Acre Wood Day Nursery (Arlesey) Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children are happy to come into the setting. They happily leave their parents and are eager to see what activities are available.

Staff take the time to get to know children and work closely with parents to gain information. They adapt the settling-in process and work closely with parents to gain information about the children's next steps. However, this is not consistent for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff do not always share adequate information with each other. Due to this, children with SEND do not always have the same opportunities as others to make progress in their learning... and development. Children generally behave well.

Some children happily share and take turns with their friends. However, staff do not always provide children with clear and consistent messages about the expectations of their behaviour. This includes a lack of reinforcement of the rules and boundaries.

Therefore, children do not fully understand what behaviour is not appropriate, such as throwing objects. The manager has designed a curriculum that helps children thrive. However, not all staff have the knowledge and skills to be able to differentiate planned activities for children at different ages and stages of development.

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

The manager and leadership team have a clear plan for taking the setting forward and are positive and proactive in their approach to the challenges and changes that the setting has faced. They are making improvements and supporting practice and provision. More recently, they have engaged in support from the local authority early years team.

However, changes are yet to be fully embedded to impact on the quality of teaching and learning that children receive.The special educational needs coordinator works to identify children with SEND. However, staff working with these children do not provide the support they need.

They let them, at times, remain at the same activity with no interaction. Consequently, children appear bored. They simply look through a favourite book or wander around the room without purpose.

Staff do not meet their individual needs or extend their learning.Children make independent choices and follow their interests. They enjoy squashing and molding faces out of play dough.

However, the quality of teaching across the nursery does not support children to make the best possible progress. While staff plan activities, they do not extend and challenge children enough to ensure they gain the most from the experiences available to them.Staff encourage children to have healthy lifestyles.

They remind children to drink water to keep hydrated. Older children develop their physical skills as they run, jump and balance in the garden. Babies explore the low-level step and ramp as they attempt to pull themselves up to a standing position.

Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about early mathematical concepts. For example, children recall the names of shapes and count the blocks they add to the tower. Staff introduce some mathematical language as children fill empty containers during water play.

Older children recognise that a satsuma is a 'round' shape.Staff provide a range of experiences for children to develop their communication and language skills. Children enjoy song time, listening to staff sing songs and joining in with the parts they know.

In the garden, staff talk to children about the sounds they can hear. They listen out for the trains. Staff talk to children during activities and narrate what they are doing.

Children learn about the world around them. They explore the digging area, using a variety of tools to create different ways of moving the soil around. Staff talk to children about different plants and vegetables they are growing.

Parents spoken to on the day of the inspection are complimentary about staff and comment on their kind and caring nature. They feel informed about the children's daily experiences, as staff talk to them at drop-off and collection time.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a good knowledge of what to do if they have concerns regarding a child's well-being. They have regular meetings with the manager and share any concerns. They attend training, ensuring they keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date.

The manager tests the staff's knowledge of child protection policies and procedures. Children are closely supervised, and staff monitor babies when they are sleeping to ensure they are safe. Staff complete checks of the nursery premises to identify and take action to minimise any hazards.

The manager uses effective systems to recruit staff and to ensure their ongoing suitability.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date provide support for children with SEND, to meet their individual needs and extend their learning 04/09/2023 improve staff's understanding of behaviour management strategies so that they have a consistent approach to better support children's understanding of positive behaviour.04/09/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimprove the monitoring of staff practice to develop their knowledge and understanding of how to adapt activities to suit children at different ages and stages of development, ensuring that all children benefit from consistently good-quality teaching.