Little Acorns Pre-School Kingsmere

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at the pre-school. They confidently leave their parents at the main door, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Children are warmly welcomed into the pre-school by the staff, who know them well. Children enjoy a good range of toys and resources. They show pleasure and excitement in the activities planned by staff. For example, they enjoy exploring in the local woodlands and hunting for sticks. Children have fun investigating with ice, where they work together to free hidden toy animals. Staff have high expectations for children's development and their teaching supports children's learning and progress securely.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have their personal needs met by the caring and nurturing staff. Children are kind and friendly towards each other and develop lovely friendships. Children enjoy exploring with a wide variety of sensory activities. They have fun investigating with different materials, such as crafts, water, and sand. Children's physical development is well supported as they enjoy climbing, hopping, and riding bicycles outside. Inside, they enjoy singing to action songs and dancing to music. Staff use additional funding effectively to enhance children's learning experiences and development.

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

• The leadership team and staff have worked well together to address the actions raised at the last inspection. For example, they have adjusted the routines for screen time available for children. Leaders have provided training to staff to enhance the key-person approach. Additionally, they have adapted the drop-off routine to ensure information is consistently exchanged regardless of the time children arrive. This has a positive impact on the well-being of the children.
• Staff meet the needs of the children well. They understand the expectation of activities and know what children need to learn next. They adapt activities that children show interest in purposefully to enhance learning. For example, when children make biscuits, staff give support in their personal, social and emotional development as needed and introduce mathematical concepts such as thin and thick.
• Staff support children's emerging language skills well. For instance, staff provide a consistent narrative of what they are doing. This helps children to hear a range of words, which promotes their understanding. Staff ask children questions throughout their engagement with them. However, at times, some staff do not give children sufficient time to think or respond before staff answer the questions for them.
• Staff support children's emotional needs well and talk to them about any troubles or family events, giving them incredible support as needed. Children are well behaved and understand the need to use timers to share or wait their turn for a toy. Staff offer good praise to children, such as when helping to tidy away toys and resources.
• Staff are well deployed to support children. They provide a safe environment where all areas and activities, such as using skipping ropes, are sufficiently risk assessed. This helps to minimise any potential risk to children. Staff provide nutritious snacks to children. However, they do not consistently support them to understand how healthy eating contributes to their overall health and fitness. Staff are familiar with children's individual dietary requirements, and they sit with children while they are eating to make this a sociable time.
• Staff have good relationships with the parents at the pre-school and work in strong partnerships with other professionals involved in children's care. They encourage parents to be part of the parent focus groups. This helps them to be included in making decisions about the pre-school. Parents comment positively about the staff and how their children enjoy attending. Staff communicate effectively with parents through a variety of ways. For example, they have daily discussions and hold regular parent meetings.
• The leadership team work well together and have implemented successful strategies to support staff and develop their knowledge, skills, and practice. Staff comment that they are well supported, and that daily 'huddles' and meetings help them to feel valued and included.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend ways to help children understand the importance of living a healthy lifestyle
• strengthen staff practice to consistently give children the time they need to put their thoughts into words when responding to questions.