Little Acorns Pre-School

Little Acorns Pre-School South Charlton Village Hall, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 2JU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 6 October 2015 15 February 2011

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Teaching is outstanding. Children's natural curiosity and exploratory instincts are very well fostered, as their surroundings supply endlessly fascinating challenges. Children develop a strong impulse to learn and exceptional skills for their future learning.  Staff make regular, accurate assessments of what children know and can do, and activities are carefully planned. These focus precisely on children's interests, and rapidly build their skills and knowledge.  The pre-school leaders are committed to providing high quality care and inspirational learning for children. They are highly motivated and work exceptionally well together, creating a secure, safe and wonderful learning environment for children. Self-evaluation processes actively contribute to sustaining the highly effective provision and the outstanding service they provide.  Staff work exceptionally well with parents and are very successful in engaging them in

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This provision is outstanding

their children's learning. Parents are highly complimentary about the service provided. They value the excellent advice, feedback and support they receive, and comment how much their children enjoy attending.  Staff develop exceptionally strong and positive relationships with children. This promotes their excellent sense of security and emotional well-being which means they form highly positive attachments and show great motivation in their learning.  The behaviour of children is outstanding. Staff are exceptionally consistent in their routines, management of behaviour and in their demonstration at all times of courtesy and consideration for the feelings of others. Children emulate this behaviour and behave exceptionally well at all times.  Children's management of their own safety is impressive. They are skilled at measuring the risks for themselves and others to make sure they stay safe.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 continue to explore professional development opportunities to sustain excellence in practice and teaching skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the pre-school leader.  The inspector held a meeting with pre-school leaders and the nominated person. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the pre-school's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Robust recruitment arrangements are in place. The induction and probationary periods give leaders time to assess the skills of new staff. Ongoing supervision and appraisals identify staff's professional development needs. Safeguarding is highly effective as the staff prioritise children's safety and know how to respond to any concerns about their welfare. The pre-school leaders astutely identify the strengths and priorities for improvement, and the impact of teaching on children's care, learning and development. As part of this, they have identified further training to help them enhance and continuously build upon children's already excellent communication and language development. The pre-school forms very successful links with local schools in order to support children's future move on to school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

The well-qualified staff have an excellent knowledge of how children learn, and provide rich, varied and imaginative experiences that engage and motivate children to learn. The staff have high expectations and their skilled questioning encourage children to investigate for themselves. Children are inspired to achieve by the enabling approach of all staff. Children spend almost all their time choosing, creating and doing their own activities. This contributes strongly to the development of excellent communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills. The exceptional level of challenge provided by the adventurous and highly stimulating environment enables children to explore and extend their own capabilities within safe and supervised surroundings. This helps to empower children to try new experiences. Children express huge satisfaction when they create dens, or manage to loop rope over the tree branches, activities they clearly find enjoyable yet demanding. The

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

teaching of early reading and writing skills is highly effective. For example, children copy words to use in their shop, and make marks using sticks. Children sequence and record their stories and are eager to share them with visitors and friends. Early mathematical skills are weaved seamlessly through children's play; whether it be through counting conkers, comparing lengths of rope, or finding shapes they recognise in the world around them.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff use their considerable expertise to teach children safe behaviours. Children recognise and identify the possible dangers outdoors through their danger detective discussions. This strongly contributes to children's very good skills in assessing and managing the risks they want to take. For example, children know that they must take care when the logs are wet and slippery, and not to eat berries from the trees. Regardless of the weather conditions, children dress appropriately and venture eagerly outside. Here children have excellent opportunities to gain first-hand experiences of life and growth, and endless opportunities for creativity and imagination; improved fitness and physical development.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children make outstanding progress given their starting points. Their evident self- assurance prepares them extremely well for the next stage of their education.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 301790 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 855004 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 11 Name of provider Little Acorns Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 15 February 2011 Telephone number 07761 063824

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Setting details

Little Acorns Pre-School was registered since 2000. The pre-school employs two members of staff. Both hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. The pre-school opens Tuesday and Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 12.45pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Setting details

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Setting details

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Setting details

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Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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