Acres of Fun Limited

Acres of Fun Limited Acres of Fun Day Nursery, Priors Court Road, Hermitage, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG18 9SG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 September 2017 11 March 2013

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Leaders inspire enthusiastic staff, who are keen to share and expand their knowledge and skills. Leaders have thoroughly addressed recommendations from the previous inspection to provide a high-quality provision and dynamic learning environment for children to play.  The dedicated owner places utmost importance on children feeling happy and secure. Warm and attentive staff concentrate on helping every child form strong relationships on which to build their future learning.  Teaching is of a consistently high standard. Staff use their knowledge of how children learn and develop, to create rich and exciting environments, and experiences. Children are highly motivated and fully absorbed in their play. They are very confident and highly independent. They make rapid progress.  Relationships across the nursery between staff, children and parents, and with other agencies, are excellent. Effective monitoring identifies children at risk of falling behind.

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This provision is outstanding

Planned programmes of support help them catch up quickly.  Children are wonderfully curious and fascinated by the world around them. Staff recognise this, planning outdoor learning meticulously and this contributes greatly to children's enjoyment and well-being.  Children lead exceptionally healthy lives at nursery. They thoroughly enjoy varied, tasty and nutritious meals prepared by the cook. They play energetically and manage their personal care exceedingly competently.

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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

 ensure all staff make full use of the newly introduced system for recording children's progress so that colleagues and parents can see clearly what children need to learn next.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed, and spoke with, staff and children in all rooms of the nursery and outdoor areas, and assessed the quality of teaching and care.  The inspector met with the management team and discussed how it monitors the quality of provision, and safeguarding arrangements.  The inspector sampled documents and online records, including policies and procedures, evidence of staff suitability and children's records.  The inspector read parents' responses to nursery questionnaires and spoke with several parents, and took account of their views.  The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The exceptionally competent management team motivates and monitors staff extremely well. Staff bring fresh ideas from training to benefit children. For example, since visiting an outdoor school in Norway, staff give children greater freedom to manage risks. As a result, children are extremely confident and physically able. Safeguarding is effective. Managers provide training and regular discussions, and all staff very confidently recognise, record and report concerns. Vigilant staff keep a close check on children playing outside. They fence high-risk areas, such as the pool and large climbing frame, so that children only use them with supervision. Staff value parents' feedback and use it to develop practice. For example, staff show them how to contribute to children's records to gain a full picture of progress. Staff plan very effectively for key children but do not consistently use the recording system fully so others can share the information quickly.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Children are utterly engrossed in their chosen activities. Staff are on hand to extend learning, such as changing a slope to make toy cars roll faster. Staff model thinking skills, such as saying, 'I wonder why my porridge won't stick together?' Children offer suggestions confidently and helpfully fetch water. Staff recognise that children learn in different ways. They note some children are reluctant to 'have a go' at writing so provide ample engaging activities, such as using pipettes, to build strong hands and good coordination. Toddlers chalk on the floor then have enormous fun scrubbing away marks with soapy water. Wonderful opportunities help children learn about the natural world. For example, they gather pears, compare sizes and wonder, 'How many will fill the basket?' They dig, grow vegetables and gather them for the nursery cook. They are observant, gazing in wonder at an enormous moth, then use technology to identify it.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children flourish in this nurturing environment. Babies have lots of fun and cuddles, and form exceptional bonds with staff. Staff take plenty of time with parents to gather a wealth of information so they get to know children quickly. Children settle very quickly. Staff take great care to ensure familiar adults reassure children as they move rooms. Staff have very high expectations for children and a kind, consistent approach. Behaviour is exemplary. Staff teach children to act safely. For example, they understand how to behave safely when cooking on the wood burner in the garden house.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are prepared exceptionally well for school. They are inquisitive, with a real desire to learn and discover for themselves. Older children concentrate and follow instructions exceptionally well. Focused activities help them hear sounds and recognise letters, and many begin to write. They use their rapidly developing mathematical understanding to solve their own problems, for example, when making dens.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY264744 Local authority West Berkshire (Newbury) Inspection number 1061715 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 - 8 Total number of places 120 Number of children on roll 173 Name of registered person Acres of Fun Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 11 March 2013 Telephone number 01635 203300

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reference number

Acres of Fun Limited nursery registered in 2003. It is in the rural village of Hermitage, near Newbury, West Berkshire. The nursery opens each weekday, all year round, except bank holidays and a week at the end of August. It opens from 8am until 6pm. It also provides care for children up to 11 years old during the school holidays. The nursery employs 43 staff to work with the children, 28 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. This includes one member of staff who holds early years professional status and two who have early years degrees. The nursery receives funding for the provision of early education for children aged three and four years.

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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

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

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