Little Acorns (Colleton) Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle extremely well. Staff have an in-depth understanding of their key-person roles, and this ensures that children feel safe and secure. Children are reassured throughout the day by nurturing staff. Children visibly enjoy cuddles with them.

Children are exceptionally motivated and eager to learn in the welcoming and well-maintained environment. Staff have high expectations for the children to achieve. They provide a rich and varied curriculum tailored to children's individual needs and abilities. For example, children wrap up parcels with Christmas paper; they independently use sticky tape and scissors as they work out how much paper they will need. When the paper they have cut is not big enough, staff challenge the children to think about what they need to do next to solve the problem. Children take time to think and respond to the challenge and are delighted when they solve the problem independently.

Children make the most of the exceptionally well-resourced outside area. Staff skilfully adapt it to children's individual needs and interests. For example, when staff observe children transporting soil from the mud kitchen to the role-play kitchen area, they relocate the resource, enabling children to fully build on their interests.

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

• The buzz of learning is evident in every part of the pre-school. This highly inclusive setting makes sure that all children make progress no matter how small the steps. Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are incredibly positive about the pre-school.
• The manager and deputy managers are inspirational to the staff, leading by example. There are excellent procedures in place to make sure that staff have regular meetings on an individual and group basis. Training opportunities are provided on a variety of subjects to help staff in their role. For example, staff have recently attended training to increase their understanding of autism. They are using the information they have gained to improve outcomes for children, such as planning new experiences and resources. Staff place the child at the centre of every discussion and decision. This attention to detail ensures that all children, including children with SEND, achieve the best possible outcomes.
• Staff are very clear about what they want children to achieve, and they work in excellent partnership with parents to ensure children's well-being and development are supported at home. Behaviour is excellent. Children are aware of the impact their behaviour can have on others, and this is demonstrated, as all children play cooperatively together.
• Staff develop children's imagination and confidence in unique ways. For example, children make up their own stories using props provided for them in a basket. As they choose well-known characters, they tell a member of staff what is happening. The story is scripted by a member of staff, who theatrically reads it back to the children. Children are incredibly proud of their stories and eagerly wait their turn to do the activity again.
• Children are encouraged to be highly independent. They manage their own lunch bags, needing little help from adults. Children feel a sense of pride when they have achieved something they have been working on. For example, they show pride when they are able to put their own coats on and write their name.
• Staff gather detailed reports from parents when children first start, to identify what children already know and can do. Parents are extremely complimentary about the pre-school. They praise the settling-in period and are delighted with the 'rapid progress' their children make.
• Staff report feeling very supported, commenting that the manager listens to their views. The manager monitors staff's workloads and regularly evaluates when any changes need to be put in place. Staff feel this is beneficial to their well-being and mental health.
• Staff expertly bring stories to life. Children are highly attentive and join in with rhyming refrains and predict storylines. Children learn about sounds and how they can make sounds with their bodies. For example, they 'stomp' and 'stamp' like dinosaurs and 'roar' and 'snap'.