Little Stars (Leicester) Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children are happy to attend the nursery.

They show that they feel safe as they have strong bonds with their key person and seek them out for reassurance when they need it. The staff know children well and provide activities they know the children will enjoy. Consequently, children are generally engaged in their play and learning.

Children show they are confident in talking to visitors and staff. They are polite and use their manners as they reply 'you're welcome' when their friends say 'thanks'.However, at times, the curriculum is not challenging enough.

Leaders do not consistently recognise weaknesses in staff'...s teaching skills, particularly regarding how some staff support children's communication and language development. In addition, staff do not always organise activities well to ensure that children are always supervised and supported.Nevertheless, children are becoming increasingly independent.

Staff support older children during lunchtime to make choices about their meals and teach them how to carry their plates safely to the table. Children learn to put on their coats, and staff teach them how to do up their zips. Staff have clear expectations for behaviour and swiftly intervene when children do not behave appropriately.

Children learn to share as staff teach them how to divide play dough among themselves. Staff provide positive praise to children when they make good choices.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have a clear plan for their curriculum, which focuses on children becoming confident communicators and developing independence skills before they start school.

They pride themselves on children learning life skills and take their home experiences and starting points into account. Leaders ensure that staff provide children with opportunities that they do not receive elsewhere. However, overall, the delivery of the curriculum is not yet good enough.

Staff do not consistently plan activities which build on what children already know and can do. For example, staff working with pre-school children plan group activities using flashcards to teach children about different colours. This activity is not pitched appropriately as children already have confident knowledge and can identify all the colours.

In the toddler room, staff introduce new vocabulary as they follow children's interests. For example, when children show an interest in watching the traffic passing by the window outside and talk about the 'big cars' they see, staff introduce words such as van and lorry. Staff ask toddlers lots of open-ended questions, which gives children the opportunity to speak in longer sentences and use more words.

However, the staff's teaching of communication and language is not consistently good in other areas of the nursery. Staff working with other age groups do not always provide children with enough opportunities to learn new words and become confident communicators.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.

The special educational needs coordinator creates clear action plans to help children with SEND meet their development goals and ensure that they make progress in their learning. All staff who work with SEND children ensure that they provide focused activities which support their interests.Leaders provide staff with regular supervision meetings and opportunities to discuss any concerns.

However, leaders do not identify inconsistencies in staff teaching practice. They do not provide carefully tailored coaching and support to ensure that all staff have the necessary skills to support children's learning. Consequently, when children fall behind in their development, some staff do not understand how to help them close gaps in their learning.

That said, staff report high levels of well-being and feel supported by their leadership team.Staff provide activities that they know children will enjoy. However, they do not carefully organise these activities to ensure that children are always supported and well supervised.

For example, when staff set out activities, which include edible items to support children's sensory experiences, they do not supervise children well enough throughout this play. As a result, some children then wander around the room eating the items, and staff do not support them to sit and explore safely.Parents say they are happy with the care provided by the staff.

They speak highly of the staff and management team and comment on how supportive staff are. Parents say their children love attending the nursery and enjoy the range of activities provided, including having access to the outdoor space. Parents feel well informed about their child's progress and the activities they are involved in.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure staff deliver an effective curriculum which helps children build on what they already know and can do 23/02/2024 identify weaknesses in staff's practice and provide coaching and support to improve their teaching skills, with particular regard to supporting children's communication and language development 23/02/2024 ensure staff consistently supervise and support children during activities.

23/02/2024