Acornwood Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents

This provision is good • The manager, who is new to her role, is dedicated and ambitious.

She leads her staff team well and works closely with the pre-school committee to drive improvement. For instance, she has recently implemented changes to improve opportunities for children to learn about how to use technology purposefully. • Parents speak positively about the pre-school and how staff help older children to be prepared for their eventual move to school.

For example, they help children to gain confidence in being independent and support them in being inquisitive and motivated learners. • Children behave well. Staff are good role models and treat children with kindness... and respect.

Children are polite and courteous and play cooperatively with their friends as they build strong bonds with each other. • Staff place a strong focus on helping children learn about the natural world. For instance, recent changes to the outside play space have helped children learn how to grow, harvest and eat the fruits and vegetables they have successfully grown.

• Children engage well in group activities, such as music and movement games, where they practise their listening, turn-taking and concentration skills. They enjoy choosing and singing favourite rhyming songs and experiment with using musical instruments to make and listen to the sounds they create together. • Staff make accurate observations and assessments of children's learning to monitor their good progress.

However, planning for children does not sharply focus on what they need to learn next, to help them make better possible progress. • The manager completes regular supervision meetings with staff. However, she has not considered how staff can gain skills and knowledge that will be the most useful in helping them support the children they have attending.

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