Apricot Day Nursery

Apricot Day Nursery Lescun Close, Pangbourne Road, Upper Basildon, Reading, Berkshire, RG8 8LN

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 January 2016 22 January 2015

p.1

3

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

p.1

3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

p.1

This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The teaching to promote younger children's communication and language is inconsistent and children do not receive support to make the best possible progress in this area.  Managers do not effectively monitor staff performance and provide guidance and support to improve the quality of teaching. Staff do not consistently provide sufficient challenge to extend children's learning through their play. Some activities are mundane and do not fully capture children's interest.  The owner does not have robust systems to evaluate the service. Key weakness have not been adequately identified and so plans for further improvement are not targeted well enough. The provider has not taken prompt action to address areas for improvement identified at the last inspection.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Staff are warm and sensitive to the children's individual care needs and provide secure routines.  Children thoroughly enjoy being outdoors and get plenty of physical exercise. For example, they enjoy hiding in the tunnels and dens, riding around the race track and studying nature.  Children are provided with a good range of healthy snacks and meals.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

p.2

Due Date

 improve the educational programme for communication and language for the younger age group 17/03/2016

p.2

Due Date

 develop an effective process for monitoring staff's performance to address inaccuracies in assessments, to improve the quality and consistency of teaching, and to help staff focus more precisely on meeting each child's individual needs. 17/03/2016

p.2

Due Date

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

p.2

Due Date

 make effective use of self-evaluation to focus more precisely on identifying key aspects of the provision that need improvement and taking timely action to address these.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and looked at samples of children's assessments and records, and a range of other documentation.  The inspector held a meeting with the owner and the manager, and spoke with staff.  The inspector spoke to a selection of parents and carers during the inspection, and took account of their views.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a clear understanding of how to keep children safe. Procedures for recruitment and checking ongoing staff suitability are secure. The manager has started to observe the quality of teaching but this has not been monitored rigorously enough. Staff feedback does not include purposeful targets for further improvement and the quality of teaching remains inconsistent. Staff monitor children's progress to ensure that gaps in learning are identified, although these are not always acted upon in a timely way. Most staff hold relevant childcare qualifications and attend regular professional development opportunities. This has had a positive impact on how staff manage behaviour and the routine of the day. The setting works adequately in partnership with other professionals so that children with additional needs receive coordinated support.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The quality of teaching is variable. While children enjoy their time at the setting, they do not receive consistent support to help them make good progress. Some of the activities are not well planned and, on occasion, some staff do not extend children's learning as they offer too much direction. Children's communication and language is suitably promoted in the older age range. For example, they sing counting songs and some children link sounds to letters as they write their names. However, this area of learning is not supported as well in the younger age groups. Younger children enjoy reading books with staff and take part in daily arts and crafts. Disabled children and those who have special educational needs are suitably supported. Staff share observations and assessments with parents to keep them informed about their children's progress.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff have created a friendly and welcoming environment. Children are happy overall, although they engage better in some activities than others. They are settled and form secure attachments with their key person. Behaviour has improved and staff offer praise and encouragement. Children learn to manage their feelings and to share. Children develop suitable levels of independence and some children serve themselves at lunchtime. Opportunities for children to play outside help to promote their health and physical development. They are learning about staying safe as staff generally model safety in some aspects of their play.

p.3

Outcomes for children require improvement

Children develop some skills for their future learning. However, the weaknesses in teaching mean that they do not consistently receive support to make the best possible progress.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY317616 Local authority West Berkshire (Newbury) Inspection number 1036163 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 25 Number of children on roll 38 Name of provider Eve-Maria Loisel Date of previous inspection 22 January 2015 Telephone number 01491 671 044

p.4

Setting details

Apricot Day Nursery registered in 2006. It is situated in Upper Basildon on the outskirts of Pangbourne, Berkshire. The nursery opens each weekday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years. The nursery employs 10 staff, of whom seven hold relevant early years qualifications at level 3 or level 4.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

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 reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Setting details

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

Setting details

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

p.5