Little Acres Day Nursery and Pre-School

Inspection of Little Acres Day Nursery and Pre-school 60 Oakleigh Grove, Cliffe Woods, Rochester ME3 8GY

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children settle extremely well and enjoy their time at this welcoming nursery. Staff are very kind and nurturing. They warmly greet children and escort them to their rooms. Staff know children and their families well, and use this knowledge to ensure that children feel safe and secure. Children form good attachments with their key person. They look for their key person to play with, and for comfort and reassurance.

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The provision is good

Staff provide meaningful learning experiences across the nursery that captivate children's interests and motivate them to learn. Children happily explore the wide range of activities provided. Staff build on younger children's curiosities. For example, they encourage children to feel different textures and use containers to scoop, transfer and pour water. This helps to build children's small-muscle skills and coordination. Staff successfully build on what children already know. For example, during activities, older children participate in discussion about sea pollution. Staff skilfully add new vocabulary into children's play, such as 'sewage' and 'contamination', which helps to enhance their language development. Children relish spending time outdoors. They build their balance and coordination as they ride bikes and explore on climbing apparatus. Younger children enjoy pulling themselves up onto low-level equipment, which helps to support their large-muscle

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for behaviour. They support children well to help them learn what is expected of them. Children are friendly and show consideration towards each other. For example, they share equipment, take turns and learn to say 'please' and 'thank you'.

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need to do better?

n The manager is extremely passionate and ambitious, with a clear vision for the nursery. The manager and staff work effectively as a team. They have regular meetings to discuss the curriculum and what they can improve, and they have a clear action plan to continually develop the nursery. The manager makes good use of training to help develop staff's knowledge and skills. Staff comment that they feel well supported in their role and feel that their well-being is a priority. n Staff ensure that children are ready and well prepared for the next stage in their learning. Children benefit from a gradual settling-in process, which is adapted to support their care needs. Furthermore, children benefit from well-planned transitions as they move from one room to the next within the nursery. Staff work closely with local schools and share important information about the children to help promote a smooth transition for children.

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need to do better?

n Staff provide children with valuable experiences to encourage them to learn

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need to do better?

25 June 2024 about their community and the wider world. For example, children learn about a variety of festivals and celebrations throughout the year. Furthermore, they invite local people to come in and share their experiences. They have recently had firefighters visit the nursery to help broaden children's understanding of people who help us. n Overall, children have a positive attitude to learning and are motivated to join in with exciting activities. They benefit from lots of interaction with staff and are beginning to recall what they already know, particularly during adult-led activities. However, at times, staff do not always recognise when children who are less confident need more support to join in with the activity. n Staff support children to learn to love books, stories, and rhymes. Staff read with an enthusiasm that engages children. Younger children excitedly point to pictures, and older children predict what happens next in the story. This helps to

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need to do better?

promote children's early literacy skills. n Staff support children to do things for themselves. For example, children confidently use cutlery to feed themselves. They learn to put on their own shoes, pour drinks and serve food at mealtimes. These opportunities help children to develop their independence skills. However, during routine times, such as mealtimes, children wait for longer than necessary. As a result, children become restless and unsettled. n The passionate special educational needs coordinator knows the needs of children well. She works closely with children's key person, parents, and external professionals. This helps her to plan precise support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Consequently, children with SEND achieve well and make good progress in relation to their capabilities. n Parents speak highly of the care and support their children receive. Staff work in

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need to do better?

close partnership with parents and share daily communications with them about their children's progress. Furthermore, staff regularly invite parents into the nursery to celebrate events. This helps to build bonds between home and nursery.

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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 staff to enhance their skills, so they understand how to adapt their teaching to further extend children's learning, in particular, when children feel less confident

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should:

25 June 2024 n review the organisation of daily routines to ensure that children are not waiting for long periods of time.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2708487 Local authority Medway Inspection number 10349910 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 144 Name of registered person Sea Shells Nursery (Dockside) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01634 907144 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Acres Day Nursery and Pre-school registered in 2022 and is located in Cliffe Woods in Rochester, Medway. It is open from Monday to Friday, 8am until 6pm, all year round, except for one week at Christmas. The setting employs 21 members of staff. Of these, 17 staff have relevant childcare qualifications at level 2 or 3. Two staff hold a relevant level 6 childcare qualification. The setting receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. 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 Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided across the setting, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector talked to staff and parents during the inspection and took account of their views. 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

25 June 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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