Little Acorns Hindley Green

Inspection of Little Acorns Hindley Green 74 Smiths Lane, Hindley Green, WIGAN, Lancashire WN2 4XR

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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 Inadequate

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The provision requires improvement

Although leaders and staff have some broad ideas of what they want children to learn, the curriculum design is weak. It does not consider what it is that children already know, their interests or what they need to learn next. Staff have some knowledge of things they would like individual children to learn, but these are not implemented effectively. Additionally, for new children, staff are not provided with the information they need about children's existing skills and knowledge to enable them to plan appropriately. This does not help children to engage in purposeful learning and make good progress from the start.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are happy and well settled at the nursery. Staff are kind and nurturing, which helps children to feel safe and emotionally secure. Children who are very new to the nursery are confident and motivated when they arrive. They eagerly explore their new surroundings and settle quickly into play. Staff teach children about what is expected of them at nursery, such as walking when indoors. Children listen to staff, play together cooperatively and follow the rules and boundaries. Positive behaviour is a strength at the nursery and children are learning about what is right and wrong.

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need to do better?

n Leaders understand child development and some of the things they want children to learn. However, the curriculum is not well planned or sequenced and lacks ambition. Learning experiences are not focused on extending children's skills or adapted for the different age groups. Learning is incidental rather than by design, and children do not always engage purposefully. This does not help children to develop a consistently positive attitude to learning. n In the main, staff get to know children well. They know their interests and can talk about some of the things they would like children to learn next. However, staff do not consistently implement children's prioritised next steps, such as communication and language development, during play and interactions. This does not help children to make good progress in their learning. n Since the last inspection, leaders have implemented more secure procedures for

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need to do better?

identifying and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff monitor children's development each term to identify any gaps in learning. Leaders implement targeted planning to help narrow the gaps. This ensures children receive some support while awaiting outside referrals. n Staff support children to develop their mathematical skills during free-play time. Younger children practise counting vehicles with one-to-one correspondence from one to nine. Older children concentrate well when fitting letter-shaped jigsaw pieces into an inset board. They use their problem-solving skills when negotiating how the pieces fit. Children show resilience and perseverance until

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need to do better?

8 September 2025 they succeed. They are developing some of the mathematical skills needed for school. n Children enjoy exploring the outdoor area throughout the day. They use the equipment, such as cars and ride-on toys, with confidence. Children navigate the uneven terrain easily, showing good balancing and climbing skills. Staff engage children in large-scale, mark-making activities, encouraging them to use their large muscle movements to create marks on the floor. This helps children to practise new skills and build their physical strength. n Leaders have some procedures in place for working in partnership with parents, such as an online app and daily handovers. However, the procedures for gathering information about children's development when they first start are not in place. Staff do not have sufficient information to allow them to prepare for children's first day at nursery. Additionally, parents are not sure of children's next

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need to do better?

steps or how they can extend learning at home. This does not provide continuity in children's care and education. n There have been some improvements to the staff development programme since the last inspection, and the nursery has received support from the local authority. However, there are still weaknesses in staff supervision and the procedures for coaching and mentoring. Staff attend lots of training, but this is not targeted to their individual needs or monitored to test out the impact on children. This means there are considerable weaknesses in the quality of practice across the team.

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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

plan and implement an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that builds on children's existing skills and knowledge to help them make good progress in their learning 13/10/2025

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Due date

implement effective procedures for working in partnership with parents to give and receive information about children's learning and development 29/09/2025

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Due date

8 September 2025 implement more targeted procedures for supervision, coaching and mentoring to focus precisely on staff's weaknesses and improve the quality of education. 13/10/2025

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should:

n support staff to implement children's specific next steps more precisely during play and interactions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY343063 Local authority Wigan Inspection number 10410689 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 49 Number of children on roll 6 Name of registered person Little Acorns Hindley Green LTD

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reference number

Telephone number 01942 259 870 Date of previous inspection 4 June 2025

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Information about this early years setting

Little Acorns Hindley Green registered in 2003 and was purchased by Little Acorns Hindley Green Limited in 2022. It operates from the Hindley Green area of the borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, four staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm.

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Inspection activities

n The leader joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the setting. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

8 September 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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