Alphabets Day Nursery

Alphabets Day Nursery 15 York Avenue, Chatham, ME5 9EP

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 June 2017 Not applicable

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Children and babies investigate and explore using a wide range of toys and resources, indoors and outdoors, that help support their learning and interests. They make good progress in relation to their starting points.  Staff have formed positive relationships with parents. For instance, they provide them with daily updates on children's progress and information about the activities they take part in, to help support home learning.  The management team implements good safeguarding procedures. It is fully aware of its role in protecting children and what to do should it have any concerns about children's safety and welfare.  Children have daily opportunities to exercise, such as playing 'parachute games' with friends and balancing on beams to practise their physical skills.  Children learn to respect and value their own and each other's differences. They use well-developed social skills, have good manners and consistently behave well.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff working with older children do not consistently maximise opportunities to challenge and extend children's learning to the highest levels.  The provider does not fully evaluate the progress that specific groups of children make, to precisely target improvements to provide learning of the highest quality.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 support staff working with older children to improve their skills and knowledge, to ensure that teaching is of the highest standard to extend older children's learning further  use information from learning assessments more effectively to monitor the learning and progress being made by different groups of children, to target the teaching even more precisely.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the nursery.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the provider.  The inspector observed the interaction between staff and children, and spoke to them both at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector talked to the provider about how she evaluates the nursery and discussed her action plans.  The inspector spoke to parents and read letters of reference to gain their views on the service they receive.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The management team uses strong recruitment and induction procedures to help support new staff. It monitors staff practice and opportunities for their professional development are good. For instance, staff are encouraged to attend training courses, such as investigative play to support babies' learning. The management team track the progress of individual children. They have forged strong links with other early years professionals to provide a continuity of care and learning. For example, teachers from local schools visit children at the nursery to help prepare them for the move to school. The management team constantly reflects on the service it offers children and their families. It engages children, parents and staff in the process, to help ensure it improves outcomes for children.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff make effective use of observations and assessments to help them identify children's next steps in learning and plan activities that motivate them to learn. Staff working with babies interact and extend their learning. For example, they read stories and encourage babies to join in with the animal sounds. Staff further extend the activity to encourage children to identify animals in the farm set. Children make good progress with their communication and language. For instance, staff sing songs with children and engage them in experiences that focus on rhyming words, to help extend their vocabulary.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are happy and have formed good relationships with staff. Staff praise children constantly for their achievements, which helps to support their emotional well-being and self-esteem. For instance, babies develop their hand-to-eye coordination as they build brick towers and respond with broad grins when adults clap and acknowledge their achievements. Staff have a strong focus on teaching children about a healthy diet. For example, they provide well-planned nutritious meals throughout the day. Children enjoy cooking activities, such as helping to make banana buns to eat at lunchtime. Children and babies come together at mealtimes, which helps further support their social interactions and development.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

Children and babies are prepared well for the next stage in their learning, including moving through the nursery and eventual move to school. Older children practise their early writing skills, such as making lists for what they need to buy at the shop. Children are active learners who enjoy playing cooperatively and imaginatively, such as dressing up and looking after the dolls. Babies are very confident, they are eager to engage with the activities on offer but will return to staff for a reassuring cuddle if needed.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY489643 Local authority Medway Towns Inspection number 1015181 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 30 Number of children on roll 59 Name of registered person Sally-Ann Jane Burgess

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01634 868828

p.4

reference number

Alphabets Day Nursery registered in 2015. It is located in Walderslade, in Chatham, Kent. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm, for most of the year. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs nine members of staff, eight of whom hold a relevant early years qualification at level 3.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

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 .

p.5

reference number

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

p.5

reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.5