The Kids' Academy

The Kids Academy Chelmsford The Kids Academy, Moulsham School, Princes Road, CHELMSFORD, CM2 9DE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/09/2013 04/03/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 4 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

 There are very good systems for monitoring and assessing children's development. This promotes all children's learning and they make good progress.  The outdoor environment is supportive of teaching children about healthy eating practices as they grow and pick their own fruit and vegetables.  The management team are proactive in identifying priorities for improvement and committed to making changes, so that children are well supported in all aspects of learning and development.  Interactions between practitioners and children are friendly and positive ensuring that children's well-being is thoroughly supported.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to extend identification of staff training needs and provide in-house training to strengthen staff awareness of the setting's policies and procedures.  At meal times children can be further supported to understand the importance of a healthy diet and good hygiene practices.

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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 observed activities in the indoor and outdoor learning environments.  The inspector held discussions with the manager, owner and members of staff.  The inspector viewed a sample of children's learning journals.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector saw evidence of a range of documentation, including those relating to safeguarding.  The inspector took account of the views of the parents and children.

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Information about the setting

The Kids Academy Chelmsford was registered in 2008 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a purpose built premises in the Chelmsford area of Essex and is managed by a private company. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from five playrooms and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. All childcare staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including the manager with Early Years Professional Status. 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 78 children attending, 40 of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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

 continue to identify staff training needs and develop different strategies to address any weaknesses, so that all staff are fully aware of the setting's policies and procedures

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

 extend support of children's healthy practices by using meal times as an opportunity to discuss good hygiene practices and to talk about why it is important to have a healthy diet.

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who attend

The nursery is welcoming and both the indoor and outdoor environments provide activities that are freely accessible. Children have many opportunities to learn through play in an environment rich in activities they enjoy. Children make good progress at the nursery as there are comprehensive observation and assessment systems in place. When children first begin at the nursery their starting points are gathered by the key person. These are compiled through observation and by sharing information received from parents. Through careful assessment their next steps are highlighted and activities are then planned. These activities support their interests and the next stage in their learning and ensure progress is made. A progress check at age two is completed and shared with parents. When it is identified that children need further help the nursery is proactive at obtaining assistance from outside professionals. Children with English as an additional language are supported

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who attend

well. Different languages are celebrated through written signs, dual-language books and nursery rhymes. The nursery acquires resources to support individual children and these help to settle children who speak little English. Consequently, they make good progress at the setting.

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who attend

The communication and language development of children is supported during play and adult-led activities. During circle time children sing the days of the week song, which supports their understanding of the world. They also learn that words have meaning as they are given 'Tuesday', which they attach to the wall. In the outdoors children connect drainpipes and use real screws. This supports their creative and critical thinking during play that interests and motivates them. Younger children make sense of their world as they investigate a sunflower collected from the garden. With sensitive support from a practitioner a child pulls a seed from the sunflower. They then capture this experience through paint, which results in a child's engagement in activity that develops their concentration.

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who attend

Parents are involved in their children's learning as they receive regular information on their child's next steps. They are also invited into the nursery for meetings with the key person when their child's progress is shared. Children have library cards and the library bus regularly visits the nursery. Children are able to choose a book, which they share with nursery and with home. Learning journals are kept for individual children, which show their progress towards the early learning goals. A scrapbook is also being created for children's work to be shared between nursery and home. Children are given many opportunities to strengthen their development and learning both at home and at nursery.

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who attend

Children are able to choose the resources they wish to play with supporting exploratory play. Literacy is supported with signs in the environment and through self-registration. There are a good variety of books and practitioners model the initial sounds in words as they read. Children are able to say the word and develop their literacy skills. Children's mathematical awareness is supported as they collect tomatoes from the fruit and vegetable patch. They are asked to count how many tomatoes they have collected each time a tomato is picked. Children are learning skills during activities that have real meaning to them.

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

Children are happy and their well-being is fully supported in the nursery. There are settling-in sessions children attend with their parents before they begin. At these sessions the family and key person are introduced and information is exchanged. There is a good key person system that ensures a smooth transition at the beginning and end of the day. In addition, there is a second key person to support children when the key person is away. Children, therefore, are able to form secure attachments.

