Acorns

Inspection of Acorns Churcham Primary School, Churcham, Gloucestershire GL2 8BD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Staff create a warm and welcoming environment. Children are happy and keen to attend, and they develop close bonds with the staff and their peers. They play together harmoniously, creating their own imaginative play, inviting one another to join in and making decisions together. Staff promote children's social skills effectively. They set good examples and provide clear explanations to support children's understanding of positive behaviour. For instance, children are encouraged to use sand timers to take turns and are taught to resolve conflicts independently.

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The provision is good

There are plenty of opportunities for children to express their creativity. A wide range of interesting resources allow children to use their imagination throughout the day. For instance, children build a fire engine outside and create an elaborate rescue operation together. They enjoy making music with instruments and confidently sing a range of familiar songs. Children become engrossed in craft activities. They learn to mix a range of media to carefully create their artwork, such as pictures of fireworks.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations of all children, adapting activities effectively to meet each child's next steps in learning. Children engage well and develop good listening and concentration skills, which prepares them well for their future learning.

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need to do better?

n The manager is committed to continuous improvement. She closely monitors the progress that individual and groups of children make. She uses this information effectively to develop her curriculum and target improvements to ensure all children make the best possible progress. For instance, she has recently extended the provision for physical challenge and exercise each week. n Staff build positive relationships with parents, who speak very highly of the setting. They seek parents' views when evaluating the setting and make effective improvements that enhance children's experiences. Parents receive regular information about their children's development and progress. However, the manager recognises that further support could be given to help all parents to build on their children's learning at home. n Staff provide strong support for children's literacy development. Children enjoy a wide range of opportunities to explore making marks and develop confidence in

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need to do better?

writing. For instance, they learn to write numerals in a large tray of coloured rice and have a go at drawing different patterns with chalk outside. Children regularly create their own stories, which are written down by supportive staff. They then excitedly re-enact the stories with their friends. This helps to enhance children's language, imagination, confidence and creative writing skills.

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need to do better?

6 November 2019 n Staff place strong emphasis on promoting children's independence and self-care skills. For instance, they patiently support children to put on their coats, and children learn to manage buttons and zips independently. Children are keen to take on small tasks such as tidying, sweeping and washing up, and they persist to complete them. n Staff offer strong support for children's emotional well-being. For instance, time is put aside each day for discussions where children have opportunities to express their thoughts and ideas. Staff teach children the language of feelings and support children to share their emotions and empathise with one another. n The manager and staff work well together and are a strong team. Training opportunities are used effectively to improve staff knowledge and skills, to maintain a high-quality provision. For instance, staff have attended training on how to use the observation and assessment tools effectively. They have further

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need to do better?

plans to attend a course to ensure that a phonics programme (letters and the sounds they represent) can be delivered effectively. The manager works in close partnership with the host school, which helps to offer children a seamless transition to school. n The manager is keen to provide children with a wide range of experiences and offer a rich curriculum that supports children's all-around development. For instance, she arranges additional classes such as yoga, which supports children's physical well-being. She also plans regular trips, such as to the zoo, to widen their knowledge of the world. However, the resources and activities on offer do not extend children's awareness and understanding of cultural diversity beyond their immediate experience as well as possible.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager ensures staff keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. Staff have a good knowledge of the signs and symptoms which may indicate that children are at risk of harm. They have a secure understanding of wider safeguarding issues. They are confident with the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child in their care. Staff know how to identify and minimise risks. They are well deployed and vigilant when supervising children. They set clear rules and boundaries that help children to keep themselves and others safe.

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should:

n build on ways to support all parents to make an even greater contribution to their children's learning at home n enhance children's opportunities to explore and strengthen their understanding of diversity and communities beyond their immediate experience.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 510074 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10063089 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care Age range of children 2 to 4 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 9 Name of registered person Acorns Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07895 151782 Date of previous inspection 5 January 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Acorns registered in 1996. It operates from a room in Churcham Primary School in Churcham, Gloucestershire. The nursery operates Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8.45am to 3.10pm, term time only. It receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs two members of staff including the manager. The manager holds a qualification at level 6. The other member of staff is qualified at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The manager conducted a learning walk with the inspector. n The inspector held discussions with the manager and staff, and spoke to the children. n The inspector spoke to parents and considered their views. n The provider and the inspector evaluated the effectiveness of an activity together. n The inspector sampled a range of documents, including evidence of staff suitability checks.

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Inspection activities

6 November 2019 We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

6 November 2019 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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