Acorn at Westcroft

Acorn at Westcroft 4 Wimborne Crescent, Westcroft, Milton Keynes, MK4 4DE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 March 2016 5 November 2012

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Children enjoy a wide range of stimulating activities delivered by enthusiastic and well- qualified staff. All children make good progress, including disabled children, those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language.  The manager and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to raising existing good standards of care and learning for children. They regularly seek the views of parents and children to identify areas for further improvement  Partnerships with parents and other professionals are strong. This helps to ensure consistency in children's learning and development, and contributes towards the good progress they make.  There is a range of good-quality toys, resources and nursery equipment to meet the children's individual needs across the play rooms.  Comprehensive risk assessments are carried out and staff routinely minimise or remove any potential risks so that children are able to play safely and securely.

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This provision is good

 Children behave well and they learn to share and take turns as they play.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always gather detailed information from parents about what their children can already do when they start.  The manager's monitoring of staff practice is not fully effective in ensuring that teaching is of a consistently high standard.

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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

 gain more information from parents about children's learning when they first start  evaluate teaching practices more precisely and focus on professional development to continue to raise the quality of teaching.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all play rooms.  The inspector had discussions with children, parents and staff.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at observation files, tracking systems, the self-evaluation form and a selection of policies and children's records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff are fully aware of their role in protecting children from harm and the procedures to follow if safeguarding concerns arise. Recruitment and vetting procedures are robust and new staff follow a thorough induction programme. The ongoing suitability of staff is monitored through one-to-one meetings and staff appraisals. The manager closely tracks the progress made by different groups of children and uses this information to further develop specific areas of learning, such as encouraging boys to engage in and enjoy writing activities. Staff observations and assessments of children's learning are used to help children catch up in their learning. Parents and carers speak highly of the nursery; they are well informed about their children's learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and they provide a welcoming and enticing learning environment. Children are enthusiastic and motivated to learn and they make choices about what they want to play with. Staff encourage children to talk about their experiences, ask questions, model language and introduce new words. Children investigate a variety of natural and sensory objects, and enjoy the tactile experiences of messy play. Children enjoy being physically active and exploring the outdoor areas. They delight in playing in the mud kitchen and enjoy 'forest school' activities at the local woods. Children use technology confidently; for example, they complete games on the interactive touch-screen. Children enjoy activities, in which they count, recognise colours, numbers and shapes.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The effective key-person system supports continuity in children's care and development. Staff build secure relationships with children and their parents during home visits and throughout their settling-in time. Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well. Children make friends and play cooperatively together. Staff promote children's good health. They provide nutritious home-cooked meals and encourage children to follow good hygiene routines. Children learn to keep themselves safe. For example, they practise the emergency evacuation procedure.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make particularly good progress in communication, language and literacy. They have many good opportunities to practise their early writing in all areas of learning. Children explore letters and their sounds, and enjoy taking books home to read with their parents. Children are encouraged to be independent. For example, babies and toddlers start to feed themselves and pre-school children prepare food for their snack. All children make good progress and are well prepared for school or the next stage in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY447038 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 1028123 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 64 Number of children on roll 104 Name of provider Acorn Childcare 2 Date of previous inspection 5 November 2012 Telephone number 01908 506 793

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Setting details

Acorn at Westcroft re-registered in 2012. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 14 staff and, of these, 13 staff hold relevant qualifications between level 2 and 5.

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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

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Setting details

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