Angels at Play

Angels at Play Sucklings Yard, Church Street, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 9EN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 June 2017 28 May 2015

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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 cared for in a safe and secure environment. Staff complete daily risk assessments and provide effective procedures that promote children's safety.  The manager and her staff team evaluate their setting to continually develop the nursery. They evaluate planned and spontaneous activities to help to ensure that they can continually promote opportunities for children to make good progress.  Children develop good use of mathematical language during activities and experiences. Staff naturally encourage children to look at shape and size and they encourage children to work things out for themselves. This promotes good problem-solving skills.  Children's personal, social and emotional development are supported through regular praise and reassurance. Children develop close bonds and attachments with the staff and demonstrate that they are happy and settled.  Children's behaviour is good. Staff support them to learn right from wrong. Children

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This provision is good

show care and concern towards other children and learn to share and take turns.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 In the room for one-year-olds staff do not always follow children's interests.  Some staff do not help young children to expand on what they say. For example, they do not consistently introduce and reinforce correct pronunciation.  In the room for one-year-olds, children do not have consistent access to low-level resources to support their first steps in walking.

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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

 find further ways to involve children so that they engage in activities that interest them  introduce and consistently use correct pronunciation to support younger children's speech development  extend the use of available resources to include low-level equipment enabling babies to pull up to a standing position or practise their early first steps.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector took account of the views of some parents through discussions held during the inspection.  The inspector observed some adult led and spontaneous activities and evaluated these with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and advisory member of staff. She looked at a range of documentation and viewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting, including the recruitment and vetting procedures.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff implement robust procedures to protect children in their care. Staff attend regular child protection training and demonstrate a strong understanding of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about children's welfare. Comprehensive recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. The manager completes regular supervision and appraisal meetings. This enables her to provide appropriate, ongoing training and development that supports staff to carry out their roles and responsibilities. Staff have a good relationship with parents, carers and other professionals and information sharing is promoted. This enhances children's overall care and well-being.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff demonstrate a good awareness of children's starting points and capabilities. They complete regular observations and identify children's next steps in learning. Planned and spontaneous activities and experiences that engage and challenge children. For example, children in the pre-school listen attentively to a story. Staff use items, linked to the story, to bring the book to life. They ask probing questions that encourage children to think further. Staff provide opportunities for children to practise their letters and sounds with a different one promoted each day. They skilfully link these throughout the day to promote children's understanding further.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children eat a broad range of healthy, nutritious food. They develop appropriate manners and demonstrate strong social skills as they eat together. The key-person system is effective. Babies are settled. They develop strong bonds with key staff and explore with confidence a stimulating range of pop up and musical resources. Children have good opportunities for fresh air and exercise. Older children make independent choices to play outdoors. They develop strong physical skills as they build, dig and climb. Staff regularly take babies and young children for walks in the community. This helps to support their developing awareness of their local environment and community.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children are making good progress and gaining the skills they need to be ready for school or the next stage of their learning. Children's creative skills are promoted well. They explore different material, such as sand, as they imaginatively invent their own stories with play dinosaurs and creatures. They confidently make suggestions to their friends and share their individual ideas. This promotes children's self-confidence.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127964 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1089385 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 50 Number of children on roll 71 Name of registered person Little Angels Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 28 May 2015 Telephone number 01920 485021 or 01992505757

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reference number

Angels at Play registered in 1993. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, from 7.30am until 6.30pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children and follows the Nascuropathy and Babyopathy care and development programme.

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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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