Little Acorns School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 November 2023

Little Acorns School is a happy place. Smiles are never far away. Most pupils attend school regularly and on time. Generally, they behave very well. However, if things do slip, staff have good strategies at hand to resolve problems and calm anxieties. As a result, relationships between staff and pupils are positive and overtly respectful. Pupils say that they enjoy good friendships here. The start and finish of the school day reflect these sentiments. Well-established routines and friendly interactions are clear to see as pupils happily arrive and depart the school site. Pupils describe Little Acorns as a 'kind' school. They think that their teachers are patient and understand them well, particularly when they are struggling with their self-esteem or inner emotions. The pastoral care of pupils is a strength and very much a shared responsibility amongst all staff, no matter their role. All work hard to support pupils, both in and out of classrooms. One pupil told an inspector, 'They expect a lot from us, but when we struggle, they give us all we need to succeed.' This view was similarly shared by external educational professionals who talked to the lead inspector and confirmed further by inspectors as the inspection unfolded.

What the school should improve

• Sometimes, teachers are not fully aware of what pupils already know and can do when they plan lessons. This is because not all staff use the school's assessment tool to evaluate and record pupils' progress through the curriculum as consistently as they might. When this is the case, staff are less aware of the key knowledge they need to teach. This means that on occasion, opportunities for pupils to consolidate or to build on prior learning are missed. Leaders need to support all staff to use the school's assessment and planning tool more consistently and across all subjects, to ensure that pupils make the progress they are capable of.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)