Little Oaks

Inspection of Little Oaks Mile Oak Junior School, Graham Avenue, Portslade, Brighton BN41 2WN

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children gladly greet their friends as they arrive. Staff welcome them warmly and ask them which activity they would like to join in with. Children and staff demonstrate close and meaningful relationships. For instance, they sit together and discuss exciting upcoming family events. Children appear to feel safe and secure in the nursery environment.

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The provision is good

Staff promote children's understanding of care and respect for one another. For example, staff teach them about using 'kind hands' and 'listening ears'. Children show a good understanding of what is expected of them. They take turns with resources as they joyfully explore in the sand tray together. Children respect one another when they play.

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The provision is good

Leaders provide children with a range of experiences to inspire and interest them. For example, they learn about nature and visit the forest together. Children discuss what they remember about different rules they should follow when they are near the fire circle. Children also demonstrate a keen interest in the natural environment. They look at small creatures with interest and discuss why so many snails have come out on a rainy day. Children build secure knowledge of the world around them.

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need to do better?

n Leaders create a curriculum that is broad and ambitious. It focuses on building children's confidence and providing them with the knowledge they need for school. Staff know children well. They understand their stage of development and plan effective activities to help children achieve the next steps in their learning. Children's progress is supported well. n Staff encourage children to energetically explore how their bodies move. Children learn to climb and balance on the large indoor equipment. Staff support them to recognise how to use it safely and to take turns with their friends. Children engage in their learning as they develop good physical skills. n Staff have a clear oversight for supporting children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with professionals who are involved in children's care, such as sensory play specialists and speech and language therapists. Together, they implement a shared approach to children's education

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need to do better?

to support them to achieve the best outcomes. n Children develop a keen love of reading. They regularly look at books independently. Staff promote this interest further and often sit with groups of children to explore different narratives. Furthermore, staff are engaging and enthusiastic as they read, and children listen attentively. They talk together about the different letters and words that can be seen on the page. Children

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need to do better?

21 May 2025 gain an understanding of the meaning of vocabulary and print. n Children carry out some tasks without adult support. For example, they are encouraged to wash their hands and put their bowls away in the sink after snack. However, there are times when staff do not encourage children to do tasks for themselves, as intended by leaders. This means that children's independence skills are not consistently increased. n Leaders provide a wealth of training to staff. For example, staff speak positively about mathematics training they have recently completed. They discuss how it has improved their teaching in this area of learning. Leaders conduct regular supervision sessions to support staff's well-being and identify training needs. This means that teaching standards are regularly monitored to raise the quality of education for children. n Parents and carers speak positively about the nursery. They feel well-informed

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need to do better?

about their child's progress and development. Staff regularly communicate with parents about the different activities children have enjoyed. Furthermore, parents are invited into the nursery to discuss what children will be learning next and how this can be supported at home. Leaders have also developed a communication board to improve information-sharing even further. Partnerships with parents are strong.

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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 develop staff interactions to consistently increase children's independence skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2731715 Local authority Brighton and Hove Inspection number 10398264 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 40 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person Mile Oak Primary School

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reference number

Telephone number 01273 077 114 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Oaks registered in April 2023. The nursery operates from Mile Oak Primary School in Portslade, near Brighton. It is open during term time only, Monday to Friday, from 8am to 4pm. The nursery employs eight staff, six of whom hold an appropriate qualification between level 2 and level 6. The nursery provides government-funded early education for children between the ages of two and four years.

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Inspection activities

n Leaders and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n Parents and carers shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during snack time. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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Inspection activities

21 May 2025 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

21 May 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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