Abacus Children's Nurseries Ltd

Abacus Children's Nurseries Ltd Kingfisher Drive, Walderslade, Kent ME5 7NX

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Inspection date 3 October 2018 Previous inspection date 30 November 2015

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3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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3

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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The provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

n Children receive inconsistent approaches to some teaching. Staff working with younger children do not recognise the importance of routine activities and how to extend children's learning. n The management team does not regularly monitor children's progress enough. Children's learning is assessed during term time only. However, any progress made during school holidays is not used to monitor their development or shared with their key person who may not be working during the holidays. n On some occasions, staff do not recognise when to extend the resources and learning opportunities to build on children's learning experiences.

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It has the following strengths

n Children's physical well-being is promoted appropriately. Children access fresh air, resources and play opportunities to stimulate their interest in developing physical skills. n Staff provide a consistent approach to children's care and welfare. Parents make positive comments about close partnerships with staff and how these support children's confidence and self-esteem. n Staff takes effective steps to support children's move to school. Communication is made with each school and information is shared to make the move as smooth as possible. n Staff in the pre-school room confidently keep children absorbed and interested by using effective questioning, to help individual children develop in a positive way in many areas of learning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date make the quality of teaching more consistent to help staff deliver a higher standard of learning potential for children 30/11/2018

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

improve the monitoring of how staff regularly and consistently assess children's progress. 30/11/2018

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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

n extend the use of resources and staff's engagement with children to help challenge and stretch their thinking and learning experiences.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed children and staff in all three nursery rooms and outside. n The inspector spoke with staff and children, where appropriate. n The inspector looked at documentation, such as policies and procedures, children's records, staff qualifications and and suitability checks. n The inspector spoke to parents and carers, and took their comments into consideration. n The inspector took account of the management's self evaluation.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a clear knowledge of their responsibility to protect children from harm and how to keep them safe. Staff carry out daily safety checks to help provide children with a safe, secure, warm and welcoming environment. Staff have opportunities to train and develop their professional skills and practice. However, their performance is not monitored effectively to identify inconsistency in the quality of teaching. The management team works closely with staff to identify children who require additional support, to promote children's welfare further. Parents are encouraged to play a role in evaluating the service, and they help to give feedback to staff about the service they receive.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Children experience a range of activities and play opportunities, inside and outside. Staff provide some effective interactions during adult-led play. However, during routine activities, staff do not engage with younger children to provide a learning opportunity. For example, younger children sit at the table with staff standing above them preparing food for them, with little positive interaction or purposeful learning. Children's progress is assessed during term time. Staff use evaluative observations linked to stages and areas of learning for each child. However, no assessment is carried out during school holidays. Children's achievements during this time are not included in their development records and are not shared with staff who do not work during this time. Children's progress is not consistently tracked and achievements are not always recognised.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are confident and have a sense of pride in their achievements. They learn to make choices for themselves, and explore and experiment in their play. They understand the difference between right and wrong, and inform staff of inappropriate behaviour. Staff give children plentiful praise and encouragement. Children show empathy towards each other. They greet each other with smiles and hugs. Their emotional well-being is promoted well. Children show an understanding of personal hygiene. In the baby room, children take tissues for their noses. Older children independently visit the toilet and wash their hands afterwards without being prompted. These self-help skills help children to be independent in preparation for school.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

During daily routine activities, younger children show little engagement with others because they receive limited interaction from staff. Younger children do not show enthusiasm to develop their communication skills at this time. Older children show enthusiasm to recall familiar stories through a good range of resources. For example, children tell the 'Gruffalo' story through games of snap, toys and reading the book together. They bring resources from inside to outside to extend their own play. For example, children bring cars from indoors to race them down the drainpipes outside. Staff do not recognise that other resources available or positive interaction can help additional children's involvement or extend their thinking. This does not provide consistent learning opportunities for children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY331809 Local authority Medway Inspection number 10071672 Type of provision Full day care

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 0 - 9 Total number of places 80 Number of children on roll 73 Name of registered person Abacus Children's Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 30 November 2015 Telephone number 01634 863 332

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reference number

Abacus Children's Nurseries Ltd registered in 2006. It operates from a building in the grounds of Kingfisher Primary School in Chatham, Kent. The provider is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, all year. The provider employs 14 members of staff, 13 of whom hold appropriate early years and childcare qualifications at level 2 and above.

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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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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