The Academy Early Years Childcare Ltd

The Academy Early Years Childcare Ltd Celcon House, Power Station Road, Rugeley, WS15 2HS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 04/09/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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's independence skills are promoted well. Children serve themselves snacks and meals and they are developing an understanding of healthy lifestyles.  Children's independence skills are promoted well. Children serve themselves snacks and meals and they are developing an understanding of healthy lifestyles.  Children's progress is closely monitored by team leaders and the management team, to ensure that children are making progress and planning is completed correctly.  Partnerships with parents and external agencies are good. As a result, children's learning and development needs are consistently met to ensure children are making progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Monitoring systems are not yet fully embedded. As a result, there are some minor inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, particularly with less experienced staff.

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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 four playrooms and outside.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the registered individual, the manager and members of staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's developmental journals and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, this includes Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The Academy Early Years Childcare Ltd was registered in 2014 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in converted premises in the Rugeley area of Staffordshire. The nursery is managed by a private limited company. It serves the local area and is accessible to all children. The nursery operates from four rooms, two of which are on the first floor, and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. It employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The acting manager holds a degree in early childhood studies. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, except bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery provides care for children with special

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Information about the setting

educational needs and/or disabilities. There are currently 157 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range.

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

 embed the system for monitoring practice, to further improve the consistency of teaching, increasing the support for less experienced staff.

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who attend

Children are supported by staff that have a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop. The educational programmes provide children with a range of interesting and challenging experiences that build upon their prior learning. Information regarding children's learning and development at home is gathered from parents when they first join the nursery. This, along with initial observations and one-to-one activities with their key person, ensures that staff have a solid basis for the planning of children's next steps in learning. Planning, observations and assessments are used effectively to support individual children's learning and development needs. This is enhanced by ongoing information that is gathered from parents to ensure that children's interests are used to effectively plan suitable activities. As a result, children are making good progress. Any gaps identified are planned for to ensure children's progress is consistent. Children

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who attend

have developmental journals that show their progress towards the early learning goals. All children are working within their expected range of development. Where children have needed additional support, information has been sought from parents and assessments show that children are making progress. Close partnership working with parents is used to support any interventions necessary. Staff provide children with a range of opportunities to prepare them for their next stage of learning. For example, the younger children are familiar with staff in the next room as they spend times of the day together. This ensures that children are comfortable with staff and have firm relationships in place prior to moving rooms. The older children are supported through activities that are more structured and challenging. As a result, children are confident learners who settle quickly into their environment.

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who attend

In general, the quality of teaching across the setting is good. Staff use a range of skilful communication, demonstration and interaction to support the children's learning and development. As a result, children are making progress as they are focused and motivated to learn. Most staff engage well with the children and respond to their cues. For example, when children lose interest in an activity or resource and become restless, staff offer children alternatives to re-engage them in play. As a result, children stay focused and are well behaved. However, there are some occasions when the consistency of teaching can vary with some less experienced staff that are still developing their practice. For example, during a creative activity with the younger children, the communication, interaction and demonstration from the less experienced staff are limited. As a result, children lose interest and use the resources inappropriately as the activity becomes mundane and lacks

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who attend

challenge. Staff support children well with their language development. For example, story-time sessions in the toddler room are made fun and exciting through expressions and intonation, and stories are extended to introduce new language. As a result, children are eager to participate and remain focused throughout the session.

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who attend

The environment is well resourced and set out into purposeful, attractive and engaging learning spaces. Children use the outdoor space well, riding on wheeled vehicles, climbing and sliding, which promotes their physical development. Children are mindful of younger children and take care when they are nearby. Children are provided with a range of learning experiences that develop their skills. For example, they enjoy mark making with paper and pens and painting, which also helps to develop their early writing skills. Children have access to water play and sensory activities, such as shaving foam, as well as opportunities to dig in the soil. The children are able to make independent choices while being supported by staff that enhance their learning and development.

