Acorn Nursery

Acorn Nursery Ministry of Defence, Mail Centre, Main Building, Horse Guards Avenue, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2HB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 December 2016 15 August 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 highly qualified and experienced leaders are passionate about achieving the highest standards throughout the provision. Their enthusiasm is shared by the strongly motivated team of staff, who work together efficiently to provide an outstanding level of care and education for the children attending.  Children benefit from an exceptional range of learning experiences indoors and outdoors. They are highly motivated and engaged as they explore the exciting and challenging activities. All children make excellent progress from their starting points, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.  Staff build highly successful partnerships with parents and other professionals. They work together very effectively to support children's ongoing learning. Parents give extremely positive feedback on the provision. They say that staff are exceptionally

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This provision is outstanding

warm and caring, helping their children to settle in well and feel confident and secure.  Children have excellent opportunities to explore their interests and develop their understanding of the world around them, including respect for individual differences.  All members of staff receive comprehensive training on how to maintain a safe and healthy environment for children. They implement this extremely well. Staff teach children effectively to assess risks and keep themselves safe.

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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

 continue to develop the already excellent opportunities for children to learn about different people and communities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector observed a range of activities and care routines, and evaluated the quality of staff's interactions with children.  The inspector had a meeting with the nursery manager and representatives from the company.  The inspector looked at a sample of documentation.  The inspector spoke to parents, children and staff, and took into account their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The manager and staff are highly responsive to parents' and children's views in their determination to provide an excellent service. They evaluate the provision thoroughly and use a range of audits to achieve and maintain the highest quality. The manager has extremely high expectations of all staff. She monitors their practice effectively and uses regular supervisions to further enhance their excellent teaching. Staff have extensive opportunities for further professional development through a wide range of training, for example. They successfully implement what they have learned, for example, using questioning effectively to extend children's thinking. Safeguarding is effective. Thorough recruitment and induction procedures, and ongoing checks, ensure staff's suitability to care for children and keep them safe from harm.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Children are happy and engaged in this vibrant and friendly nursery. Staff regularly observe children's play, which gives them an excellent knowledge of what children know and can do. Rigorous monitoring and regular assessments of children's development allow staff to meticulously plan for and support the next steps in children's learning. Children have extensive experiences to help them learn about different people and communities. For example, children of all ages visited the local Christmas market with staff to broaden their understanding of how this festival is celebrated. The manager, staff and parents are working together to develop this area of learning even further.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children enjoy daily outings, gaining fresh air and exercise. For example, a visit to a nearby construction site enabled them to find out about the vehicles and materials used for construction, and to learn how construction workers keep themselves safe. Children's self-esteem and confidence are embedded through praise and encouragement from the staff. Children play extremely well together and behaviour is exemplary. Children are extremely independent and staff are highly responsive to children's interests to extend their skills. For example, older children asked to make smoothies; they calculated how much milk and fruit they needed, and used knives competently to cut up the fruit.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children develop keen attitudes to learning and become highly confident in their own abilities. They enjoy trying things out for themselves, responding to new and challenging experiences with great enthusiasm. For example, younger children were highly engaged as they discovered how to melt and break ice to release the toys frozen inside. Rich and meaningful opportunities to develop their early writing skills give older children a strong foundation in literacy, ready for when they start school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY286501 Local authority Westminster Inspection number 1061792 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 40 Number of children on roll 50 Name of registered person Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 15 August 2013 Telephone number 020 7218 4129

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reference number

Acorn Nursery is a workplace setting and is part of the Bright Horizons Family Solutions company. It registered in 2004 and is situated in the London Borough of Westminster. It is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. Of the 12 members of staff, two hold qualified teacher status, one holds a relevant qualification at level 6, and six staff hold childcare qualifications at level 3 or level 2.

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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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