Southern Childcare Facilities - trading as Acorn Nursery

Acorn Day Nursery and The Primary Club Forestdale Primary School, Woodpecker Mount, Pixton Way, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 9JE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/09/2013 15/02/2013

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early years provision

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

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children make consistent progress in relation to their starting points, as staff use observations and assessment well to plan for the next steps in children's learning and development.  Partnerships with parents are positive, which supports continuity of children's care routines.  Children enjoy secure relationships with their key person and staff, which means that they are happy, settled and ready to learn.

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It is not yet good because

 Opportunities for older children to develop their understanding of mathematical concepts is limited as activities and resources are not made to look inviting or exciting.  Risk assessments are not thorough enough to ensure that staff check all aspects of the provision.  Staff are not always consistent in their use of 'please' and 'thank-you' when interacting with the children or each other.

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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 the staff playing with the children in the indoor and outdoor learning environment.  The inspector spoke to the provider, manager, staff and children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including children's learning journals and planning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of safeguarding policies and procedures and risk assessments.

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Information about the setting

Acorn Day Nursery registered in 2004. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery is run by Southern Childcare Facilities Limited. The nursery operates from a mobile classroom in the grounds of Forestdale Primary School in Selsdon. There is an enclosed garden area for outdoor play. In addition, the children use the school's playground.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is open each weekday from 7.45am until 6pm, 51 weeks of the year. There are currently 26 children attending who are within the early years age range. The nursery provides free funded early education for children aged two, three- and four-years old. The nursery employs nine staff and of these, eight have relevant childcare qualifications. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There is also support for children who speak English as an additional language.

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must:

 ensure that risk assessment identifies all aspects of the indoor and outdoor environments that children come into contact with, assessing any risks to children's safety and how those risks will be removed or minimised

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must:

 develop the educational programme for mathematical development, through a range of resources which provide sufficient challenge and are interesting to children enabling them to learn through play.

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

 help children to learn good social skills and manners, through consistent modelling of appropriate language, such as 'please' and 'thank you'.

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who attend

Overall, staff promote children's learning and development generally well. They establish children's starting points on entry through child record forms and discussion with parents, which enables them to plan activities to support children's next steps. They observe children regularly to identify their current stages of learning and development and any interests, which enables them to plan relevant and interesting activities for all children to support their learning. For example, children enjoy playing with play-dough, which they shape into their favourite foods. Children use their physical skills to roll, shape and cut the dough to form biscuits and spaghetti. Staff use secure questioning techniques to further children's learning, as they ask the children about shapes, size and who they are making the 'food' for. Children show confidence as they move and combine resources and equipment to enhance their imaginative skills. For example, children make 'pizza' from the

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who attend

play dough and use the 'oven' in the role-play area to cook their 'pizzas'. Children show how they are able to make connections between experiences at home and their play, as they tell staff that parents tell them the 'pizzas' need to cook. Once ready, the children tell the staff that the 'pizzas' are hot and that they need to blow them. This shows that children have thought about what they have seen at home and are able to use these experiences in their play. This helps children to make consistent progress in their learning and development in relation to their starting points.

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who attend

Staff plan to support children's next steps through planned, purposeful play. However, sometimes, staff do not fully think through the learning opportunities that children have through free play activities. For example, provision for children's mathematical development. Staff lay out a table with some colourful plastic bears which children can colour match, count and sort. However, there are no additional resources to make the activity look inviting and as a result, this area is overlooked by the children. In addition, puzzles on the same table, are too easy for the age of the children in the room, and consequently, do not offer sufficient challenge to help children's problem solving skills.

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who attend

Staff foster children's communication and language skills generally well as they talk to children about what they are doing and offer suggestions as appropriate. For example, staff sit with the children while they are building with some bricks and help the children to make models of their houses. Staff discuss how many rooms they need to have and what happens in each of the rooms. Children are able to think their ideas through as they build the right number of rooms in their homes and talk about why certain rooms are significant to them. Staff are able to support children who speak English as an additional language through learning key words in children's home languages. This helps children to feel valued.

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who attend

There are suitable systems in place to share information with the parents. A large board in the entrance hall gives parents details about activities which their children have done during the day. In addition, the board is also used to request help from parents. For example, there is a request displayed for children to bring in family photographs to support their current topic 'all about me'. Parents are able to see children's learning journals and are encouraged to share any learning that they may have seen at home. This helps staff to plan activities which respond to children's interests and current stages of learning and development. Consequently, children make consistent progress in relation to their starting points. Systems are in place to complete the progress check, which is carried out as when children are between two and three years old. T As a result, staff are able to identify any concerns in children's learning or development and put in place additional

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who attend

support. This helps children to be ready for the next stage in their learning.

