Little Acorns Pre-School

Little Acorns Pre-School St John's Church, Church Road, St Johns, Woking, Surrey GU21 7QN

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Inspection date 27 September 2018 Previous inspection date 22 October 2014

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3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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3

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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

n The manager does not yet have robust systems in place to monitor the teaching practice or children's progress effectively. She does not identify and address all areas where staff need support and coaching, to ensure teaching is consistently good. n Staff do not use information acquired from observations to precisely assess and plan for children's individual needs. Not all children make the progress they are capable of. n At times, staff do not provide children with opportunities to try things for themselves to further develop their independence and problem-solving skills further. n Staff do not always allow children the time they need to think and respond to questions to help extend their learning. n Staff do not always gain sufficient information from parents to accurately identify children's starting points on entry to the setting, to help them plan effectively from the outset.

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It has the following strengths

n Children form positive relationships with staff. Parents speak highly of the staff and the support they provide. n Staff manage children's behaviour well. Children are given clear boundaries and play well together. n Staff are fully aware of their role in safeguarding children. Staff supervise children well and conduct thorough risk assessments of the premises to help keep them safe.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date provide focused supervision, support and coaching for new and existing staff to identify training needs and raise teaching standards to a consistently good level 15/11/2018

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

use observation, planning and assessment more accurately to build on what children know and can do, to help all children make good progress, including those children learning English as an additional language. 15/11/2018

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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

n increase opportunities for children to develop independence and solve problems for themselves n provide children time to respond to staff questions, to enable children to think for themselves n gain more information from parents about their child's skills and abilities on entry to aid the assessment and planning process.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held discussions with the provider, manager, children and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection n The inspector considered the views of the parents spoken to on the day. n The inspector viewed and discussed various documents, including policies and procedures, staff training records, including evidence of their suitability to work with young children and records for children.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

The manager has not reflected on the quality of the provision well enough to identify all areas for improvement. The manager acknowledges there are gaps in procedures for supervision and coaching of staff to raise the overall teaching standards in all areas. Despite this, staff attend some training. The manager has recently implemented a planning programme. However, this is in the initial stages and does not fully consider children's individual needs, such as for those learning English as an additional language. The manager has systems in place for the safe recruitment of staff and this helps to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, staff know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff are inconsistent in their initial and ongoing assessments of children's progress. At times, they do not gain sufficient information from parents about children's abilities and skills on entry, or from observations they make to effectively plan for children's next steps in learning. Nevertheless, staff provide a wide range of learning experiences for the children, throughout the day. Children are motivated to learn and are eager to join in with action songs and rhymes. At times, staff engage children well in discussions, for example, during a group story time they discus what might happen next. However, some staff do not give children the opportunity to respond to questions to help fully extend their learning, before they ask another.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

At times, staff do not support children fully to develop independence and problem- solving skills. For example, they step in too quickly to help children, rather than letting them try to do things for themselves. Children are happy, settled and their behaviour is good. Staff encourage children to share and take turns. Staff support children's emotional well-being. For example, they help them to learn the routines and to feel safe and secure. Staff support children to gain confidence during some activities, such as handwashing, although, staff miss opportunities during mealtimes to further develop children's independence. Children engage in activities during outside play that promotes their physical health.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children make sufficient progress in their learning and development in readiness for the move on to school. However, some weaknesses in teaching and learning mean that not all children make the best possible progress. Through a wide range of activities, children develop an interest in early literacy and mathematics. For example, children join in with counting, looking at books and enjoy, being creative. Children are developing an awareness of the world around them.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY392763 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10060497 Type of provision Sessional day care

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 13 Name of registered person Pattinson, Michelle

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 22 October 2014 Telephone number 0747145710

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reference number

Little Acorns Pre-School registered in 2009. The pre-school is situated within the grounds of St Johns Church, St John's Woking, in Surrey. The setting is in receipt of early years funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The setting opens term time only, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9.00am to 3.30pm, and 9.15am to 12.30pm on Tuesday and Friday. The setting provides childcare to the local community and nearby villages. There are currently 7 staff employed by the setting to work with the children. Of these 5 hold appropriate early years qualifications, including one member of staff who has qualified teacher status.

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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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procedures set out in the guidance Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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