Little Acorns Day Nursery

Little Acorns Day Nursery Prestwood House, Drummond Road, London, SE16 4BX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24 November 2017 12 May 2017

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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

 Children enjoy their learning at this nursery and make good progress. Staff provide a learning environment that motivates children to learn and holds their interest. Staff have good relationships with the children they care for. Children come into the nursery eagerly and settle quickly.  The new manager has high expectations for the provision. She works closely with staff to make ongoing improvements that will benefit the children.  Children throughout the nursery are confident and independent. For example, babies learn to feed themselves and older children clear their plates after lunch. Staff are ready to help, but encourage children to be self-sufficient from an early age.  Staff involve parents regularly in their child's progress, and provide good details about babies' routines. They provide books and resources for children to use at home to enable parents to extend their child's learning and provide a consistent approach to

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The quality of the observations of children's progress are not always evaluative or as sharply focused as they could be, to enable staff to raise quality of teaching and learning to the highest level.  The manager tracks the progress of girls and boys, but does not capture all groups of children to identify and close any emerging gaps as soon as possible.

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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

 improve staff's observations of children to ensure they are fully evaluative and of a consistently high quality  build on the tracking of different groups of children to identify and close any emerging gaps as quickly as possible.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector and manager observed an activity together and discussed their findings.  The inspector sampled policy documents and other required documentation, such as accident records and children’s development records.  The inspector checked staff qualifications and suitability information.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. All staff know the procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child's welfare. Staff ratios are good. Staff supervise children well and ensure the premises are safe. They record accidents to share with parents and implement suitable complaint procedures. The manager works well with her staff to improve practice and outcomes for children. Since the last inspection, they have developed the learning environment to enable children to move freely around and follow their interests. The manager supports staff through regular one-to-one meetings. She encourages them to gain higher qualifications and attend training to develop their skills. Following training on transitions, staff work closely with feeder schools to prepare children well for their move to school. Staff are developing books where children can see photographs of the teachers and premises so they are familiar with their school and staff when they move on.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Well-qualified staff follow children's interests and learning styles to help them make good progress and enjoy their learning. For example, staff observe toddlers' fascination with pouring and tipping. They plan an activity with coloured rice and different sized transparent containers to encourage children's language, early mathematical skills, sharing and turn taking. Children focus intently, using their developing physical skills to scoop up the rice and pour it carefully. Babies love exploring toys and staff engage them well. When a baby holds up a picture of a cobweb in a book, a staff member quickly follows their lead, making her hand move like a spider saying, 'It's a spider's web! Do you like spiders?' and starts to sing a well-known nursery rhyme. Older children use their imaginations well. During role play, they try to work out why the baby is crying, each providing their own opinions, such as, 'She needs some milk', 'Her nappy is wet' and, 'Give her a cuddle!'.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children relate well to their key person. Interactions in the baby room are thoughtful and considerate, helping the youngest children feel settled and secure. Staff sit with babies as they go to sleep and talk to them animatedly during nappy changing. Staff manage children's behaviour very well and children learn to take responsibility for their actions. For example, when staff gently remind children not to pour rice near other children's hair, a child replies, 'I do it gently'. Children enjoy being outside, balancing on low beams or joining others in parachute play. Older children manage their own care well, finding a tissue for their nose and putting it in the bin, for example. All children eat well at the nursery, serving themselves at lunchtime, and pouring their own drinks.

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Outcomes for children are good

Pre-school children make good attempts to write their names and take pride in their achievements. They recognise and name shapes with confidence. Toddlers become familiar with numbers as they count during favourite number rhymes and songs. Babies feel secure and are well prepared for their move through the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY449725 Local authority Southwark Inspection number 1117786 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 104 Number of children on roll 74 Name of registered person Little Acorns The Next Generation Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 12 May 2017 Telephone number 02072522300

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reference number

Little Acorns Day Nursery registered in 2012. It is located in Bermondsey, in the London Borough of Southwark. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6.30pm, throughout the year, with the exception of public holidays. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 17 staff who work directly with children. Of these, 13 staff including the manager, hold early years qualifications from level 2 to level 6. The nursery also employs administrative staff and a cook.

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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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