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

Children have secure relationships with the staff, as their personal, social and emotional development is effectively supported. The settling-in process enables children to spend time in the nursery with their parents, which helps them to explore and become familiar with the environment and routines. Consequently, children settle smoothly and are ready to learn through play. Key persons show genuine interest in the children, listening to them and meeting their personal needs promptly. This encourages children's confidence and helps them to approach their key person or other staff to share significant moments and memories. All children show a secure sense of belonging in the nursery as they follow the routines easily and pay attention to directions from staff. For example, when staff request the children to help tidy up ready for lunch, children respond and help, before following staff to the bathroom to wash their hands.

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

Children's meals are cooked in the school kitchen and delivered to the provision. Staff liaise with the school to ensure that all children's dietary needs are met. For example, children who are unable to eat beef or pork are provided with an alternative. Information about children's dietary needs is recorded on the children's record forms, which are up on lists in the rooms enabling all staff to see what children can and cannot eat. Consequently, children's good health and well-being is supported through appropriate diets and healthy eating.

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

Generally, children behave well in the nursery as staff support them through gentle reminders and distraction techniques. However, some staff are inconsistent with their use of 'please' and 'thank-you' which means that they are not always good role models. Consequently, children are not always polite. Older children are able to independently take care of their own personal hygiene needs as the toilets and sinks are at their level. Staff provide sensitive support when children request it. This helps children to prepare for the move to school by developing their confidence in managing their own personal hygiene routines. Arrangements for changing the younger children's nappies are suitable.

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

All children have access to the small enclosed outdoor play area, which is accessed via a gate. Staff ensure that children have daily access to this area, which enables children to enjoy fresh air and develop their physical skills. The nursery has only just moved into its current premises, and as a result, has not had time to fully develop the outdoor play area. However, this is 'work in progress' and will provide children with opportunities to develop their physical skills further when complete.

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

The nursery is within the primary school's grounds, which means that the nursery has close links with the school. Children are familiar with the school as many of the children have older siblings who attend the school. In addition, teachers are able to come into the nursery and meet the children who will start school. This means that children can meet their teachers in familiar surroundings, which helps children's confidence as they move into the school. The nursery provides the school with information about children current interests, and stages of learning and development. Consequently, children move smoothly into school.

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provision

Overall, the management team show a suitable understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The inspection took place following notification from the provider of a child leaving the premises unsupervised. The inspection found that risk assessment and daily checks were not fully effective in ensuring that the gate was locked prior to taking the children outside. In addition, parents were unaware of the need to push the bolt across to secure the gate when leaving the premises. Consequently, a child was able to leave the school grounds through the gate. As a result of the incident, action plans were put in place, and negotiations with the school who own the gate are on-going to have a secure buzzer entry system on the gate. Consequently, this will ensure that the gate locks automatically as it shuts. In the meantime, staff check the gate is locked prior to the children going outside,

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provision

and escort parents to and from the gate when sessions finish. This means that children are supervised at all times.

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provision

Staff understand their responsibilities to ensure that any concerns about a child in their care are recorded according to the setting's policies and procedures. Staff have safeguarding training, which ensures that they are fully aware of what to do should they have a concern about a child in their care. Regular emergency evacuation drills help support children to learn what to do in the event of an emergency. In addition, the nursery takes part in the fire drills with the school. This helps children to learn how to keep themselves safe by following instructions when there are larger groups of children and teachers present. Staff encourage children to take responsibility for their environment, by encouraging them to tidy up after themselves and pick up toys that they drop on the floor. Consequently, children are able to enjoy playing in a safe, well organised environment.

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provision

Recruitment procedures are robust and rigorous. All new staff are thoroughly checked prior to working with children and monitored over their six month probation period. Therefore, the management team assess the capabilities of any new staff member and establish that staff have the skills and commitment to be working with children. Regular staff meetings, supervision and appraisals are in place, to support all staff in their individual roles. Staff are able to request additional training to support their professional development, which helps to promote continuous positive outcomes for children.

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provision

The management uses reflective practice to identify the setting's strengths and weaknesses. They seek the views of the parents through daily verbal feedback and use staff meetings to provide opportunities for the staff to make any suggestions they may have. Current plans are to enhance the learning experiences for children outdoors and complete the required work, such as putting up a canopy to provide shade and a dry play area when it is raining. This will help provide opportunities for children enjoy playing outside all year round. Staff demonstrate a secure understanding of the importance of developing positive partnerships with parents. Staff take time to show new prospective parents around the nursery and explain in detail how the nursery routines support children's learning and development. Key persons use verbal feedback at the end of sessions to share with parents how their children have been during the day, and any learning or development

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provision

achievements observed during the session. This information helps parents to support their children's learning and development at home. Consequently, children's learning and development is well supported. Parents comment that they appreciate the care and warmth of the staff, and the relationships children have with their key persons. Parents feel that the staff are easy to talk to and take on board any concerns they raise about their children.

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provision

Wider partnerships, with professionals such as speech and language therapists work effectively to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Consequently, all children make consistent progress in their learning and are ready for the next stage in their learning or the move to school.

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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 EY262789 Local authority Croydon Inspection number 935055 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 22 Number of children on roll 26 Name of provider Southern Childcare Facilities Ltd Date of previous inspection 15/02/2013 Telephone number 0208 768 3434

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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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