Longacre Day Nursery

Longacre Day Nursery 28 Pilgrims Way East, Otford, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN14 5QN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 August 2016 16 April 2013

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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 are confident, settled and happy. They enjoy a range of interesting and stimulating activities and resources indoors and outdoors. Staff interact with enthusiasm, warmth and care with the children.  Managers are ambitious and reflective. They have a clear vision for improvement for the nursery and strategies in place to achieve it. This includes effective recruitment processes and a staff training programme.  Activity planning caters for individual children's needs and interests. Staff observe children carefully and thoughtfully to develop activities and extend their learning.  Staff are positive role models and have high expectations for good behaviour. Children behave well and are respectful and thoughtful towards staff and each other.  Children gain the necessary skills to help them progress well and prepare them for the next steps in their learning, including starting school.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 On occasions, staff miss some opportunities to fully encourage literacy for older children.  Staff provide some opportunities for children to hear different languages but they do not always extend opportunities for them to learn about people and communities beyond their immediate experience.

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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

 develop more opportunities for children to practise their early reading and writing skills in preparation for future learning  build further on the existing opportunities for children's learning about the differences between themselves and others in their local community and the wider world.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the children taking part in planned and freely chosen activities and observed staff practice.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke to staff, children and parents.  The inspector sampled relevant documentation, including self-evaluation and summaries of children's progress.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Managers and staff understand their role and responsibility in protecting children and know the actions to take if there are concerns for children's welfare. New staff complete a comprehensive induction programme and are mentored by senior staff. Staff are well supported by management. For example, they have appraisals and staff meetings to update knowledge, share good practice and address training needs. Managers and staff establish good relationships with parents, updating and exchanging details about their children's progress and development. Parents' feedback is positive and they particularly appreciate the garden. Managers communicate well with other settings children attend. This helps children to feel confident about their move to school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

There is a good balance of child-led and adult-initiated activities. Babies enjoy feeling the different textures in books and rolling rattles along the floor. Staff extend older children's vocabulary, understanding and thinking skills. They make consistent use of skilful questioning to support children's learning. Staff build on children's interest in the garden to extend activities. For example, children are able to identify and name herbs and consider the differences between the nursery garden and their own. They count the number of carrots they dig up and compare their sizes. Observations and assessments of children's progress are accurate and staff use the information they obtain to plan activities that offer a good level of challenge.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children settle easily and play happily. Staff support children's health well, for example, collecting information such as sleep routines and details of allergies when children start nursery. Resources are used well to extend children's learning and enjoyment. They are stored at a low level so that children can make independent choices in their play. Children are confident to take risks and manage their own needs, as well as considering the needs of others. For example, children carefully carry jugs of water around the table at lunchtime, filling everybody's cup. Children's behaviour is good. They listen carefully to staff and follow instructions.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are keen to explore. Babies delight in watching bubbles float and pop. Older children investigate the different sounds they can make using household objects. Children contribute their own ideas for activities, such as attempting to jump and clap at the same time. Older children learn valuable skills in readiness for school. For example, they are able to share and take turns and learn to write their name.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY269941 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1061729 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 19 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person Longacre Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 16 April 2013 Telephone number 01959 522473

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reference number

Longacre Day Nursery registered in 1998. It is situated in Otford, in Sevenoaks, Kent. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, 51 weeks a year. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 11 staff, of whom eight hold relevant qualifications from level 3 to level 4. The nursery ethos is Montessori based.

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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

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reference number

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