Acorns Aviva

Acorns Nursery Ltd Axa Centre Bristol, Brierly Furlong, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, Avon, BS34 8SW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/04/2013 25/02/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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 enjoy a broad range of activities and experiences that actively promote their all-round learning and development.  The nursery's safeguarding procedures are robust and rigorous, promoting the welfare of all children who attend.  All children benefit from the positive relationships between the staff and their parents because they regularly share information.  Children are very happy and settled because staff provide a welcoming and nurturing environment.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Less experienced staff do not always access continued training and coaching to enable them to provide even more stimulating learning experiences that engage and motivate children.  Babies do not always have opportunities to play and explore resources made from natural materials and children do not always have the opportunity to see their own creative efforts on display.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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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.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at planning and assessment documentation.  The inspector observed practice in all of the rooms.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke to the manager about her recruitment and induction policy.  The inspector spoke to parents.

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Information about the setting

Acorns Nursery registered in 1996 and is one of a group of privately managed, workplace nurseries, run by the Acorn group. It is located on the Axa site in Stoke Gifford, South Gloucestershire. Children attending the nursery come from a wide catchment area. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery opens each weekday, from 8am to 6pm full year, excluding public holidays. It operates from a purpose-built, single storey building with an enclosed outdoor play space and garden. The baby unit can accommodate up to 15 children under the age of two years and has a separate sleep room and bottle preparation area. Older children have use of three other rooms for their activities. There are 63 children currently on roll within the early years range. The nursery gets funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four years. The majority of

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Information about the setting

children attend on a part-time basis. The manager and nine members of staff work with the children. Seven staff hold early years qualifications to at least level 3 and two staff, with a qualification at level 2, are both working towards a qualification at level 3. A qualified teacher works with the older funded children once a week. In addition, two housekeepers and a cook provide additional support. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who learn English as an additional language.

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

 strengthen the programme of professional development for some less-experienced staff to improve their knowledge, understanding and practice and further engage, motivate and encourage children to think

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

 consider ways to further develop the learning environment so babies have regular access to natural resources and children have more opportunities to display their work.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how to support children's learning and development so they make good progress from their starting points. However, some less experienced staff do not always plan activities that encourage children to sustain their thinking and encourage them to be motivated and be engaged. For example, during a painting activity staff begin to put the paint away, limiting opportunities for children to explore their creativity and to make choices. Other staff then support them to extend the painting activity so children are able to sustain their interest.

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who attend

Staff carry out observation and assessment of children's progress to help them to successfully plan and support children's individual learning and development needs. They effectively link planning to the interests of individual children and their possible next steps in learning to make sure it reflects the uniqueness of each child. Staff fully embed all areas for learning through a good range of activities. This helps children develop key skills and become ready for their next stage in learning and for school. Staff prepare children well for the transition from the nursery to school by holding meetings with teachers where they identify children's next steps in learning. This enables staff to fully support children's needs and clearly identify their learning priorities.

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who attend

Children's communication and language skills develop well within the nursery. For example, in the baby room staff use baby signing to encourage them to communicate their needs. Children are encouraged to listen and respond to familiar songs and experienced staff use props to engage and excite the children. This helps to support children's language skills. Children have plenty of opportunity to develop their literacy skills as they play with sound lotto games to identify animal sounds. This helps to support their listening and attention skills. Children have plenty of opportunities to play and explore through forest school activities. Staff use this as an opportunity to take learning outside and imaginatively teach the seven areas of learning. This has a positive impact on children's learning and development. Staff support children's early writing skills across the nursery as children have independent access to easels, which staff fill with a range of

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who attend

mark-making equipment. The older children learn to think critically as staff pose open- ended questions about tadpoles that are swimming in a tank. Children take time to observe and think about their lifecycle. This helps to develop children's understanding of the natural world.

