Skip to content

Help us get it right

Sign in (free) to send feedback, so we can tell you when it's fixed.

Early years · Early years inspection (EIF)

Abacus @ Baileys Court Activity Centre

Inspected 5 Feb 2025 · published 5 Mar 2025 · URN EY491837

Help us get it right

Sign in (free) to send feedback, so we can tell you when it's fixed.

Original PDF ↗

Summary

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Group verified

    Learning Through Play Ltd

  • Group reference verified

    RP907777

  • Inspection date verified

    5 Feb 2025

  • Inspectors verified

    Elaine Douglas

  • Behaviour and attitudes verified

    Good

  • Leadership and management verified

    Good

  • Overall effectiveness verified

    Good

  • Personal development verified

    Good

  • Previous overall verified

    Good

  • Quality of education verified

    Good

  • Postcode verified

    BS32 8BH

  • Name on report verified

    Abacus @ Baileys Court Activity Centre

  • URN verified

    EY491837

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of the report with the evidence highlighted

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

Join free to get a short, plain-English summary of any report.

Grade profile

Hollow rings show the previous inspection, 2016.

  • OverallGood
  • Behaviour and attitudesGood
  • Leadership and managementGood
  • Personal developmentGood
  • Quality of educationGood

79% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Good (17,905 inspections).

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+79Very positivemore positive than 77% of reports of this type graded Good
OutstandingGoodRIInadequate

In line with other reports of this type graded Good.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praisepositiveeffectivelystrongsuccessfullyhappysafeconsistentlyeffective
Criticismlownot clear

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingWhat needs to improveAbout the inspection positive critical
  • Findings704w+76
  • Safeguarding20w+50
  • What needs to improve34w+43

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

No strong criticism found.

Next steps

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
6
Words of findings
728
about usual (typical 803)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 50, typical 54
Average sentence
16 words
Next steps
2
typical 2
Hedged sentences
4%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 56%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 3%About the inspection 40%

Full report text

Inspection of Abacus @ Baileys Court Activity Centre Baileys Court Activity Centre, Baileys Court Road, BRISTOL BS32 8BH

p.1

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

p.1

The provision is good

Staff build positive relationships with children and their families before they start at the setting. Staff get to know what children can already do so they plan successfully to meet their care and development needs from the beginning. This enables children to arrive happy, and those new to the setting soon settle and have fun learning.

p.2

The provision is good

Leaders plan a good curriculum to prepare children well for school, focusing on their prime areas of development. Staff encourage children's independence, language skills, relationships and active learning. Children relish being outdoors, where they practise their physical abilities, know how to dress for the weather and learn to make safe choices. Staff enable children to develop their resilience and critical thinking effectively. They encourage children to produce their own ideas and use trial and error to see if they work.

p.2

The provision is good

Leaders evaluate their practice effectively and implement new initiatives to benefit the children. For example, they have increased outdoor learning, which has had a positive impact on children's behaviour and well-being. Leaders have helped staff to take responsibility for a specific area of learning each term to ensure a balanced curriculum. They have introduced peer observations and leaders are strong role models to ensure children receive good-quality teaching overall.

p.2

need to do better?

n Leaders use funding well to ensure all children access good experiences. For example, they increase staff ratios for outings into the community and for higher risk activities, as well as purchasing resources that motivate children's specific interests. Leaders are proactive in getting children additional support, ensuring they receive the help they need to catch up with their peers before going to school. n Children engage well in the stimulating environment. They make independent choices and lead their learning. For example, they fill containers and pretend to make cakes with mud, counting their stick candles and using their imagination to decorate with flowers. Staff help them to learn the names and smells of herbs, and to notice sizes and weight and that some items sink in water and others float. However, occasionally, they do not notice children who are not benefitting as much from the good-quality teaching.

p.2

need to do better?

n Leaders plan effectively for children's language and communications skills. Overall, staff implement this well. They use words with signs for younger children and those learning English as an additional language. They add vocabulary and use repetition, such as a welcome song, where children also learn each other's names. Staff use good questioning techniques to encourage

p.2

need to do better?

5 February 2025 children's problem solving and give them enough time to think and respond. On occasion, however, not all staff give clear instructions, particularly in large-group activities, so not all children understand what they must do. n Staff implement good care practices so children develop an important understanding of a safe and healthy lifestyle. For example, children help themselves to drinks of water and get tissues to wipe their nose and then place them in the bin. They wash their hands after using the toilet and being outside and before eating. They learn to manage age-appropriate risks, such as using tools, climbing low trees, building a balancing course and being aware of others when swinging on a rope tyre. n Staff have had refresher training in behaviour management. They consistently support children in taking turns and thinking of others. Staff help children to consider their own and others' emotions and the consequences of their actions,

p.2

need to do better?

reinforcing this using stories. Children develop a positive awareness of their own uniqueness and other people's differences. They learn to value each other, share and be kind. n Parents confirm the good partnerships, such as working with staff over potty training. They comment on the good exchange of information, which helps them to support their children at home and staff to meet their children's needs. They confirm how well their children are progressing, especially in their language skills and making friends. Leaders have formed strong links with the local school, which helps children to transition smoothly and feel emotionally secure.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

p.3

should:

n develop staffs' awareness of monitoring all children's engagement, to know when to intervene and move their learning on n ensure staff provide clear instructions in group activities, to support children's understanding more effectively.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY491837 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 10372590 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 46 Name of registered person Learning Through Play Ltd

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 07718974235 Date of previous inspection 26 April 2019

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Abacus Pre School @ Baileys Court Activity Centre registered in 2015 and is one of several settings run by Learning Through Play LTD. It is situated in the Bradley Stoke area of Gloucestershire. The pre-school is open from 8.30am to 3.15pm, during term time only. The pre-school employs four members of staff, one of whom one holds a relevant early years qualification at level 5, one at level 3 and one at level 2. The pre-school offers government funded places and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at convenient times and observed the quality of teaching, indoors and outdoors, assessing the impact this was having on children's learning. n The manager and inspector conducted a joint observation of the quality of teaching and learning during a group activity outdoors. n The inspector spoke with parents and children, taking account of all their views. n The manager and inspector discussed the leadership of the setting, and the inspector checked evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

5 February 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6

Discuss this inspection

Members compare notes on inspectors and inspections here. Join free to read and post.

Join the discussion