Little Acorns Preschool

Little Acorns Preschool

Unique reference number (URN): EY294250 Address: The Cabin, Barnard Road, LEIGH-ON-SEA, Essex, SS9 3PH Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 28/09/2004 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Little Acorns Pre -School (Leigh-on-Sea) Committee

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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 Strong standard

Children engage in rich, purposeful learning experiences, leading to rapid and sustained progress from their starting points. For example, they quickly learn about the life cycle of a butterfly and confidently represent their understanding through detailed drawings. Children also refine their fine motor skills and dexterity as they mix colours and concentrate deeply to create their own artistic 'masterpieces'.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children's language skills develop swiftly. Those who speak English as an additional language acquire new vocabulary at pace and confidently participate in meaningful conversations. Children also develop the physical skills needed to climb trees safely and balance on large wooden logs, strengthening their gross motor abilities and building stamina.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children who face barriers to learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make significant progress in their development. For example, children with SEND show great enthusiasm as nurturing staff help them identify characters from their favourite story and engage positively with their peers. As a result of this inclusive and targeted support, all children develop the essential skills they need to move successfully from one stage of education to the next.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders and staff build warm, positive relationships with all children and set clear, consistent and age-appropriate expectations for behaviour. Children respond to these expectations with confidence and behave incredibly well, showing a secure understanding of the setting's boundaries. For example, children wait patiently for their turn to use the paint tubes, creating beautiful masterpieces while demonstrating tolerant and considerate behaviour towards their peers.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff and leaders act as admirable role models. They gently guide children to be considerate, share resources, and take turns. As a result, children collaborate effectively with one another. For example, they work together to mix natural materials, such as water and mud, to create a 'bath' for the badgers, and they prepare food for the squirrels, carefully spreading it throughout the woods. These shared experiences strengthen children's social skills and sense of teamwork, helping them form positive and meaningful relationships.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff and leaders have effective systems in place to monitor children's attendance, ensuring that they do not miss out on the rich and inspiring learning opportunities on offer. They work closely with parents to establish positive and consistent routines for punctuality, supporting children's wellbeing and readiness to learn.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff and leaders create a warm, welcoming environment in which children feel safe, settled and happy. They establish clear routines that children follow with confidence. For example, before mealtimes, children independently wash their hands and choose the fruits they would like to eat. They skilfully cut the fruit and place it onto skewers while engaging in purposeful conversations about healthy eating. Children also brush their teeth regularly while at the setting, demonstrating a strong understanding of hygiene practices.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children thoroughly enjoy exploring both the indoor and outdoor environments, including the local woods. They make independent choices about what they would like to investigate. For instance, in the woods, children excitedly run around the trees to find the mouse from their favourite story. They carefully avoid obstacles, which helps them develop a deeper awareness of personal safety. These experiences further enhance children's gross motor skills and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff and leaders offer consistent, meaningful recognition for children's efforts and achievements. They proudly display children's creations throughout the setting and celebrate their imaginative costumes. Staff also sensitively help children understand and express their feelings, creating calm spaces where they can relax and enjoy books independently. Children who face barriers to learning receive targeted support to strengthen their social skills and build emotional resilience. As a result, all children develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing and the confidence to manage their emotions and relationships effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders and staff are highly skilled and experienced, and they have consistently high expectations for what they want children to learn. They carefully consider each child's age, stage of development, needs, and interests when designing an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum that is embedded across all areas of learning. The curriculum is inclusive and thoughtfully adapted to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those who may face barriers to learning. Staff use a consistent approach to assessing what children know and can do, which informs the planning of effective learning experiences for all children. They take the children's starting points, individual needs, and stages of development into account, ensuring that the curriculum is implemented effectively and that children make remarkable progress over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Staff and leaders actively enrich children's communication and language skills through purposeful discussions and high-quality interactions. Children rapidly acquire new vocabulary, such as 'cocoon', and confidently use these words to describe their drawings and mark making. Staff also promote children's mathematical development through regular counting activities and meaningful learning opportunities. For example, during outdoor play, children explore the concept of size by comparing 'big' wooden logs to 'small' wooden logs, which supports deeper thinking and reasoning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Staff and leaders prioritise children's physical and emotional development. In the woods, children skilfully walk over and crawl under the pretend 'cobweb' they have created using ropes tied between trees. They persevere when challenges arise and show high levels of determination to succeed. These experiences strengthen children's large-muscle skills, balance and coordination. Additionally, staff sensitively help children understand and express their feelings. They benefit from woodland 'wellness sessions', such as yoga and quiet zones for exploring 'colour monsters', which help build emotional resilience.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff and leaders are highly skilled and experienced, and they use effective systems to identify children's emerging needs and address them swiftly. Strong partnerships with parents and external professionals, including health visitors and inclusion partners, ensure that all children receive well-rounded support and timely intervention from the outset. This helps remove barriers to learning. For example, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from carefully tailored adaptations and personalised educational programmes. They are encouraged to attend regular forest school sessions, where they engage in meaningful social and learning experiences in smaller groups. In addition, children with SEND receive enhanced sessions focused on developing their emotional regulation, communication and language skills, as outlined in their detailed intervention plans.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff consistently implement learning opportunities that are closely matched to each child's individual needs. They make effective use of additional funding by working in partnership with parents to invest in staff training, purposeful resources and enriching learning experiences. High-quality ongoing training helps staff observe children carefully, plan appropriate support, put strategies into practice effectively, and review outcomes to ensure that each child makes progress. Leaders ensure that children who face barriers to learning engage in exciting, purposeful experiences that enrich their development. For example, children who require additional support to build their social skills and emotional resilience spend extended time in small groups and one-to-one interactions with skilled staff, participating in thoughtful discussions and guided play. This consistent, targeted support ensures that all children rapidly develop the skills they need to become confident,

