Little Learners Nursery

Little Learners Nursery Congreave Lines, Royal Artillery Barracks, Repository Road, London, SE18 4BB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 December 2016 7 March 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

 Staff form good relationships with children and place strong emphasis on nurturing their emotional well-being and self-esteem. Children are well prepared for their future learning including starting school.  The manager effectively monitors staff practice. Staff benefit from good training opportunities and the manager helps them to continuously reflect on their practice.  Children are happy, confident and ready to learn through play. They make good progress from their starting points.  Staff have a secure understanding of safeguarding including the importance of monitoring children's attendance. They are confident with the procedure to follow if they have welfare concerns about children and their families.  Staff are particularly skilled at supporting children to acquire good mathematical skills. For example, they provide a variety of counting and sorting activities to help children understand numbers.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not consistently gain in-depth information from parents regarding children's development when they start at the nursery. This does not help them to identify children's next steps in learning even more precisely.  At times, staff miss opportunities during planned activities to challenge and extend children's learning even further.

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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

 improve the information sharing with parents, especially when children start at the setting to help identify their starting points of learning more precisely  consider ways to encourage staff to make the most of the exciting activities they provide to challenge and extend children's learning even further.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and held discussions about children's progress.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector held meetings with the management team and looked through samples of documentation such as policies, staff suitability and qualifications.  The inspector looked at a sample of children's learning and development records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The manager ensures that staff are deployed successfully to keep children safe. There are effective safety procedures and rigorous risk assessments to help children play safely in the learning environment. The manager ensures that the quality of teaching is consistent throughout the nursery. She monitors children's development effectively to help all children make good progress. For example, since the last inspection, significant improvements have been made regarding the teaching of mathematics in the nursery. Ongoing assessments of areas for development are clearly extending children's care and learning. The manager and staff work closely with parents and seek their views to evaluate the effectiveness of their practice.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Overall, staff make regular observations and assessments and plan well for children's next steps of learning. Children make their own choices in where they play and confidently explore the environment. For example, while playing outside, some children pretend to be builders and use different tools to dig and mix sand. Staff engage well with children and encourage them to acquire good communication and language skills. For example, they consistently give clear instructions and ask children questions that help them to think and speak. Opportunities for children to develop their early literacy skills are available throughout the nursery. For example, children learn to recognise and write their names with increasing skill.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff have a caring approach and are sensitive to children's individual needs. Children settle well and leave their parents to choose an activity that engages them. Children learn about risk and how to manage this. For example, they complete mini risk assessments as they explore the garden, checking all areas to ensure it is safe before they play. Staff also remind them to be careful and look out for their friends as they ride different equipment and take age-appropriate risks. Staff are prompt to address negative behaviours and encourage children to share and take turns. This contributes successfully to children's understanding of managing their behaviour.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who have special educational needs, gain skills needed for starting school. Children are confident and sociable. For example, they form good relationships with each other and contribute immensely to discussions. Children develop a great interest in the natural world. For example, they enjoyed a specialised outdoor activity where they used tree branches to make camps and fires. In addition, they grow tomatoes and staff use the opportunity to teach them about different seasons and weathers.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY448775 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 1062694 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 70 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person Victoria House (Woolwich) Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 7 March 2013 Telephone number 020 8781 4387

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reference number

Little Learners Nursery registered in 2012. The nursery is owned by the British Army and run by a management committee. It is based in a single-storey purpose-built premise in the Royal Artillery Barracks, within the London Borough of Greenwich. The nursery is open from 9am to 3pm each weekday, during term time only. A total of 10 staff work at the nursery, seven of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 3 and above. This includes one staff member who holds early years professional status. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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

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

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