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Acorn Babies

Acorn Babies is a pre-school in London for children aged 1 to 2, with 9 registered places. Ofsted report card, 13 July 2026: Strong standard in 4 areas, Expected standard in 2 areas; safeguarding standards met.

Frith Manor Primary School, Lullington Garth, London, N12 7BN

Acorn Babies is at Frith Manor Primary School.

Key facts

Type
Pre-school (Sessional day care) (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Ages
1 to 2 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Registered places
9 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Registered
19 November 2024 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)

Opening hours

Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:30 - 15:30

Source: Ofsted report, inspection on 13 July 2026

Who runs it

Acorn Babies is run by Frith Manor School (Ofsted register).

Latest inspection

  • Inclusion: Strong standard
  • Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
  • Achievement: Strong standard
  • Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard
  • Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard
  • Leadership and governance: Expected standard
  • Safeguarding standards met

Source: Ofsted, inspection on 13 July 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Young children and babies thrive in this warm and nurturing setting. They arrive happily and settle quickly with the caring and responsive staff. Secure relationships help children to feel safe, valued and ready to learn. Staff know all children well and respond promptly to their individual needs. Children's learning and development is supported through the broad range of engaging experiences that staff provide. Purposeful interactions extend children's thinking and encourage them to explore. Babies confidently investigate sensory experiences, such as manipulating sparkly shaving foam, pouring coloured rice and building sandcastles with wet sand. These activities develop their curiosity, communication and physical skills.

Children build secure relationships with staff and confidently take part in a wide range of activities. For example, young children confidently join in singing together. They choose which song they would like to do next and proudly lead their choice. This helps children's communication and language development. All children make good progress from their individual starting points. They develop the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of learning. Transition arrangements are well planned. Staff work closely together and provide regular opportunities for children to become familiar with the older room. This helps children move on with confidence.

Children feel valued because of the inclusive environment leaders and staff create. Children's individual needs are met through the effective relationships with parents and other professionals. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders promote consistent attendance through positive partnerships with families. Children behave well. They enjoy playing alongside their friends and form trusting relationships with staff. They are confident, happy learners who enjoy their time in the setting.

What Ofsted found in each area

Inclusion: Strong standard

Inclusion is embedded throughout the provision, and every child is valued as an individual. Staff identify young children's individual needs at the earliest opportunity and respond promptly to ensure they receive the support they need to thrive. They are committed to providing an inclusive environment where all children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can fully participate in the setting. Staff consistently use simple language, songs, gestures and visual prompts to support all children's understanding and communication. They skilfully adapt their interactions and teaching to meet each child's stage of development, ensuring all children can access learning experiences successfully. For example, staff use visual cues to help children participate confidently in daily routines. They recognise when expectations need to be adapted to reflect children's developmental needs, such as adjusting the length of activities to maintain engagement and success.

Leaders work closely with parents and other professionals to secure the best possible outcomes for children. Regular observations and assessments inform collaborative planning to ensure support is well coordinated. This enables children to make excellent progress from their individual starting points while feeling safe, included and valued within the setting.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

The curriculum reflects the learning and development requirements for babies and young children and provides them with a broad range of experiences across all areas of learning. Communication and language are given high priority. Staff consistently talk to children throughout the day. They use commentary, repetition and modelling to support early language development and extend vocabulary. Staff interact positively with children and build on their interests during play. They model new skills and introduce appropriate language to extend learning. For example, during sensory play, staff demonstrate pouring materials from different heights and describe what children can see and feel. They introduce mathematical language as children fill and empty their containers. Children have regular opportunities to develop their physical skills indoors and outdoors. Staff encourage babies to explore safely, supporting them to develop confidence as they climb, balance and investigate different environments.

Staff know the children well and use ongoing observations to identify appropriate next steps. They ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can access the curriculum through timely adaptations and targeted support. Leaders have a clear understanding of the curriculum and monitor its implementation. However, some staff have not yet had the training needed to embed consistent practice, particularly with the babies. As a result, the quality of the curriculum varies.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make significant progress from their individual starting points and have secured the knowledge and skills they need for their next stage of learning. Babies and young children secure these important skills and knowledge. They develop secure foundations in all areas of learning, enabling them to build successfully on their knowledge and skills. For example, young babies confidently follow familiar daily routines, responding independently to consistent cues such as the tidy-up song. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those who face other barriers to learning, make excellent progress. Staff quickly identify their needs and provide effective, targeted support. As a result, children rapidly develop their communication skills, confidently using an increasing range of vocabulary, gestures and simple sentences to express themselves.

Children are confident, motivated learners who actively explore the stimulating environment and engage deeply in experiences that reflect their interests. They demonstrate curiosity, resilience and a willingness to try new experiences. Staff consistently provide rich opportunities for children to develop their physical skills, ensuring all children make significant progress in their physical development and become increasingly confident in their movements and independence.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children demonstrate consistent positive behaviour and attitudes to learning. Leaders have established clear, predictable routines that are fully embedded throughout the setting. Babies quickly become familiar with what happens next, giving them a deep sense of security and supporting their emotional wellbeing. Staff are highly skilled in promoting children's emotional development. They successfully help babies recognise and name their feelings, laying firm foundations for future emotional regulation. Staff know each child very well and use their detailed knowledge to anticipate behaviour, intervening proactively to meet children's needs before frustrations arise. They adapt routines in the moment to ensure every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, is fully supported. For example, staff recognise when individual children need additional time to engage in play before joining snack time, helping them to remain settled and engaged.