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

Staff support children effectively with understanding their expectations, so they know what acceptable behaviour looks like in the nursery. For example, children who demonstrate unacceptable behaviour are spoken to and distracted with activities to engage them in learning. All staff are consistent in their behaviour management, which helps the children feel emotionally secure. Staff are effective role models and are deployed well. They support children in managing risks and developing their awareness of how to play safely. For example, during outdoor play, staff place themselves near large play equipment. They engage children in discussions about their safety and how they need to behave on the equipment. Children engage well together, and the older children are developing close friendships as they seek out others to share experiences.

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

Children have access to a good range of age-appropriate resources, playing with them as they choose. Resources are clearly labelled and accessible, encouraging children to make independent choices. Independence is also promoted at mealtimes, as children serve themselves meals and drinks. Children are encouraged to manage their own personal hygiene routines and needs. As a result, they develop good self-help skills and are developing a growing sense of responsibility. Children are developing an understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles, by being provided with healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. Children learn to make healthy choices and understand which foods are good for them. For example, staff talk to the children about their lunch and how it will make them grow big and strong. Children have daily access to the outdoor area, where they can run about in the fresh air, in order to promote their physical well-being. Children learn to

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

assess and manage risks safely. For example, children look out for other children when using climbing frames or playing on ride-on vehicles.

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

Staff take time to get to know children and their families, to ensure that children settle well into the nursery. This supports children's emotional and physical well-being. Taster sessions are offered to enable children to settle in gradually, based on their individual needs and the wishes of their family. This, along with a strong key-person system, ensures that children are developing secure attachments. Staff gather information about children's home routines and care needs, and discuss these with parents as and when they change. As a result, children are confident, happy learners who settle quickly and mix well with other children. Children are well supported emotionally within the setting, resulting in children being confident and well prepared for the next stage of learning.

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provision

Staff are fully aware of the signs and symptoms of possible abuse, and their responsibility to report these to the designated safeguarding person within the nursery. They are also aware of their responsibility to report concerns to the relevant agencies, should they feel their concerns are not appropriately dealt with. The safe and appropriate use of mobile phones and cameras is clearly reinforced with staff and visitors. This ensures that children's safety is never compromised. Well-written policies and procedures clarify safeguarding expectations within the nursery, and these are available for parents to see. This ensures that everyone is aware of their responsibility in protecting children. Recruitment procedures focus on safeguarding, references are sought and original qualification certificates verified. Disclosure and Barring Service checks are used to confirm that staff are suitable to work with children. The setting operates a policy that when staff

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provision

sign in on a daily basis, they are declaring that their circumstances have not changed and their suitability to work with children is unchanged. As an extra check, the setting also seeks annual updates to ascertain staff's ongoing suitability.

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provision

The process of self-evaluation is developing. Staff seek the views of parents through questionnaires and daily feedback. As a result of this, the setting has introduced topics for the newsletter. In addition, they are looking into organising parents' evenings to support the sharing of information for children's learning and development. The views of staff are sought through regular team meetings, where ideas are shared to improve the service and opportunities for children's learning and development. The management team monitors the delivery of the curriculum. Peer observations are being introduced to help support the consistency of staff performance across the setting. Monitoring of planning and assessment is completed by the management team and ensures that all children are making progress. This ensures that any gaps in children's learning and development are identified quickly, so that timely interventions can be sought. Staff supervision is used to

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provision

support staff in understanding their roles and responsibilities, as well as looking at their individual training needs and how the setting can support with this. Completed training is shared with the team to support the setting in making improvements.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are good. Information is shared with parents through daily feedback, assessments and newsletters. Parents are involved in the timing of and the completion of the progress check for children aged between two and three years. They share information regarding children's interests and learning at home, to support staff in planning suitable activities that meet the needs of the children. Parents comment that the setting is 'brilliant', and that they are informed and involved in their children's learning and development. Partnerships with external agencies are established, and these are used to ensure that children's needs are consistently met. As a result, any issues in children's achievements are targeted and interventions quickly sought to ensure gaps are closing.

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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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 EY476230 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 961047 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 75 Number of children on roll 157 Name of provider The Academy Early Years Childcare Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07973117968

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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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