Agar Nursery

Inspection of Agar Nursery Agar Childrens Centre, Wrotham Road, LONDON NW1 9SU

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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

Children are greeted with a warm welcome from staff who are kind and nurturing. Children are happy and safe as they play and share their experiences with their friends and staff. Staff have high expectations for every child and explain expectations during routines and play. As a result, children behave well and have a good attitude to learning. Children build their physical skills well and access a wide range of resources that develop their imagination. Children roll car tyres and squeal in delight as they manoeuvre the tyres across the playground. They build with crates and use their imaginations well to create a story during play.

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The provision is good

There is a strong emphasis on developing communication and language within the curriculum. Staff talk to children in the sandpit, which has weighing scales. Staff support children to compare 'light' and 'heavy'. Children confidently ask, 'Shall we see what happens?' when adding more sand to the scales. Staff are building the skills for children to be confident communicators, including children who speak English as an additional language.

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The provision is good

The manager and leaders have high expectations for every child, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is ambitious to ensure every child reaches their full potential.

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need to do better?

n Leaders ensure children have access to a wide curriculum offering exciting learning opportunities both indoors and outdoors. Children's developmental starting points are established through home visits, discussions with parents and observations. Through understanding children's interests and needs, the staff ensure children's learning is effectively planned for and that it is well sequenced. n The manager carries out regular supervision with her staff. She discusses the staff's key children, training needs and well-being. In addition, leaders and staff meet regularly to plan the next steps for children and undertake training. This supports their continual professional development and helps to maintain standards in teaching. n Children with SEND are well supported in the nursery. The setting works closely with families and a range of health professionals to ensure interventions are in place to support individual needs. The nursery special educational needs

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need to do better?

coordinator oversees practice to ensure 'assess, plan, do, review' processes are effective, so each child thrives. n Staff build strong attachments with their key children and teach them how to be independent and confident. Young children brush their teeth before lunchtime, learning the importance of good oral health. Children are prompted to wash hands before mealtimes and learn to use cutlery to feed themselves. Staff are

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need to do better?

5 September 2023 positive role models and teach children to be kind and respectful to one another. This prepares children to be good citizens. n Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported. Children learn quickly through daily singing and the sharing of books. Staff support families to share key words in their first language, so that children have a sense of belonging in the nursery. As a result, children quickly make progress in their language skills. n Children enjoy healthy snacks and freshly prepared nutritious meals. Dietary needs are taken into consideration. Staff use the opportunity at the table to have conversations with children. Children confidently recall what activities they have done earlier or share home experiences. Children can eat what they grow from the nursery garden. They excitedly check the garden in the morning to see what vegetables have ripened, and are ready to be prepared, shared and eaten.

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need to do better?

n Leaders build strong parental partnerships. Parents speak highly of the nursery and the staff. Parents say they appreciate the regular communication, so they know what their children are learning. They appreciate the support they receive so that their children make good progress in their development. They say how happy their children are to come to nursery each day. n Children access a range of adult-led and child-initiated activities. For example, children paint pictures of their family members and happily share their artwork with staff. Young children approach paint and create some lines and shapes. However, sometimes young children lose focus quickly, seeming unsure what to engage in.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The management and staff understand their role in keeping children safe through regular training and weekly updates. Staff recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and know who they have to make a referral to if necessary. If staff have concerns regarding another member of staff and their conduct towards children, they understand their duty to report this as part of the whistle-blowing policy. Leaders ensure that safe recruitment procedures are followed and that ongoing suitability checks are in place. This helps to ensure that staff continue to be suitable to work with children. Daily risk assessments are undertaken so that danger is minimised for children.

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should:

n further strengthen reflective practice to identify what improvements would have the greatest impact on children's involvement and concentration in all rooms n strengthen the systems in place for the monitoring and development of staff

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should:

5 September 2023 practice so that it is of a consistently high quality.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY384715 Local authority Camden Inspection number 10306116 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

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inspection

Total number of places 66 Number of children on roll 45 Name of registered person London Borough of Camden

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reference number

Telephone number 020 7974 4789 Date of previous inspection 8 March 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Agar Children's Centre registered in 2008 and is situated in the London Borough of Camden. The setting opens Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm all year round, except for two weeks in August, Christmas and bank holidays. The setting provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years old. A team of 13 members of staff is employed to work with the children. All staff hold early years qualifications between levels 3 and 6.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first 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 and manager carried out a learning walk and discussed the curriculum and what staff want the children to learn. n The inspector observed interactions between staff and children. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation. n The inspector spoke with staff and parents and took their views into consideration. n The inspector reviewed a sample of key documentation.

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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 September 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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