Acorn Day Care Limited

Inclusion: Needs attention

While leaders have worked hard since the last inspection to improve the provision for all children, staff interactions across the nursery are still varied. This does not provide children with consistently positive interactions at all times. Overall, children are making progress. There has been a real focus on work to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face barriers to their learning. Staff working with children with SEND have completed relevant training to upskill themselves. This is having a positive impact on children with SEND. Staff hold regular discussions with parents about individual support plans for children who require these, including identifying appropriate targets.

Some of the plans leaders have for using additional funding the nursery receives are in the early stages and do not yet positively benefit children who face barriers to their learning. Leaders recognise the importance of using any additional funding to support individual children. Plans for how they can use this further are carefully considered, such as providing children with home learning packs. Work with other agencies and professionals is effective. Staff have a secure understanding of children's backgrounds and how to support the most vulnerable children attending.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders have been working hard to create and embed a purposeful curriculum since the last inspection, but this is still in the early stages of development. The curriculum focuses on activities instead of the knowledge and skills that staff and leaders want children to learn. This does not fully support children to achieve their full potential.

Systems for sharing children's next steps with other staff are in place, but the information is not always accessible or considered when planning learning opportunities. As a result, staff interactions and learning opportunities do not focus sharply on what individual children need to learn next. Additionally, some parents are unsure of what their children are working towards.

Staffing is a challenge and there have been changes to the staff team recently. This has put pressure on the staff team, meaning that deployment is not always fully effective to best support children's learning and development, as staff are sometimes busy completing other tasks.

Overall, staff interactions with children are still too varied. This means that children do not receive consistent experiences across the nursery. Improvements have been made to staff interactions since the last inspection, and some staff have a more secure knowledge of children. Staff have received meaningful and focused training to improve their knowledge and skills and this is beginning to have a positive impact on children. Staff support and prioritise children's language and communication skills effectively.

Achievement: Needs attention

Due to the lack of embedded curriculum and fully effective monitoring of progress, not all children are able to build on their learning as rapidly as others. However, children who face barriers to their learning or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities progress well, and on the whole, all children receive effective support.

Children develop independence, such as learning how to scrape their own plates after mealtimes. The youngest children receive encouragement to try to put their shoes on for themselves. The oldest children receive visits from staff at the new schools they will move to, and they are well prepared for this transition. All children learn to be effective communicators, with toddlers talking confidently to visiting adults about what they are doing at nursery. They learn new vocabulary through routine times, such as learning about the importance of staying hydrated.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children behave well, and staff typically use consistent approaches to address any minor incidents or disagreements. By the time children reach the pre-school room, they are able to resolve challenges independently through effective negotiation with others. Staff act as positive role models for the youngest children, supporting them to develop their sharing and turn-taking skills. Staff recognise the benefits of using praise and encouragement to build children's concentration and focus, and this is well received by children. This contributes towards staff and children developing positive relationships. Consequently, children feel happy and settled at the nursery and have positive attitudes towards their learning.

Leaders have developed systems to monitor children's attendance. They hold meaningful discussions with parents about the importance of their children attending nursery, and they work with parents to accommodate changes to hours where possible to improve children's attendance. Routines across the nursery are generally well established and children know what happens next. Staff adapt how they communicate the routine for individual children to support all children to understand, for example by using visual timetables for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, all children understand the rules in place and follow these well.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders have worked hard to prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. They have been working with other professionals to develop staff knowledge and practice, including attending healthy eating workshops, and are working towards local accreditations. They recognise the importance of children developing healthy lifestyles. On the whole, staff speak to children at mealtimes about the importance of staying hydrated. Hygiene procedures are established and followed well by all staff and children. Staff ensure that children's lunch boxes are balanced and healthy, holding discussions with parents about how they can improve these further. Lunchtimes are social occasions, offering children opportunities to build and strengthen positive relationships with staff and their friends.

All children appear happy and settled at the nursery. Despite recent staff changes, children generally form meaningful bonds with those who work with them. The youngest children turn to staff for comfort and reassurance when needed. Leaders take an active role in the nursery, and children happily greet them when they enter the rooms. Routines are fully embedded at the nursery, and children know what to expect next. These are tailored to ensure that all children feel included and understand what is happening. This helps everyone to thrive emotionally.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

While leaders work hard to build professional relationships with parents, some parents are still unsure of who their child's key person is. There have been a number of staff changes recently, and this has contributed to this uncertainty. There has also been a lack of clarity for parents about what their children are working towards, which means that they are unable to fully support their children's learning effectively at home. Leaders intend to implement new systems, such as providing home learning packs, but these have not been introduced yet. Therefore, the impact of these is not yet known.

Leaders have done a great deal of work since the last inspection to bring about improvements and implement positive changes. They are reflective and recognise that they are on a journey to achieving all they have set out to do. Staff training and professional development are not yet fully embedded in staff practice, and further work is needed to bring all staff to a consistently high standard. Leaders work collaboratively with other agencies and professionals, taking on board feedback and implementing training that staff have received. Work with staff at local schools is established and this helps to prepare children for their move to school.