Little Acorns Pre-School

Little Acorns Pre-School The Playing Fields Pavillion, Greenway, North Curry, TAUNTON, Somerset, TA3 6NH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 7 March 2018 8 May 2015

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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 Outstanding 1

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This provision is good

 The manager is a strong leader and dedicated to providing a high-quality provision. She supports staff well to develop their skills and knowledge to improve teaching and ensure positive outcomes for children. For example, training has helped staff to support children in developing good communication skills.  Children form extremely close bonds with the staff and feel exceptionally safe in the warm, nurturing environment. Children are extremely confident and very emotionally secure.  Staff plan a wide range of learning experiences and activities, which successfully challenges children and ignites their interests well. All children make at least good progress from their individual starting points.  Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff very effectively involve parents in their children's learning, particularly in sharing children's next steps and their achievements at home.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Occasionally, during small-group activities, staff do not support children in extending their knowledge and understanding about the world as effectively as they could.  Staff do not consistently provide opportunities for children to develop their creative ideas and explore art materials in their own way.

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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

 encourage children's vocabulary more during small-group activities to extend their knowledge and understanding about the world even further  extend opportunities for children to develop their creative ideas and explore art materials and techniques more freely.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and the chairperson, and spoke to staff, children and parents.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including children's learning records and safeguarding procedures.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Staff recruitment and vetting procedures are thorough and management effectively reviews and develops staff practice. Strong systems of self-evaluation help the manager and her staff to identify and prioritise improvements that have a positive effect on children's learning. For example, following an evaluation of the learning environment, the staff provide more opportunities for children to develop their independence, such as in managing their self-care skills. Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date and know the signs or symptoms that may be a cause for concern. They have a good understanding of local safeguarding procedures. Partnerships with external agencies, schools and other early years settings that share the care of children are very strong.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The manager and staff, in consultation with the Reception class teacher from the local school, plan activities and experiences well in response to children's needs and next steps in learning. Staff monitor children's progress effectively, identifying any gaps in learning and closing these quickly. Staff extend children's mathematical development well, encouraging them to count the number of children present and make simple calculations, confidently knowing which number comes next. Staff plan a good range of activities for older children, to help them develop the skills they will need when they start school. For example, staff provide mark-making materials, which children use to draw and mark 'treasure maps', skilfully using scissors to cut out their maps.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

The manager and staff take exceptional care to understand the emotional needs of each child and their individual backgrounds and cultures, ensuring all children feel highly valued and welcomed. For example, they are extremely kind and sensitive in helping newer children to settle and highly respectful of children's different communities and needs. Staff are excellent role models and highly skilled in helping children to recognise their feelings and manage their behaviour very effectively. Children have an exceptionally strong sense of right and wrong, and their behaviour is exemplary. Children enjoy a vast range of exciting and challenging outdoor activities, including outings and practical activities to build excellent confidence and physical ability.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children of all ages acquire very good skills to prepare them for their next stage in learning, including going to school. Children develop a strong interest and enjoyment in stories and books. For example, they listen well at group story time, enthusiastically answering questions to show they have a good understanding, or sit quietly to share books with one another. They use their imaginations well, as they 'cook' food in the pretend kitchen or look after the 'ponies' in the stable. Older children confidently link sounds to letters and younger children count as they build towers from bricks.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 143076 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 1089655 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 17 Name of registered person Little Acorns Pre School (North Curry) Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 May 2015 Telephone number 01823 491 615

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reference number

Little Acorns Pre-School registered in 1993. It is based in the pavilion on the village playing field in North Curry, Somerset. The pre-school is open five days a week during term time. It offers sessions each day from 9am until 3pm. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years old. There are four part-time members of staff. Of these, one holds early years professional status, and the others hold an early years qualification at level 3. They are supported by an administrator who also holds an 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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