Abacus Day Nursery

Abacus Day Nursery University Hospital Lewisham, Lewisham High Street, London, SE13 6LH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 June 2016 29 October 2013

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The exceptionally motivated and dynamic management team has high aspirations for the staff and children. Self-evaluation is comprehensive and includes the views of parents, children, staff and other professionals to help maintain their high-quality care standards and continuous improvements.  Staff and managers establish extremely effective partnerships with parents and other professionals. They work closely together to create a supportive culture and continuously strive to impact positively on outcomes for children and their families.  Staff create highly stimulating learning environments throughout to help effectively support children's sense of curiosity and their natural desire to explore and investigate.  Staff actively encourage children to lead their own play and provide them with the freedom to explore the wealth of rich, varied and imaginative resources and activities available.  Staff have an excellent knowledge of how children learn through play. They use their

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This provision is outstanding

observations and assessments to identify sharply focused next steps in learning for children. This helps children reach their full potential, particularly in their communication and language skills.  Throughout the nursery environment, children visibly flourish and grow in confidence, and their behaviour is extremely good.

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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

 build further on the high quality of professional development opportunities to help enhance staff's knowledge and practice even further.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities, both indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector sampled documentation, including children's assessment records, planning documentation and children's folders.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and discussed the self-evaluation and improvement plan.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The management uses its meticulous records and policies consistently to help promote children's safety and welfare. All staff, including students, have a secure and up-to-date knowledge of how to keep children safe and what to do should they have a concern about a child's welfare. Safeguarding is effective. Staff receive excellent ongoing coaching. They use any new knowledge, such as through training, to improve their practice. For example, after early literacy training, staff created bags with stories and props in, and shared with parents how they can use them to help build on their children's learning. Management effectively monitors staff practice. It uses its observations to help focus its feedback to staff. It plans to develop this further to help maintain its high standard of practice and more precisely target staff's continuous development.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff join in with children as they play and demonstrate a genuine interest and passion for their work. An excellent mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities helps ensure children remain extremely keen and eager to learn. Staff have an excellent knowledge of children's individual needs and current stage of development. They use this well to help them ensure that children who require extra help receive it. Children thoroughly enjoy sensory and messy play. For example, staff set out a play farm and add water, grass and different cereals, such as oatmeal and wheat-based ones, for children to explore. Staff use this, and their skilful questioning, to reinforce children's physical and imaginary development and extend children's critical thinking skills extremely well.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff provide children with stability and work extremely well with parents to plan to meet children's needs and care routines from the start. Children form extremely strong attachments with their key person. They are highly motivated and develop positive self- esteem. Staff consistently help children learn how to behave well, share and take turns. Children gain an excellent awareness of healthy lifestyles and how to keep themselves safe. Children's independence and their sense of responsibility are nurtured superbly each day. Outings to the local community help children to find out about the world around them and build further on their social skills away from the setting.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children all make excellent progress in their development from their starting points, and any gaps in their learning are closing quickly. Their emotional and physical well-being are excellent. Children are confident and enthusiastic learners. They are extremely well prepared with the skills needed for their next stage of learning, including school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 508600 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 1028303 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 29 October 2013 Telephone number 0208 333 3000

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reference number

Abacus Day Nursery registered in 1997 and is located in the London Borough of Lewisham. The nursery opens each weekday from 7am to 6pm, all year round. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. The nursery employs 19 members of staff; of whom, 18 hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 2, level 3, level 4 and level 5.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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 .

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reference number

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

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reference number

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

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