Little Acorns Day Nursery (EA) Ltd

Little Acorns Day Nursery (EA) Ltd
Unique reference number (URN): 2753074
Address: 2 Chapel Street, Crowland, PE6 0AR
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 31/10/2023
Registers: EYR, CCR
Registered person: Little Acorns Day Nursery (EA) Ltd
Inspection report: 25 February 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
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.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
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.

Strong standard
Expected standard
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
The setting maintains a consistent focus on children's welfare and wellbeing ensuring that
children are safe, supported and able to thrive. Staff encourage children to develop a secure
understanding of physical health and safety which helps them to make suitable choices and
confidently manage risks. All meals are freshly prepared and cooked on site. Children's
allergies and dietary needs are carefully monitored, ensuring safe and inclusive mealtimes.
Staff proactively sit facing children during mealtimes, which promotes safe eating and social
interaction.
Children are carefully nurtured to recognise, express and manage their emotions. Staff ask
thoughtful questions and use visual cues to help children identify and recognise different
facial expressions linked to emotions. Children are encouraged to talk about their feelings
and seek guidance from trusted adults. As a result, they grow in confidence and are able to
talk openly about their emotions. New families are supported with a care kit to recognise
their wellbeing at initial handovers.
Physical development is promoted very well. Children climb, balance and run and
demonstrate their enjoyment of outdoor play, which is closely monitored by staff. Individual
routines are securely embedded. Feeding and sleeping are thoughtfully tailored to meet
each child's needs. Children take increasing responsibility for their own self-care,
demonstrating a clear understanding of hygiene and adopting healthy habits. They present
as happy, confident and secure in their environment.
Achievement Expected standard
Children make encouraging progress overall through a broad and balanced curriculum.
They engage well in planned activities, demonstrating curiosity, concentration and a
willingness to keep trying. Their communication and language skills are developing
effectively and are used confidently during daily routines and play, including using sign
language independently. Staff understand each child's starting point and their individual
needs on entry. All children are supported to make continued progress towards their next
steps. Their achievements are recognised and celebrated.
Children move between rooms with increasing confidence, managing familiar routines and
building on their existing knowledge and skills. School readiness is also a priority for the
setting and parents confirm their children are prepared well. Children are developing an
understanding of diversity and are learning to appreciate that everyone is unique. They
demonstrate kindness and consideration towards others, for example, by waiting for their
turn and offering help when someone needs support. These positive interactions support the
development of effective relationships and important social and emotional skills.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Babies and young children settle quickly because staff follow familiar routines that reflect
home practice. Leaders ensure that staff gather detailed information during the settling-in
period and keep this updated including, for instance, stages of weaning and changes to
health or dietary requirements. These routines promote children's emotional security and
help them regulate their behaviour. Leaders have effective systems to record and track
patterns of attendance, accidents and incidents and they know when to escalate concerns to
safeguard children's wellbeing. Key persons know their children well and understand family
circumstances. This supports them to share children's next steps and plan for development
in partnership with parents.
Staff model respectful behaviour and use clear explanations and praise to reinforce
children's efforts, helping them understand how to treat others with care and consideration.
Children respond well to expectations and are encouraged to develop independence in
managing their own needs. Daily routines provide structure and support to children as they
move between different parts of the day, such as getting ready to play outdoors or preparing
for snack time. This takes place across all rooms as staff encourage children to gradually
take responsibility for a range of tasks such as clearing and setting the tables at mealtimes
and scraping any leftovers into the compost bin.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Staff demonstrate a secure understanding of child development and clearly articulate how
activities support children's progress. They carefully plan meaningful learning opportunities,
enabling children to build securely on their existing knowledge and skills. Leaders maintain a
clear overview of the curriculum and thoughtfully monitor how it is planned and adapted to
meet the needs of each child. Highlighting the key skills that underpin the curriculum across
the setting will further strengthen progression and clarity of learning.
Staff place a definite emphasis on communication and language, consistently, and
incorporate visual aids to enhance understanding. Children who speak English as an
additional language are well supported through staff's understanding of promoting their
home languages. Toddlers explore coloured rice and use words such as pour, empty, full
and more. Staff introduce new vocabulary enthusiastically such as sprinkle, scoop and
texture, extending children's spoken word.
Babies experience warm, responsive interactions that effectively support the development of
early language and social skills. Daily routines are used purposefully to reinforce
mathematical concepts, for example encouraging children to count on their fingers during
snack preparation. Staff teach children specific physical skills and encourage them to
practise their skills from the earliest age. Whole-nursery themes, such as Spring and
Ramadan, are thoughtfully planned to broaden children's understanding of the wider world
and enrich the curriculum.

Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders and staff are committed to providing a welcoming and supportive provision for all
children. They effectively support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities
as well as those who face other barriers to learning. Staff recognise the importance of
identifying needs early. Children's progress is closely monitored and support is regularly
reviewed to ensure it continues to have a positive impact. Leaders work in partnership with
families, external professionals and other agencies to plan and review support. When extra
help is needed, leaders step in quickly and make sure everything is organised effectively. As
a consequence, children feel safe, cared for and able to grow and learn.
Children are supported to access the resources they need to take part fully in learning
including the use of sign language and key objects to support communication. Leaders use
additional funding effectively to improve outcomes and provide targeted support, appropriate
resources and staff training. This includes, for example, investment in sensory equipment to
support children's individual needs, to help them regulate their feelings and enable full
participation in learning experiences. The impact of this provision is regularly reviewed with
staff and families. Parents speak positively about the nurturing culture of the setting and the
positive and trusting relationships staff build with their children.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Effective leadership, curriculum review and professional development ensure that children
are safe, well supported and able to thrive in a stimulating and nurturing environment.
Leaders work collaboratively with other agencies and the schools that children will move on
to. Leaders clearly know their provision well and the families attending. They understand the
hopes, pressures and needs that shape children's lives. Continued investment in the
outdoor environment is ready to begin and will further enhance the physical growth and
active learning for all children, including babies.
Leaders are supportive of staff and value their contributions. Staff wellbeing is a clear
priority, with regular welfare checks and an open-door policy that encourages honest
communication. Staff comment that they feel valued, supported and happy in their roles.
Staff attend training to enhance and broaden their knowledge and skills. This is well focused
to benefit the children who attend the setting. Planned development of the leadership
structure alongside the experience and expertise already in place will sustain the high-
quality provision.
Leaders demonstrate positive attitudes towards continual reflection and improvement to
benefit staff, children and families. Decisions are consistently made in the best interests of
all children particularly who face barriers to their learning. Parents and carers speak highly
of the nursery. They appreciate the support given to them on a personal level, and for their
children's learning. Leaders value families' contributions and opinions.

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children experience a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment where warm relationships
underpin everyday practice. Children quickly settle and build positive relationships with staff,
feeling a real sense of belonging. Children are supported by practitioners to learn about and
respect differences. They are encouraged to share their ideas and express themselves with
increasing self-assurance. Staff have a clear understanding of each child's individual starting
points including any potential barriers to learning. They make appropriate adjustments to
routines and experiences to support all children's next steps. As a result, children are
provided with meaningful opportunities to participate, build confidence and achieve success
at a pace that suits them. Clear leadership practices ensure that children's safety and
wellbeing are always prioritised.
Children's early communication, language and mathematical development are supported
through a range of meaningful activities. For example, when exploring different fruits to
make fruit-infused water, practitioners talk about how the fruit grows and support children in
comparing weight and size. Thoughtful questions help to build vocabulary and extend
thinking. Each week, children also learn simple sign language to support their
communication and understanding in everyday activities. Children are guided to understand
and manage their feelings and behaviour. When they require support, staff provide calm
reassurance and clear explanations, helping children to communicate themselves and
resolve minor conflicts. Kindness and consideration are embedded in daily routines and
interactions between children and adults.

Inspector:
Kirstyn Moffat
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2753074
Address:
2 Chapel Street
Crowland
PE6 0AR
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 31/10/2023
Physical development is promoted through a range of planned and spontaneous
opportunities that strengthen both large and small muscles. Daily access to outdoor learning
further supports physical confidence, wellbeing and an appreciation of the natural
environment. Parents are kept well informed about their child's learning, progress and
development, including personal care, communication and social skills. Parents speak
highly of the setting, sharing that their children enjoy attending, feel happy and secure, and
are well supported in preparing for school.
Next steps
Leaders should further strengthen the curriculum intent by clearly identifying the key skills
children should develop across all ages and areas of learning.
Leaders should build on the effective leadership already in place by continuing to embed
shared systems and expectations across the growing leadership team, supporting
sustained continuous improvement and high-quality provision.
About this inspection
The Inspector spoke with the proprietor, manager, deputy manager, special educational
needs coordinator, children and parents during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of the 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.

Registered person: Little Acorns Day Nursery (EA) Ltd
Register(s): EYR, CCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Lincolnshire
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 25 February 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
70
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
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.
Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
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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