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who attend

Staff develop effective partnerships with parents. Parents contribute to initial assessments of their children's starting points on entry and staff keep them fully informed about their children's progress. Parents are encouraged to share information about their children's learning at home. For example, the nursery provides parents with 'wow vouchers' which they can use to write about key moments that have occurred with their child at home. They also have access to their children's development records and attend parents' meetings. This helps to ensure there is a good two-way exchange of information and a consistency in everyone's approach to supporting children's next steps in learning.

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

There is a fully embedded key person system in place which effectively supports children's well-being. Children separate from their main carers well because the nursery has an excellent settling-in approach. This allows children, parents and staff time to get to know each other and develop important bonds that allows children to feel safe and secure. Staff encourage children to develop the habits and behaviour appropriate to good learners and to take account of their own needs, and those of others. From a young age children are encouraged to share, take turns and be kind to one another. Staff discuss the reasons for boundaries and expectations to help children learn about good behaviour. For example, they clearly explain to the older children why they should respect others and the environment. Staff foster children's confidence and self-esteem because they praise the children for their good manners and for helping to tidy away the resources. However,

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

children do not always have enough opportunities to show pride in their own work as work on display boards has been completed by staff.

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

Staff support children's health and well-being well as they provide them with plenty of opportunities to play outside. For example, children have regular outings to forest schools where they have plenty of opportunity for fresh air and exercise. In addition, the children learn to take risks and develop their understanding of safety by being involved in the forest school activities. Children have access to a range of good quality resources that support their learning through play across the seven areas of learning. However, babies have fewer opportunities to play with resources made out of natural materials. This has an impact on how the babies learn to play and explore through their senses.

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

Children eat a range of healthy, balanced meals and snacks. Staff understand children's special dietary requirements, preferences and allergies. This helps them to ensure they meet and respect each child's specific needs. Children access drinking water throughout the day, so they do not get thirsty, which contributes to a healthy lifestyle. Staff successfully encourage children to learn to look after themselves and develop their independence. For example, children put on their aprons for creative play, learn to put their rubbish in the bin and independently wash their hands after using the bathroom. Older children serve their own lunch and are able to express their needs, such as asking to go to the toilet and they approach staff for support and reassurance as required. These developing skills prepare children well for school.

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

The manager makes certain that children and staff practise regular fire drills so that children are aware of evacuation procedures and how to keep safe in an emergency. Transitions between rooms are well supported and children are given time to adjust to their new environment. This fully supports children's well-being during periods of change.

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provision

Staff prioritise safeguarding and have a thorough understanding of their duty to protect children. There is a comprehensive safeguarding policy and procedure in place, which staff are fully aware of. All staff have attended training on safeguarding and this is updated, helping to ensure that their knowledge stays up to date about procedures to follow if they have any concerns. Robust recruitment, vetting and induction procedures are in place, making certain that all adults working with the children are suitable to do so. This also means that children are cared for by staff who show the required skills and commitment, enabling children to feel secure.

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provision

The manager carries out regular appraisals with the staff and provides them with a detailed action plan to support improvement in their practice and the outcomes for children. The manager implements effective systems for self-evaluation that inform the nursery's priorities and challenging targets for improvement. The nursery seeks the parents' and staff's opinions to support this process so that everyone helps drive improvement in the outcomes for children. This demonstrates the nursery's drive to maintain continuous improvement and contributes towards the staff providing children with good quality care and education.

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provision

The nursery has built good partnerships with parents, which benefits the children's care, learning and development. The manager makes certain that settling-in periods meet with parents' and children's needs. Parents receive good information through regular newsletters and by way of information on display on the notice boards. Information about the Early Years Foundation Stage is on display to help increase parents' awareness and familiarity with the areas of learning. This close partnership working between parents and the nursery has a positive impact on supporting the learning and development of children. The manager has a secure understanding of their responsibilities in meeting both the safeguarding and welfare and the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The manager understands the importance of working with external agencies to support the care and education for individual children. This enables

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provision

the nursery to draw on expertise and provide tailored support for children, so they make good progress in their development.

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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

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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 action. 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 136090 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 813871 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 33 Number of children on roll 65 Name of provider Acorns Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 25/02/2011 Telephone number 0117 989 9000 Ex3034

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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