Acorns Preschool

Inspection of Acorns Preschool United Reformed Church Hall, Bower Hinton, Somerset TA12 6LA

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children arrive happy and eager to engage with the staff and the welcoming environment. The strong bonds with staff ensure that children are emotionally secure, which underpins their learning and development. Leaders and staff plan an ambitious curriculum, which, overall, they implement well. They focus successfully on embedding children's prime areas of development, preparing them well for school.

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The provision is good

Staff provide strong role models so children behave well and develop positive relationships with their peers. Staff support children effectively in becoming active learners, making choices and leading their learning. For example, through access to books, children concentrate, listen and answer questions as staff read to them about fire officers. This leads to children using the dressing up to take on these roles, using the vocabulary they have heard. Later they recall this again, remembering more as they take on the roles outside.

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The provision is good

Staff understand the learning intentions of the activities and the value of the teaching they are providing, ensuring a positive impact on all children's development. For example, they plan a craft activity to support children in using scissors. Staff demonstrate how to use them and give children plenty of time and encouragement to practise. Children concentrate, persevere and gain a strong sense of achievement as they start to master this skill.

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need to do better?

n Staff get to know the children well. They use their constant observation to monitor children's progress and identify the most appropriate next stages of development. This enables them to provide good support during children's play and activities. They quickly identify where children need additional support, working effectively with parents and outside agencies to ensure all children make the same good progress. n Children become confident communicators. Staff encourage conversations, adding vocabulary, recasting mispronounced words and using repetition for children to remember more. All children are eager to talk to staff, knowing they will receive a positive reaction. For example, children describe how they made a bird from dough, using the wide range of resources to create its features. Staff support children well in counting, although they do not always encourage them to use mathematical language or challenge the most able children further.

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need to do better?

n Staff consistently help children to understand and manage their emotions to think of others and to learn to share. They provide good support for children to think about the consequences of their actions. For example, children learn not to run around the furniture indoors, for their own and others' safety. Staff remind

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need to do better?

22 January 2025 them to use quiet voices, so as not to upset their friends. Staff make tidy-up time fun and encourage all children to help take care of their environment. n Children become increasingly independent. For example, they learn an effective way to put on their coat. Staff provide the right amount of support for children to want to keep trying, helping them to gain confidence in their abilities. There is good support for health and hygiene. Children have plenty to drink, learn to blow their nose and dispose of tissues. They talk about healthy eating and looking after their teeth, and staff remind them not to take toys and resources into the toilets because of germs. n Leaders and staff mostly evaluate their practice well. For example, they have made changes to the environment and activities to engage boys better in their learning. They have made information more accessible for parents, although

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need to do better?

they do not regularly seek parents' feedback. Leaders understand the importance of working with parents to support children's development and welfare. Parents are positive about the setting. They confirm how well their children are progressing, especially in language skills and friendships. n The committee and leaders provide good support for staff to develop their knowledge and skills to benefit the children. For example, all leaders have undergone training on supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The committee has not completed all required paperwork, for Ofsted, on all its members. They have undertaken their own checks on their suitability, so there is no impact on children, and Ofsted does not intend to take any action, on this occasion.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n improve staff's questioning techniques to challenge most-able children with using mathematical language and solving problems n extend self-evaluation systems to actively seek parents' views to target improvements even more successfully.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 143104 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10372088 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 7

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Name of registered person

The Acorns Pre-School (Bower Hinton) Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07599 981932 Date of previous inspection 2 April 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Acorns Preschool registered in 1992. It operates from the church hall in the village of Bower Hinton, near Yeovil in Somerset. The pre-school opens Monday to Thursday, from 9am to 2.30pm and Friday from 9am to 1.30pm, during term time only. The pre-school offers government funded places. There are two members of staff working with the children. Both hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at convenient times and observed the quality of teaching, indoors and outdoors, assessing the impact this was having on children's learning. n The manager and inspector conducted a joint observation of the quality of teaching and learning during an adult-led activity with all the children. n The inspector spoke with parents and children, taking account of all their views. n The manager, deputy and inspector discussed the leadership of the setting, and the inspector sampled documentation, including evidence of the suitability of staff.

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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

22 January 2025 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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