The Ark Association Ltd (1)

The Ark Association Ltd (1) Princess Avenue, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6PQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 December 2017 26 February 2014

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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

 Managers organise staffing effectively across the setting according to experience and skills. Staff caring for babies have many years of experience in this area. Babies are happy and well settled.  Children's personal, social and emotional development is a priority for staff. Children are enthusiastic and want to join in with activities and learn.  Staff teach children key skills effectively. Children are encouraged to be independent and are prepared for the next stage in their learning, including moving on to school.  Staff ensure that the environment is safe. Children can move around freely. They learn about safety and how to keep themselves safe.  Staff form good relationships with parents. Staff gather useful information about where children are in their development when they start at the setting. Parents speak well of the setting and appreciate the care and kindness staff show their children.

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This provision is good

 Children enjoy healthy food at lunch and snacktime. They learn about making healthy choices and eagerly join in with cooking activities.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Managers do not make the best use of supervision to help staff reflect on and improve their teaching skills and implement what they have learnt from training.  Staff do not have high enough expectations of children's learning. The most-able children do not always make as much progress as they are capable of.

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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

 make best use of supervision to focus on helping staff to continually improve their teaching skills and build on their learning from training  help staff to have high expectations of children's learning, particularly those who are more able.

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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 setting coordinator.  The inspector held a meeting with the nominated person. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.  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

Managers are committed to building a good team and ensuring staff take up training. Most staff have worked at the setting for a number of years and have completed childcare qualifications during this time. Safeguarding is effective. Staff know how to protect children and who to contact should they be concerned. There are appropriate risk assessments in place. Children use equipment inside and outdoors that is safe and suitable for their age and stage of development. Managers have built effective partnerships with parents and local schools. They use a common assessment tool to ensure that information is shared more easily. Managers evaluate the provision regularly and encourage staff, children and parents to contribute ideas for improvements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff make good use of a range of teaching skills to help children learn. They provide activities that engage children and hold their interest. Young children enjoy exploring the texture of real vegetables in their home corner. Older children readily attempt to form recognisable letters and give meaning to the marks they make. They have lots of fun writing their own Christmas cards and posting them in the box. Staff make effective use of questions and conversations. They also talk about and use numbers with the children, for example, during circle time to work out the number of children in different groups. Staff regularly observe what children can do and assess where they are in their development. They use this information well to provide resources and activities that help children to move on in their learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff are very caring and build close relationships with each child. Children are confident and enjoy being in the setting. Children behave well. Older children know how to take turns, share and resolve differences themselves. Staff model good behaviour and help children resolve any differences. Children learn about different communities and about respecting themselves and each other. Children are developing good physical skills. They love to dance to music and stretch to catch bubbles. Children enjoy exploring outside, riding bicycles and seeing what happens when they add snow and ice to puddles.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are making good progress across all areas of learning. Very young children pull themselves up to standing as they learn to walk. Older children are curious about the different ingredients used in cooking gingerbread people. For example, they are keen to smell the ginger and note that the syrup made their fingers 'sticky' and 'syrupy'. Other children persevere for some time at activities, such as joining up carriages to the train. Older children recognise when they have more or less items in a group and confidently recognise numerals beyond 10.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY439880 Local authority Rutland Inspection number 1102378 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 36 Number of children on roll 44 Name of registered person The Ark Association

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 26 February 2014 Telephone number 01572770121

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reference number

The Ark Association Ltd (1) registered in 2011. The setting employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including one with a relevant degree. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. 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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