Acorn Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children show they are happy and secure in this welcoming nursery. Staff have high expectations for all children.

They are positive role models and show children that they enjoy learning. Children reflect this attitude and are excited about their play and learning. For example, they add soapy liquid to puddles and work out that if they jump in them, bubbles appear.

Children gain new skills and knowledge and have time to practise them. For example, staff members talk with them about sticking feathers 'at the top and low down at the bottom of the picture'. Children later remember this as they play with toy aeroplanes, sa...ying they go 'high up, come down to land'.

Children gain a knowledge of their community, for example, on regular visits to the library and to watch the trains. They enjoy looking at their family photos in each room. These help to reassure children and offer opportunities to discuss different family traditions and lifestyles.

Children are kind and considerate towards one another. For instance, when children state they need candles for a pretend cake, others pass them small sticks. Children learn how to keep themselves safe.

For example, they discuss road safety when out walking. Staff support children to understand healthy practices, such as the importance of good oral hygiene.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

The management team responded positively to the actions set at the last inspection.

They have involved staff in planning and implementing changes. This has significantly improved the outcomes for children, and they now make consistently good progress.Staff report that they are well supported.

They receive regular supervision, and the management team offers them practical support in completing further training. For example, staff now fully understand how to assess children's progress and plan interesting, challenging play opportunities, which aid children in taking the next step in their learning.Thorough monitoring procedures support the manager in ensuring, that all children make good progress.

She quickly highlights any weaker areas in their learning and supports staff to take action to address these. The management team has a good knowledge of each child. They use additional funding effectively to promote their development.

Children benefit greatly from involvement in national and local initiatives. For example, they find out about their town and discover that it is built on chalk and flint. They talk confidently about how flint was used to make tools and how chalk is still used to make talcum powder and medicines.

Older children describe the 'cretaceous period' and how dinosaurs lived at this time.Staff recognise the importance of children developing good communication skills.They talk clearly to children, helping them to learn new vocabulary and build sentences.

This approach positively supports children who speak English as an additional language. Older children describe favourite books, eagerly remembering the story and recalling new words they have learnt, such as 'nocturnal' and 'corncrake'.Staff work well with other professionals, exchanging information and ensuring that children's needs are understood.

This particularly aids children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Additionally, staff know the children well and confidently tailor their practice and the environment to meet children's needs. For instance, staff make large picture cards to aid communication and help children make choices about their play.

The routines for older children during periods of transition, such as lunchtime and when moving between rooms, are not always well organised. At this time, children become restless, and the noise levels increase. This makes it difficult for children to listen and engage.

Parents speak highly of the nursery and report that they appreciate the good communication with staff so that they always know what their children have been doing. However, staff do not gather as much information as possible from parents about what their children have been learning and doing at home in order to build on this and extend children's learning further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff demonstrate a thorough knowledge of safeguarding, completing regular training to keep this up to date. They understand how to recognise possible concerns in children's lives and know which professional to report these to without delay. Staff know the process to follow to report any concerns about a staff member's ongoing suitability.

They understand wider safeguarding concerns, such as radicalisation. Staff appreciate the potential risks associated with use of the internet and take appropriate action to protect children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to better manage older children's needs during periods of transition, such as mealtimes and when moving between rooms nextend the opportunities for parents to provide information about their children's learning and development at home.

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