The Oaks Nursery

Inspection of The Oaks Nursery The Oaks Children's Centre, Grange Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk IP11 2LA

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Children develop relationships with their key person and other staff. This helps them to feel safe and secure. The manager and her staff team have worked hard to make significant changes to the layout and organisation of the environment. Children are confident to explore and make decisions about where and with what they want to play. Children of all ages benefit from regular opportunities to be outdoors. They are busy and active in the fresh air. Older children use toy diggers to move sand and make 'chicken and beef' at the outdoor kitchen. They enjoy using ride-on toys and happily run around and chase each other. Staff are close by and attend to children's individual needs in the event of a trip or fall. Babies enjoy investigating water in the tray indoors. Older children make a 'picnic' and offer 'popcorn' to adults. However, children do not become deeply involved in activities.

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The provision requires improvement

Children help staff to tidy away the toys before lunch. Staff use strategies, such as a rhyme, to encourage children to listen and follow instructions. Children generally behave well. Staff help children to manage their own feelings and relate to others. Older children take turns, for instance, as they play a board game.

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need to do better?

n The manager regularly monitors staff's performance and provides targeted support to help them develop. However, children have variable learning experiences as staff practice is not yet consistent across the nursery. Staff do not always interact purposefully with children to enhance their learning. Staff supervise children at activities. However, they do not always support children to develop their concentration. At other times, staff engage successfully with children and use items such as hand puppets and cardboard tubes to spark children's interest. n Staff do not support all children to be successful learners. They do not adapt group activities sufficiently. For example, at circle time, two-year-old children struggle to identify their name cards, and other children have to wait for quite some time before they can move to an activity. In addition, transition times are not used effectively. For instance, staff are busy setting up the room for lunch,

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need to do better?

which means some children lack focus as they wait for something to do. n The manager has a clear vision to provide children with good-quality experiences and has identified further areas for development. Staff have regular meetings to discuss their well-being and work. They can access training to help them to develop further. Staff comment how they have seen children develop their play since replacing plastic toys with natural items. n Children's emotional well-being is positively promoted. Staff offer children lots of praise and gentle reminders to encourage them to share and be kind to their friends. This helps children to develop a sense of empathy for others.

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need to do better?

30 January 2020 n Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well and provide additional help where needed to close any gaps in their learning. They work closely with other professionals, in particular with those at the on-site children's centre. n Staff build friendly and trusting relationships with parents. They provide opportunities, such as parents' evenings, to share information about their children's progress. Parents comment on the changes staff have made to the environment and how the key person knows their child. n Staff attend to children's needs when necessary, such as promptly wiping their noses. They help to keep children healthy. For instance, staff support young children to wash their hands. Older children talk about cleaning away germs as they help to wipe the tables before lunch. n Older children are competent in self-care. Staff encourage two-year-old children

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need to do better?

to have a go at small tasks, such as putting their coat on for themselves. Children take pride in their achievements. n Staff provide some opportunities for children to explore and build on their interests. For instance, children use magnifying glasses to hunt for insects. They have some opportunities to engage in the wider community, including regularly meeting residents from a local care home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team implements thorough processes to ensure the safe recruitment of staff. All staff have a clear understanding of their role to protect children from harm. They are alert to any issues that may have an impact on children's overall well-being, including any potential for them to be exposed to extreme views or behaviours. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about children's welfare. Posters are displayed around the setting to remind staff and parents of relevant contact details. The manager ensures that staff keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date.

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Due date

support staff to develop greater consistency in teaching so that they make the most of opportunities to challenge children and extend their learning. 30/03/2020

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should:

n review and develop the organisation of daily routines, with regard to large-group activities and times of transition, to ensure all children are kept fully engaged and focused.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY440385 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10095130 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 to 4 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 81 Name of registered person Alpha Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01394 694752 Date of previous inspection 1 February 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The Oaks Nursery registered in 2011. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff and a cook. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one with early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector had a tour of the nursery and made observations throughout the inspection of children's experiences in the nursery. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the management team. She looked at a sample of the nursery's documents, including evidence of staff's suitability and training. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and considered their views.

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Inspection activities

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

30 January 2020 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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