Alpha Nurseries

Inspection of Alpha Nurseries 3 Darnley Road, LONDON E9 6QH

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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 safe and very happy at this nurturing and stimulating nursery. Staff greet all children with care and enthusiasm. This helps children to feel valued and secure. Staff support children to develop good social skills. Children play cooperatively with their friends. For example, they use different materials to cover themselves and giggle when they tell the inspector they are a friendly ghost. The manager and the staff have created a strong sense of community within the nursery. Parents comment about the warm and caring atmosphere and how excited their children are to arrive each day.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations of children. They support children to learn through play. Children follow instructions, and they are well behaved and considerate towards each other. Staff are excellent role models. They show a genuine interest in what children do and say. One of the nursery's biggest priorities is children's happiness. Staff want children to feel a sense of belonging and to feel loved. There is a lot of laughter throughout the nursery from staff and children.

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The provision is good

Staff take children on regular visits within the local community. Children enjoy walks to the park and regular trips to the library. Staff use these trips to help support children's awareness of the world around them and the people who live in it. They also enrich children's learning experiences and help to prepare them for their future success.

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need to do better?

n The dedicated and passionate manager is clear about what she wants children to learn. Staff provide an inclusive curriculum that meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points in development. The manager is highly reflective and committed to making ongoing improvements. She makes sure that staff's well-being is paramount and continually supports their professional development. n Staff plan a range of well-thought-out activities and experiences for children. These are based on children's interests and what they need to learn next. For example, babies enjoy feeling and exploring the texture of flour in the sensory tray. They squeal with delight as staff blow bubbles, touching them as they float and pop. Toddlers show a lot of concentration as they thread cereal and pasta through pipe cleaners. Staff use spontaneous moments to extend children's

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need to do better?

learning in literacy. n Parent partnerships are strong. Parents speak highly of staff and the education that their children receive. Staff communicate well with parents, keeping them updated about their child's progress and next steps in learning. They encourage

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need to do better?

9 February 2024 parents to support their children further at home by offering different ideas to complete at home. n Staff promote children's healthy lifestyles. For example, they teach children that eating fruits and vegetables is very good for their bodies. Children demonstrate good handwashing and self-care skills. Younger children learn to feed themselves from a young age, with staff close by to support them when needed. Older children serve themselves food and eat independently. They also proudly show the inspector how they use toothbrushes to brush the dolls' teeth and clean the dolls' hair. The manager has arranged visits to the local dentist. These help to support children's understanding about oral health. n Overall, staff support children's communication and language skills well. They sit alongside children to read and retell stories. Staff use visual aids to enable children to understand what is happening now and next. Songs and rhymes play

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need to do better?

a big part of the nursery curriculum. Children, who are still developing their language, use musical instruments to join in. However, occasionally, staff who are less confident do not make the best use of their interactions with children to extend their developing communication skills as much as possible. n Children develop their physical skills well. They enjoy spending time in the garden, where they run, climb and move their bodies. Staff joyfully demonstrate to babies how to crawl across the room, which encourages the babies to join in and follow. Older children demonstrate their fine motor skills as they carefully dress the dolls in new clothes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n support less confident staff to raise the quality of their interactions and support for children's communication and language to an even higher level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY426093 Local authority Hackney Inspection number 10305255 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 57 Number of children on roll 53 Name of registered person Alpha Nurseries & Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 02089852785 Date of previous inspection 15 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Alpha Nurseries registered in 2012 and is located in the London Borough of Hackney. It is one of a chain of nurseries and out-of-school clubs owned by Alpha Nurseries & Childcare Limited. The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6.30pm. 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 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 nursery. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The manager and the inspector completed a joint observation of an activity and evaluated the observation together. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

9 February 2024 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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