Little Acorns Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The manager and the staff team have worked hard to raise the standards of care and learning for children who attend. For example, staff have a robust understanding of how to promote children's language skills. They focus on helping children to build secure foundations for their learning.

Children develop good communication skills and make good progress across all aspects of their development.The manager and the staff team recognise the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They provide individual settling-in visits to help children to feel safe when they start.

Staff maintain strong partnerships with families. This ...helps to promote continuity of care for children.Staff create a calm, nurturing environment for children.

They provide a wide range of interesting experiences for babies and young children who attend. Children build strong bonds with their key persons and show that they feel safe in the nursery. Staff know how to meet children's individual care needs and follow routines from home.

Children benefit from using their comfort blankets or dummies, if they need them. Staff ensure that they are stored safely to promote children's good health. Staff have high expectations for children.

They use praise to build on their self-confidence and self-esteem. Children respond to this and begin to show confidence in their own abilities.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum is balanced and interesting for children.

Staff gather information from parents to help them understand children's existing skills and knowledge. They plan next steps to help children make good progress. The manager supports staff in identifying children who may show potential gaps in their learning.

She seeks advice from relevant professionals in the local authority, when appropriate.Babies and toddlers are very happy and content in the nursery. They enjoy experiences and are keen to take part.

For example, toddlers use glitter balls and post them through holes in the wood. Babies show pride as they walk up and down with the wooden pram, practising new skills. However, staff do not consistently challenge toddlers or deeply engage them in learning indoors, where appropriate.

Staff know children exceptionally well and respond to children's non-verbal cues. For example, babies clap and smile at staff to show they have finished with an activity. They show delight when staff recognise this and confidently point to the next story they would like.

Staff use effective levels of praise consistently and encourage children to share. This has a positive impact on children's emotional well-being, and they begin to develop good social skills.A strong area of the curriculum is the development of young children's communication and language.

Staff use focused story and singing sessions to help children learn new words. They develop their understanding and build good listening skills. Babies enjoy taking props from the basket and copying actions in the songs.

Other children begin to learn how to sign, to help with non-verbal communication.Children benefit from plenty of fresh air and enjoy exploring outdoors. Staff use mats to encourage babies to stand up at the sand tray, which promotes their physical development.

Older children learn how to use the slide safely, and staff consistently praise them when they sit down at the top. Staff recognise when children want to climb and provide resources to do this safely.Children show enjoyment in sitting together at lunchtime.

Staff provide fresh, healthy meals and encourage babies to try new foods, using their own spoon. However, there are fewer opportunities for toddlers to develop their independence. For instance, some children are not encouraged to feed themselves or wash their own hands.

The manager has developed a strong leadership team. She is passionate, dedicated and has high expectations for the children and staff. Staff say they feel valued and supported, including those who are newer to the team.

Staff benefit from regular team meetings and reflect on their practice. They work together to drive forward improvements and share their skills, such as Makaton signing, with the team.Parents speak very highly of the nursery and staff team.

They are particularly pleased with the arrangements for settling children in and say that staff provide excellent advice and reassurance. Parents receive regular updates about their children's day and development. They note how much their children use new words frequently and how their personalities have developed since starting.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff prioritise children's safety. They carry out specific risk assessments to meet children's individual safety needs and know the emergency procedures to follow.

The manager ensures that staff understand their responsibilities to keep children safe from harm. Staff benefit from regular training on child protection and wider safeguarding issues, such as county lines and domestic abuse. They confidently identify signs of potential abuse and have clear procedures for recording and reporting concerns.

The manager follows safer recruitment guidelines to help her recruit new staff safely. She knows who to contact if an allegation is made against a member of staff.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: focus staff's teaching so that when indoors, toddlers are consistently challenged and highly engaged consider further ways to help young children develop independence and self-help skills.

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