The Acorn Nursery School

Inspection of The Acorn Nursery School 2 Lansdowne Crescent, London W11 2NH

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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

There is a strong parent partnership at this nurturing nursery. Staff work closely with children and their parents. They ensure that when children start at the nursery, they quickly start feeling safe and secure. Children are happy and form strong bonds with all members of staff. Staff know children well and carefully plan activities to meet the needs of all learners. Parents are given ideas of how to support their children at home, for example with potty training and starting school.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. Staff use a small bell to attract children's attention, to support them to listen when it's time to start a new activity. Children understand the nursery's 'golden rules' of being kind, taking turns and using their 'walking feet' inside. Children follow staff's instructions to wait for their turn when washing their hands and using the toilet.

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The provision is good

The nursery promotes a love for music. Children enjoy learning familiar songs and nursery-specific songs. For example, they sing, accompanied by the piano, to a range of their chosen action songs. They excitedly add the names of the different animals that they meet, as they sing along to 'On the way to Buttercup Farm'. On occasion parents are invited to join the music sessions with their children.

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need to do better?

n Children have access to a range of activities to support their fine motor development. For example, they enjoy using rolling pins and cutters to manipulate play dough, and painting pictures on large easels. Staff support and encourage children as they add collage materials to their painted paper plates to make their pig faces. n Children are encouraged to be imaginative, as they dress up as explorers in search of dinosaurs. They dig for fossils in sand and use binoculars and magnifying glasses to examine their findings. Younger children enjoy sorting the various farm animals into the farmyard. This supports children's skills in knowledge and understanding of the world. n Staff carefully plan activities to support children's mathematical development. Children enjoy counting, matching and sequencing coloured dinosaurs. Younger children enjoy using large bricks to build towers. Staff model the mathematical

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need to do better?

language of 'one more', as they build their towers even higher. n Staff adopt a positive approach to behaviour management. They remind children of their expectations of behaviour around the nursery and children respond well. They model how to show kindness to children through their actions as well as their planned activities. For example, to celebrate Valentine's Day, they ask children to talk about why their friends are special to them. n Children are encouraged to become confident, independent learners. They hang

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need to do better?

22 February 2023 up their own coats and bags, they pour their own milk at snack time and help themselves to a range of healthy fruits and vegetables. Staff talk to them about the benefits of what they are eating. They discuss the importance of vitamins as part of a healthy, balanced diet and how the calcium in the milk helps to develop strong teeth and bones. n Staff carefully plan focused activities to support children's interests and next steps. Most staff adapt these to allow children to lead their own play and learning. However, not all staff encourage and support children to further develop their self-initiated play. This leads to children losing interest in their chosen activity. Further support from staff would ensure children fully develop their imaginative and problem-solving skills. n Staff receive regular training to ensure they are meeting the needs of all children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and

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need to do better?

children with English as an additional language (EAL) are supported well. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that children have highly effective targeted plans in place. Parents know their children's targets and feel their children are fully prepared for their next stages in learning, including starting school. n The manager shows passion for continuous improvement. She supports staff through supervision meetings, and ensures that they have access to a range of training opportunities around their chosen interests. Staff are extremely happy to be part of this committed and dedicated team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand the importance of ensuring the premises are safe for children. They ensure daily risk assessments take place. There are clear procedures in place for recording and reporting on accidents. Children and their parents are educated on staying safe digitally. Staff are aware of the signs of when a child may be at risk of abuse and understand the correct procedures to follow to report on concerns they may have. Staff receive regular safeguarding and paediatric first-aid training to ensure they keep their knowledge up to date.

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should:

n further support staff to encourage children's self-initiated play to enhance their imaginative and problem-solving skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY489155 Local authority Kensington and Chelsea Inspection number 10264202 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 110 Number of children on roll 78 Name of registered person Notting Hill Preparatory School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 020 7727 2122 Date of previous inspection 7 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Acorn Nursery School registered in 2015. It is situated in the Notting Hill area, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The nursery is open each weekday, from 9am to 4pm, and operates during school term time only. There are 21 members of staff, 15 of whom hold relevant early years qualifications ranging from level 3 to level 7.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery 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 setting. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager and inspector conducted a learning walk together and discussed how the curriculum had been implemented and the impact that this had on children's learning. n Children spoke to/communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to a range of staff about how the setting meets the needs of all learners to include those with EAL and SEND. n The inspector spoke to a range of staff about safeguarding policies and procedures. n The inspector observed the interactions between the staff and children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector and manager carried out a joint observation on a member of staff. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

22 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.

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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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