Children 1st @ Acorns

Inspection of Children 1st @ Acorns Draycott Road, Upper Tean, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire ST10 4JJ

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Inspection date: 25 June 2025 - 31 July 2025

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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 feel safe and secure in this warm and welcoming setting. The highly engaging environment sparks children's curiosity and helps them to develop a love of learning. There is a strong emphasis on outdoor play and the use of natural resources. Children investigate, develop confidence and show a 'can-do' attitude as they explore. The ambitious, child-centred curriculum is planned around children's interests and developmental needs. As a result, all children make good progress across all areas of the curriculum. For example, babies explore sensory bottles, watching how the contents move or make noises. Toddlers build with blocks, developing fine motor skills and coordination as they place them together. Pre- school children engage in model making, enhancing their imagination and creativity as they build their structures.

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The provision is good

Children begin to develop high levels of emotional security through supportive interactions with staff. Staff respond attentively to each child's care needs, offering nurturing support, comfort and reassurance when children are upset or uncertain. Staff consistently promote children's independence across the setting. They support children in making choices and encourage age-appropriate self-care, such as handwashing and using the toilet. Babies begin to feed themselves, while older children serve their own meals and manage their personal belongings. Children's behaviour is good. They start to understand and follow rules, share resources and resolve minor conflicts independently. Staff model respectful and courteous behaviour by using good manners and speaking to children with warmth and consideration. This approach fosters children's confidence and helps to raise their self-esteem.

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need to do better?

n Communication and language development is a central focus throughout all ages. For example, simple games, such as gently 'bopping' noses and hiding behind blocks and popping out, create joyful interactions that encourage babies to engage socially. Staff encourage older children to recall events, asking them open-ended questions to encourage conversations. Children enjoy singing and rhymes, further developing their communication and language skills. n Staff carefully select books to enhance children's learning across the curriculum. The environment is rich in high-quality texts, which children access independently and confidently. They frequently choose to share books with staff, fostering a genuine love of reading and supporting early literacy development. Parents have access to a lending library, which further supports children to enjoy books at home. n Children are provided with meaningful opportunities to develop their skills. They

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need to do better?

strengthen fine motor control through activities such as cutting dough, using

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need to do better?

25 June 2025 pipettes and drawing. Outdoors, children demonstrate growing confidence in their gross motor skills by climbing walls and jumping over low obstacles, while babies pull themselves up and begin to cruise. However, the quality of teaching is not always consistent. Although children make good progress in their learning, it does not enable them to make the outstanding progress they are capable of. n The newly formed leadership team demonstrates a clear vision for the setting's future direction. It sets high expectations for staff and is committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for children. It provides training opportunities through an online platform, staff supervision sessions and peer observations to strengthen staff skills. However, arrangements to monitor staff practice are not yet fully robust to ensure consistently high-quality learning experiences for all children. n The setting promotes an inclusive atmosphere where every child is seen and

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need to do better?

celebrated. Children have personalised spaces, such as named pegs or drawers, and see themselves reflected in displays and photos. Staff know each child well and ensure all children, regardless of background or need, access the full range of learning opportunities, including music, cooking and outdoor activities. n Parents and carers describe staff as welcoming and approachable. They note that their children are happy, confident and benefit greatly from the rich outdoor learning opportunities provided. Many actively recommend the setting to others, highlighting its playful, song-based approach to learning. Parents also report noticeable progress in their children's speech and value an online system for staying informed about their child's development and next steps. n Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of how to support children in making healthy choices and developing healthy lifestyles. Children receive healthy meals

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need to do better?

and snacks, have regular access to fresh drinking water and benefit from ample opportunities for fresh air and physical exercise. Staff remain attentive to children's mental well-being and actively support them in managing and understanding their emerging emotions. Whenever possible, babies sleep outdoors to ensure they receive fresh air.

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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 strengthen staff interactions to consistently provide children with engaging and stimulating activities across all age ranges and all areas of the curriculum n enhance the monitoring of staff's practice to identify areas for development and

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should:

25 June 2025 support them to continue to build on their skills and knowledge.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY440074 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10399131 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 140 Number of children on roll 194 Name of registered person Breedon House Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01538723366 Date of previous inspection 20 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Children 1st @ Acorns registered in 2011. The nursery employs 33 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, one at level 4, sixteen at level 3 and four at level 2. The nursery opens from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks a year, except bank holidays. The nursery provides funded early education for all eligible children that attend.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors Sue Smith Mikaela Stallard Johanna Holt

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Inspection activities

n The inspection started on 25 June 2025. An inspector returned on 31 July 2025, to gather additional evidence in line with 'Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy'. n The managers joined the inspectors on a learning walk and talked to the inspectors about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Children spoke with the inspectors during the inspection. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

25 June 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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