Alphabet Day Nursery

Alphabet Day Nursery Chiltern Edge School, Reades Lane, Sonning Common, near Reading, Berkshire. RG4 9LN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 August 2016 7 July 2014

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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

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

 Strategies to improve the quality of teaching in the nursery have not ensured that it is consistently strong.  Supervision meetings are not fully effective in providing support, training and coaching for staff in order to foster continuous improvement.  There is more to do to ensure boys develop good communication skills and achieve as well as the girls.  Children that need additional support with their speech and language do not always receive specialist help early enough.  Strategies to ensure parents are fully involved in their children's learning and development are not wholly successful.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff are kind and caring. They know the children they care for well.  Good procedures ensure that children settle in to the nursery quickly.  Children enjoy their time at the nursery. They are able to choose from a wide range of activities and resources.  Children's safety is given a high priority. The setting is secure. Children learn how to keep themselves safe, for example, when using knives at snack time to cut fruit.  The nursery has addressed all actions and recommendations identified since the last inspection.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 ensure there is sufficient focus on closing any gaps in the achievement of children or groups of children, especially those children that need extra help with their communication and language skills 30/11/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that supervision is effective and drives the improvements required in the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good. 30/11/2016

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 continue to develop strategies to ensure parents are fully involved in their children's learning and development.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to parents and took their views into account.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager of the nursery.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching and children's learning both inside and outdoors.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager of the nursery.  The inspector sampled documentation, including records of children's learning, staff files and suitability checks.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The written evaluation of the nursery is overly optimistic. However, in discussion the manager demonstrates a clear understanding of the need to develop staff's practice. A very recent action plan has been developed in order to bring about improvements. This rightly identifies the need to make sure that staff supervision is more effective. Although staff have opportunities to meet with the manager, this does not ensure that staff receive the training, mentoring and coaching they need to develop their teaching. The manager and deputy have worked together well to support the nursery during a challenging period. Safeguarding is effective. Lead practitioners for safeguarding have attended recent training. All staff are now fully aware of their duty to protect children and have a sound understanding of the policies and procedures to follow.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The quality of teaching is variable. Some staff interact well, providing a running commentary which ensures children hear a wide range of words throughout the day. For example, when children are measuring staff introduce words such as 'taller' during their play. This helps children begin to compare and order items. Other staff need more support to ensure that they actively engage with children at all times, both indoors and outside. Children of all ages have the opportunity to listen to stories; staff working with older children ask open-ended questions about the narrative. This encourages children to think and develop their early literacy skills. However, staff sometimes answer their own questions, rather than allowing children the time to think for themselves. Information from observations and assessments are used well to identify any gaps in children's learning. However, appropriate interventions are not always secured early enough to ensure

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

The key person system is generally effective, although there is still more to do to ensure parents are fully involved in their children's learning and development. For example, the nursery continue to try and attract more parents to attend review meetings about their children's progress. Staff know the children well and children develop warm relationships, which help them feel safe and secure while at nursery. Parents appreciate the small setting and the friendly environment. Staff are encouraging children to listen and develop their turn-taking and sharing skills in readiness for school. Behaviour is generally good, although this is an area where staff recognise they would benefit from further professional development.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children do not always make as much progress as possible, particularly in developing their communication and language skills, because the quality of teaching is inconsistent. Children are able to self-select from a wide range of resources and lead their own play. They now have more opportunities to develop independent skills such as pouring drinks and clearing their plates away after lunch. They are learning good manners and to play together cooperatively.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY276060 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 1056997 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 - 8 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person Aftab Ahmed

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 7 July 2014 Telephone number 0118 972 4783

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reference number

Alphabet Day Nursery is privately owned and registered in January 2004. It operates from three rooms in a purpose-built building. It is situated within the grounds of Chiltern Edge School, Sonning Common. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, all year round. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years. The nursery employs six staff. All have appropriate early years qualifications. The owner/manager holds Early Years Professional status.

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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

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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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