Acorns Day Nursery

Acorns Day Nursery 174 Brooklands Road, SALE, Cheshire, M33 3RA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20 June 2017 15 June 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

 The dedicated manager and provider lead the nursery with passion and determination. They aspire to be outstanding and have developed a culture where only the best is good enough. A real sense of teamwork and shared vision pervades the setting.  Self-evaluation is strong. Improvement plans are sharply focused and include the views of parents, children and staff. The management team's capacity to continually improve and drive forward change is good.  Partnership working is a strength of the nursery. Parents are kept well informed of their child's developmental progress and receive regular newsletters. Links with the local authority, community and external childcare professionals are good.  Children's physical development is given high priority. Staff skilfully plan interesting and challenging activities which promote children's large-muscle development. The outdoor learning area has been carefully planned to ignite interest and promote curiosity.

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This provision is good

Children of all ages make rapid gains in their physical development.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Although the manager has a good overview of the progress of individual children, she is not yet closely monitoring information about the progress made by different groups of children.  Staff have not considered further ways for children to use the good range of technological equipment more frequently in their play.

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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

 analyse information about how different groups of children are progressing to target intervention even further and promote their achievements to the highest level  increase opportunities for children to independently choose and explore how different types of technological equipment operate.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a tour of the nursery with the manager. He sampled a range of documents, including evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff, children and staff's records.  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.  The inspector spoke to members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and held meetings with the manager, provider and deputy manager.  The inspector spoke to a number of 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 have a good understanding of the possible signs, symptoms and indicators of abuse and neglect. They know the referral procedure well and understand the steps to take if they become concerned about a colleague's conduct. Recruitment and vetting procedures are robust. Staff undergo stringent suitability checks, complete a comprehensive induction process and receive the relevant support and coaching. Supervision sessions are completed on a regular basis and challenging targets are set during appraisal meetings. Staff attend a range of training programmes which positively impact on outcomes for children. For example, a course around boys' development has equipped staff with a good understanding of how to engage boys in imaginative and creative play outdoors.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Good teaching, coupled with innovative activities, help all children to make good progress. Staff have a good understanding of child development and monitor learning well, overall. Children's laughter permeates throughout this vibrant nursery. Babies become fascinated while playing musical instruments. Toddlers skilfully build towers using small blocks and immerse themselves in creativity while painting. Pre-school children excitedly search for bugs outdoors and become enthralled while re-enacting the roles of superheroes. The support in place for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is excellent. Robust intervention plans, regular evaluations and multi-agency working means gaps in learning quickly diminish and children achieve good levels of development.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Care practices are good. Staff spend time getting to know children and their families during the settling-in period. Staff place high priority on children's emotional and physical well-being. They have a successful key-person system in place which allows children to become familiar with more than one adult. Children have a strong sense of belonging and have a deep understanding of the diverse community they live in. They show care for each other and behave well. They discuss the importance of keeping themselves safe and remind one another of the importance of following good hygiene practices.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are confident, resilient and self-motivated individuals who make good progress towards the early learning goals. Young children share toys, show delight in water play and embrace each other with hugs. Older children write their names and show good perseverance skills as they decode simple words. Children are well prepared for their next stage in their learning and for their eventual move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY420333 Local authority Trafford Inspection number 1094612 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 1 - 4 Total number of places 56 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person Christine & Christopher Cambridge Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 15 June 2015 Telephone number 0161 973 9199

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reference number

Acorns Day Nursery registered in 2010. The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. Two members of staff are unqualified. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery also provides care for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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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