Acorn Day Care Limited

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff work as a team to provide a welcoming environment for the children. Children are happy and greeted by friendly staff.

Staff know children well and have good knowledge of their backgrounds, families, and individual experiences. Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their physical skills. Babies cruise around furniture and pull themselves up to access activities that interest them.

Staff celebrate with young children as they take their steps. Older children develop their core muscles and hand-eye coordination as they scoop and pour water down the water wall. Children delight in selecting different dr...ainpipes, exploring, and investigating how the water flow changes.

Children know the steeper the slope, the faster the water flows.Children are curious and motivated to learn. Staff support children to focus on activities and give praise when they learn new skills.

Staff are positive role models. They show respect to the children as they ask permission before they wipe their noses, or before they change their nappies. They are calm and help children to understand how they might be feeling.

They guide children's behaviour through gentle reminders and diverting their attention elsewhere. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

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

Leaders and staff are ambitious about what all children can achieve, and they support all children to make good progress in their learning.

Staff plan activities based on children's interests and what they see as children play. Children practise their dexterity threading laces through cotton reels and pasta shapes. Children, in the main, remain engaged and focused during these activities and experiences.

However, some staff do not always know what they intend children to learn when taking part. Therefore, some planned activities do not consistently build on what children know and need to know next.Staff help children build secure attachments.

Babies lift their arms to be picked up by staff they feel comfortable with. Older children seek out familiar staff to talk about their painting designs.Transitions for children are planned throughout the nursery.

Staff help children to be emotionally ready for the next stage in their learning, including their move to school. Staff invite teaching staff into the nursery to visit children before they start school and provide information about their development to help them move on.Staff teach children to be independent and use their self-care skills well.

They help children to manage packaging in their packed lunches. Children put their rubbish in the bin when they have finished eating. Staff encourage older children to manage the stairs independently.

Children recognise that holding onto the banisters as they use the stairs helps to keep them safe.Staff organise adult-guided groups that help children to listen and follow instructions. Older children remember previous learning about the life cycle of a caterpillar.

Younger children respond to questions about the weather and about what day of the week it is. However, when planning large-group activities, staff do not always consider the organisation of these activities. As a result, not all children remain interested or benefit from the learning experiences.

Staff recognise the importance of developing children's communication and language. They engage children in meaningful conversations. They value what they say and leave gaps to allow children thinking time.

Staff support children who speak English as an additional language well. They understand the importance of the use of children's home language to support their language skills and sense of self. Staff greet children in their home language each morning and use keywords to support their understanding throughout the day.

Children become confident communicators.Parents share that all staff are approachable and supportive. Staff keep them well-informed of their child's development and how they can support learning at home.

Parents comment that they particularly enjoy the workshops that help them to develop their parenting skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help staff to clearly identify what they intend for children to learn from the activities they provide support staff to deliver large-group activities more effectively, so all children benefit from the learning experiences and maintain engagement

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