Little Stars Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy, settled and ready to play in the exciting and nurturing environment that the nursery offers. They love to access the large outdoor spaces and look forward to exploring the forest area. Children are good at creating their own games and regularly solve problems independently.

For example, young children work out that it is quicker to use a big spoon to fill a cup when adding flour to make dough. Furthermore, children attempt to break ice using a toy penguin's beak. Other children bang wooden blocks on the fence to see which one makes a 'good noise'.

Children remember what they have previously learned ...and apply this knowledge during the day. For example, children know they should walk when inside the nursery so as not to fall over. Additionally, they tell staff they need to wear gloves and hats when playing outside to help keep their hands and head warm.

Children learn how to take care of themselves from a young age.Since the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have noticed a reduced level of expected development in children's communication and language and their emotional security. Leaders have worked closely with staff to ensure that they are supporting children to the best of their ability to increase these skills.

Staff consistently sing and talk to children during play. As a result, children's speaking and interaction skills are increasing. They play happily alongside and with their peers and are developing the skills and attitudes associated with effective learners.

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

Leaders have carefully planned a broad curriculum that will help to meet all children's needs and build skills for their future. In the main, staff work towards meeting these goals, and children take positive steps in their development. However, sometimes, staff do not differentiate or swiftly adapt their teaching as much as they could.

This means that sometimes, children's learning is not planned or sequenced well enough to help them make the best possible progress.Relationships with parents are particularly strong, which helps staff to obtain information about children and provide good levels of support for families. However, not all parents are supported in the best way possible to share and understand information about children's development.

For example, some parents are not always aware of what their child is learning next or why this is important for their progress. This leads to inconsistent expectations for children's abilities. Additionally, information is not consistently gathered from parents about children's particular behaviours or tendencies.

This means that occasionally, staff are unable to plan the most suitable level of support that children may need from the earliest opportunity.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are especially well considered and supported. Leaders and key staff work closely with professionals to maintain consistent and detailed care and learning plans.

This means that children with SEND are securely integrated into the setting and make continuous progress in their development. Staff understand all children's specific health needs and keep them safe and well.Older children are preparing for their future education and move to school.

They are learning to concentrate in group sessions and to be independent. Furthermore, children have many opportunities to strengthen the muscles in their hands to help them make marks, which supports their early writing skills. Children enjoy squirting paint onto the art wall and comment on their creations.

Babies' needs are sensitively met, and their relationships with staff are heartwarming. Staff use kind expressions and lots of clear vocabulary to help babies settle and learn how to talk. As a result, babies happily babble and repeat keywords to express themselves during play.

Furthermore, staff pride themselves in giving babies the key skills to enable them to continue making progress as they move through the nursery and beyond.Leaders are quick to respond and support staff to increase their knowledge in areas that will help them to better care for children's safety and well-being. For example, all staff have recently completed allergy awareness training to help them to manage and respond to dietary requirements and food allergies.

This helps to keep children safe and ensure individual needs are consistently well met.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Arrangements for safeguarding children are particularly strong.

Leaders have implemented robust risk assessments, both for children's needs and the suitability of the premises. Leaders are working with other agencies to assess any risks with specialist equipment on site and to keep children safe from harm. Staff are confident that they know how to identify signs of abuse and where to report any child protection concerns.

Additionally, staff know how to recognise inappropriate behaviour from colleagues and how to follow the internal whistle-blowing procedure. Leaders have a secure understanding of how safeguarding issues may impact the families and children in their care.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to deliver the curriculum in a well-sequenced way and in response to each child's individual learning needs help parents understand how children develop to support continued learning between home and nursery.