Archway Children's Centre

Inspection of Archway Children's Centre Vorley Road, Archway, London N19 5HE

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

Children have access to an excellent learning environment, and staff keep the children at the heart of every decision that is made. Staff have high expectations for children's learning and provide a very well-planned curriculum. This is based clearly on the skills that children need to become life-long learners. Children have very strong bonds with their key person, who monitors their progress carefully. Gaps in learning are identified quickly to ensure that children have every opportunity to progress.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff prioritise the happiness and well-being of all the children in all areas of their development by listening carefully to children's thoughts and opinions. Children of all ages have dedicated, imaginative spaces where they can reflect on how they feel and process their feelings. Children are treated with the utmost respect and care.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff are excellent role models to children. They are very kind and caring and support children in all areas without becoming intrusive. They have regard for the views of children and use them in their decision-making. In turn, children of all ages are extremely well behaved. They play cooperatively with each other, sharing resources and having fun in learning.

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need to do better?

n The leadership team is inspirational in its commitment to supporting and developing the staff team. Leaders prioritise staff's well-being and professional development. Senior staff have a clear and extensive programme of support for all staff that begins during a well-planned induction. They invest in the team through individual one-to-one sessions and staff meetings to support all the staff to grow and learn. Leaders meet with staff after they have attended training to check on the learning and cascade it to all staff. Staff recognise the support they are offered and comment on the well-being support available to them. n Leaders and staff provide all children with an ambitious curriculum that is very well embedded across all age groups. Staff understand the importance of securely building on children's learning with repetition. Children are given many opportunities to recall past learning experiences and practise them until they are

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need to do better?

secure. Real-life experiences are brought into the nursery in imaginative and very interesting ways. For example, during a trip to the seaside, staff and children collected seaweed, sea water, sand and seashells so that they can continue learning about them at nursery. These real learning experiences become part of children's memory and help them to recall significant events. n Children of all ages are curious and active learners. They are very keen to take part in all the activities provided. They demonstrate high levels of concentration

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need to do better?

5 July 2023 across all ages. For example, babies spend a long time in self-directed play, mark making with paint in the garden. Older children problem-solve using pipes in the water-play area to make water travel outside of the tray. n Children have access to an outside play area that is highly stimulating and has many different areas for children to explore. They help staff to feed and care for chickens and water the well-established vegetable patch. Children can also run, climb, search for insects and read books in a cosy corner. n Partnership working with parents is excellent. Parents comment on the high levels of quality feedback that they receive about their child's learning and development. They feel that they are genuinely working with the staff to enhance their children's early years experience. Parent representatives meet regularly with leaders to plan and review practice and policies. n Children are offered healthy, well-balanced meals and snacks. Mealtimes are

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need to do better?

social opportunities where staff and children chat about what gives bodies energy and how muscles stay strong. All children have healthy appetites and confidently feed themselves. Older children confidently serve themselves, and young children are supported in learning these skills. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make excellent progress in relation to their starting points. They are expertly supported by staff under the guidance of the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), who is skilled at ensuring that children have all the support that they need. n Staff teach children to assess risks for themselves and how to stay safe. The indoor and outdoor areas are regularly checked to ensure that they are safe for staff and children. Regular headcounts of children take place to ensure continued safety throughout the day. Staff deployment is highly effective in keeping children safe. Accidents and incidents are reported promptly to ensure

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need to do better?

that the risk is minimised for future occurrences. Older children help staff to complete accident report forms.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are very well trained to keep children safe. They have an in- depth knowledge of their role and know the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. Contact details of relevant safeguarding agencies are available to all staff who need to make a referral or need advice. Leaders understand wider community safeguarding, such as knife and gang cultures with young people, and staff have received training to gain confidence and extend their knowledge. Robust policies are in place to ensure that staff are recruited safely, and leaders update the staff's personnel records regularly. Checks are undertaken to ensure staff's continued suitability to work with children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 131663 Local authority Islington Inspection number 10285916 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

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inspection

Total number of places 76 Number of children on roll 86 Name of registered person The London Borough of Islington

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reference number

Telephone number 020 7527 4827 Date of previous inspection 24 October 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Archway Children's Centre registered in 2001 and is located in the London Borough of Islington. It employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including one with early years professional status and two with qualified teacher status. The nursery within the children's centre opens from Monday to Friday, between 8am and 6pm, all year round, for 49 weeks of the year, apart from two weeks over the summer and bank holidays. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-old children.

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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 leadership team and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. 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/registered individual about the leadership and management of the nursery. n The SENCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager.

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Inspection activities

n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

5 July 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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