Little Acorns Pre-School at Whitecrest Primary School

A mud kitchen, an outdoor cooking station and places to build dens give Little Acorns its practical, exploratory character. Whitecrest Primary School’s pre-school in Great Barr began operating in September 2021 and has close connections with the school’s early years provision. Children have space to make, investigate and pretend.

Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 17 and 18 June 2025. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separate inspection of Little Acorns.

Stories and conversation give the early years curriculum a clear emphasis. In June 2025, adults built learning around children’s existing understanding and encouraged them to talk. Singing, rhymes and stories supported that work. For parents, this means communication is part of the learning itself, with opportunities for children to listen and contribute.

Number learning was practical too: children counted real objects, made patterns and investigated shapes around them. These examples show the early years foundation stage (EYFS) through activities a young child can take part in, rather than through subject labels alone.

Little Acorns’ play spaces extend those possibilities. Outside, the mud kitchen and cooking station provide settings for pretend cooking, while den building and a sensory trail give children different ways to explore. A theatre and a pretend bus stop add settings for imaginative play. Reading nooks, dressing up, construction and mark making offer further choices. The emphasis is on doing things: building something, trying an idea or sharing a book.

Settling starts with a short visit before children begin in early years. Prospective parents are invited to meetings and a school tour, and staff gather information from a child’s previous setting. This gives families a chance to introduce their child’s needs before the new routine starts. Children in early years were settled into school life in June 2025.

For additional needs, the school’s May 2025 SEND report describes discussions with parents, assessment on entry and involvement from the special educational needs coordinator. Support is planned in small steps with families. WELLCOMM is among the tools used to identify language needs, alongside Development Matters and Sandwell Skills Ladders.

Communication continues through reviews of SEND targets each term, with appointments for further discussions. EYFS library sessions and workshops also bring parents into children’s learning. The school has a toilet accessible to disabled users with facilities for changing a small child; it also has internal steps, a practical consideration for families with mobility needs.

School lunches are available to Little Acorns children and carry a charge. Contact the school for current charges. Snack time also features in the pre-school’s activities.

Attending Little Acorns does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the local authority. Whitecrest’s admissions page lists looked-after children, siblings already attending and distance as its Reception criteria; nursery attendance is not listed as a priority.

Sandwell residents apply through Sandwell, while families living elsewhere use their own council. The page gives 15 January 2026 as the deadline for that past application cycle. It should not be treated as the deadline for a later intake.

For children needing additional transition support, the school describes planning with the family, receiving setting and specialist staff. That support concerns the child’s move, rather than entitlement to a place.

Morning and afternoon places are offered, alongside full-time attendance and wraparound care. Nursery enquiries go to enquiries@whitecrest.sandwell.sch.uk. The school office can also be reached on 0121 358 6348.

Little Acorns’ useful-documents page provides an application form and parent information, giving families a direct starting point for arranging a place.