind to each other and taking turns. Children are praised in their personal achievements with 'high fives' and their art work is valued and displayed. This helps boost their confidence and self-esteem.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children enjoy rolling the wheels down the bark embankment outside. Staff point out to children to make sure there are no children on the grass before letting the wheel roll. This encourages them to take risk, while they are well supervised. Children happily take on responsibilities. For example, they pour drinks, serve food and clear the table. At snack, there are healthy food options available to the children which can be accessed in their own time. This supports their independence, helps prepare them for school and supports them to develop an understanding of the importance of a healthy diet. They are competent at managing their personal needs relative to their ages.

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provision

Leadership and management is good. A clear management structure is in place and staff have an understanding of their roles, responsibilities, and their accountability for the quality of the provision. Self-evaluation is enhanced by the setting's involvement in their local authority quality assurance scheme. It reflects a clear drive for improvement through a precisely targeted and successful development plan. Improvements, such as the introduction of outdoor free-flow play, impacts positively on children's well-being and learning. Self-evaluation takes into account the views of staff, children and parents through forums and questionnaires.

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provision

Robust procedures are in place to safeguard children. Staff understand and implement these fully. These include thorough procedures for the safe recruitment of suitably qualified and experienced staff, and ensuring staff do not have unsupervised contact with children unless relevant checks are in place. New staff develop their understanding of the setting's policies and procedures during an intensive induction. Records of training needs and requirements are maintained so that staff remain up-to-date with safeguarding, paediatric first aid and food handling training. Effective systems are in place to monitor and support staff performance, and to build on staff interests in taking the lead on various aspects, such as following children's interests and the progress check at age two.

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provision

Risk assessment is thorough and includes comprehensive assessment both indoors and outdoors. As a result, children are kept safe and secure. Currently there are no children with additional needs that need the support of external specialists, though the manager is fully aware of how to access the relevant specialists and agencies. Staff are knowledgeable about relevant professionals and agencies for safeguarding as well as the reporting procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child in their care. Parents are full of praise for the supportive staff and their contributions to their children's well-being and learning.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted 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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Setting details

Unique reference number EY449320 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 809878

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 49 Number of children on roll 72 Name of provider Croston Acorns Ltd Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01772 601074

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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