Little Acorns Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed into the pre-school by friendly and attentive staff. Children who are new to the setting receive support and comfort, staff offer plenty of reassurance and cuddles as children separate from their parents. Staff take time to get to know the children and their families, working closely with parents to help them to build secure relationships as children begin their pre-school journey. Children who are already familiar with the routine arrive eager and enthusiastic, ready to start playing. Children form good friendships with their peers. They enjoy playing imaginatively and share the toys as they play.

Leaders and staff consider what they want children to learn and carefully organise the environment to inspire curiosity and creativity. As a result, children are eager to explore resources and immerse themselves in meaningful play. For example, they show excellent focus and concentration as they take part in junk modelling activities, children carefully select materials and use their creativity to bring their ideas to life. Children demonstrate independence as they confidently use scissors, mix paints and use other tools and resources to construct and create their models.

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

• Since the last inspection, leaders and staff have worked hard to make the necessary improvements and raise the quality of the provision. They have taken part in training and engaged with other professionals to seek the support and guidance that they needed to improve. Leaders have introduced more effective procedures to help them to monitor children's safety and welfare more precisely, to safeguard children.
• Leaders and staff have implemented a new curriculum that focuses on what they want children to learn, staff encourage children to be independent and confident. They carefully consider how they can support children's learning through using children's interests, to motivate and engage them in play. However, the curriculum is still in the early stages, staff are still developing how to ensure that all children receive challenge in their learning.
• Leaders and staff know the children well. Staff monitor children's progress closely and identify gaps in learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good support to help them to make progress in their learning. Staff work in close partnership with and parents and other professionals to meet children's learning needs, and to access the help that children and their families need for children to make the progress they are capable of.
• Partnerships with parents are strong and well developed. Staff know the children and their families well, they provide lots of opportunities to speak with parents and to share information about what their children are learning, and how their day has been. Staff ensure that they communicate with parents when children are transitioning into the setting to help to put them at ease. Parents speak positively about the setting and staff who care for their children.
• Overall, leaders and staff promote children's communication and language well. They provide lots of opportunities for children to listen to stories, join in with singing and they model language well as they play alongside children. Staff encourage children to share their ideas, and to be involved in conversations. However, at times some children could benefit from more support with developing the clarity of their language to help them to communicate more clearly.
• Children enjoy being outdoors and having space to run and be physical. Staff encourage children to be active and support their need to move. Children play games and join in with their peers, giggling as they chase each other as they play catch.
• Staff help children to develop a love of literacy. Children are highly focused and engaged as staff read to them in an enthusiastic and expressive manner, which captures children's attention. Children eagerly join in with telling the story and confidently talk about what they think will happen next.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to implement the new curriculum to offer all children challenge in their learning
• provide targeted support for some children, to develop their communication and language skills further.