Acorn to Oak Nursery and Preschool Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children confidently enter the nursery. They settle in quickly with the help of their caring key person. Children feel happy and safe and enjoy taking part in a range of interesting activities.

They are eager to learn new skills because staff have high expectations of them. Children are active and always ready for a new adventure. All children learn skills to help them with moves for their next stage in learning, including school.

Children benefit from impressive learning opportunities outdoors. They master their physical skills and extend their understanding of the world during regular forestry sessions and visits to ...their allotment. Children who learn English as an additional language regularly hear their home language in their play and learning.

They develop good communication skills, including in English. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make secure progress from their starting points. Children behave well.

They have good manners and learn how to cooperate with each other, share and take turns. Children of all ages learn about emotions, including through stories, rhymes and meaningful conversations with staff. Even young children are imaginative and express how they feel.

For example, when they sing, 'The wheels on the bus', children say, 'They feel cross because they want to go shopping and got stuck in a traffic jam'.

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

The provider and the manager regularly reflect on practice and evaluate the setting to ensure the continuous improvements benefit children's learning.The manager monitors staff well and has a clear understanding of their strengths and areas for development.

All staff have opportunities for continual development to build on their current teaching skills and to support individual children, including through training.Leaders recognise that some children have needed more support with their emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. They teach children to express and manage their feelings.

For example, staff hold skilful conversations during circle and story times. Children understand when their friends are sad and know what to do to make them happy.Qualified and experienced staff quickly identify and support children with developmental delay, including children with SEND.

Staff work closely with other professionals and children receive good support in a timely manner to help them catch up with their peers.Staff know children well. They complete regular assessments and monitor children's achievements, to plan purposefully for their future learning.

Children have access to a range of good-quality resources. Babies are content and enjoy interactions with staff. They curiously explore a range of media and materials available to them.

Toddlers learn to understand and follow the daily routines. These help with the transition to another room. Children over the age of two learn to share and invite their friends to join their play.

Pre-school children learn skills, including confidence that prepare them well for school. For example, staff encourage children to contribute during circle time and praise their knowledge when they recognise the days of the week.Staff follow children's interests.

For example, when looking for sticks on a nature walk, children decide they want to pick up leaves instead and staff follow their choices. Staff use the leaves to build on children's understanding of mathematical concepts, including sizes, shapes and colour.Although parents are not yet entering the nursery due to COVID-19, staff work closely with them to meet children's needs.

For example, they regularly share information about children's learning and encourage parents to support their children at home.The manager uses funding effectively. For example, by creating an additional all-weather outdoor space to benefit children who learn better outdoors.

Staff are skilful and confident and have meaningful conversations with children to build on their learning. However, this is not as successful during mealtimes. Staff miss opportunities during mealtimes to maximise children's learning opportunities, for example about healthy eating.

Although staff focus well on developing young children's independence, this is not consistent in the pre-school room. For example, children serve themselves during lunchtime, but staff do not encourage this level of independence during snack time.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff focus on children's safety consistently well. They carry out effective risk assessments to keep children safe. In addition, staff do regular headcounts when outdoors.

Staff know how to identify, and report concerns they may have about a member of staff. They know how to protect children's welfare. For example, staff are aware of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm.

The management team ensures there are secure systems to check the ongoing suitability of staff working with children. They deploy staff effectively to help keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide consistent opportunities for all children to be independent make greater use of opportunities during mealtimes to maximise children's learning, including about healthy eating.

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