Acorns Day Nursery

Inspection of Acorns Day Nursery 174 Brooklands Road, Sale, Cheshire M33 3RA

p.1

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

p.1

The provision is good

Children settle well. Staff create a warm and caring atmosphere. Young children engage through gestures while staff talk to them enthusiastically. Older children express their confidence as they speak to staff. This demonstrates that children feel secure. Children show care and concern towards others. They are happy to help and share well. Staff have clear expectations for children. They create clear routines, which help children understand what is happening now and what comes next. This helps children understand about managing their own behaviour.

p.2

The provision is good

Staff provide a range of activities to support children's development. Babies develop their fine motor skills as they build towers and knock them down with excitement. Toddlers splash in water as staff count with them how many ducks they can see. Pre-school children practise their cutting skills as they create Valentine's Day crafts for their families. Children positively engage in their learning.

p.2

need to do better?

n Children are making good progress, particularly, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff know the children well. They work closely with external agencies to further support children's development. Staff are open to advice and ideas, which can help them improve outcomes for children. This helps to close gaps in children's development. n Staff assessments of children are effective. They assess children as individuals and as a group. Following identifying emerging gaps in children's mathematical development, staff have been focusing in this area throughout the nursery with huge success. Young children are developing simple number sequences through songs and older children count groups of objects. This effective assessment procedure helps to ensure that children are meeting their expectations in all areas of their development. n Children learn about the world around them through exciting and novel activities

p.2

need to do better?

that are based on their interests. Following children's growing interest in sports, staff create an Olympic-themed activity, encouraging lots of discussions about different sports from countries around the world. n Overall, staff promote children's language development. Staff encourage younger children's language by using gestures to support understanding. Pre- school staff provide a sociable environment, where children can develop their conversational skills. However, occasionally staff do not challenge children's thinking. For example, during stories staff ask questions that children can easily answer, however, they do not go on to ask more thought provoking questions that help children to think more deeply. n Children engage well in their learning. They show enthusiasm to join in with all the experiences staff provide for them. Often children will participate in an

p.2

need to do better?

7 February 2023 activity a few times before moving on. This demonstrates children are developing positive attitudes to learning. n Children learn about healthy lifestyles. They regularly access fresh air to burn off energy in a big outdoor space. Children have healthy meals and can explain how some food makes them 'big and strong'. The leaders have won the 'Healthy Setting' award for their impact on children's health and nutrition. These experiences contribute to children developing positive attitudes to their health and well-being. n Staff have strong bonds with children and understand their needs. When children become a little emotional or are unable to communicate their needs, caring staff comfort them and help them to express what they want. This helps children to feel safe and secure. n Leaders provide training for staff based on children's needs. For example, staff who work with babies have recently updated their knowledge of how to meet

p.2

need to do better?

their needs. However, there has been an oversight of some staff development. Some staff need further support with their understanding of how children develop. This leads to the next steps for children not being as precise as they could be. n Partnership with parents is strong. Parents say staff communicate well and share activities to try at home. Staff encourage parents to send in observations of their children from home. They share these observations with the children. This helps develop consistency for children's learning.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have a highly robust procedure in place to ensure that individuals who work with children are suitable. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and what to do if they had a concern about a child. Regular risk assessments are carried out to help make sure the environment is safe. All staff are paediatric first-aid trained. This helps keep children safe from harm.

p.3

should:

n support staff to build on children's ability to think more deeply n strengthen professional development of some staff to further develop their knowledge of how children learn, so next steps for children are more precise.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY420333 Local authority Trafford Inspection number 10264591 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 56 Number of children on roll 34

p.4

Name of registered person

Christine & Christopher Cambridge Partnership

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 0161 973 9199 Date of previous inspection 20 June 2017

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Acorns Day Nursery registered in 2010 and is located in Sale. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children, to find out about their time at the setting. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a literacy activity with the

p.5

Inspection activities

manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

7 February 2023 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6