CCN Acol Nursery

Acol Nursery 16 Acol Road, LONDON, NW6 3AG

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 04/02/2013 Not Applicable

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

p.1

This provision is satisfactory

 Children are happy and secure within the nursery and have developed strong relationships with their key persons.  Managers are fully aware of the strengths and weaknesses of this newly acquired setting and have developed action plans to drive improvement and secure better outcomes for children.  Parents are happy with the nursery and have a friendly relationship with staff. There is a strong commitment to partnership working and systems are in place to regularly share information.

p.1

It is not yet good because

 Resources and equipment are not all of good quality and some are unsafe.  The learning environment both indoors and outside is not always organised and planned effectively to further support babies and children's learning across all areas.  Role-play areas have limited resources that reflect children's family lives and communities, and some lack opportunities for writing and numeracy.

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises with the manager and discussed a joint observation of outdoor play.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in each of the playrooms and the garden during the inspection.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the manager and spoke with some staff members and children during the visit.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents through discussion with those available at the time of inspection.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's assessment records, evidence of suitability of staff working within the setting alongside a small sample of other documentation.

p.2

Information about the setting

Acol Nursery registered in August 2012 and is one of three early years provisions run by Camden Community Nurseries. The nursery operates from a converted detached house in West Hampstead within the London Borough of Camden. Children have use of six rooms on the ground and first floor which are accessed via lift and stairs. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

p.3

Information about the setting

The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm throughout the year. Children are able to attend for a variety of sessions.

p.3

Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three. The setting supports children who are learning English as an additional language.

p.3

Information about the setting

There are seven members of staff employed to work directly with the children including the manager. All hold early years qualifications including one at level six.

p.3

must:

 identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, when and by whom those aspects will be checked, and how the risk will be removed or minimised, with particular regard to resources and equipment.

p.3

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

 review the planning of the learning environment both indoors and outside to further support babies and children's learning across all areas; enabling them to have opportunities to explore safely and investigate features

p.3

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

 develop the role-play areas to include resources reflecting children's family lives and communities, and include opportunities for writing and numeracy.

p.3

who attend

Children have access to a varied range of activities and learning experiences across the seven areas of learning. As a result they are already making steady progress towards the early learning goals. Staff establish children's starting points through discussion with parents, and staff's observations over a six-week period. The system is currently being reviewed as the provider is blending their systems with those of the local authority.

p.4

who attend

Babies have opportunities to explore heuristic play. They adore climbing into large boxes, open and closing the flaps, holding onto the box whilst banging the top to experiment with sound. Baskets contain interesting household items such as wooden brushes and a large metal padlock. Babies find these fascinating and explore these with their hands. However, adults prevent them from exploring objects with their mouths, although it is in line with their stage of development. Toddlers enjoy the sensory experience of making marks in flour, making connections between their movement and the marks they make. Staff's impromptu singing and routine conversation encourages children to develop their language skills.

p.4

who attend

Young children have the opportunity to mix ingredients together to make dough. They begin to role-play real life experiences by tucking their dollies into bed and feeding them with a bottle. They explore construction toys and fix them together to create vehicles. Children develop their understanding of number as they are encouraged to use mathematical language at snack time. Furthermore, they engage in singing favourite number songs. They have opportunities to explore writing in a role-play 'office'. Although some areas are identified for mark making, they are not resourced with any pens, crayons, pencils or whiteboard markers to enable the children to write or draw freely. Book areas are covered to encourage children to use these as 'talking spaces'. Key persons know children's home languages. There are some reflective resources; however the home corners have limited resources that reflect the diverse backgrounds of the children.

p.4

who attend

Children learn about their own and other people's cultures when they celebrate different community festivals. For example, they undertake activities relating to Chinese New Year and have plans to learn about Waitangi Day which commemorates a significant day in the history of New Zealand. No outings have been undertaken to enable babies and children to gain a knowledge of the local environment. However, an imminent outing is planned and the manager has ordered equipment in order to enable regular outings for all. Children have opportunities to explore nature in the adjacent garden. They use the outside space for digging, growing and exploring nature in the log pile.

p.4

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

Children are happy within the nursery and have secure relationships with their key person and other staff members. The settling-in procedure is being strengthened and parents feel the system is effective. Parents and carers are welcome to stay in order that children settle at their own pace. Children have developed friendship groups and share ideas with each other. Overall, children behave well and staff are calm in their approach in talking to the children. Babies' emotions are soothed by staff who cuddle them and provide them with their individual comforters. Young children are encouraged to take responsibility for jobs such as scraping their own plates after lunch. Babies are afforded opportunities to use hands and spoons to feed themselves, developing their independence. Young children are confident to approach visitors and are curious to know their names and purpose of visit.

