Felsted Little Acorns

Inspection of Felsted Little Acorns Felsted Primary School, Braintree Road, Felsted, DUNMOW, Essex CM6 3EB

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Children eagerly arrive and are warmly greeted by nurturing staff who are genuinely pleased to see them. Staff take time to get to know the children, and their family, well before they attend and observe them as they play. Children are happy and confident. They understand the expectations and rules in the nursery and behave well. However, while the curriculum is based around children's interests and seasonal topics, children are not offered sufficient challenge to extend their learning. For example, staff do not consistently consider potential learning opportunities when planning activities.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are interested in some opportunities provided and are keen to have a go. Children are initially enthusiastic and engage, but many lose interest and move on, as staff do not consider how to adapt activities to ensure they capture children's continued interest. For example, children excitedly find spiders and share their excitement with visitors to the setting. However, while magnifying glasses are provided to take a closer look, staff do not consistently respond to children's spontaneous interest, to extend learning further. The management team has recently changed. Some improvements made have had a positive impact on outcomes for children. The management team has a clear vision, and commitment to make the necessary improvements. However, while changes have been made, the quality of staff's teaching is variable and not yet at a consistently good level.

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need to do better?

n Staff talk knowledgeably of the children in their care, including those who require additional support. Staff plan the curriculum based on children's interests. However, they do not have clear intent about what they want individual children to learn. Therefore, while children enjoy some activities, these are not always appropriate, challenging or inspiring for their learning. n Caring and attentive staff engage children in conversations and speak to them with respect. Children are confident and ask questions. For example, they show curiosity with visitors to the nursery asking the purpose of their visit. Daily routines support children's communication and listening skills. They understand to follow instructions in preparation for lunch. They listen to sounds outdoors and comment on low flying aircraft. However, while staff pose questions, there is a tendency to ask too many and they do not consistently allow children time to

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need to do better?

think, process information, and solve problems for themselves. n Children enjoy messy play. They make mixtures as they mix water and mud. They wash their bikes and concentrate as they use paint outdoors. They use a variety of colours and staff praise them for their efforts and help them organise how to dry their creations. Children happily talk about the sunflowers they paint and explain how they grow tall. However, this is not consistent throughout, as

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need to do better?

30 April 2025 opportunities for children to freely express themselves is often adult-led and guided by staff. n Parents speak highly of the nursery and the team of staff, commenting how their children thrive and are happy to attend. Many say their children are safe and they value the communication regarding their children's day and the progress they make as a result of attending. n Children thoroughly enjoy fresh air and exercise daily. They are able to make choices as to where they play as they flow freely from indoors to outdoors. They relish their time in the garden. Physical skills are promoted as they use a variety of ride on toys, throw and catch balls with skill, and use balancing equipment. Children huddle in cosy corners and make up games. They make friendships with others attending, and are generally kind to one another. n Staff speak positively about their role. They say their own welfare is considered

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need to do better?

and feel valued and supported. However, the management team does not use staff supervision and performance monitoring systems effectively. Weaknesses in practice are not identified and actioned swiftly. As a result, not all staff have the best knowledge and understanding about how to provide children with rich learning opportunities and challenge to extend their learning. n Overall, children are supported to initiate their own play. They access quality resources from easily accessible units. Children are busy and mostly engaged in their play. However, they are not always encouraged to develop a deep understanding of how to take care of the things that they use, such as resources, including books, when they have finished with these.

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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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Due date

develop the curriculum to ensure that it clearly identifies what it is that children need to learn, how this reflects their individual needs and offers appropriate challenge, to help them make at least good progress 05/08/2025

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Due date

30 April 2025 improve supervision and monitoring of staff practice and seek professional development opportunities for staff that improves their knowledge about how children learn and how to provide an ambitious and challenging play environment. 05/08/2025

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should:

n help staff to extend opportunities for children to develop higher levels of imagination and creativity, for example, when drawing or painting n strengthen the use of effective questioning skills to give children more time to think and respond to questions and enable them to share their thoughts and ideas n help children to understand how to take more care of their environment and resources, particularly when they are leading their own play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 404877 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10388306 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 32 Name of registered person Felsted Little Acorns Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07917 190328 Date of previous inspection 5 July 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Felsted Little Acorns Day Nursery registered in 2001 and is situated in Felsted, Essex. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery opens from 8.45am until 3.15pm, during term time. It provides government funded early education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager showed the inspector around the areas that children access. n They discussed how staff organise the environment and plan the curriculum and experiences for children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held discussions with staff, children, and parents at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector looked at a sample of the nursery documents which included evidence about staff's suitability and training. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.

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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

30 April 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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