Acorns Nursery School

Inspection of Acorns Nursery School The Village Hall, Shackleford, Surrey GU8 6AE

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children demonstrate that they are happy at this warm and welcoming nursery. They confidently leave their parents at the door and quickly settle into the nursery routine. Children show a positive attitude to their learning. They are motivated and eager to join in. The well-organised environment promotes children's natural curiosity and eagerness to learn. Children benefit from a good range of experiences that prepare them well for their future success. For example, they develop their confidence and social skills and learn to manage their behaviour, while interacting with others. Children develop good communication skills and confidently articulate what they know and can do. They play imaginatively, pretending to be pirates, and practise digging and scooping as they play in the sandpit.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy the time they spend outdoors. They are fascinated by the world around them and notice familiar things within their environment. For instance, they watch birds feeding and are curious about the webs created by spiders. Children enjoy using apparatus and show good physical skills as they negotiate a 'wobbly bridge' and 'fireman's pole'.

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The provision is good

Children's behaviour is good. They learn about the nursery rules and boundaries and what is expected of them. Children are kind and friendly towards each other. Staff regularly praise them for sharing and being kind to others.

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need to do better?

n Staff get to know children well from the start. They gather information from parents to help tailor settling-in sessions to support children's individual needs and interests. Staff plan activities which allow children to take the lead in their own learning. As a result, children are eager to engage in activities. n Overall, children benefit from an interesting and well-balanced curriculum. The manager confidently articulates what she wants children to learn during their time at the nursery. However, she does not always ensure that staff are fully aware of how some experiences, including mealtimes, contribute towards children's learning. n Partnerships with parents are good. Staff take time to get to know children and their parents and build strong and trusting relationships. They consider children's interests and prior learning when planning activities. Parents comment how happy their children are attending the setting. They state that staff communicate

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need to do better?

well with them. Parents particularly like the parent communication board, which provides them with information on the activities and suggestions to support children's learning at home. n Staff place a good focus on teaching children the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Children regularly play outdoors, follow thorough hygiene

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need to do better?

12 October 2021 practices and participate in regular physical activities. They confidently recognise the impact that exercise has on their body. For example, they comment that their hearts beat faster and they become hot after exercise. n The manager and her staff work well together as an enthusiastic and dedicated team. They are committed to providing an inclusive environment where all children and their families are welcomed. They work effectively with other professionals to support children's learning. This means that all children receive the help they need to enable them to make good progress. n Leaders place high priority on staff well-being. Staff are happy and feel well supported in their roles. They have regular staff meetings and opportunities to share their views and opinions. n Overall, children are well prepared for their next stage of learning. Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and they support their learning well.

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need to do better?

They make good use of small-group activities to prompt discussions about the importance of oral health. For example, children practise cleaning teeth, explore x-rays of teeth and understand the importance of regular visits to the dentist. Children confidently tell staff that a dentist checks their teeth to make sure they are healthy. However, staff do not always use effective questioning to extend children's knowledge even further. For example, they do not question children's understanding of foods that are good for their teeth and those that are not.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager ensures that all staff receive regular training and updates about child protection and safeguarding issues. Staff know the possible signs of abuse and neglect. They know what to do should they have any concerns about a child's welfare. Staff confidently discuss a wide range of safeguarding issues, such as children being exposed to extremist views or female genital mutilation. They make effective use of risk assessments to ensure that the premises are safe and secure. The manager follows robust recruitment processes, which helps to ensure the suitability of adults working with children.

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should:

n build on the staff's knowledge of the curriculum intent so they are clear what skills and knowledge they want children to gain from all experiences n strengthen the use of questioning to help identify what children already know, and provide clear explanations to extend their knowledge even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY231141 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10128705 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Acorns Nursery School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01483 860723 Date of previous inspection 10 July 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Acorns Nursery School registered in 2003 and is a committee-run group. It is located in Shackleford Village Hall, near Godalming, in Surrey. The nursery is open each weekday from 9am until 2.45pm, during term time only. The nursery employs seven members of staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one holds a qualification at level 2 and one is unqualified. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years old.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and discussed the quality of teaching. n The inspector asked staff questions throughout the inspection to establish their understanding of how to safeguard children and how they assess and plan for children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and the children and considered the impact on their learning. n The views of the parents were gathered through face-to-face discussion.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

12 October 2021 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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