p.4

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

Staff support children's well-being by encouraging them to hand-wash before handling food and after toileting. Staff know children's dietary requirements and adhered to. Staff who have undertaken food hygiene training cook food on the premises. They have introduced a snack table for children to use when they identify that they are hungry or thirsty. Currently they are more inclined to have their snack when staff sit with them at the table. Staff encourage children to cut their fruit and give suggestions as to the best way to do this independently. When children try this and tell the staff their 'knife isn't working' they benefit from immediate help.

p.5

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

Staff give children gentle reminders about safety during the day. For example, staff talk to children about sharp knives being dangerous. Monthly fire drills are introducing children to how to keep themselves safe in an evacuation. Children benefit from fresh air and physical exercise. The outdoor space is largely planned for physical play where children climb on moveable structures. Children are encouraged to take risks as they jump off the large soft play equipment onto mats. They negotiate space as they whizz around the garden on tricycles. However this is difficult for some due to the layout of the resources resulting in some trips and falls. They push buggy frames around, but the lack of material on the frames prevents children from transporting their dolls and incorporating role-play into their outdoor experience. Toddlers join older children in the garden, although non-mobile babies have less access to outdoor experiences.

p.5

provision

This is the first inspection since registration; the new provider has taken over a previously established setting which included all resources and equipment. The way the transition was arranged has enabled some children to remain at the setting providing them with consistency in their care. However, the process has not enabled the provider to have time to set up the provision in the way that they intended. As a result the learning environment is not fully effective in the way it is organized and planned. Furthermore, not all the resources are of high quality. The provider is in the process of reviewing the nursery's policies, procedures and systems for recording information. There is evidence that the provider has a robust recruitment procedure and all staff hold Criminal Record Bureau checks. However, Ofsted has not been notified of the change in manager which is a legal requirement. On this occasion Ofsted will take no further action.

p.5

provision

The organisation is reviewing and adapting systems for recording children's progress across the seven areas of learning. The manager is supporting staff in this process through one to one discussions and supervision sessions to promote consistency across the team. In addition to their current profiles they are adopting the local authority's recording system for monitoring children's progress and support their transition to their next setting. Induction procedures are in place and days are set aside each year for training for the whole team. Students are welcomed within the settings but are not always guided effectively by established staff. However, managers have recognised the need to develop the leadership skills of room leaders to aid them to secure good practice. Training has been identified to address this. Planning is carried out within the rooms and is generally linked to children's next steps. However, some activities are not well organised

p.5

provision

and learning intentions are not apparent. For example, water is set out with bottles for filling and pouring, however the level of the water is so shallow it is extremely difficult to get any water in the vessels.

p.6

provision

The manager demonstrates a solid commitment to evaluating practice in order to secure better outcomes for children. She is aware of and is targeting the weaknesses in the setting and demonstrates a strong drive for improvement. The setting is working closely with the local authority and has begun to use Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales to review specific areas.

p.6

provision

Procedures for carrying out risk assessments are adequate although some of the poor quality resources and equipment require attention. For example, a water tray is rusty and paint is peeling off this and pedals are missing from ride-on toys. Staff have a secure awareness of issues regarding safeguarding in order to protect children in their care. Staff have attended training to update their knowledge. Posters remind staff and visitors that mobile phones are not to be used in the setting.

p.6

provision

Parents talk about the nursery positively. New parents feel their children have been supported in settling in and parents of established children state that their children have made progress at the nursery. They find the staff to be friendly and communicate well. They feel the management are very 'hands on' and appreciate the weekly emails sent to keep them updated. They are looking forward to the nursery developing the sensory area for the children which is currently unavailable. Staff have planned meetings to enable key persons and parents to share information about children's progress. They have also introduced parent forums as a further tool for communication and a way of receiving feedback which will eventually feed into their self-evaluation. The manager has been proactive in forging links with other agencies and providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage to prepare for children's transitions to school in the future.

p.6

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

p.6

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.

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.7

Setting details

Unique reference number EY449662 Local authority Camden Inspection number 881101 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 59 Number of children on roll 20 Name of provider Camden Community Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 0207 9741829

p.7

Setting details

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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,

p.8

Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.9

Type of provision

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

p.9