Amazing Acorns Day Nursery

Inspection of Amazing Acorns Day Nursery Salt & Pritchard Properties, Penmore House, Hasland Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S41 0SJ

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are happy and settled in the nursery. They approach visitors with confidence and invite them into their play. Children are put at ease as the staff have a kind and caring approach to help them feel safe and secure. They are keen to join in and enjoy a range of appealing activities. Staff plan carefully, overall, to help children build on what they already know and can do. Children make good achievements as the staff have high expectations for them. Babies and very young children enjoy being immersed in sensory play. For example, they crawl into a tray of pasta, to feel and explore the different texture with their bodies. Older children gather around staff to listen to stories, and demonstrate a passion for books. Children learn to listen and begin to hear new and exciting words, helping to support their growing vocabulary.

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The provision is good

Effective strategies for managing behaviour help children to understand and manage their feelings. They are polite, respectful and form early friendships. For example, children greet each other as they arrive. Children engage well in their play and show positive attitudes towards their learning. Outside, children climb on apparatus to build large-muscle skills. Younger children concentrate well as they post pasta pieces into small containers. This also helps with their hand-to-eye coordination.

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need to do better?

n There are effective procedures in place to help children to settle in at the nursery. Staff obtain important information about children and work with parents to establish their starting points. This helps them to plan initial learning opportunities. The manager and staff team closely monitor and track children's development, to promptly identify potential gaps. n Staff understand how young children learn. They observe children at play and accurately assess their skills against typical expectations for their age. Generally, they use their findings well to help children to learn more. Occasionally, during some activities, staff do not challenge children to make even better achievements. n Staff promote children's language well, and the older children have daily phonic sessions. Staff model language carefully and encourage children to talk and communicate. Children very much enjoy stories. Staff read with enthusiasm,

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need to do better?

which helps to ignite children's interest in books. Children ask questions about the story and predict what might happen next. n Babies are happy and snuggle with staff. Staff give them opportunities to explore their surroundings. For example, babies have great fun as they put items in tubes and watch as they go down. The babies and younger toddlers get very excited as they play with a foil blanket. They listen to the noise as they stamp

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need to do better?

10 February 2020 on it, and giggle and laugh as they play. n Partnerships with parents support children's care needs well. Parents speak highly of the staff team and their children's enjoyment in attending. They receive information about children's learning and details of any accidents or incidents that may occur. However, this partnership working does not fully support children's learning at home, to allow for greater consistency in children's continued good progress. n Children benefit from the healthy snacks and meals that are provided. They use their personal skills well and follow good hygiene procedures as they wash their hands before eating. Children enjoy playing outside in the well-organised area. n Children are confident and behave well. They learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and are well prepared for life in modern Britain. For example, children learn about different festivals and visit

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need to do better?

places of interest and people in the local community. This also widens their personal experiences. Older children are encouraged to manage their own needs, for example when taking off their coats and serving their own food at snack time. n Staff are supported to develop professionally through effective supervision sessions. Management undertakes observations of staff to help them to identify development points and set targets. Staff have access to training that helps them to remain professionally up to date. n The staff are ambitious and highly reflective of the provision they provide. They speak very highly of the support that they receive from the manager. She implements systems to ensure that staff's workload is managed effectively, and their well-being is consistently supported. This means that staff feel valued and enjoy their roles.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand their responsibility to safeguard children. They have a good knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff know the procedure to follow should they have concerns about a child or if an allegation is made against a member of staff. They regularly update their training to support their safeguarding knowledge, which includes training around wider safeguarding concerns. This helps to promote children's safety and well-being. The manager follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure the suitability of staff and takes steps to assess this on an ongoing basis. The premises are safe and secure.

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should:

n make the most of staff interactions during children's chosen activities to offer

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should:

10 February 2020 further challenge and extend children's learning to the highest possible level n extend partnerships with parents to provide more opportunities for them to be involved in supporting their children's learning and development at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY553585 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10129872 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 to 8 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 41 Name of registered person Kempin, Abigail Esther Louise

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reference number

Telephone number 07816984156 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Amazing Acorns Day Nursery registered in 2017 and is located in Hasland, Chesterfield. The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one holds level 4, one holds level 5 and one holds level 2. The owner/manager holds qualified teacher 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 deputy manager showed the inspector around the nursery. She talked about how the nursery is organised. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery and staff training. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. The inspector and the manager evaluated the teaching and learning that took place. n The inspector held discussion with parents and took account of 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

10 February 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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