Ambler Children's Centre and Extended School

Ambler Children's Centre & Extended School Ambler Primary School, Blackstock Road, LONDON, N4 2DR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31 March 2015 Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Not applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 Staff have good teaching skills. They successfully engage children in purposeful play across the seven areas of learning. They use questions effectively, which encourages children to think and work things out for themselves, increasing their learning.  The learning environment is interesting and challenging inside and out. This means that children are keen and enthusiastic in their learning.  Key persons ensure that children are well cared for and feel secure. This is because of their positive interactions and the strong emotional relationships they have established with them. Consequently, children have high self-esteem and confidence.  Staff give priority to keeping children safe and all staff benefit from up-to-date training to ensure safeguarding strategies are effective. The management implement robust recruitment and supervision procedures to help ensure the ongoing suitability of staff.

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This provision is good

 The centre has effective partnerships with parents and with other professionals at the children's centre, which helps to ensure that all children make good progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Although observations are routinely carried out to assess children's development, they are not always used to precisely plan the next developmental steps for babies.  Children's independence and self-care skills are not always enhanced, particularly during snack and lunchtime routines.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 make greater use of information gained from observation of children in the baby room to precisely plan to support their continued good progress  maximise children's independence skills, for example, by providing opportunities for them to help themselves to food and drink during snack and mealtimes

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the indoor and outdoor environments.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the head of the centre.  The inspector held meetings with the acting executive head of centre and the nominated person.  The inspector looked at a range of documents, including children's development records, policies and procedures, and evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection.

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who attend. This is good

Children have free access to a wide range of toys and resources in a stimulating learning environment. They become actively engaged because they can independently explore and choose activities that suit their individual interests. Children's language and communication skills are effectively promoted. Staff use skilful questions, asking children about the choices they make and encouraging them to solve problems for themselves. As a result, children are confident communicators who are curious and eager to learn. Staff use small group activities to ensure children who require additional support make progress in their learning and development in order to be ready to start school. Systems are in place to observe children and monitor their learning. However, the information gathered in the baby room is not consistently analysed to plan very precisely for the next steps in children's learning.

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good

Settling-in arrangements are good and children receive a home visit from their key person before they start at the centre. This helps them to form a good relationship with their key person and to feel safe and emotionally secure in their surroundings. Babies, toddlers and children benefit from outdoor activities on a daily basis, including a wooded area where they can explore the natural environment. Children manage their own personal hygiene and self-care as appropriate. They are encouraged to wash their hands and spread toppings on their bread at snack time. However, staff do not take further opportunities to promote independence at lunchtime as children are not able to serve their own food or help themselves to drinks.

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provision is good

Senior management are committed to improving outcomes for children and to ensuring that the quality of the centre is good. They have identified areas for improvement, such as providing additional support for children with English as an additional language. They have put strategies in place for this, which are already having a positive impact on children's progress. Staff are suitably vetted and qualified. They have all attended safeguarding and paediatric first-aid training. This means that they know how to deal with child protection concerns and medical emergencies. Regular supervision sessions help to ensure that staff are fully supported in all aspects of their professional development. The centre has developed effective partnerships with parents, other professionals at the children's centre and the school in which it is located. This ensures that all children get the support they need to make good progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY340678 Local authority Islington Inspection number 984912 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 88 Number of children on roll 111 Name of provider Ambler Primary School Governing Body Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 0207 226 4708

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Setting details

Ambler Children's Centre and Extended School registered in 2006. It is situated in Highbury, London Borough of Islington. The centre is open from 8am until 6pm each week day for 49 weeks of the year. The centre employs 28 members of staff, two of whom hold Qualified Teacher Status and 19 hold qualifications between level 3 and level 7. The centre receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four.

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Setting details

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

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Setting details

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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