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

Children behave very well at the nursery as they are encouraged and supported to meet high, but age appropriate, expectations. They independently serve themselves lunch, scrape off unwanted food and wash their plates and cups. During snack time children use child-safe knives to cut cucumber and carrots. They are given responsibility to carry jugs of milk and pour their own drinks. The practitioners support their endeavours with lots of praise, which children respond to with smiles. This contributes to their self-confidence. The practitioners provide children with time to achieve these tasks and children excel in developing these independent skills. When children go outside to play their thinking skills are developed as the practitioner asks whether they need a coat. Following a discussion about hot and cold weather children decide they need a coat. Children are well supported in readiness for school. They are being taught the skills to be independent and are very

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

Different cultures are widely supported within the nursery. Each room has a designated culture area displaying words in other languages and items from around the world. Children are being supported in learning about and being respectful of other people's differences. The nursery contributes to children's healthy diet with menus that are healthy and nutritious. Children's health and culture is supported through an awareness of each child's dietary requirements. Home-grown produce, such as, tomatoes, marrows, strawberries and courgettes are used at meal times. Children help to collect the fruit and vegetables from the garden and are gaining a good understanding of healthy foods. Children are supported to manage their own personal hygiene. There is scope, however, to teach children about healthy practices further, by explaining why it is important to have a healthy diet and good hygiene practices.

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

Children have plenty of opportunities for exercise and fresh air. The outdoor area is equipped with trikes and there is lots of space for children to run and develop physical skills. It is a learning environment, which covers the seven areas of learning. In the fruit and vegetable patch children are particularly interested in an orange slug they have named Sid. Further learning is supported as practitioners share information about slugs with children and a story brought from home is read. This captures children's imagination and develops their curiosity about the natural world.

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

Transitions between the different rooms in the nursery are supportive of children's well- being. Children visit with their key person before they move into a new room. This is further supported as there are opportunities for children to play together when they use the outdoor area. The transition to school is supported through sharing books about school, visits from the teacher and visits to the school library. Children are, therefore, very well supported for the next stage in their learning.

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provision

The leadership are proactive in monitoring their team's performance. The planning and assessment of children are routinely checked to ensure children's needs are being accurately met. Regular supervision and appraisals are conducted, which highlights targets for improvement. Practitioners are, therefore, motivated and engaged, which supports children's all-round development. There is, however, further scope to strengthen practitioner's knowledge of the setting's policies and procedures. The leadership also monitors children's progress, which identifies any weaker areas of practice. They are dedicated in overcoming areas of weakness and supply resources to combat this. The activities then provided ensure that children are achieving consistently across all areas of learning.

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provision

There are comprehensive policies that safeguard and support children. All practitioners attend child protection training. They know how to identify children in need and the steps to take to protect them. The manager is aware of her duties with regard to the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Risk assessments are used to ensure the nursery is a safe environment. Further risk assessments are in place to help keep children safe on outings or during activities. This is complemented by the Kids Academy head office, who oversees the nursery. They complete an audit to ensure the nursery meets the necessary requirements.

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provision

The nursery shows a good awareness of how to build and continue good practice. The actions and recommendations in the last report have been effectively addressed and weaknesses overcome. The self-evaluation of the nursery is compiled with contributions from children and parents and from outside professionals. The fruit and vegetable patch was started following children's interests. Further developments identified are to strengthen the self-evaluation process through the initiation of a parent's forum.

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provision

There is a very good deployment of staff, which ensures that children's needs are fully met. The change to the shift patterns of key persons means that parents and children are well supported. The key person or key person buddy is now always available to talk to parents at the beginning and end of the day. Recruitment procedures are robust and the relevant records are collected. This ensures that all those that work with children are well- qualified to do so. Good relationships exist with the parents, who are very supportive and speak highly of the nursery. They explain that their child's progress is shared with them and that they are welcome in the nursery. The parents would not hesitate to recommend the nursery to other parents.

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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 EY365137 Local authority Essex Inspection number 910105

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 66 Number of children on roll 78 Name of provider TKA Management Ltd Date of previous inspection 04/03/2013 Telephone number 01245 345599

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Type of provision

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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