Acorn Nursery

Acorn Nursery The Rise, Portslade, Brighton, East Sussex, BN41 2PY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16 May 2018 23 October 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 Outstanding 1

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This provision is good

 Babies and children thrive at the setting and staff are extremely nurturing and responsive to their needs. Children form excellent relationships with their key person, which helps to underpin and significantly enhance their emotional well-being.  Staff support children's learning well. They help children to make good progress from their individual starting points. Leaders monitor children's progress effectively.  A consistently strong focus is placed on supporting children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The leadership team is committed to securing the best possible support and working very closely with external professionals to meet children's unique and specific needs.  Staff use effective methods to exchange ongoing information with parents to promote children's learning at home and in nursery. Parents are extremely complimentary about staff and the care and learning their children receive.

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This provision is good

 Leaders work well with staff and external advisers to reflect on all aspects of practice. They set ambitious targets for continued improvement to raise outcomes for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Leaders do not make the very best use of the processes and systems in place for coaching staff to help raise the quality of teaching practice to a higher level.  On occasion, children do not have enough time to think about and respond to the questions that staff ask.

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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

 monitor the quality of teaching and learning even more closely to identify how practice can be enhanced to achieve the highest standards of learning experiences for all children  give children the opportunity and the time that they need to process their thoughts and respond with their answers.

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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 to the staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of the staff.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff understand their responsibilities in protecting children from harm. They know signs or symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk and know who to contact to share their concerns. The nursery is safe and secure. Highly effective measures are taken to ensure children are collected by known adults. All doors and gates are locked for security. Systems for recruitment and induction are thorough to check the suitability of staff and ensure that they are competent in their role. The leadership team takes any complaints and incidents extremely seriously, and notifies appropriate external agencies in a professional and timely manner.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff use what they know from observation and assessment to plan interesting learning experiences that appeal to individual children. Children of all ages have good opportunities to develop their creative skills. For instance, they enjoy a wide range of interesting activities, such as observing ice melt and discovering colourful flower petals that are hidden in it. Children gain good early writing skills to support their future learning. For instance, babies explore marks that they make and older children recognise the letters of their name and can identify some sounds linked to the letters.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Babies and children thrive in this welcoming and nurturing environment. Staff are extremely sensitive and caring and demonstrate a genuine affection for the children that they care for. Staff consistently praise children for even the smallest achievements, raising children's sense of self-esteem. Children have superb opportunities to learn about the wider world. For example, animal specialists visit the nursery. Children are fascinated and excited as they handle various animals, such as guinea pigs and snakes. Play opportunities are plentiful in the highly stimulating outdoor area which provides an excellent variety of learning opportunities. Babies and young children explore the safe outdoor space adjacent to their room, they snuggle in dens and enjoy books with staff.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those receiving additional funding, make good progress and are well prepared for school. Children are independent learners and cooperate well during large- group sessions. Children are motivated and show persistence as they count, name colours, investigate and explore. They enjoy the sensory experiences of handling modelling foam, water or sand. Children build and construct with a variety of materials and learn about concepts, such as weight and measurement.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY318095 Local authority Brighton & Hove Inspection number 1129391 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 - 5 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 106 Name of registered person Brighton & Hove City Council

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 23 October 2015 Telephone number 01273 293980

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reference number

Acorn Nursery is part of the local authority's children's centre. It registered in 2006 and operates from purpose-built premises within a housing development in Portslade, East Sussex. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery employs 23 members of staff, 20 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including two members of staff who hold qualified teacher status. The nursery is in receipt of funding to provide free early education to children aged two, 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

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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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