Acorn Day Nursery Burton Latimer

Acorn Day Nursery Burton Latimer Burton Park, Burton Latimer NN15 5PS

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Inspection date 7 February 2019 Previous inspection date Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Not applicable Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision is good

n The manager is a strong leader. She has high expectations for staff performance and outcomes for children. n Children experience a rich and vibrant range of activities in the forest-school environment. Staff inspire and motivate children by sparking their imagination. For example, they listen for moles in the mole hills and make exciting potions with 'frog slime' and 'dragon tears'. n The manager and key person visit children and their families in their own home before they start at nursery. This helps to develop trusting relationships and enables staff to see children in their familiar environment. Consequently, children's emotional well- being is supported from the beginning of their placement. n Staff provide well-resourced learning environments inside and outside that stimulate children's interest, curiosity and excitement. Children have plenty of opportunities to make choices and be independent.

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This provision is good

n Staff keep parents well informed of their children's progress through daily verbal communication and an online messaging group. Parents speak highly about the nursery and the progress their children have made. Staff provide families with 'learning bags' to take home and share activities. n Staff help to develop children's communication and language skills. They listen to them, value what they say and ask questions to extend their ideas. Children show high levels of confidence and speak eloquently to visitors. n Although teaching is strong, the manager has not yet explored further professional development opportunities for staff to help raise the quality of teaching to an even higher level. n Occasionally, children become distracted and are not consistently engaged during some daily routines.

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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 explore a wider range of opportunities for the continuous professional development of staff so that they are sharply focused on raising the quality of teaching to an outstanding level n review the organisation and daily routines to help children to be actively engaged at all times.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during indoor and outdoor activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager. She looked at relevant documentation and checked evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of all aspects of safeguarding matters and how to protect children. The well-qualified staff benefit from regular supervisory sessions and scheduled training days. Overall, this has a positive impact on helping staff to extend their knowledge and gain new teaching skills. Through staff meetings, the manager shares changes to policies and procedures with staff to make sure they follow them carefully. The manager gathers the views of staff, parents and children to help her reflect on the service provided. She sets targets and recognises the nursery's strengths and areas to develop to help improve children's experiences.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff plan stimulating activities and experiences based on a good understanding of children's interests and learning needs. For example, toddlers who like a popular story at home enjoy the story being retold in nursery using props. Staff support children to use technology to look up the names of dinosaurs. Staff weave mathematics into everyday situations. Children help to count the chairs for lunchtime, counting eight at one table and six at the other. Staff use their fingers and encourage children to add the two numbers together. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities exceptionally well. There is a genuine pride and satisfaction shown by staff in the good progress these children have made over time, given their individual abilities.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff encourage children to bring in photographs of their families. These are used to make a family book that children can look at independently. This helps to promote children's sense of belonging in the nursery. Staff teach children useful skills and knowledge that help them keep themselves safe beyond the nursery. For example, they discuss road safety when out walking. Toddlers help to sweep up the sand at the end of a session. This helps them to learn how to care for their environment. Parents comment that the staff 'really listen' to children when the time comes for them to move to a new room. This helps to support children's emotional security. Staff encourage children's physical development and healthy lifestyles. For example, whatever the weather, staff actively encourage children to roll in the mud and jump in puddles during forest school.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress from their individual starting points. Some children who are learning English as an additional language make particularly good progress. Babies explore different ways of making marks. They paint the wheels of toy cars and run them along a tray to create lines. Toddlers explore cause and effect, and experiment with different slopes to see how fast their car travels. Babies are inquisitive and thoroughly enjoy sensory experiences, such as dough play. Older children enjoy role-play activities where they use oven gloves to remove 'cakes' from the pretend oven. Children become successful learners who are well prepared for their next stage in learning and their eventual move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY542268 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 10090099 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 85 Number of children on roll 136 Name of registered person Acorn Early Years Foundation

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01536 726700

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reference number

Acorn Day Nursery Burton Latimer re-registered in 2017 and is located in Kettering, Northamptonshire. The nursery employs 25 members of childcare staff. Of these, 17 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including the manager who holds an early years degree. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.15pm. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free 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.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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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.ofsted.gov.uk

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