The Abingdon Kindergarten - Long Furlong

Inspection of The Abingdon Kindergarten - Long Furlong Abingdon Kindergarten, 43 Loyd Close, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 1XR

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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 behave well and are motivated to learn. They demonstrate that they understand and follow the 'golden rules' and happily talk about them during circle time when asked by staff. Children are confident and ask staff for help when needed. Staff teach children about their different emotions by learning new vocabulary and reading stories to help them understand the meaning of the words to describe their feelings.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage children to have good hygiene procedures and enable them to become independent in their personal care needs. Children's physical development is promoted through the activities offered both inside and outside. Staff encourage young babies to walk to the table at lunchtime, while older children use scissors to cut pieces of paper for the collage they intend to make. Children of all ages explore play dough. They mould it into a ball, then roll it out using a rolling pin.

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The provision is good

Staff enable children to become confident and capable during their time at nursery. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. They enjoy showing staff the plays they have been practising and the books they have made. Children who are moving on to school are well prepared for the next step in their learning. They confidently speak about their time at nursery and become independent in self-help skills, such as choosing their own plate during mealtimes and helping to put the toys away. Staff supervise children well during their play and throughout the daily routine. For example, when children eat their food, staff are vigilant and sit close to them.

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need to do better?

n Staff confirm that they are supported by senior management and receive supervision and annual appraisals, including checks to ensure that they remain suitable to work with children. The senior management team regularly visits the setting to provide additional support and focus on improving practice. However, communication between the provider and the staff working in the setting is not always sufficiently detailed enough to support them in planning for children's care and learning. n Leaders and management effectively evaluate the service. They use outcomes from complaints to identify where further improvements can be made. For instance, the provider recently implemented a procedure to remind staff to share and obtain information from parents about accidents and existing injuries. n Staff plan a varied curriculum, using children's interests and developmental needs as a starting point. In the baby room, children and their families are

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need to do better?

supported in developing trusting relationships with their key person in those early days. As the children move through the nursery, the staff build on what

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need to do better?

29 August 2024 children know. They strengthen children's independence skills and extend their communication skills and physical development. Staff deploy themselves effectively to provide good levels of engagement to support children's learning. n Staff work with parents at the beginning of the placement to find out about the children they will care for. The staff use a software app to keep parents updated throughout the day with children's care and learning. Settling procedures are tailored to meet the needs of the children on their arrival. The staff are flexible to those needs and adapt the sessions if needed so that children have a positive experience of settling in. Parents confirm that they feel sufficiently well informed about their child's day, and they welcome the support provided by the staff. n Children's communication skills are generally supported well. Staff describe what children are doing during their play, which helps them to learn new words, such

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need to do better?

as 'puffer fish', 'angel fish' and 'octopus'. Staff read to children throughout the day and there is a range of books for children to explore. Staff focus on helping younger children to identify and label what they see, while older children sit and carefully listen to a story. However, on occasions, the noise levels in the room rise, making it more difficult for children to concentrate and listen to the staff who support their learning. n Staff support children with additional needs well. They use a visual timetable during the daily routine to help children know what will happen next. Staff work with other professionals to support children's development. For instance, they implement plans to help improve children's strength and mobility. Staff provide good levels of support to children who speak English as an additional language. They read books and sing songs in their home language and share this with

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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 improve the communication of information with the staff working at the setting to ensure that they have sufficient details about the children they care for to enable them to plan more effectively for their individual needs n review the noise levels in the nursery rooms to ensure that all children can hear what is being said to them and concentrate on their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY318514 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10364407 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 75 Number of children on roll 88 Name of registered person Abingdon Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01235 528910 Date of previous inspection 10 August 2022

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Information about this early years setting

The Abingdon Kindergarten - Long Furlong registered in 2005. It operates from a building situated on the Long Furlong estate in north Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round, with the exception of bank holidays. There are 13 members of staff who work with the children. Of these, eight hold a relevant early years qualification at level 3 and one at level 5. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and fours years.

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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 The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager of an activity in which children used the play dough they had made and observed how they could make marks using different materials. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children.

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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

29 August 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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