Elloughton Private Nursery with Little Acorns

Half an acre of gardens gives Elloughton Private Nursery with Little Acorns much of its character: babies have an outdoor area of their own, while older children have space for football, climbing and growing vegetables. Grass, paving, trees and hidden hedge paths give children several settings for exploration.

At its August 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good. It has 51 places in total and serves children from birth to five, at 88 Main Street in Elloughton, Brough. The Baby Room, The Toddler Room and The House provide different environments as children grow, rather than one shared room serving every stage.

Practical care is woven into the offer: babies up to 18 months have daily diaries, older children receive termly reports, and a SENDCO lead and deputy work with families and outside agencies. Weekday opening runs from 7.30am to 6pm, with hourly, daily and weekly charging arrangements giving families different ways to organise attendance.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Room serves children from birth to two, combining a black and white zone, treasure baskets, a book corner and space for water and paint play, with cots, beds and prams for rest and direct use of the baby garden. Staffing is at least one adult to three children, the statutory minimum for under-twos.

The Toddler Room brings together a house area, sandpit, quiet space and book corner, with jigsaws and table games alongside floor toys, and a day that alternates planned activities with free play. Children's pictures decorate the room; toys are selected to support development.

For children over three, The House combines a downstairs play room and an upstairs school room, with activities involving letters, numbers, shapes and colours, computers and art, alongside child-chosen play indoors and outside. Children use both floors, combining school preparation with their own choices of play.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides development here, linking learning through play with children's growing language, physical skills and independence. Toddler Room development files contain photos, pictures and notes. Baby files track development against the Early Years Foundation Stage and child developmental scales; in The House, keyworkers use development folders to prepare parents' reports.

In August 2023, babies practised handling beans and lentils with spoons before being encouraged to try tweezers. Water play also became a way to explore absorption, as staff introduced sponges after children had used watering cans. Small changes in equipment extended familiar activities.

During that same August 2023 visit, hospital role play introduced words associated with medical work, while staff repeated children's words with clearer pronunciation. This was language practice embedded in play. The current preschool offer also includes visiting dentists, firefighters and local sportspeople, giving children contact with people whose work can prompt further conversation and questions.

Preschool trips through the year include farms, a local radio station, school plays and Williams Den, extending experiences beyond nursery. Babies have village walks.

Outdoor and Community Life

The Garden is divided between an open games space, an activity garden and the baby garden. Goal posts support football; the activity area has tyres, climbing frames, sandpits, a play house and a vegetable patch. The baby garden adds a gazebo, another play house and ride-along toys. These are spaces for different kinds of movement, from early exploration to balancing and team games.

In August 2023, children tended cabbages and cauliflowers, toddlers steered tricycles around garden obstacles, and older children played football on a large field. Plant care and physical challenges shared the outdoor setting.

Relationships and Communication

Room leaders oversee the key people working with children, matching support and teaching to each child's age and ability. Key-person details are displayed for parents. Families have a clear room-based contact for discussing development.

Children up to 18 months take a daily diary home from The Baby Room, covering activities and progress. In The House, a termly report summarises the keyworker's assessment of development. Daily accounts support close contact; termly reports gather observations over time.

In August 2023, parents received daily conversations and termly reports, but some lacked sufficiently specific advice about extending learning at home. More frequent, practical home-learning guidance was an improvement point.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the August 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and SEND support good, with early intervention and cooperation between families, staff and external agencies. The current SENDCO lead and deputy guide families and help arrange support through outside agencies, the Local Offer and the Local Authority.

In August 2023, preschool children helped prepare tables and used cutlery, while toddlers' handwashing arrangements around snacks and meals needed improvement. Consistent toddler snack-time hygiene was a specific action point.

School transition includes inviting receiving teachers to meet children at nursery and passing on development records and reports. Receiving teachers can learn about each child before the move.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening is Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6pm, throughout the year except bank holidays. The charging structure includes hourly attendance, a daily rate for six hours or more, and a weekly rate covering five full days. The daily rate applies from six hours, rather than requiring the whole opening day.

Fees are payable weekly or a month ahead. Cancelling or reducing a paid place requires a full calendar month's written notice; ending or changing a funded early education place requires half a term's notice. Illness absence is charged at the full rate, although a discount may be considered for a long illness at management's discretion.

Getting There

The address is 88 Main Street, Elloughton, Brough, HU15 1HU, in a quiet cul-de-sac with access to the A63 and local public transport. Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by email or by telephone.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government funding is offered for eligible children, and Tax-free childcare payments are accepted. The nursery provides details of the funding application process. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the fees page sets out the charging structure and notice terms.

Food is cooked on the premises each day, with a two-course lunch, snacks and drinks; breakfast and tea can also be provided, and the nursery caters for food intolerances and special diets. Snacks are included in hourly charges when children attend at snack time, while daily attendance of six hours or more includes lunch and snacks; breakfast and tea have separate charges.

For babies, parents supply nappies, baby milk and sun cream; toddler families supply disposable nappies where needed and sun cream, and preschool families also bring sun cream and suitable clothing.

A refundable deposit is required when booking a place. For planned absence, a full calendar month's notice brings a reduced charge; with shorter notice, the full charge applies. Bank holidays are charged in full unless the whole week is taken off, so closure days also have a budgeting implication.

• Toddler hygiene. Consistent handwashing around snacks was an August 2023 improvement point. At a visit, ask how the toddler routine now helps children wash their hands before eating.
• Learning at home. More frequent and specific guidance for parents was another August 2023 action point. Ask for an example of how a key person turns a child's current learning into a practical home activity.
• Funding and food. Hourly and daily charges treat meals differently, and parents provide several baby and toileting supplies. Ask how the funded arrangement you are considering treats meals and consumables, and confirm current dietary practice if your child has an intolerance or special diet.
• Notice and absence costs. Paid places have a calendar-month cancellation rule, while funded places have a half-term rule. Compare these with your likely attendance changes, including the terms for illness and bank holidays.

Elloughton Private Nursery with Little Acorns suits families looking for hourly attendance as well as full-day or five-day care, with separate environments for babies, toddlers and children over three. The gardens are a substantial attraction: the baby-only area, vegetable growing and space for physical games give outdoor play several forms. Daily diaries for babies up to 18 months, keyworkers and the SENDCO team add concrete routes for communication and support.

The August 2023 Good judgement is a dated quality benchmark, with improvement points concerning toddler hygiene and home-learning guidance.