Mighty Acorns Day Nursery Ltd

Mighty Acorns Day Nursery Ltd Wexham Road Children's Centre, Wexham Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL2 5JW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/03/2014 07/06/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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 have good relationships with their key persons, which supports their personal, social and emotional development well.  The children enjoy a good variety of age appropriate activities, which supports all areas of their learning and development.  Good use is made of the available space to provide the children with an interesting, fun environment.  Staff provide good models of language, which helps to develop children's vocabulary and teach them new words.  The nursery forms positive relationships with the children centre and other services for young children in the local community to enhance opportunities for the children and their parents.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Systems to share information with parents who learn English as an additional language are not fully developed. This means that staff do not consistently ensure that all parents are kept up to date with their children's progress.  Staff miss opportunities to provide appropriate challenges in the outside play area. Therefore, they do not fully extend the older and more able children's physical skills.

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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 toured the premises and looked at the available resources with the manager.  The inspector observed the children and staff at play.  The inspector examined records and documents provided by the manager and staff.  The inspector spoke to some parents.  The inspector discussed the provider's self- evaluation.

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Information about the setting

Mighty Acorns Day Nursery was registered in 2009. It operates from the Wexham Road Children's Centre, in Slough, Berkshire. The nursery occupies a purpose-built annex within the building. The nursery is registered on the Early Years register and the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The provision offers a breakfast club, after school club, day nursery and holiday play scheme.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is open daily from 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. There is a fully enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 138 children on roll and 96 of these are in the early years age range. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children come from the local and wider community. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and a number of children who learn English as an additional language. The nursery employs 19 staff including the managers. Seventeen staff hold appropriate early years qualifications, including the manager who holds a Foundation Degree in Early Years.

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

 offer more challenge for the more able and older children to extend their physical skills in the outdoor environment

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

 strenghten ways to engage and exchange information with parents of children who learn English as an additional language.

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who attend

Staff provide children with a broad variety of opportunities and experiences to enable them to develop their skills across all areas of learning. Effective teaching practices help children to develop their communication and language skills well. Consequently, children make good progress with their speaking and listening skills. Children enjoy listening to stories. The staff skilfully encourage them to predict and participate as stories are read. This helps children to recall, think and use their knowledge and language. Posters remind staff and parents about good communication skills. This is beneficial as it prompts good practice.

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who attend

Staff support children's individual learning experiences by observing and planning relevant next steps to aid their progress. Staff are currently focusing on supporting children's social skills and interaction's with staff and other children. Staff actively model good interactions between themselves and the children. They use ball games to help children learn to take turns, to include others and develop their physical coordination. Staff use appropriate mathematical language as children play. This helps the young children develop an awareness of shape, position, quantity and size. For example, children build with bricks, matching and sorting the colours and shapes. Some count independently as they play. Staff skilfully build on children's interests and extend them. For instance, staff challenge a small group of children to write the letters of their names using water, after observing children enjoying water painting outside. This helps to develop children's awareness of the

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who attend

Staff encourage the children to be independent. For example, they fill up the water containers independently from the tap; learn to put on their own coats and hats to keep warm and to tidy away when they have finished their play. Staff encourage children to develop their awareness of the world around them through their daily activities. For example, they look at the weather and discuss what they will need to wear outside. This encourages children to think and use their knowledge. Children enjoy experimenting with the coloured paints and learn how the colours mix together. Outdoors, staff encourage children's learning as they make very good use of the attractive play area. Staff are actively involved demonstrating how to throw, catch and even ride a tricycle. This causes great excitement and interest in the wheeled toys. Many children skilfully ride tricycles, scooters and push along cars and develop their abilities to throw, kick and catch.

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who attend

However, the outdoor environment does not currently offer consistent challenges for some of the older or more able children to enable them to use their knowledge or physical skills to build or climb.

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who attend

Staff gather comprehensive information from parents when children join the setting. They also observe the children in order to assess their development and monitor their progress. They use this information to plan and encourage development in partnership with parents. Records indicate children are making good progress from their starting points including those learning English as an additional language. Staff undertake the required progress check for two year old children and share this information with parents.

