Little Thetford Acorns Pre-School and Children's Club

An oak tree over the garden, child-led play and woodland mornings give Little Thetford Acorns its character. This is a village pre-school where outdoor exploration sits alongside painting, stories and learning to manage everyday tasks. Its purpose-built setting has a sheltered garden, with children able to choose between activities inside and outside. That freedom matters for children who prefer to learn by moving, making and investigating.

At its May 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) received effective support through individual plans. There was also a clear teaching priority: getting more learning and language from conversations and activities.

The pre-school accepts children aged 2 years 3 months to 5 years and has 25 places in total. Attendance can combine mornings, afternoons or full days during term time, with a Breakfast Club on four mornings.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning, development and care, with activities planned around individual development and progress reviewed over time. It is the shared foundation for early years provision. Acorns adds In the Moment Planning: practitioners respond to what interests a child during play and use that opportunity to extend their learning. Plans can change as children's interests change.

Natural materials and resources that can be used in different ways support this approach. Rather than following a single prescribed activity, children can develop their own ideas. Older children are encouraged to explain and describe through questions that invite more than a yes or no.

In May 2024, children painted their interpretations of flowers, explored gardening and practised handling scissors with adult help. Books, songs and instruments also featured in their play.

At the May 2024 inspection, Ofsted identified a need for staff to deepen their understanding of how to extend learning, especially communication and language, including allowing children more time to answer and developing vocabulary through stories. This is an important qualification to the child-led approach. Following children's interests gives staff an opening; the next step is using that opening to develop their thinking and speech.

Outdoor and Community Life

Inside, play is organised into areas for role play, writing and craft; outside, the garden offers another choice of environment. Children can select resources independently and move between the two. This makes outdoor play part of the ordinary day rather than solely an adult-directed break.

In May 2024, the outdoor provision included a willow yurt, mud kitchen and wheeled toys, alongside space for climbing and balancing. Children planted seeds in the nature area and watched their growth. The yurt supported imaginative play, while water play with toy vehicles involved cleaning tools. Putting on and removing wellie boots helped children recognise whether they were too big or too small. These are concrete examples of the garden supporting different kinds of activity.

Forest School-style sessions add a separate woodland experience on Monday mornings during term time. In nearby woodland in Little Thetford, activities include making shelters, cooking outdoors, looking for small creatures and creating art with natural materials. The main age group is children aged 3 and over, with some provision for two-year-olds. Families need to distinguish this woodland session from the ordinary morning booking, because its timing and age arrangements differ.

Each early years child has a key person responsible for following their development and achievements. Alongside this, Tapestry is the online journal used to document interactions and their learning outcomes. The combination gives parents a continuing point of contact and an account of what has happened during play, rather than relying only on finished paintings or crafts to understand the day.

In May 2024, home visits and information gathered at the start helped staff get to know families. Parents received updates about children's development, and settling and transitions formed part of the support. For a child beginning pre-school, those early exchanges give staff useful knowledge about their experiences beyond the setting.

Everyday independence also had a practical place in the May 2024 day. Children managed handwashing and toileting, learnt to dispose of used tissues and helped organise lunchboxes and drinks. Staff supported conversations about feelings and reminded children of behaviour expectations. These small tasks matter: they give children opportunities to take responsibility for themselves and contribute to shared routines.

The staff structure includes designated safeguarding lead responsibilities and a SENCo role. Training covers paediatric first aid, food hygiene and allergen awareness, and staff are encouraged to continue training.

A morning snack is part of the session, with examples including milk, fruit and toast; a voluntary contribution towards snack costs is requested, while families supply lunch for afternoon attendance. Acorns has a nut-free policy, and parents also provide nappies.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning sessions run from 9am to noon and afternoons from noon to 3pm, Monday to Friday. Half-day and full-day attendance are offered during term time. The minimum booking is 6 hours each week, which can be taken on one day or divided between two mornings or afternoons.

Breakfast Club runs from 8.15am to 9am, Monday to Thursday, and is paid separately without government funding. Wraparound arrangements are reviewed each term according to parental demand, so families relying on the earlier start should take that review cycle into account. Friday does not have the same Breakfast Club pattern.

The woodland morning runs from 9.30am to noon on Mondays. The term calendar also includes half-term breaks and training-day closures, making this a term-time choice rather than a year-round childcare arrangement.

Getting There

The address is Oak Field, The Wyches, Little Thetford, Ely, CB6 3HG. General enquiries can be made by telephone on 01353 649234 or by email to office@littlethetfordacorns.org.uk.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded and privately paid morning and afternoon sessions are both offered. Funding includes Working Parents' Entitlement of up to 30 hours, the universal 15-hour entitlement beginning in the term after a child's third birthday, and Funded Twos Entitlement for eligible children. The pre-school's own starting age still applies: the broader national entitlement does not make this a baby-care setting.

Attendance follows the term-time calendar. The 6-hour weekly minimum also applies when funded hours are shared with another provider. Families considering 30 funded hours or a woodland morning for a two-year-old should discuss how those arrangements fit together, since the Monday outdoor provision has its own age arrangements.

Food arrangements distinguish the snack from lunch: the morning session includes snack with a requested donation, while afternoon children bring their lunch. Nappies come from home. A one-off registration charge applies to non-funded children, and Tax-Free Childcare can be used towards childcare costs. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the fees and funding page explains the charge structure.

• Language during child-led play. The May 2024 improvement priority concerned extending communication and learning. During a visit, ask how staff give children time to answer and turn their interests into richer conversations.
• Monday woodland arrangements. Forest School-style sessions chiefly serve children aged 3 and over, with some provision for younger children. Discuss how a two-year-old's attendance or a 30-hour funded pattern would work around that morning.
• Term-time attendance and earlier starts. The weekly minimum is 6 hours, and Breakfast Club operates Monday to Thursday with termly reviews. Check that this combination fits the family's working week and holiday arrangements.
• Lunch and allergies. Afternoon attendance requires a lunchbox, and the setting operates a nut-free policy. Families managing allergies should confirm current practice and how their child's food needs will be handled.

Acorns suits families seeking term-time mornings, afternoons or combined full days, especially those who value independent play and outdoor learning. The garden, adaptable planning and woodland sessions give that preference substance. A key person and Tapestry provide a route for following the child's development alongside it.

The Good judgement from May 2024 comes with a useful caution about extending language. Parents should weigh that teaching priority alongside the practical constraints: a weekly attendance minimum, parent-supplied lunch and an earlier start offered on four mornings. For families whose schedules match those arrangements, this is a village pre-school with a clear educational character.