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Early years · Report card

Angels & Acorns

Inspected 29 Jan 2026 · URN EY409917

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Lisa Grundy

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Achievement verified

    Expected standard

  • Behaviour, attitudes and routines verified

    Expected standard

  • Children's welfare and wellbeing verified

    Expected standard

  • Curriculum and teaching verified

    Expected standard

  • Inclusion verified

    Expected standard

  • Leadership and governance verified

    Expected standard

  • Framework verified

    Report card

  • Group verified

    Little Angels Pre School (Stalybridge) Ltd

  • Inspection datesingle source

    29 Jan 2026

  • Inspectors verified

    Lisa Grundy

  • Postcode verified

    SK15 3AZ

  • Name on report verified

    Angels & Acorns

  • Safeguarding verified

    Met

  • URN verified

    EY409917

Page 1 of 8
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

  • AchievementExpected
  • Behaviour, attitudes and routinesExpected
  • Children's welfare and wellbeingExpected
  • Curriculum and teachingExpected
  • InclusionExpected
  • Leadership and governanceExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+89Very positivemore positive than 88% of reports of this type

Reads more warmly than most reports of this type.

Praiseenjoyhappythrivepositivefeel safeskilfullyconsistentlyindependent
Criticismconcerns

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings1314w+95
  • Leadership237w+51
  • Safeguarding51w−11
  • What needs to improve70w+56

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
8
Words of findings
1,671
about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level
Fairly hard
Flesch 58, typical 43
Average sentence
14 words
Next steps
3
typical 3
Hedged sentences
1%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 64%Leadership 12%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 3%About the inspection 19%

Full report text

Angels & Acorns

Unique reference number (URN): EY409917 Address: North End House, North End Road, Stalybridge, Cheshire, SK15 3AZ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 05/05/2010 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Little Angels Pre School (Stalybridge) Ltd

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are happy and settled and immerse themselves into the nursery daily routine. Children are praised during play and have a 'can-do' attitude to their learning. They benefit from the organisation of the environment allowing a broad range of skills to develop. Children enjoy using the equipment to climb, run and roll, promoting their physical development. Staff provide teaching to meet the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face barriers to their learning. Children make progress from their starting points at the setting. They thrive within the nursery environment.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show some confidence in their learning, and, at times, are happy to show what they know and can do. For example, children climb and slide down the soft play provided with increasing confidence and control. They have a great sense of pride when they are able to do tasks for themselves. Children develop their early mathematical development. They count and use mathematical language during play. For example, children explore different- sized rocks and describe these as 'heavy', 'small' and 'big'. Parents speak positively of the progress their children have made since starting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff are good role models and provide opportunities for all children to develop their next steps further. They show respect for all children and their families and model positive behaviours. Children follow rules and boundaries set by the nursery well. Children are praised when they follow instructions and use their manners. This is supporting children from an early age to become school ready.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children follow the daily routine; they know when mealtimes are and how they sit at the table to eat their snacks and meals. Children wash their hands and feed themselves independently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children feel safe and secure at the nursery. They build close bonds with their key person and seek comfort when needed. Leaders and staff monitor children's attendance well and share the importance of regular attendance and the benefits with their families.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders and staff ensure children's wellbeing is high priority. They support children and families to lead healthy lifestyles by providing a healthy, balanced diet for all the children. Children enjoy home-cooked meals served at the nursery. Recipes are shared with families to support healthy choices at home.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are learning to be increasingly independent, for example by wiping their own noses and feeding themselves at lunchtime. Children are happy and content at the nursery. They build bonds with their key person and seek reassurance when required throughout the day. Children enjoy exploring the nursery and the activities provided. The nursery is calm and supports children's emotional development well. Children and staff sit together at mealtimes and share conversations in the calm environment.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff talk to the children and ask their permission to change their nappies. This supports children in making positive choices. Children are building on their confidence at the setting. When the children are praised, this encourages them to smile and have a 'can-do' attitude towards their learning. Children enjoy exploring natural resources at the setting and creating different styles of play using their own imagination.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are kind and caring when they help to look after the setting's pet rabbits. Leaders and staff support children to feed and water them to keep them healthy. This helps children to learn to take care of living things.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of staff's teaching of the curriculum. They have created a well-thought-out curriculum that covers all areas of learning. Leaders ensure that children develop important knowledge about language, books, mathematics and being independent. Staff skilfully select activities to build on children's previous learning well. However, leaders' curriculum is in its infancy, and it is too soon to see the full impact of the consistency in staff's delivery of the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff focus on getting to know each child when they first start at the setting. This helps integrate them into the nursery and feel part of the nursery ethos. Leaders and staff know children's starting points when they arrive. This helps them to know what children already know and can do. Staff are good role models and provide opportunities for children to develop their next steps further. Children develop skills that support their future learning. For example, they enjoy sharing stories with the staff and using props to bring the story to life. This builds on children's early literacy skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children build positive relationships with their key persons. This supports them to follow children's interest further. Children benefit from sensory play. They enjoy playing with bubbles as they 'pop, pop, pop' them. This supports children's creativity, and they smile with delight as they immerse themselves in play.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff are teaching the children to become independent and school ready. Children enjoy following instructions well. They complete tasks to enhance their learning and development. For example, children tidy up after themselves and follow simple instructions well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face barriers to their learning, are supported well at the setting. Leaders and staff work with families to support children's wellbeing and next steps in learning and development. All children are included, and learning is tailored to meet their needs. The setting has created a calming and inclusive environment for all children. Staff create a tranquil environment for all children to play and learn. Leaders work closely with the staff team and with parents to ensure they really know each child and what support is needed. This includes any adaptations to planned activities and routines. These are skilfully implemented into daily practice. For example, settling-in sessions are extended if required to support children's transitions into the nursery. Partnerships with parents work well to ensure children's needs are being met. Children

