Abacus Pre-School Nursery Limited

Abacus Pre-School Nursery LTD Warwickshire County Council, Dassett C of E Primary School, Memorial Road, Fenny Compton, SOUTHAM, Warwickshire, CV47 2XU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/04/2014 20/09/2011

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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 make good progress in their learning and development, well supported by staff who skilfully question children to extend their spoken language and develop their thinking and problem solving skills.  Staff form strong, positive relationships with children and their families, which supports children to settle quickly into the nursery, able to engage confidently in the activities and resources available.  The staffing team, supported by the management committee, make the best use of the resources and space available to them. The staffing team ensure that future plans are effectively targeted towards having the greatest impact on children's learning.  Staff give safeguarding highest priority, ensuring they attend regular training to update their understanding of best practice. Children are supported to become independent and confident, so that they can express their needs and feelings to trusted adults.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope for staff to further enrich children's experiences of the world around them through incorporating more about their and their families own communities and traditions.  Monitoring systems do not fully ensure that the accurate understanding that staff have about children's next steps is securely linked to planning to challenge children to make better than good progress.

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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 main playroom and outside play.  The inspector held meetings and conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the nursery's self-evaluation and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.  The inspector looked at a sample of children's records and planning documentation.  The inspector spoke to staff and children throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Abacus Pre-School Nursery LTD opened in 1991 and re-registered in 2011. The nursery is a registered charity managed by a committee of parents and carers. The nursery operates from a classroom attached to the primary school in Fenny Compton, Warwickshire. The nursery serves children from the local and surrounding areas. The nursery is open five days a week, from 9am to 3pm, during term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 26 children in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are currently five staff working directly with children, all of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the

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Information about the setting

compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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

 broaden the good range of experiences available for children to learn about the world around them through incorporating more about their own and their families communities and traditions

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

 strengthen monitoring systems to ensure that the accurate understanding of children's progress and next steps is linked more securely to planning to challenge children to make even better progress in their learning and development.

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who attend

Skilled and knowledgeable staff provide stimulating resources and engage meaningfully in children's play to effectively support them to make good progress in their learning and development. Staff get to know children very well, so that each child's key person is able to accurately assess their skills and abilities and understand their next steps in learning and development. This clear understanding of children's needs enables staff to effectively tailor support and intervention to ensure that children's progress stays on track. As a result, gaps between groups of children are closing given their starting points and individual needs. Staffs' sharp focus on helping children to acquire strong language and communication skills and to support children's physical, personal, social and emotional development means that children are ready for the next stage of learning. Continued excellent support and strong links with the primary school means that children are

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who attend

exceptionally well-prepared for school. Children enjoy weekly trips to the reception class where they share a story and singing time, have use of the school hall and play areas and children can choose to have a school lunch while at the nursery. These links enable children's smooth transition into school.

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who attend

Children are happy and enjoy their time in the nursery playing with and exploring the activities that provide rich and varied experiences across all areas of learning. They have fun exploring the outdoors using magnifying glasses to observe the details in the natural world around them. They play imaginatively with small world figures, playing alongside with one another sensitively supported by staff, who talk to children to extend their vocabulary and story lines. Children's critical thinking and problem solving skills are very well supported through staffs' skilful questioning techniques. Staff involve children in the process of elimination to identify who will be the helper of the day by narrowing down the common characteristics of children. Children are encouraged to make predictions guessing whether there are more or less children today than there were yesterday. Children consider their answers and take great delight in being right. Children are developing their

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who attend

understanding of the world around them and participate in activities to learn about their own and others' traditions and festivals. For example, children enjoyed parading their home-made Easter bonnets and singing Easter themed songs for parents and children from the school reception class. They have also learnt about Chinese New Year, Diwali and Remembrance Day. However, the communities and traditions that children learn about do not always fully reflect those of children themselves and their families. This potentially limits the depth of children's appreciation of the differences and similarities between themselves and their peers.

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who attend

Parents and carers talk very highly about the nursery and the excellent support that staff provide their children. They describe how well their children have progressed during their time in the nursery and for children who have now moved on to school how smooth and seamless the transition has been. Staff form positive relationships with parents and carers sharing information right from the start to enable them to work together to support children's learning and development. Staff keep parents informed about the activities and experiences they provide to support children's learning. Parents and carers can access children's learning journey records at any time and there are regular parents' evenings for these to be formally reviewed with staff. Staff are also exploring different ways to encourage parents and carers to contribute more regularly and formally to children's learning journey records.

