Abacus Children's Nurseries Ltd

Inspection of Abacus Children's Nurseries Ltd Kingfisher Drive, Walderslade, Kent ME5 7NX

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children and their families are warmly welcomed at this happy and family focused setting. Staff promote children's emotional well-being effectively. They provide cuddles, comfort, praise, and encouragement to children frequently. Children enter eager to play and explore. Babies are highly motivated and engaged. Staff have created a well-planned environment, which is calm and nurturing. Babies delight in exploring different textures in a tray, linked to their interest in farm animals. This supports their personal, social and communication skills well. Staff develop attractive spaces for children to explore. These support children's individual needs. Staff promote children's positive behaviour. For instance, they use strategies such as reminding children to use 'Dangerous Dave's' kind hands and feet. Children behave well.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for children. They plan exciting and interesting activities and experiences. For example, older children spend a long time outside mixing potions. They use words such as 'abracadabra' when they create their own mixtures. This supports their language and communication skills well. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Children who were non-verbal when they started, are now confident speakers. Children who speak English as an additional language are encouraged to communicate using cards and pictures. This helps to support their developing understanding and speech. All children make good progress.

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need to do better?

n Staff promote children's good behaviour. Babies are highly engaged in exploring different areas in the newly developed environment. Older children play well together, making different models out of coloured blocks and sharing these with their friends. This supports children's personal and social skills well. n Children benefit from staff who celebrate their achievements and encourage their confidence. For example, babies smile and point when they do things for the first time, such as using a spoon at lunchtime. Older children excitedly say that they have drawn shapes and letters themselves. n Children benefit from staff who know them well. Staff successfully plan a curriculum that prioritises gaps in learning. For example, staff encourage children to develop their literacy skills. Children enjoy taking home 'Travel Bear' and talking about his adventures with them. Staff encourage children to choose

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need to do better?

books from the lending library. This encourages the development of their literacy and language skills well. n Staff promote children's developing mathematical knowledge well. They have prioritised this successfully. Younger children enjoy joining in with singing number rhymes and songs. Older children enjoy counting different bears and

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need to do better?

20 February 2024 matching them to different colours. n Since the last inspection, staff have developed their practice to support children's independence well. For example, babies toddle to get their own water bottles. Older children choose their snacks and wash up their own bowls and plates. However, on occasion, when children are moving between activities or routines, older children have to wait unnecessarily and are not as fully engaged as they could be. n Staff have prioritised developing the environment for babies to support their needs and interests. They have accessed effective support from the local authority to help them to make positive improvements. For example, staff have created attractive spaces for babies to explore and provide a calm and nurturing environment. Babies are secure and content. n Children with SEND make good progress. Staff prioritise using funding effectively to provide one-to-one support. They are gentle and warm in their interactions

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need to do better?

with children. Staff liaise with a range of external agencies, settings and schools to ensure that children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning journey. n Leaders and managers are passionate about and committed to ensuring that they continue to offer good-quality provision. They have used COVID-19 recovery funding well to access outside support. This has been effective in developing staff's practice. Leaders and managers support staff well. They collaborate well with the linked setting to support improvements. n Communication with parents is strong. Parents are highly appreciative of the support they receive for both them and their children. They talk of how welcomed and valued they feel. Parents travel significant distances to ensure that their children can attend. Parents talk of the positive help that they receive to support learning at home, such as with behaviour and toilet training.

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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 review and improve transition times for older children to ensure that they do not have to wait unnecessarily as they move between activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY331809 Local authority Medway Inspection number 10293427 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 80 Number of children on roll 99 Name of registered person Abacus Children's Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01634 863 332 Date of previous inspection 26 April 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Abacus Children's Nurseries Ltd registered in 2005. It operates from a building in the grounds of Kingfisher Primary School in Walderslade, Kent. The setting is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The setting employs 14 members of staff, of whom 11 hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 and above.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n Leaders and managers joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Staff talked to the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individuals about the leadership and management of the setting. n The quality of education being provided indoors and outdoors was assessed by the inspector and the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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

20 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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