Acorns Nursery School

Acorns Nursery School Shackleford Village Hall, Shackleford, Godalming, Surrey, GU8 6AE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 July 2015 12 October 2010

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is outstanding

 The quality of teaching across the setting is outstanding. Staff interact with children excellently, which contributes to children being highly motivated and fully engaged in their play and learning. Consequently, children make significant progress from their starting points and are very well prepared for school.  Well qualified and knowledgeable staff complete rigorous assessments, and planning is sharply focused on every child's needs. They use a wide range of questions, and ensure children have time to think and respond. Consequently, children are motivated to become very active learners and to develop good thought processes.  Children are supported to settle well in the caring and exceptionally supportive environment. Praise and encouragement are offered at every opportunity to support children's emotional well-being. They develop high levels of confidence and independence that allow them to eagerly play and explore.

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This provision is outstanding

 Children develop excellent early-reading and early-writing skills. Staff provide focused teaching and a rich learning environment to help children link letters to sounds, recognise and write their names and understand rhyming words, during the day.  Resources are generally plentiful and extremely well thought-out to enrich children's learning, although there are fewer resources readily available to increase children's awareness of technology.  All children behave exceptionally well. Staff use excellent methods to manage their behaviour and apply rules and boundaries consistently and sensitively.  The inspirational and highly motivated leader and staff continually reflect on, and review, all areas of the provision and practice. They drive improvements in the pursuit of excellence, enhancing the extremely good outcomes for children even further.

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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

 explore further ways of promoting children's use of technology, to enhance their skills in this area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning, inside and outside.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery leader.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery leader and looked at relevant documentation, such as a range of children's records, planning and evaluation documentation, and the information exchanged with parents and external professionals.  The inspector spoke to a selection of parents and children during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspector reviewed documents and procedures relating to safeguarding and checked a selection of other policies.

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who attend. This is outstanding

Staff have an extensive knowledge of how children learn and provide an outstanding range of learning opportunities. They consistently encourage children so that they become confident, want to do well and persevere. For example, children become absorbed in role play, making a car using large wooden blocks and driving it. Children are provided with an enriching range of activities, which promote their communication and literacy skills. They enjoy singing songs and repeating well-known phrases from their favourite stories to build on these. Self-registration name cards provide children with regular opportunities to practise recognising their names, and are an aid to help children copy from when they are learning to write. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are extremely well supported by staff who have an expert understanding of their individual needs. This all results in children being exceptionally well prepared for their next stage in learning.

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outstanding

Children are enthusiastic, settled and display high levels of self-esteem. Children form warm and trusting relationships with all staff and readily seek them out for comfort when needed. Staff follow excellent practices and procedures to support children's health, which promote their emotional and physical well-being extremely well. Children develop independence skills as they choose their snacks and successfully pour their own drinks. Staff encourage discussions about foods that are healthy and those that are not. Children enjoy daily outdoor play, and benefit from fresh air and exercise. Consequently, children are developing a very secure understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles.

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provision is outstanding

The nursery leader demonstrates an excellent understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She closely monitors the educational programme, which ensures that activities are always motivating and children make excellent progress. There is a rigorous programme of staff supervision and performance monitoring. In addition, targeted staff training means that practice continually improves, ensuring children's learning experiences are of an exceptionally high quality. Meticulous safeguarding procedures are implemented by the staff who place the utmost importance on ensuring children are extremely safe and secure at all times. The views of all children and parents are carefully recorded to provide an inclusive action plan to further improve the already impressive provision.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY231141 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 837086 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 53 Name of provider Acorns Nursery School Committee Date of previous inspection 12 October 2010 Telephone number 01483 426437

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Setting details

Acorns Nursery School registered in 2003 and is a committee-run group. It is located in Shackleford Village Hall, near Godalming in Surrey. The nursery is open each weekday from 9am until 2.45pm, each weekday during term time only. The nursery employs 10 members of staff; of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications, including three who hold Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years old. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are learning English as an additional language.

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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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