Little Acorns Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The pre-school provides a safe, secure and nurturing environment where children soon settle. Staff plan an exciting curriculum where children access a wide range of open-ended resources that they can explore and use in their own way.

For example, children use their imaginations well to create their own designs from different materials. Through effective support from staff, children use trial and error to work out how to join the materials together. They discover that when glue will not stick the dried pasta to card, sticky tape works much better.

Staff enable children to use the tape dispenser, supporting their physica...l development and independence well. When children struggle with scissors, staff provide good support and then give children time to practise for themselves. Children have good opportunities to revisit activities and staff successfully help them to recall their previous learning.

For example, children remember how water was put in the freezer to make it into ice and suggest that hot water would make it melt.Parents no longer enter the premises as they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the manager and deputy greet parents at the door and share important information to enable consistent care and learning.

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

Staff observe the children effectively to know what they can do and what they need to learn next. The managers oversee the planning to ensure staff know how to sequence children's learning so they all make good progress. Children use materials such as play dough to strengthen their hands, and have lots of opportunities to explore early writing skills in their play.

Eventually, older children can use a tripod grip to form letters to write their names.Children are confident communicators. Staff successfully support children's language skills.

For example, they engage children in good discussions, using their interests to hold their attention and give them the confidence to take turns in conversation. Staff recast children's incorrect use of words, to help them hear and use the correct pronunciation. Children learn to listen well to others and respond appropriately.

Staff use stories and songs to extend children's vocabulary.Children behave well and staff provide good support for them to understand and manage their behaviour. They work well with parents to put in place effective strategies to support children who struggle with their feelings.

Young children are confident to seek help where they need it. However, the organisation of whole-group activities sometimes takes too long. Although staff quickly notice when children become restless and provide good support, some children find it hard to maintain concentration and engage fully.

Staff maintain a good standard of hygiene in the pre-school and teach children how to keep themselves safe and healthy. For example, children have healthy snacks and learn about caring for their teeth. They gain independence as they dress up in role play and manage their care practices well.

Children have daily opportunities to be active and engage in physical and outdoor play. For example, staff provide fun activities such as yoga, where children build their core strength and develop balance and coordination.Partnerships with parents and outside agencies are good, especially to support children with special educational needs.

Parents confirm that their children are making good progress, particularly in language and communication skills and their personal, social and emotional development. The strong partnerships ensure that they prepare children successfully for school.The manager and deputy work directly with the staff and children, providing good role models.

They understand the importance of reflecting on their practice to identify ongoing improvements. For example, they have made changes to the book area to encourage boys to access books more. The managers provide good opportunities for staff to attend training and develop their knowledge.

For example, they provide activity planning sheets for new staff to help them focus on what children need to learn. However, there are sometimes inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, so not all staff challenge children's learning, particularly in their mathematical development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff and managers have a good understanding of safeguarding children, including how to identify and report any harm to children. Staff know what to do if they have any concerns about the behaviour of their colleagues. Staff carry out good daily risk assessments to minimise hazards and provide good supervision on apparatus, such as the slide, to keep children safe.

Managers review accidents to identify any patterns and take swift action to manage them appropriately. Effective checks and regular reviews help to ensure that adults are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: monitor the quality of teaching more accurately to provide targeted support in order to ensure consistency in the teaching of the curriculum, particularly for children's mathematical development review the organisation of whole-group activities to enable children to engage fully and concentrate better.