Acorn Under 5 Pre -School

Acorn Under 5 Pre -School Old Oak Community Centre, 76 Braybrook Street, LONDON, W12 0AP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 March 2017 30 January 2015

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision is inadequate

 Leaders fail to safeguard children adequately. They do not know the correct procedures to follow in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff and do not ensure all staff follow the setting's safeguarding policy effectively.  Leaders do not ensure all staff have a secure knowledge of child protection issues and all signs that a child is at risk of harm. Children's well-being is at risk.  Not all staff manage children's behaviour appropriately or support children to learn about expectations and boundaries effectively.  Staff do not use assessment effectively to accurately identify children's starting points and to plan their next steps in learning. Leaders do not monitor the progress of all groups of children successfully. Outcomes for children are not good enough.  Leaders do not use self-evaluation effectively to identify all weaknesses. They do not ensure staff plan a balance of activities indoors and outside to support children's choice

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This provision is inadequate

of where to play. This limits the experiences for children who prefer to learn indoors.  Staff have not made the most of opportunities to teach children and parents about healthy eating and living a healthy lifestyle. This does not promote children's health.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff plan group activities well and children enjoy joining in with songs and rhymes.  Leaders understand how to work in collaboration with other professionals. For example, they work well alongside speech therapists to support consistency in children's care.

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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

 improve understanding of the setting's safeguarding procedures and implement these effectively, in particular, to ensure the manager and all staff understand the correct procedure to follow in the event of an allegation being made against any adult working with children to help keep them safe 29/03/2017

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Due Date

 ensure all staff gain a secure knowledge of safeguarding matters, including all aspects of child protection issues and all signs that a child may be risk of harm, in line with guidance from the Local Safeguarding Children Board 29/03/2017

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Due Date

 implement effective strategies to ensure children's behaviour is managed appropriately and help children to understand why some behaviours are unsuitable and how their actions affect others 29/03/2017

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Due Date

 develop effective systems of assessment to gain a true understanding of children's abilities when they start attending and to monitor their progress consistently over time to improve outcomes for children. 29/03/2017

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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

 develop effective systems of self-evaluation to identify and act upon all weaknesses in practice and to improve the quality of the setting  offer children more opportunities to make independent choices about where they would like to play, particularly to support those children who prefer to learn inside  find ways to support parents more effectively to provide healthy and nutritious options for their child's snacks and lunches at the setting to promote their good health.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff's teaching practice and children's learning experiences, indoors and outside.  The inspector spoke to parents to gain their views and experiences of the setting.  The inspector spoke with children and staff at appropriate times during the inspection and held a meeting with the manager.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at a sample of children's learning records, staff observations and planning, and a range of policies and documentation, such as the suitability of staff, and the setting's safeguarding procedures.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is ineffective. Leaders lack suitable knowledge of the appropriate steps to take if an allegation is made against a member of staff, and do not know how to implement the setting's safeguarding procedures effectively. For example, the manager describes that she would investigate an allegation with the staff concerned before reporting it to the relevant agencies. This is not the appropriate action to take as it may undermine the work of safeguarding professionals. Leaders have not ensured that all staff have a secure understanding of all safeguarding issues, particularly how to recognise the signs that a child may be suffering from harm. Self-evaluation is weak. Leaders do not monitor the quality of the setting effectively and have failed to identify breaches of requirements. However, leaders provide staff with opportunities for supervision and some continued professional development. In general, partnerships with parents are effective.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

For example, parents have opportunities to give feedback on the setting, which helps build links between home and the nursery.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff plan some engaging activities that children are keen to explore and they support children's physical skills well. For example, staff provide equipment that enables children to develop their coordination and balance. At times, staff do not support children to choose whether they prefer to play outside, which reduces the learning experiences for those who learn better indoors. Staff support children to understand early mathematical concepts. For example, they encourage children to explore capacity using natural materials, such as sand. Staff do not use assessment effectively. They do not gather some children's starting points precisely enough to enable them to plan effectively for each child's ongoing development or monitor their progress carefully over time.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

The leaders and staff have a weak knowledge of safeguarding matters, which has a detrimental effect on children's welfare. Furthermore, staff do not support children effectively to manage their feelings and behaviour. For example, at times, staff move children around to where they want them to be, which does not support their emotional well-being adequately. Children do not develop their understanding of appropriate boundaries effectively. For example, they do not learn about why some behaviour is unwanted and how this may affect their friends. Children have opportunities to be active. However, staff do not do enough to help children and families make more healthy choices for lunch and snack times. Staff use risk assessment effectively to make the environment safe for children.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children gain good communication skills, show creativity and use their imagination well. For example, they enjoy playing in the mud kitchen and making marks in the sand outside. Due to inconsistencies in the assessment of children's learning and teaching, not all children make good enough progress, particularly those who prefer to learn indoors. Not all children are well prepared for school and their future learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY401732 Local authority Hammersmith & Fulham Inspection number 1085908 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 23 Name of registered person Pre-School Learning Alliance

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 30 January 2015 Telephone number 0208 746 1710

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reference number

Acorn Under 5 Pre -School registered in 2009. It is located in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9.30am to 3.30pm during term time. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. In total, a team of four staff work at the pre- school, all of whom hold relevant qualifications at level 2 and 3.

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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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