Little Acorns

Little Acorns Oaklands Infant School, Weeds Wood Road, Chatham, Kent, ME5 0QS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 October 2017 20 October 2014

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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 establish positive and trusting relationships with children. These help children settle quickly and happily into their play. Children have a good sense of belonging.  The manager and staff keep parents fully informed and involved with their child's care. For example, they regularly share information, such as toilet training ideas.  There are good opportunities for children to develop their imagination, such as becoming 'builders' during a wide range of role-play activities.  Children learn good early mathematical skills to support their future learning. For example, they confidently count beyond 10 as they play.  There are good opportunities for children to develop positive understanding of healthy eating. For instance, children are keen to grow, pick and prepare their home-grown fruit and vegetables to try at snack times, such as strawberries, tomatoes and carrots.  The managers and staff effectively reflect upon their practice together. They hold daily

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This provision is good

meetings to evaluate how well the day's activities engaged all children in their learning experiences. This supports children to make good progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff miss some opportunities to extend and challenge children's physical skills more consistently.  Staff do not make the most out of partnerships with other settings children attend to strengthen the consistency of their shared care and learning experiences further.

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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

 extend children's opportunities to develop more challenging physical skills  review and improve the level of communication with staff at other settings children attend, to strengthen the consistency of their shared care and learning opportunities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff interactions with children.  The inspector viewed the indoor and outdoor environments.  The inspector looked at written documentation, including a sample of policies and procedures, risk assessments and staff training records.  The inspector spoke to children, parents and staff, and took their views into consideration.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager and staff are proactive at ensuring that they keep their knowledge and skills up to date and build on them even further. For example, they attend regular training, such as learning how to support children and families to understand the importance of healthy eating, such as sharing healthy recipes. The manager closely monitors the quality of care and teaching that staff provide children. For instance, she observes staff daily and provides them with helpful advice to support their future practice. Together they use the feedback discussions to highlight potential training needs and develop the pre-school's action plans. Safeguarding is effective. All staff have a good understanding of the safeguarding and child protection procedures to follow to help protect children's welfare and stafety. For example, there is a secure recruitment process in place to help ensure that staff are suitable to fulfil their role.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The manager and staff closely monitor children's progress. This enables them to promptly highlight any gaps in their development and provides children with good individual support. This helps them move on to the next stages of their learning quickly. Staff effectively support children to prepare for their future move on to school. For example, children learn more complex skills as they learn to form letters and begin to write their name with confidence. Staff extend children's learning well. For instance, children who excitedly listened to a favourite story are encouraged to act out the scenes. They explore how things feel as they walk through interesting items in trays, such as mud and ice.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are confident to communicate with their friends and staff. Staff support this skilfully. For example, they use good questioning techniques to challenge children's thinking skills. Children behave well, and are polite and kind towards each other. They develop good social skills. For example, they happily share and take turns with the resources. Children gain positive levels of understanding and respect for other people's similarities and differences. For instance, they learn about a good range of events special to other cultures, as they make candles and Diya lamps to learn about Diwali.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children of all ages and abilities make good progress in relation to their individual starting points, including those who require additional support. Children learn good skills to support their future learning. For example, they develop their early reading skills, as they recognise simple words and letters, and have a keen interest in books. Children develop good hand-to-eye coordination and small-muscle movements to support their early writing skills, such as using tongs to move small stones with good control.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 103828 Local authority Medway Towns Inspection number 1070053 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 3 Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Little Acorns Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 20 October 2014 Telephone number 01634 668187

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reference number

Little Acorns registered in 1999. It is located in the grounds of Oaklands Infant School in Walderslade, Kent. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday, from 8.50am until 11.50am, term time only. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two years. The pre-school employs four members of staff, three of whom hold a relevant early years qualification at level 3.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

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

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