Little Acorns Nursery

Little Acorns Nursery Vernon Road, Worsbrough, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 5HJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 April 2018 9 May 2017

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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

 Managers are ambitious and have high expectations of staff. They have taken concerted and effective action since the last inspection to improve the quality of teaching and raise the outcomes for children.  Teaching is consistently good. Staff's interactions with children encourage them to think for themselves, solve problems and test out their own ideas. They observe children carefully to find out what they can do and adapt activities to extend their learning.  Children are happy in the nursery and their good behaviour shows they feel safe. Secure attachments to staff help children to settle and provide ongoing reassurance. Staff sensitively help younger children to follow simple routines and older children delight in being independent.  Partnerships with the local school are especially strong and staff work closely to support individual children as they move to the next stage in their learning. They plan carefully

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This provision is good

for children who attend both settings so there is continuity and breadth in their learning.  Parents know what children are learning at the nursery and build on this at home. Staff work closely with parents to implement strategies to meet individual children's needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always make the most of what they know about children's preferences to plan learning experiences that promote very high levels of curiosity and concentration.  Managers do not make full use of information about children's development to help all groups of children make consistently high rates of progress.

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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

 make better use of what staff know about individual children's preferences to plan learning experiences that promote very high levels of curiosity and concentration  strengthen how managers use information about children's progress to raise outcomes to the very highest level for all groups of children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact it had on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation of an activity with the nursery manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and looked at relevant documents, such as the nursery's action plan, safeguarding policy and evidence of the suitability of staff working with children.  The inspector spoke to staff and children throughout the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The well-qualified managers have used their knowledge and experience to put in place rigorous performance management for all staff. They have modelled good teaching for staff and supported them to evaluate and improve the learning environment. Specific training has deepened staff's understanding of how to support children's creativity and thinking skills. Managers and staff carefully review children's progress to identify any concerns for individual children and areas of the nursery that need improving. For example, staff developed how mathematics is supported across the nursery environment. Safeguarding is effective. Staff and leaders demonstrate a secure understanding of how to recognise and respond to concerns about children's welfare. The nursery has strong links with other professionals, including the host school, to support families and children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff know children very well and make accurate assessments of their development to help them identify exactly what children need to learn next, overall. They plan specific activities to develop older children's mathematical understanding and create opportunities for younger children to improve control and strength in their arms and hands. Staff listen carefully to children's ideas and help them experiment with mixing different coloured paints. They talk about what they are doing, ask children questions and give them plenty of time to think. Children enjoy being challenged and become engrossed in working with staff to find the best way to retrieve toys that have got stuck inside a tube. They are very effectively guided, generally, to share their ideas and think about solutions.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are confident and staff show they listen and value children's views. Staff ask younger children if they can change their nappy and children are happy to express their preferences. Staff's sensitive interactions help children finish playing and wash their hands before they eat. Lunchtime offers older children a chance to be independent and become familiar with school routines and meals. Children explore fruits and vegetables in their play and develop healthy eating habits when they try them at snack time. Staff provide reassurance for less confident children as they begin to spend more time at the school nursery. Children learn how to keep themselves safe around the nursery and to think about risks. Staff create opportunities for children to talk about their families and the things they do at home to help them learn about how people are different.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress in their development, including those the nursery receives additional funding for. Older children can write some of the letters in their name and start to understand quantity when they count groups of objects. Children often use numbers in their play and describe cutting their dough in half to get two pieces. All children develop the confidence and social skills they need to be ready for school. Children talk to each other about what they are doing, ask each other questions and learn to take turns well.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 302875 Local authority Barnsley Inspection number 1099387 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 10 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 105 Name of registered person Ward Green Pre School Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 9 May 2017 Telephone number 01226 248123

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reference number

Little Acorns Nursery registered in 1993 and employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including two with early years professional status or early years teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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