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who attend

Children relate well to their key persons and form positive relationships with all the staff. Generally, parents share information with the staff, which enables staff to talk to the children about events and experiences. Parents have opportunities to read their children's development records and add comments or discuss their child progress if they wish.

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

The key person system is well established and enhances children's feelings of safety and security in the setting. Staff create a very welcoming environment were children are happy amd form positive relationships with staff. Consequently, children feel secure and confidently explore their environment.

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

Staff are positive role models demonstrating good manners and courtesy to each other and the children in all their interactions. They have clear expectations and manage undesirable behaviour calmly and consistently. Role play and stories help them to talk about behaviour and feelings. Therefore, children learn how to manage their own behaviour appropriately.

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

Currently, children have healthy snacks provided by the nursery and parents send their other meals. Staff are conscious that the packed lunches children bring are not always healthy and are planning how they can encourage a more healthy diet. Water is available throughout the day and children make use of the water fountains independently. Children demonstrate high levels of physical ability. They clearly enjoy the daily outdoor play they have and the opportunities it provides. Staff enhance the children's awareness of a healthy lifestyle by the comments they make, and the conversations they have, with the children.

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

This is a very welcoming environment with a busy but very happy atmosphere. Children are all actively involved and staff are receptive to those who may be more reserved. They encourage and ensure every child has an opportunity to be included. The open-plan environment of the nursery enables children to get to know all the staff and explore. This aids their moves within the nursery. Staff talk to children about changes that may be happening in order to help to prepare them. For example, they have school uniforms, which children can wear in role play. They talk about what happens at school and visit the nursery school next door. Staff encourage parents to talk to them about changes at home in order that they can support and understand if the child has any changes in behaviour.

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provision

The leadership and management team in addition to the staff demonstrate a good understanding of how to promote children's learning through a broad variety of activities and experiences. They monitor children's progress in order to ensure every child has a good opportunity to meet their potential. The records of children's progress are clear and reflect clearly the ongoing progress they are making. Records are supported by clear observations of the children at play. If staff are concerned about the progress of a child they sensitively discuss the concern with parents and seek further advice.

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provision

The requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are understood and fully met. Robust systems are in place for the recruitment and induction of staff to ensure they are suitable for their roles within the nursery. Staff are supported in their work through regular staff meetings, supervision and annual appraisals. They are encouraged to undertake further training or attend workshops which will enhance their skills and the quality of the nursery provision for children. Safeguarding is regularly discussed at the staff meetings. Therefore, staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding children and they know what to do if they are concerned about a child in their care. The nursery has policies and procedures to support their practice and these are shared with parents ensuring everyone is aware of their roles and responsibilities. The staff are actively involved in the self assessment process to identify the nursery's strengths and

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provision

weaknesses. Staff and the management reflect, evaluate and plan to make relevant improvements. The managers are clearly aware of aspects for improvement and have appropriate plans in place. They seek the views of parents and staff to help ensure the provision is successful.

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provision

Partnerships with parents is generally strong. However, a minority of parents do not speak English. While, the nursery does have some staff who can speak additional languages, they do not have staff who can communicate in all the language used by the parents. This means that not all parents are fully involved in sharing information about their child. Many parents comment very favourably on the nursery provision and have decided to leave their children in this nursery rather than send them to nursery school. They comment on the high level of developmental progress their children have made, how happy their children are to attend and the kind and supportive management and staff.

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provision

The nursery has positive relationships with the nursery school and children's centre. Good relationships with the nursery and local schools enable visits to take place, which enhance the children's learning and aid smooth moves between settings. They share information and direct parents to the services of the children centre. They have developed positive relationships with the health visitor who attends the centre and welcome her advice and support. They make good use of the local authority services and training opportunities to continuously enhance their skills and the provision offered.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 EY405551 Local authority Slough Inspection number 831401 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 138 Name of provider Mighty Acorns Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 07/06/2010 Telephone number 01753570310

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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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