Little Acorns Day Nursery (Springfield)

Little Acorns Day Nursery (Springfield)

Unique reference number (URN): 2519737 Address: Throstlenest Avenue, Wigan, Lancashire, WN6 7AS Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 13/02/2019 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Mercer, Annette

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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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that staff consistently implement the curriculum for personal, social and emotional development. For example, staff do not model good manners and encourage children to use these, particularly at lunchtime. Staff remind children about some expectations for behaviour, such as sharing and turn-taking but do not help them to understand what this means. For example, staff ask children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language to 'wait their turn' and 'share the cars'. They are not supported to do this in ways they understand and, therefore, become fractious and upset.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Children have lovely relationships with the staff team and clearly feel happy and secure at the nursery. Generally, children know what is happening throughout the day and follow the daily routine. Staff have started to use some visuals to help children with transitions, but this is not yet consistent. Children know that they need to wash their hands before eating and when they have been outside. Staff in the older baby room use the 'tidy-up song' to help babies learn about what is expected of them. Babies respond instinctively to the song and help staff to tidy away the toys. The routines for settling in new children are effective. Leaders ensure a bespoke package of support for new families to ensure that children are given the time they need to settle into nursery. This promotes the wellbeing of new children.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Not all children make progress across the areas of learning. Children who speak English as an additional language are not supported to develop a good grasp of English. Children do not develop play skills appropriate to their age. They flock to adult-led activities with excitement but do not demonstrate skills, such as sharing and turn-taking. This has a negative effect on some children's social skills. Furthermore, not all children develop their mathematical skills in the correct order in preparation for their move to school.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Children in the baby room develop early language skills, such as repeating single words and babbling back and forth with staff. They learn the actions to familiar songs and join in with rhymes. Children across the nursery have appropriate physical skills. They show good balance and coordination when using the obstacle course and climb confidently.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Leaders do not always recognise when policies and procedures are not working or being implemented. The key-person system does not support children's individual needs when staff are absent. Remaining staff do not know some children well, such as those with English as an additional language. They do not know their next steps or provide opportunities for them to further their learning. This does not provide consistency for children with barriers to their learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Good hygiene procedures are not followed consistently. Staff wipe multiple children's noses without washing their own or children's hands. When children drop their cup at lunchtime, these are returned for children to drink from. Furthermore, items that are appropriate for children to chew are left on the sandy floor and then returned to them. These practices do not promote children's good health and wellbeing or provide them with clear messages about hygiene.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The curriculum is not well implemented for older children, particularly for those who have barriers to their learning. Although leaders have some ideas of what they want children to learn, this is narrowly focused and does not cover the breadth of the early years foundation stage, particularly aspects of personal, social and emotional development. The curriculum for outdoors is particularly weak. Children spend a lot of time in free play but have limited resources or purposeful interactions to support them. For instance, there are no resources for the doll house, limited resources for the kitchen and the few books available are ripped. The adult-led activities provided lack purpose and are often pitched incorrectly for children's age and stage of development. This does not help children to engage and build on their existing skills and knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The quality of teaching varies considerably across the team. Staff do not adapt their teaching to help children with barriers to learning, to access the curriculum. For example, they try to engage children who speak limited English in role-play activities, with no resources or visuals. Staff mistake children's smiles and compliant nods for understanding. This puts this group of children at a considerable disadvantage.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Staff promote children's communication and language development well in the baby and toddler room. Staff sing to children throughout the day, narrate what they are doing and use new words to enhance their vocabulary. Staff encourage babies to join in with action rhymes and copy words they are familiar with. For some children, staff in the pre-school room use sign language, however, this is sporadic.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Leaders do not recognise when support for some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those with other barriers to their learning is not effective. Staff do not ensure they have the correct resources and equipment to implement children's support plans. They do not consider targets from key professionals, such as speech and language therapists. Leaders do not ensure that staff get to know children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) well. Staff do not adapt their teaching to help this group of children gain a good grasp of English. Consequently, there are groups of children, such as those with SEND and EAL, who spend a lot of time not engaged in purposeful learning.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Leaders do work closely with the local authority inclusion team to access additional funding for some children. This is used appropriately to offer children one-to-one support throughout their session. Leaders use assessments to identify gaps in children's learning and make timely referrals to the inclusion team. The staff team are beginning to use visual references and timetables. However, this is very inconsistent and not always used effectively. Leaders have highlighted this as an area they are currently working on.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Since the last inspection, leaders have acted on the previous actions set. However, further breaches of requirements have now been identified. There have been some changes to the leadership team recently with some of the team still being new. Although leaders conduct supervision meetings with staff each half term, these are not effective. There are considerable weaknesses in the quality of teaching of some staff members that have gone unnoticed. Leaders observe practice and identify some targets for staff development, but these are not remembered by staff and, therefore, not acted upon. Staff complete mandatory training, such as safeguarding and first aid, but training beyond this is limited and not focused on improving the quality of teaching and interactions. This does not help staff to build on their skills and knowledge.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The procedures for working in partnership with parents are not embedded consistently. Leaders offer parents' evenings, stay-and-play sessions and update their online application with children's development. However, not all parents know what children are working on, who their child's key person is or how they can extend learning at home. Furthermore, leaders have not considered how to work more cohesively with parents who do not attend these sessions. This hinders the continuity of care and learning for children.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders work hard to integrate children into the local community. They take children for visits to the local care home to share their experiences with the elderly community members. Children visit the local lending library to borrow and exchange books, to promote their literacy development. This helps children to learn about the community in which they live.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has not 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 not 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 happy and well settled at the nursery, however, they have a variable learning experience. Younger children, such as babies and toddlers, are better supported than older children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with barriers to their learning are not supported well enough to access the curriculum. This hinders the progress they make across the areas of learning. Although leaders understand some of the things they want children to learn, the curriculum lacks depth and breadth. Furthermore, not all staff have the skills and knowledge needed to implement the curriculum effectively. They do not recognise when they need to adapt their practice to support children who speak English as an additional language or to help children learn about sharing and taking turns.

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

Younger children play well alongside one another and have positive relationships with staff and their peers. However, the key-person system is not well embedded for all children. This means, at times, some children spend a lot of time unsupported in free play when their key person is absent. Overall, children behave well and understand the daily routine. Leaders work with parents to address issues, such as attendance and punctuality, to ensure children get the most from their nursery session. However, some gaps in parent partnership means that the two-way flow of information is not embedded.

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

Children in the baby and toddler room engage well and have a positive attitude to learning. They practise skills, such as using a spoon in the sensory tray and then transfer this skill at lunchtime, when feeding themselves. Children enjoy taking part in circle time and guessing which animal is in the box. They sing along with familiar songs and copy new words that staff model.

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Next steps

The provider is not meeting the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action.

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Next steps

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to have taken the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

implement effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities 15/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

implement robust key-person procedures to support children's individual needs and next steps 15/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure staff implement good hygiene practices and teach children why these are important 15/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

implement a robust programme of professional development to improve the quality of teaching and develop staff skills and knowledge 15/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure a robust two-way flow of information between parents and nursery to provide continuity in children's care and learning 15/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

implement a broad and ambitious curriculum that considers all areas of learning 08/06/2026

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Action Completion Date

provide effective support for children who speak English as an additional language to learn and reach a good standard of English 08/06/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, 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:

Throstlenest Avenue Wigan Lancashire WN6 7AS

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

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

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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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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

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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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