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

While there is a well-established key person system in place, all members of the small staffing team form close positive relationships with children and their families. The open and relaxed atmosphere of the nursery enables parents and carers to take time to settle their children. The positive relationships that build between parents and staff provide a firm basis from which children's trust and sense of security in staff grows. Positive attachments with all staff that care for children are extremely well supported by the sensitive and caring interactions children experience. For example, when children are resistant to becoming involved in group activities, staff gently encourage them to participate at their own pace, creating positive experiences when they do engage. Building on these experiences and supportive emotional attachments, children quickly become confident, active learners, who are emotionally well-prepared for the next stage in their

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

learning and indeed the move on to school or other settings. As a result, children are quick to settle in the nursery, happy to wave goodbye to parents and carers at the window before confidently and enthusiastically engaging in the activities and resources available to them.

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

Children are forming positive relationships at all levels and play well together supported by staff, who calmly and positively talk to children about any unwanted behaviour. Children's behaviour is very good because staff are consistent and remind children of the agreed expectations for how they all do things at nursery. Through the clear expectations discussed with children, they are developing a good understanding of the actions and behaviours that help to keep them safe. This is further supported by planned activities to deepen children's understanding of how to keep safe, for example, through activities that focus on road safety and reading traffic light signals.

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

Staff support and encourage children to become independent both in making their own choices about what they want to do and in meeting their own personal needs. As a result, children are very able at using cutlery to eat school lunches or to unpack and eat their packed lunches. Children are supported to make healthy choices and enjoy a healthy selection of snacks during both morning and afternoon sessions. Without direct access to a fully enclosed outside area, staff strive to provide children with as frequent access to outside play as possible, re-enforcing for children the importance of regular physical activity. Children also enjoy being able to access the school hall to participate in music and movement activities, learning how their bodies move and gaining increasing control. Opportunities to be outside are further enhanced with the use of resource boxes that provide varied activities and experiences, so that children can take their learning outside

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provision

Staff have a very secure understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. They prioritise limited training resources to focus on staying up to date with safeguarding best practice and first aid. As a result, children are kept safe because staff are confident in their knowledge and understanding of how to safeguard them and respond appropriately to an accident or emergency. The management committee share this commitment to children's safety and well-being, with the chairperson completing safer recruitment training and working with the manager to ensure that all appropriate suitability checks are completed on all staff. The manager and her staffing team are all well-qualified and use their solid understanding of how children learn and develop to effectively teach children in their care. The manager guides and monitors the planning of the educational provision for children to ensure that this provides depth and

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provision

breadth across all areas of learning. Where imbalance in provision is identified, improvement plans are implemented to ensure that this is addressed. For example, staff have recently increased children's access to information, communication and technology and mathematical problem solving activities. Monitoring of the quality of assessment and children's progress ensures all children continue to make good progress from accurately identified starting points and that targeted support and intervention is provided when needed. This means that gaps between children in their learning are closed quickly given children's starting points and individual needs. However, monitoring does not always ensure that planning securely and accurately captures the next steps in children's learning to provide a level of challenge that will move them on from making good to excellent progress.

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provision

Self-evaluation is child focused and this ensures that improvements plans are aimed at broadening and enriching the experiences available to children to further support their learning and development. For example, staff have targeted improvement towards optimising the restricted time and space available for outside play. As a result, children's outside learning experiences are enhanced with the use of outside resource boxes that contain objects, such as magnifying glasses, that children activity explore with. The staffing team work well together and are committed to reflecting on practice and making improvements, supported by a volunteer management committee that works to develop and extend the resources available them. The manager monitors and mentors staff to help them to continue to develop their teaching skills and makes effective use of limited training resources through supporting staff to share and disseminate learning from any

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provision

training that they access. This helps to improve the quality of teaching and care provided for all children.

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provision

Parents and carers are actively involved in the nursery, either directly through taking on volunteer roles in the management committee and organising fund raising events, or through supporting the events and activities of the nursery. There is a sense of community within the nursery and parents are eager to share their positive experiences and admiration for the commitment, care and attention staff provide for their children's welfare, learning and development. Children thrive in the mutual trust and respect that the adults in their lives share, working positively together to promote the best start for them. When needed, staff work proactively with parents to engage with external agencies and services to secure appropriate interventions for children, which ensures that all children are effectively supported to make good progress.

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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 EY419793 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 874394

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 26 Name of provider Abacus Pre-School Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 20/09/2011 Telephone number 01295771050

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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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