Apple Tree Nursery and Pre-School

Apple Tree Nursery and Pre-School Yenton Primary School, Chester Road, Erdington, BIRMINGHAM, B24 0ED

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 June 2017 6 March 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 well-qualified staff team has a strong knowledge of how children learn and develop. Staff know the children well. They make regular and precise assessments of their learning. Children play and learn in an extremely stimulating environment, both indoors and outdoors. They are highly motivated and busy learners as they explore new experiences.  An effective key-person system ensures that children form close relationships with the staff. Staff are responsive to children's needs. They place a good emphasis on developing children's emotional well-being.  The provider demonstrates a strong commitment to improving the quality of the provision. Self-evaluation is ongoing and identifies the areas for improvement within the provision to continue raising outcomes for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 During discussions, some staff do not always allow enough time for children to consider their responses to questions. They occasionally do not make the most of opportunities to further develop children's vocabulary and critical thinking.  Staff's professional development is not yet specifically focused on raising the quality of the teaching to an outstanding level.

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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

 enhance teaching skills that support children to build as far as possible on their communication and thinking skills  sharpen the focus of staff's professional development in order to raise the good quality teaching to the next level.

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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 completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including evidence of the suitability of staff, training certificates and a selection of policies and procedures.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  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

Safeguarding is effective. Staff demonstrate a good knowledge of the signs to look out for and procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare. The provider implements rigorous recruitment and induction procedures to help ensure the suitability of staff. Parents have a strong voice at the nursery and they speak highly of the staff. The provider uses an effective system to share information with parents. They know when action is needed to narrow any gaps in children's learning in order to support their readiness for school. The provider has good procedures in place to monitor the quality of practice. She carries out regular supervision meetings and staff observe each other's practice and offer feedback. Specific plans are made to support children in receipt of the early years pupil premium, such as employing additional staff for one-to-one support.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff plan a broad range of interesting activities based on children's interests and skills. This results in the high engagement of children in activities. Children access resources independently to create their own play and staff provide structured activities, offering a balanced approach to children's learning. Children are happy, self-assured and confident learners who enjoy their time at the welcoming and nurturing setting. The playroom is organised very thoughtfully to promote choice and good independence skills, and children choose to play outdoors whenever they want. Children enjoy playing with dinosaur figures and enthusiastically pretend to be pirates, princesses and firefighters. All children use their imagination extremely well. They use foam bricks to build walls, pasting them with shaving foam as mortar to fix them together. Children work out that adding more foam will help the bricks to stick together better.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children build very strong bonds with staff, who get to know their key children extremely well. Staff consistently value children's efforts and contributions. Staff offer a precise amount of guidance and support so that children quickly become empowered to do things for themselves. Children are remarkably independent in care routines. They spread cheese on their bread, pour their own water and serve their own food. Children's physical development is enhanced as they play outside on wheeled toys and practise their balancing skills as they walk across tyres and wooden planks. Children have an exceptional understanding of their own safety and know they must be careful when riding the bicycles around. Children manage their personal care needs well and enjoy healthy snacks and a cooked, nutritious lunchtime meal. Children's behaviour is good.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are making good progress in relation to their starting points and those in receipt of the additional funding and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make particularly good progress. Children's literacy and mathematical skills develop very well and they match numbers to the correct symbols. They develop good listening skills, practise writing their name and begin to link letters to the sounds they represent.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY457316 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 1095410 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 22 Number of children on roll 27 Name of registered person Alison Margaret Richards

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 6 March 2015 Telephone number 01214648533

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reference number

Apple Tree Nursery and Pre-School registered in 2013. The nursery employs three members of childcare staff, all of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 or level 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9am until 4.pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, 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

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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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