Acorn Community Nursery

Acorn Community Nursery Kingshead Close, Castlefields, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 2JE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13 May 2015 20 May 2014

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement 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 are qualified and motivated. They work well as a team to plan activities that interest and challenge children. This effectively helps children to make good progress in their learning given their individual starting points.  Staff are vigilant about children's safety. They clearly understand the nursery's safeguarding policy and implement comprehensive risk assessments to help ensure children's safety.  Staff are warm and caring. A strong key-person system makes sure all staff get to know children and their families well. Clear settling-in procedures help all children to settle quickly and form secure emotional attachments with staff.  The provider, manager and staff have fully embraced revised self-evaluation procedures. They have developed an ambitious development plan to sustain quality and to drive further improvement.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Occasionally, not all children are properly engaged in activities. This is because they are organised in large groups and are not effectively supported to sustain attention to benefit fully from the activity.  Revised procedures to monitor the quality of teaching are in their infancy. Managers do not use information, gained from observations of the quality of teaching, highly effectively to further support the professional development of staff.

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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

 improve the organisation and planning of large group activities in the pre-school, in order to fully retain children's interest and engagement to enhance their learning  enhance the use of information gained from observations and checking of the quality of teaching, to develop a more targeted programme of professional development for staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all the nursery's playrooms and all outdoor areas.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and had discussions with staff, including the room leaders.  The inspector looked at children's work, and records and planning documentation.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications, including first aid, of staff working with children and reviewed the provider's self-evaluation documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and children spoken to on the day, and in feedback provided to the nursery.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.

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who attend. This is good

Staff use good teaching techniques as they model enjoyment and enthusiasm for learning and play. They regularly observe and assess children's progress using a range of assessment tools. This gives them a good knowledge of each child's development, interests and learning styles. There is a good balance of adult-led play and children leading their own play. However, at times in the pre-school room, children are organised in large groups. Staff use their skills to talk to and engage children, although, some children are less involved than others, so they do not benefit fully from these activities. Staff regularly talk with parents to share information about their child's progress to involve them in their learning. Children's communication skills are promoted well as staff use playful language with babies. Staff read stories with great expression. They model appropriate language to enhance children's fun and extend their understanding of

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who attend. This is good

mathematical concepts, such as under, over or round. Children show good concentration and persistence as they fill cake cases with flour, explore damp coloured sand or use glue and boxes to make models. They learn necessary skills that help to ensure children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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good

Staff create a warm, safe environment in which children develop confidence and behave well. Children have positive relationships with adults. Babies look to staff for help when putting on their sunhats and enjoy cooperative games, such as rolling and kicking balls together. Older children follow good-hygiene routines and manage their personal needs well. Staff teach children how to clean their teeth correctly with fun action songs and rhymes. Mealtimes are used well to develop children's social and independence skills. Children benefit from freshly cooked meals that fill the nursery with appetizing smells and give rise to conversations about the benefits of eating healthily. A strong staff team and consistent routines within the nursery means that children are prepared well for their moves within the nursery. Planned activities and close links to local schools help children to prepare for their impending move to school.

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provision is good

The provider has a keen understanding and commitment to meet the learning and development, and safeguarding requirements. They have made considerable changes since the last inspection. They have provided staff training and revised the staffing structure by appointing room leaders. This has improved how staff record and track children's development. Managers observe and review the quality of teaching more closely. However, the information gained from such observations, is not yet used fully to further develop the quality of teaching. The nursery uses its strong links with the local authority and other professionals to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are fully supported. Safeguarding procedures are effective.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 303430 Local authority Halton Inspection number 1010682 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 70 Number of children on roll 151 Name of provider Astmoor Community Project Ltd Date of previous inspection 20 May 2014 Telephone number 01928 576 369

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Setting details

Acorn Community Nursery was registered in 2000. It is situated on the same site as Astmoor Primary School and Acorn Lifelong Learning centre in Runcorn. The nursery employs 23 members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 6, one at level 5, 17 at level 3 and three at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year, excluding bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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

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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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