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Inclusion Strong standard

independent and resilient learners who truly thrive in the setting.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are highly ambitious and reflective, working tirelessly to ensure that children receive the very best start to their early education. They have a clear and accurate understanding of the setting's strengths and promote a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. Staff fully embrace this vision, demonstrating commitment and dedication in all aspects of their work.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Strong partnerships with parents and the wider community are central to the setting's success. Parents feel well supported and actively involved in their children's learning journey. Leaders' proactive engagement ensures that all children, including those who face barriers to learning, receive tailored support and thrive in this inclusive environment.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders place great value on staff wellbeing and professional development, fostering a positive culture where individuals feel respected, included and motivated. They empower staff through targeted training programmes and regular supervision meetings. For example, staff benefit from specialist training that enables them to confidently plan and deliver high- quality, nature-based educational experiences for all children. As a result, staff experience meaningful professional growth and consistently report high levels of job satisfaction.

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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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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

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

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary 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 are truly at the heart of this unique setting. They arrive happy, smiling, and eager to show the nurturing staff their impressive costumes. Staff welcome them warmly and immediately engage them in meaningful conversations about the characters they are portraying and their favourite books. Leaders and staff work together to create a highly stimulating and dynamic environment, which offers children regular opportunities to make informed choices about the activities they wish to explore. This strongly supports their independence, curiosity and sense of identity. This helps all children feel deeply involved, valued and appreciated during their time at the setting.

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

Skilled staff and leaders deliver a wide range of highly stimulating educational programmes. These are carefully tailored to each child's age, stage of development, needs and unique interests. Learning experiences are thoughtfully adapted so that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are fully engaged and involved. This inclusive approach is consistently embedded across all routines and activities. For example, during forest school sessions, children laugh and giggle with excitement as they re-enact one of their favourite stories. They confidently use props and collaborate with peers to build a den using wooden logs. Children with SEND are warmly encouraged to participate in social interactions, helping them build emotional resilience and develop secure, trusting relationships. As a result, children strengthen their social skills, deepen their thinking,

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

cultivate highly positive attitudes towards learning and make remarkable progress from their starting points.

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

Staff and leaders form incredibly warm and nurturing relationships with all children. They set high expectations, and children rise to these challenges with confidence and enthusiasm. Staff are attentive, intuitive and responsive to children's needs, providing timely support when necessary. They offer specific praise and recognition for children's efforts and achievements. This helps them feel proud and motivated and supports resilience. Leaders and staff place high priority on children's attendance and work relentlessly to promote regular, punctual participation, ensuring that children do not miss out on the inclusive and inspiring learning opportunities available to them.

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Next steps

Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged learners, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or well-being.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, parents and children 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

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Address:

The Cabin Barnard Road LEIGH-ON-SEA Essex SS9 3PH

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Little Acorns Pre -School (Leigh-on-Sea) Committee

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 16:30

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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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2 to 4

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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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.

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Urgent improvement

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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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