Apple Blossom Day Nursery

Apple Blossom Day Nursery Northumberland Street, Alnwick, NE66 1LT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 June 2018 Not applicable

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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

 Well-qualified staff use their skills effectively and encourage children to learn together and from each other. Children make good progress in their learning.  Children are happy, motivated learners. They say that they enjoy the time they spend in nursery and show confidence in exploring the environment provided for them.  Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents appreciate the variety of ways staff keep them updated about their children's progress and enjoy events, such as parents' evenings.  Staff share good-quality information with local schools when children prepare to leave nursery. This helps to provide a consistent approach to supporting children's learning.  Managers review children's progress well and use this information to set high expectations and continually improve the nursery. The views of parents, staff and children are used to identify further ways the nursery can improve.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff working with the youngest children do not always provide enough opportunities for children to explore and experiment with a wide range of media and materials.  Staff supporting pre-school children do not place sufficient focus on developing children's early writing skills to an even higher level.

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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

 extend opportunities for the youngest children to explore and experiment for themselves to raise their achievements to an even higher level  strengthen opportunities for pre-school children to extend their early writing skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed different activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact these had on children's learning.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the provider of the nursery.  The inspector held a meeting with the provider, deputy manager and area manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  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

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a comprehensive understanding of how to keep children safe and well. They know how to respond to allegations or concerns about a member of staff. Staff know the possible signs or symptoms that may alert them to concerns about a child's welfare and know who to contact to share this information further. The nursery is secure. Good arrangements are in place, such as in the outdoor area, to keep children safe. Staff are supported well by the management team. Regular opportunities to reflect on their practice are provided and they are signposted effectively to training, to enhance their skills. Following a review of practice, managers have implemented new arrangements to observe the quality of staff teaching. Staff are beginning to receive good-quality feedback to further develop the effectiveness of their interactions with children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Support for children's communication and language skills is consistently good throughout the nursery. Staff use a wide range of effective strategies to help children increase their vocabulary. For example, when very young children try to say a word, staff repeat it back so children can hear how to pronounce it correctly. Staff supporting older children ask them questions and give them sufficient time to think and respond. Good opportunities are provided for pre-school children to create their own representations of objects. For instance, following discussions and activities related to the World Cup, children enjoyed making their own trophies out of clay. They concentrated very well and used simple tools to make marks in the clay and create unique patterns.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children receive high levels of care from a caring and friendly staff team. Children's individual emotional and physical needs are well managed. Good-quality information is gained from parents, when children first start attending. This is used well to provide a consistent approach to the care children receive. Children's physical health is supported well. Good hygiene is promoted during routines, such as nappy changing, and children enjoy being physically active in the outdoor area. Behaviour is good. Staff help children to develop an understanding of expectations within the nursery. For example, staff give gentle reminders to pre-school children when they begin to run indoors.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress in their learning. They develop a good range of skills and knowledge that supports their readiness for school. Very young children copy actions when staff sing familiar rhymes to them. This helps to develop an awareness of rhythm and rhyme. Older children in pre-school demonstrate good listening skills and engage in story-time activities with staff. They respond appropriately to questions and make comments about the pictures.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY536113 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 1054119 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 56 Name of registered person Apple Blossom Childcare Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07879813311

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reference number

Apple Blossom Day Nursery registered in 2016. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or higher, including one with early years professional status. The nursery opens all year round from 7.30am until 6pm, Monday to Friday. 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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