Staff treat every child with warmth and respect, creating an inclusive environment where all children feel valued and develop a strong sense of belonging. They consistently promote independence through everyday routines, encouraging children to feed themselves, wipe their faces and make simple choices. Babies form secure relationships with caring adults and begin to develop positive interactions with their peers. Staff provide meaningful praise and celebrate children's achievements. This fosters confidence, resilience and a genuine enthusiasm for learning. Leaders promote good attendance and punctuality through careful monitoring and positive communication with parents, recognising the importance of regular attendance in supporting children's learning, development and wellbeing.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are promoted effectively through warm and responsive relationships with staff. Staff know children well and are highly attuned to their individual cues, responding sensitively to their needs and providing reassurance and comfort when needed. As a result, babies develop secure attachments, feel safe and show high levels of emotional security and confidence to explore. Staff consistently use simple language, gestures and facial expressions to help babies understand, make choices and express their needs. Every interaction is purposeful, supporting children's early language development and emotional wellbeing.

Leaders ensure that healthy lifestyles are fully embedded throughout the provision. Children enjoy nutritious meals and snacks, daily opportunities to play outdoors and well-established hygiene routines that support their health and wellbeing. Staff consistently follow safer sleep procedures and robust hygiene practices to ensure babies remain safe. Babies develop independence appropriate to their age and stage of development. They make simple choices during play. They begin to manage aspects of self-care, such as finding their own bottles, and willingly help to tidy away the toys. During mealtimes, staff sit alongside children, modelling and supporting age-appropriate self-feeding skills while responding sensitively to each child's individual needs and stage of development.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of the strengths of the provision and take appropriate action to drive continuous improvement. They regularly monitor practice through supervision meetings, observations and ongoing professional discussions. These help to identify staff training needs and support professional development. For example, staff have recently completed training on speech and language development. This includes the effective use of gestures and signs to promote communication and understanding for all children, which are now embedded into daily routines. However, staff have not yet accessed specialised training in baby development, and practice in this area is not yet consistently high quality.

Leaders establish positive partnerships with parents. They communicate effectively, ensuring families are well informed about their children's care and learning. Parents speak highly of the nurturing staff team and value the trusting relationships they have built with them. Staff report that they feel well supported and valued. They appreciate leaders' approachable nature and the guidance they receive to develop their practice. Leaders have appropriate expectations for the quality of care and education and reflect on areas where provision can be strengthened.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

  • Leaders should provide targeted professional development in baby pedagogy to ensure learning experiences consistently reflect the developmental needs of the youngest children.

Ofsted's words, from the report on the inspection on 13 July 2026. Read the full report on the Ofsted website. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Ofsted report cards (England, from November 2025)

Since 10 November 2025 Ofsted has graded nurseries and pre-schools on a report card. There is no single overall grade. Instead, each of six areas gets one of five grades: Exceptional, Strong standard, Expected standard, Needs attention, Urgent improvement.

The six areas are inclusion; curriculum and teaching; achievement; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; children's welfare and wellbeing; leadership and governance. Safeguarding is judged on its own, as met or not met.

Expected standard means the setting does what Ofsted expects of every setting. Strong standard and Exceptional are above that; Needs attention and Urgent improvement mean Ofsted found things the setting has to put right.

Source: Ofsted reports

Funded childcare hours in England

All 3 and 4 year olds in England can get 15 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks of the year.

Working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years old can get 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year (Free Childcare for Working Parents), if they meet the earnings rules. You confirm your details every 3 months.

Some 2 year olds can get 15 hours a week when the family gets certain kinds of extra support.

The hours are used at a registered provider that offers them, so ask each nursery how it offers the funded hours.

Source: GOV.UK: Free Childcare for Working Parents, check if you're eligible · GOV.UK: Free childcare and education for 2 to 4 year olds (checked 31 October 2026)

Other nurseries nearby

  • Southover Pre-School - Day nursery, London N12 7JE, ages 1 to 4, 60 places, 0.6 miles
    Ofsted report card, 24 April 2026: Expected standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Lavendale Montessori - Day nursery, London N12 7JG, ages 0 to 4, 58 places, 0.6 miles
    Ofsted, 10 May 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Playtime Preschool - Pre-school, London N3 1NX, ages 1 to 3, 28 places, 0.7 miles
    Ofsted, 4 October 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • West Finchley Day Nursery and Pre-School - Day nursery, London N3 1NR, ages 0 to 4, 104 places, 0.8 miles
    Ofsted report card, 7 May 2026: Expected standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
  • Abracadabra Preschool Ltd - Pre-school, London NW7 2NT, 28 places, 0.8 miles

Schools nearby

Acorn Babies on the Ofsted website