Little Acorns Pre-School

A school swimming pool and a preschool garden give Little Acorns Pre-School a practical identity: children can take Monday swimming lessons on site, while outdoor play extends to the school field. Its base is the Community Room at The Globe Primary Academy in Lancing. This is preschool provision with access to some larger-school facilities.

Ofsted rated the setting Good at its 9 May 2022 inspection. The provision has capacity for 32 children; the children attending in May 2022 were aged two to four, a dated age range rather than a statement about current admissions. Funded early education is offered for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

Families can choose morning, afternoon or full-day sessions during term time. That choice matters: the preschool serves both shorter attendance and a day spanning morning and afternoon, rather than requiring every child to follow the same pattern.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for children's learning, development and care, with play giving children opportunities to practise language, movement and everyday skills. At Little Acorns, observations inform individual next steps through Tapestry, an online learning journal containing photographs, observations and examples of children's work. Parents can contribute too, connecting experiences at home with planning in the setting.

In May 2022, imaginative play included a pirate storyline centred on the book corner, with children helping decide what happened next. Group activities also involved discovering objects concealed in a bucket. These examples show different ways of drawing children into conversation: inventing a story together and talking about an unfamiliar object.

Practical exploration had a place alongside pretend play. In May 2022, children investigated mixtures of water and sand, while staff supplied words to describe the changes. Growing flowers and plants from seed brought another concrete way to explore the world. These activities gave language a purpose beyond answering an adult's question.

Outdoor and Community Life

Secure outdoor play areas and access to the school field extend the preschool's usable space. Swimming lessons take place on Monday mornings in The Globe’s swimming pool, during session time, with swimming aids and qualified instructors. Lessons carry a separate charge, so families can consider this activity alongside their attendance costs.

In May 2022, the setting included a mud kitchen, a sensory corner and wall-mounted guttering for water play. Children also propelled wheeled toys up a slope before riding down. The physical setting supported experimenting with materials as well as movement; these are examples from that period, rather than promises about today's layout.

Visitors include the Police and Fire Service. Trips require parental consent, advance information and a risk assessment, with relevant medication or aids taken along. That preparation is useful for families whose child's participation depends on practical adjustments.

Relationships and Communication

A designated key person gives each family a consistent contact. Before a child starts, a Welcome Pack gathers information about their needs, and Pre-Admission sessions give parents space to discuss requirements. Settling can be adapted when a child finds the change difficult. The starting point is the individual child, rather than a fixed settling timetable.

Regular key-person meetings sit alongside termly reports and the two-year progress review. Half-termly newsletters cover preschool news, while Tapestry allows parents to add their own observations. Together, these provide different channels for everyday information and more structured conversations about development.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described a key-person system that helped staff recognise developmental needs, seek specialist advice and support communication through sign language. The same dated findings included sensitive adult responses to disagreements, giving children ways to resolve them.

Current support arrangements include a SENCO role, discussion of professional assessments and contact with West Sussex EYIS (Early Years Inclusion Service), with parental permission. Visual timetables can help explain routines, and activities can be adapted to support participation. These are concrete mechanisms families can discuss in relation to their own child.

The room and garden occupy one level, and there is an accessible toilet. Personal care includes changing nappies or pull-ups; medication administration requires a record signed by a practitioner and a parent or carer. Dietary, health and developmental requirements are gathered before starting, giving staff information to plan care.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Community Room, The Globe Primary Academy, Irene Avenue, Lancing, BN15 9NZ. Sessions run Monday to Friday during term time: mornings from 9am to noon, afternoons from noon to 3pm, and full days from 9am to 3pm. The afternoon option therefore extends attendance beyond the morning-only timetable operating in May 2022.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by telephone or by email. Pre-Admission sessions form part of preparing to start, with information about the child's needs shared before attendance begins.

Funding and Paid Extras

Little Acorns offers funded early education for children aged two, three and four, alongside paid sessions. Attendance is term-time only. Morning snacks are charged separately, and children attending afternoon sessions bring a packed lunch from home. Swimming lessons are also separately charged; current prices should come in the preschool's written quotation.

Getting There and Moving On

Free on-road parking is available around the setting on Irene Avenue. The preschool is within the grounds of The Globe Primary Academy, so its school-site address is useful when planning the journey.

For transition, receiving teachers are invited to meet the child's key person, and learning journals can be shared with the next setting. Children and parents also visit local schools. Attending this preschool does not guarantee a Reception place at The Globe Primary Academy; families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Independence in everyday activities. In May 2022, children needed more opportunities to handle tasks themselves, including pouring and measuring when making play dough. During a visit, ask how children now take responsibility within planned activities.
• Learning about technology safely. Age-appropriate technology safety teaching was an improvement priority in May 2022. Ask how this now fits into the children's day.
• Food and afternoon attendance. Morning snacks carry a separate charge, while afternoon attendance requires a packed lunch. Families managing dietary needs should discuss how their child's requirements will be handled.
• Term-time attendance. Morning, afternoon and full-day patterns all follow school terms. This suits families planning around term dates and requires a separate plan for holiday childcare.

Little Acorns suits families seeking either shorter morning or afternoon sessions, or a full preschool day during term time. Swimming on site, outdoor space and a parent-contributed learning journal give the offer substance. Its Good judgement dates to May 2022; the questions about independence and technology safety deserve attention alongside the practical appeal of the setting.