Acorns Day Nursery

Inspection of Acorns Day Nursery 36 Alphington Road, EXETER EX2 8HN

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

Children are happy and confidently separate from their parent or carer on arrival. Staff form caring, positive relationships with children, and children readily approach staff when they need support or a reassuring cuddle. Staff know children's characters well, and children enjoy interacting with staff. Staff meet the care needs of children well. They ask the youngest children if they can change their nappy or put them down for a nap. Children show that they feel safe and secure.

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The provision requires improvement

Older children benefit from a well-sequenced curriculum that meets their learning needs. Staff interactions develop these children's social skills well. Staff support them to take turns, and children enjoy sharing and playing together, chatting excitedly. Children's behaviour is good. Leaders do not provide the needed training and support for staff working with the youngest children to ensure the curriculum delivery meets the babies' learning and development needs as well as it could, particularly in their communication and language and physical development. Interactions between staff and babies provide comfort but do not extend and challenge the babies' learning effectively.

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need to do better?

n Although leaders know what it is they want children to learn, they do not ensure that babies benefit from the same good quality interactions and teaching as the older children. This means that babies are not making the progress of which they are capable. Staff do not model language well for babies. For example, they do not respond to them as they babble to help encourage the babies' early speech and communication. At times, staff are unsure of what they want children to learn from an activity and how it links to what children need to learn next, meaning the support and interactions they provide can lack appropriate challenge. n Staff working with the babies do not successfully provide the youngest children with the challenge they need to be curious and engaged. For example, as children explore locks and fastenings with pictures of objects hidden behind doors, staff observe. They do not engage with the babies to build on their

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need to do better?

inquisitiveness or model new words to extend learning. n Toddlers and older children enjoy looking at books independently. Staff frequently share stories with them, and children listen attentively and giggle at the humour. Children develop a love of reading and sharing stories. Staff do not share stories regularly with babies or provide them with books to explore that develop a curiosity and an interest in reading. n Staff build positive relationships with parents and carers. They share daily updates with parents regarding care routines. Staff communicate with parents through verbal handovers and via an online application. Parents feel

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need to do better?

9 January 2025 communication is a strength of the nursery. They also commend the caring relationships staff form with their children. n Older children develop good physical skills. Staff plan outside play sessions daily and have developed the outside areas to ensure these children have access to fresh air and large-scale physical play activities in all weathers. They enjoy balance courses, ball games and imaginative play as they move like animals. Children receive good support from staff and excitedly 'stomp like dinosaurs', 'fly and hover like birds' and 'gallop like ponies'. Babies access outside play in small groups. They enjoy digging in soil and investigating ice. When inside, babies enjoy crawling and cruising around furniture. Staff support children to begin to stand by offering a finger to hold as a steadying support. However, babies are not able to practise and develop their physical skills as the cluttered floor hinders

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need to do better?

their movement and decreases babies' confidence to explore their play space. n All children enjoy meals freshly prepared on site. They can access drinking water throughout the day, and staff encourage them to do so. Procedures for allergy management are effective. Staff use a colour-coded system of plates and place cards to ensure vital information is known to all staff. Staff closely supervise children when they are eating. This helps to reduce the risk of cross contamination. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have suitable plans in place to support their developing needs. Staff plan clear targets and share these with parents. Additional funding provides children with targeted support. The extra interactions and one-to-one targeted time these children receive supports their progress.

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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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Due date

provide staff with the training and support they need to deliver a curriculum that meets the learning and development needs of the youngest children, particularly in their communication and language and physical development. 03/02/2025

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should:

n ensure staff provide effective challenge for the youngest children during their play so that children remain curious and engaged and can make rapid progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2688812 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10367867 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 82 Number of children on roll 121 Name of registered person Devon Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01392272621 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Acorns Day Nursery registered in 2022. It is located in Alphington, Exeter. It is open Monday to Friday, 7.45am to 6pm, all year round. It is part of a Devon-based group of nurseries. There are 25 members of staff, nine of whom hold a level 3 and above childcare qualification.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with leaders about the leadership and management of the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager and deputy manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability

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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 January 2025 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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