Apple Daycare and Childminding Services

Apple Daycare and Childminding Services Little Berkhamsted Sahibs Cricket Club, The Recreation Ground, Little Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, SG13 8LY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 March 2017 23 July 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 secure partnerships with parents and consistently update them about their children's progress. Parents are frequently invited to information sessions to keep them fully informed about how staff support different aspects of children's learning. They describe staff as 'attentive and intelligent'.  Effective settling-in procedures support children to feel secure as they begin at the group. Staff carefully observe children during their settling-in sessions, enabling them to form a natural bond with a member of staff, who is then assigned to be their key person. Children are eager to share their previous experiences with them.  Well-qualified staff receive regular supervision meetings and have good training opportunities to consistently update their skills. Recent training has enhanced staff knowledge of providing children with an even wider range of outdoor activities, enabling children to interact with nature.

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This provision is good

 Children show that they are motivated and inquisitive learners as they participate in their chosen activities. They create complex models using connecting toy cogs that they adjust to create new models.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 On occasions, staff do not teach children the best possible hygiene routines to reinforce their awareness of how it can contribute to good health.  Staff do not always take account of children's individual interests when planning activities.

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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

 strengthen staff practice to support children to consistently follow a good hygiene routine  enhance planned activities to fully capture children's individual interests, to inspire their learning 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 spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the senior manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the provider and her representatives. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the group.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are aware of the procedures for identifying and responding to any concerns about a child's welfare. Recruitment and induction procedures are robust. Rigorous checks are conducted to ensure that staff are suitable to care for children. Staff deploy themselves well in the indoor and outdoor environments to ensure that children remain in their sight at all times. Children demonstrate that they are aware of the high expectations set by staff. For example, as children are accompanied on the short walk to the park, they know that when staff raise their hand they must stop immediately. The management team has devised a unique system to precisely monitor children's progress. This helps staff to swiftly address any gaps in children's learning. The enthusiastic manager and dedicated staff team are reflective and continually evaluate the provision they offer. Their commitment helps them

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

to drive forward identified areas for improvement. Good partnerships with other provisions that children attend make a strong contribution to meeting children's continuing needs.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff actively listen and encourage children to express their thoughts. Children explore how to use a stethoscope. They use their vivid imagination to listen to their friends and staff's heart and make up stories as they play with small figures in a dolls house. Children place the lids of pens on the ends of their fingers and tap them on the table, creating a repetitive tune. They work out, through trial and error that they are able to fit more smaller pieces of chalk into the back of a toy vehicle than larger pieces. Children positively respond to staff's use of questioning to challenge their thinking. This helps them to solve mathematical problems, such as sorting different coloured objects into matching coloured pots. Children confidently count, make predictions and begin to add groups of objects together.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff are positive role models for children. They consistently use good manners when talking to children and each other. Children show respect for each other. During group time, they actively listen to each other and patiently wait for their turn to speak. Children behave well and develop friendly relationships. Staff make very good use of the extensive outdoor areas to promote children's physical skills. Children are adventurous. They safely use large apparatus in the nearby park and learn how to assess risks as they climb up and down a rope ladder with ease. Children enjoy participating in team games, such as football where they develop good control and coordination of the ball.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are making good progress in relation to their starting points. They begin to link letters to sounds. Children are beginning to form recognisable letters and some independently write their own names. All children are encouraged to develop good independence skills. They persevere at fastening the zips on their coats and are able to find and put on their own shoes. These are some of the skills children learn to help them prepare for their future learning at school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY460701 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1066787 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 3 - 7 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 16 Name of registered person Apple Daycare Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 23 July 2013 Telephone number 07876 136458

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reference number

Apple Daycare and Childminding Services was registered in 2013. It employs 22 members of childcare staff, some of whom also work at the group's sister setting, Apple Daycare Limited. Of these staff, 16 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The group opens Monday to Thursday from midday until 6pm, mainly during term time and occasionally in the school holidays. It provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

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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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