Acorn Pre-School

Acorn Pre-School Cranfield Football Club, Crawley Road, CRANFIELD, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 3 March 2016 11 November 2015

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The trustees who lead the pre-school do not have a clear understanding of their responsibilities. They do not maintain an accurate overview of the pre-school provision and are heavily reliant on the skills of the managers and staff.  The trustees do not have arrangements in place to supervise the work of the managers. Regular supervision is not undertaken to provide support, coaching or relevant training to help managers continue to develop professionally.  Information that staff gather about children's learning is not effectively used to monitor the progress made by groups of children and to identify how aspects of the provision can be improved for these specific groups.

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It has the following strengths

 The pre-school staff use a range of ways to communicate with parents and share information about children's learning.  Staff plan for children's needs based on their observations of what children already know and can do. They assess children's development and work closely with parents and outside professionals. This helps to support all children well, including disabled children and those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language.  Staff effectively promote children's communication and language development. They model language well and use songs and games to support children's speech.  Staff know how to manage children's behaviour. They work closely with parents and help children to get along with each other. Staff encourage children to express themselves. Children use role play, dressing up and energetic play to help them work through their ideas positively.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 improve the knowledge of trustees so they understand statutory requirements, have clearly identified roles and responsibilities and maintain an accurate overview of the pre-school provision 30/04/2016

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Due Date

 make arrangements for the supervision of managers in order to provide support, coaching and opportunities for appropriate training and ongoing professional development. 30/04/2016

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 develop the use of the information collected about the progress made by specific groups of children, in order to further improve the quality of aspects of provision for these groups.

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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 held a meeting with the pre-school managers and the trustees. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the pre-school's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of the trustees and staff working in the pre-school.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspector spoke to children and staff during the inspection.  The inspector and manager jointly discussed learning activities for children.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The two pre-school managers are highly qualified, experienced and competent in their roles. They are working hard to improve quality and have effectively tackled the weaknesses raised at the previous inspection. However, improvement is not rapid. The trustees, who have overall responsibility for leading the pre-school, display a poor level of understanding of their responsibilities. They do have sufficient knowledge of the learning and development requirements to be effectual in their role as the provider. They do not monitor the pre-school effectively or carry out suitable supervision of the managers' work. Nevertheless, the recent improvements introduced by the managers and staff are having a positive effect on children's learning and development. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff display a high level of understanding and attend regular training in relation to child protection. The trustees have a basic awareness of child protection issues.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The introduction of a new next steps document helps staff to focus on children's precise individual needs in relation to their learning. This is having a positive impact on the development that children make. In recent months, children are making progress more swiftly and staff are planning effectively to support their learning. However, the data that staff collect about children's learning is not used to best effect to also review the progress made by different groups of children. It is not yet used to evaluate the effectiveness of aspects of the provision for specific groups. Staff provide a range of activities that interests children. Children play imaginatively with large cardboard boxes. They talk about their play and work through their own ideas. They take on different roles and negotiate between themselves. Staff talk to children and build on their developing communication and language skills. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

well. Staff use a range of teaching methods to help them to understand and join in.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff are warm, affectionate and caring. Parents feel welcome at the pre-school and often stay and play with their children. Home visits contribute towards children's ability to feel confident and settled at the pre-school. They form close bonds to their key person. Children move between different settings that they attend and on to school with confidence. Staff manage these times of change well, reassuring and supporting children. Children enjoy playing outdoors and learn about leading healthy lifestyles. Older children go on outings in their local community, where they learn about being safe and observe the natural environment.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children are starting to make more rapid progress in their learning. Children for whom the pre-school receives additional funding are supported well and make up ground in their development. Staff use funding effectively to help these children catch up with their peers. One-to-one support from staff, where needed, helps children to behave well, make friends and join in with activities. Special sessions and activities assist children in acquiring the essential skills that they need in readiness for starting school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 219114 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 1032970 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 25 Number of children on roll 37 Name of provider Acorn Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 11 November 2015 Telephone number 01234 751444

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Setting details

Acorn Pre-School was registered in 1984. The pre-school employs eight members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 2 or 3, including one with Early Years Professional status. The pre-school opens during term time only. Sessions are from 9am to 3pm on Monday to Thursday and from 9am to 12 noon on Friday. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language, disabled children and those with special educational needs.

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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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