Little Acorns Pre School

Little Acorns Pre-school Playgroup Sidegate Primary School, Sidegate Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 4JD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28 January 2016 15 June 2015

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Staff are well qualified to support children's learning. The management team works effectively to promote consistently good quality teaching. They support and encourage staff to continue to update their skills and knowledge.  Children engage in a rich and varied range of activities that interest them and motivate them to learn. Staff are skilful in supporting children. They question children effectively, which encourages them to think critically and come up with their own answers.  Staff know children and their capabilities well. They precisely plan for children's learning based on their regular assessments of what they know and can do. Children's interests and suggestions are carefully planned for, which inspires children to learn.  Staff are good role models. They are consistent in managing children's behaviour and demonstrate kindness and consideration to others. Children are given regular choices

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This provision is good

as they play and learn. This helps them to feel valued and supports their self-esteem.  Staff track the progress individual children make. They quickly identify any gaps in children's learning and implement additional support where necessary. This helps children to make continued progress in their development.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The management team have not yet implemented a fully effective system for monitoring the progress that different groups of children make in their learning.  Although partnership working with parents is generally strong, there is room to enhance the way that information about children's learning is shared.

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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

 strengthen systems for monitoring the progress of groups of children to accurately identify where provision can be enhanced to help children reach their full potential  enhance partnership working with parents to establish a highly effective system for the regular and timely sharing of information about what children are learning in the setting and at home.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching in both pre-school rooms and during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with one of the pre-school managers.  The inspector held a meeting with the management team. 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 sampled a range of other documentation, including the learning and development records of children, the pre-school's policies and procedures and risk assessments.  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 good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a secure understanding of the procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child's welfare. The management team and staff regularly consider ways to continue to improve what they offer for children and families. They seek the views of children and parents and use this information to develop a plan for how they will achieve ongoing improvements. The management, together with the staff team, plan a wide and stimulating variety of activities and experiences in a rich environment. These are carefully selected to meet the needs of the diverse range of children who attend and to promote their learning in all areas. Children's home language is introduced into the setting as well as alternative strategies for communication, such as signing. This helps children who speak English as an additional language and those with limited speech to communicate their views to be involved and feel valued.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff have high expectations of children and plan activities to challenge and support them to achieve their next steps in learning. Children are busy and engage in meaningful learning opportunities throughout the day. They consistently demonstrate high levels of concentration and commitment to learning and are willing to try new things. Staff are highly responsive to children and are skilful in knowing when to get involved to extend children's learning. Staff follow children's ideas as they play, encouraging children's imagination and thought. Children have regular opportunities for counting and exploring quantity. Those who prefer to learn outside are given exciting and active tasks to identify numbers as they jump and hop to numbers drawn in the play area. Children practise early writing skills as they eagerly write their name on their artwork. Children become familiar with different forms of technology as they operate torches and play on the computer.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff effectively support children's individual needs and promote their well-being. They use information they gather from parents to help children settle quickly when they first start at the pre-school. Children form secure emotional relationships with staff and other children who attend. They happily interact with each other as they play and learn, sharing ideas and suggestions. Children freely choose from healthy options at snack time as they develop an understanding of how to adopt a healthy lifestyle. They exercise their bodies as they learn to move in a variety of ways as they stretch and bend to music. Children freely choose from a wide range of resources, both inside and outdoors, which supports their independent learning. Staff talk to children about how to stay safe and give them consistent messages. Children learn to walk and not run indoors so as not to hurt themselves or others.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children are supported to make good progress given their starting points. Disabled children and those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are making even more rapid progress. All children are developing key skills. This helps them to be ready for their next stage of learning, such as school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 251558 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 1018052 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 99 Name of provider Little Acorns Pre School Committee Date of previous inspection 15 June 2015 Telephone number 01473 712 236

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Setting details

Little Acorns Pre-school Playgroup was registered in 1994. The pre-school employs 22 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school supports disabled children and those with special educational needs. The pre-school also supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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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

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