Action for Children at Amersham Children Centre

Action for Children at Amersham Children Centre Action For Children, Amersham Childrens Centre, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP6 6PF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 3 July 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

 The short breaks provision offers a welcoming, inclusive and stimulating environment for children. Staff know the children well and are attentive to their individual needs.  Staff use the provider's policies, procedures and risk assessments to guide their practice and keep children safe and healthy. Staff have a very good knowledge of the interventions of other professionals, for example, in relation to children's medical needs.  Staff have positive partnerships with parents. They have extensive discussions with them to build an accurate picture of children's starting points. Staff are competent to make regular observations of children during the session. This supports their knowledge and planning for children's next steps in learning.  Children settle well. They show eagerness to attend and have positive bonds with staff who care for them. Children behave very well. Staff use effective ways to help children

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This provision is good

understand each other's differences, have fun and gain independence.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff have not yet developed their partnerships effectively enough with the key staff working with children at other settings, such as nurseries, to build on the ways they know, plan for and extend the targets set for children's learning elsewhere.

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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 partnerships with other settings children attend to enhance planning for individual children to offer even more consistency for their developmental progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff interacting with children indoors and outdoors.  The inspector met with the senior team to discuss how staff reflect on their practice and update their skills and knowledge.  The inspector spoke with children, parents and staff.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the session leader and discussed how she supports staff practice.  The inspector sampled the provider's documentation and children's records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The provider uses effective systems for the recruitment and induction of staff and volunteers. The lead practitioner is dedicated to her role and supportive of her staff team. She helps to guide staff practice to enhance the ways they interact with and care for the children attending. Staff evaluate the quality of their provision well. They update their skills and knowledge on a regular basis, particularly in relation to training to support their skills and awareness in areas specific to the needs of children attending. Parents are positive about the care their children receive. They state that their children enjoy attending the short break sessions. Parents add that staff are caring and that children 'are safe' at the setting. Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a secure understanding of all safeguarding matters and know how to protect children from harm.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff have high expectations for the children attending. Ratios of staff to children are extremely good so to enable staff to offer high quality of care. Enthusiastic staff use a variety of ways to enable children to communicate their needs, for example, using timeline picture boards and sign language. They gesture to children to support their learning, such as indicating 'too big', 'in' and 'out' by using their hands to help children understand. Proactive staff use props to offer children choices during singing activities. Children engage well and enjoy listening and watching as staff sing and demonstrate the actions. Partnerships with parents are secure. For example, staff offer parents effective feedback at the end of the session to keep them updated about their child's experiences. A toy library is available, where parents can loan out toys, which are often different but targeted for children's particular needs.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities and roles. They provide a broad range of stimulating play experiences for children. They encourage children to make independent choices in line with their own awareness and understanding. Children benefit from a well-resourced outdoor environment and enjoy splashing about during water play activities. Staff are proactive in helping children gain confidence in their routines, for instance using the timeline board to help children understand the necessity of good hand washing prior to eating their food.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children settle well at the short break sessions. They enjoy play indoors and outdoors. For example, children benefit from sensory activities, such as blowing and chasing bubbles. Some children show independence during meal times, for example feeding themselves using the spoon, as they enjoy eating their yoghurts. Children enjoy playing with popular toy characters, fitting them into toy cars and manoeuvring about as staff demonstrate and explain that some of the toys are 'too big' to fit in. All children are showing readiness to support their next stages of learning and development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY496804 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 1041683 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 3 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person Action for Children

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 077840512436

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reference number

Action for children at Amersham Children Centre registered in 2015. The centre employs seven members of childcare staff and one volunteer. The children centre opens on Tuesdays. Sessions are from 9.30am until 12.30pm. This short break service is for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Most staff members hold appropriate early years childcare qualifications.

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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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