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Inclusion Expected standard

embrace the activities and experiences offered by the staff team to ensure children's next steps are achievable and enjoyable for everyone. Children make progress from their personal starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders seek support from external agencies when required to support barriers to children's learning and development. This ensures that children are getting the right support they need to move on to their next stage of learning. Leaders and staff are fully committed to ensure all children are included and really thrive at the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision of where they want the setting to be. This is shared with the staff team and is in the early development stages. Leaders and staff spend time to get to know the children before they start so they know more about them and their families. This helps children to settle into the setting, as they are aware of their likes and dislikes and what comforts them if needed. Leaders support the staff team well. They regularly review their practice and support their wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff feel valued and supported well by the leaders of the nursery. They feel listened to and are able to share ideas to support their practice. Professional development is ongoing and at its early stages. As such, it is too early to see the full impact that this has on the staff's training and development. There is still more scope to provide staff with ongoing support and coaching to build on their knowledge and skills even further to provide consistently high- quality teaching in all areas.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have good partnerships with parents and carers. Outside agencies' advice and support is sought when children face barriers to their learning and development to seek further support for children. Leaders provide parents with home learning ideas to help extend children's learning further at home. Parents speak highly of the setting's communication and how they feel like nothing is ever too much trouble.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children arrive happy and separate from their parents and carers well at this inclusive and nurturing setting. They quickly settle with their key person, showing they feel happy, safe and secure in the setting. Leaders and staff take the time to really get to know the children and families during settling-in sessions. This helps children and families build a positive relationship with the staff from the beginning. Leaders and staff support children to feel welcome by understanding each individual child's needs. They promote good attendance. Children benefit from the routines in place and know what comes next. For example, children tidy up after activities and they know it is lunchtime. This supports children's independence skills to help prepare them for their next stage of learning.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children's physical development is supported well. Children enjoy indoor and outdoor spaces to move around and learn skills such as rolling, climbing and sliding. They learn to play safely. Children make progress from their starting points at the setting.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children's language and communication skills are supported well. Leaders and staff are good role models. Children learn new words and use these during play sessions. For example, children learn to explore different materials using words such as 'spiky' and 'prickly'. Staff give children time to respond to conversations to allow them to think and process what they want to say. Staff model correct pronunciation when children talk to them. This helps to support children's vocabulary skills.

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Address:

North End House North End Road Stalybridge Cheshire SK15 3AZ

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Little Angels Pre School (Stalybridge) Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is embedded and of consistently high quality. Leaders should continue to provide staff with ongoing support and coaching to build on their knowledge and skills to raise teaching to an even higher standard.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, special educational needs coordinator, children and parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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