Abacus Nursery & Out of School Club Dawley

Abacus Nursery & Out of School Club Dawley Abacus Day Nursery, 10-12 High Street, Dawley, Telford, Shropshire, TF4 2ET

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 4 November 2017 14 August 2014

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 Teaching is not consistently good. Staff do not use information from the assessments of children's progress well enough to understand children's level of achievement and consistently provide appropriately challenging activities.  Staff do not provide a broad enough range of interesting activities to promote the children's learning, in particular, in mathematics, literacy and understanding of the world.  The monitoring systems and programme for staff professional development are not focused sharply enough on raising the overall quality of teaching and use of resources to a good standard.  Strategies to engage parents in their children's learning and to keep them up to date about their children's achievements are not effectively established.

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It has the following strengths

 Children benefit from healthy meals and snacks which are freshly prepared on the premises. Staff organise mealtimes well to help increase children's self-help skills and independence.  Staff place a good focus on providing children with a regular and varied range opportunities to be physically active indoors and outdoors.  Staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding issues and the procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child's welfare.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 improve the use of the information gained from assessing children's progress to help staff understand children's level of achievement and plan appropriately challenging activities for their individual needs 08/12/2017

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Due Date

 improve the quality and range of activities on offer to help motivate children's enthusiasm for learning, in particular, in promoting children's mathematics, literacy and understanding of the world. 08/12/2017

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 monitor and evaluate the impact of individual staff practice and provide staff with professional development opportunities to help raise the quality of teaching and use of resources to a consistently good level  engage more effectively with parents to involve them in their children's learning and keep them up to date about their children's progress.

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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 spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working at the nursery.  The inspector looked a feedback from parents' surveys and spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Since the last inspection, there have been numerous staff changes. There is a new manager and deputy, and the monitoring of practice is not robust enough. For example, the new leaders do not often enough monitor the quality of teaching and evaluate the impact of individual staff practice. In addition, training opportunities have not been sufficiently focused on raising the quality of teaching to a consistently good level. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There are effective recruitment, vetting and induction systems in place and staff's continued suitability is checked regularly. All staff are trained in child protection issues and have a good understanding of wider safeguarding issues. Staff have a secure knowledge of the possible signs of abuse and neglect, and the procedure to follow if they have a concern. The premises are secure and staff carry out daily checks to ensure the environment is safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff establish children's starting points on entry and regularly observe children and identify their next steps. However, staff do not consistently use this information precisely enough when planning activities or to update parents about their children's progress. For example, on occasions, activities in the pre-school room lack purpose and challenge. Staff caring for children up to the age of 30 months in the baby room do not consistently adapt activities according to children's age and ability. Therefore, children do not make the best possible progress. Teaching is not consistently good. For example, all staff do not make the best use of the resources available to provide activities which quickly capture children's curiosity. In contrast, when teaching is good, children are motivated and enjoy learning. For example, pre-school children are eager to participate as they consider how the colours they add to the shaving foam change colour as they mix.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Due to weaknesses in planning, children do not benefit from stimulating activities that hold their attention. Despite this, key persons get to know their children well. Children develop close relationships with staff and staff caring for babies meet their individual care routines. For example, babies sleep according to their parents' wishes. Staff help children understand right from wrong and the importance of sharing and being kind. For example, children respond well to reminders of keeping safe, such as running. Children learn that exercise is good for their bodies. They benefit from physical education classes where they have time to undress and dress in readiness for the session.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Not enough children make consistently good levels of progress from their starting points, particularly in mathematics, literacy and understanding of the world. That said, children respond well to changes in routine, such as getting ready for lunch and helping tidy the toys in readiness for group time. They enjoy regular music and movement sessions, where staff encourage children to move their bodies to music and create music. Children are confident, keen to share their ideas and enjoy stories and singing sessions. Children steadily acquire the basic skills required in preparation for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 208157 Local authority Telford & Wrekin Inspection number 1103148 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 92 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person Simon Peter Hawkins

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 14 August 2014 Telephone number 01952 501149

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reference number

Abacus Nursery & Out of School Club Dawley registered in 1999. It is one of two settings that is privately owned and operates from Dawley, Telford. The nursery opens five days a week, from 7.30am to 5.45pm, all year round except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, four hold qualifications at level 3 and one holds a qualification at level 2.

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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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