Little Stars Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy the time they spend in this welcoming setting.

They make good progress from their starting points because staff plan activities that support children's next steps in learning, including those of children with additional needs. Children settle quickly to their chosen activity. Children form strong bonds with caring staff.

Staff promote children's communication and language skills well. For instance, they involve children in personal and engaging conversations and questions. However, staff are not as skilled as developing children's mathematical language and concepts.

Children are happy, confident... and motivated to learn. Children arrive with a smile on their face. They greet staff warmly and instantly begin to play and explore the resources on offer.

Younger children are keen to be with their key carers as they sit together for breakfast. Children like to explore and develop their interests outside but, on the day of the inspection, older children's access to the outside area was limited. Children are happy when staff join them at their play, engaging in conversations.

Children manage their feelings and behaviour well. They share, take turns and play harmoniously together. Staff have high expectations of children.

They have a firm but fair approach to behaviour. As a result, children show respect to staff, visitors and their peers.

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

The manager provides the staff team with strong leadership.

Procedures to evaluate and strengthen the quality of the nursery are well informed by assessment of children's achievements and observations of teaching and learning. Staff benefit from good-quality training. This helps them to improve their practice, such as in the promotion of children's communication skills and the use of sign language.

The manager and staff team have made significant improvements since their last inspection.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from targeted education plans and appropriate support. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to meet children's specific needs and interests.

Staff observe children's interests and provide them with a range of stimulating activities. For example, younger children engaged in a 'what's in the bucket' activity to support their listening skills and enhance their communication and language development; older children engaged in conversations while working together in the construction area. Children confidently make decisions about their play; they can choose to select toyboxes that are clearly labelled with print and pictures.

Staff ensure children of all ages have opportunities to develop their early writing skills, making marks in a variety of media to develop their fine motor skills and to support their pencil control.Staff strongly encourage the development of language and early reading skills.Babies excitedly join in with action songs and rhymes.

Toddlers anticipate words and phrase endings to familiar stories, which they repeat with staff. Older children enthusiastically share stories with their friends and staff and enjoy using books to find information about their interests. For example, children excitedly shared books about planes with staff and visiting adults, showing which was their favourite.

Staff's interactions with children are positive and effective overall. However, staff do not consistently support children to deepen their learning in some areas, particularly to extend children's early interest in mathematical language and concepts.Parents speak highly of the nursery.

They say that staff are welcoming and caring and get to know their children well. They appreciate the good communication with staff, and the resources in the lending library to support children's learning at home.The manager gives high priority to promoting staff's well-being and the monitoring of their workloads.

Room leaders have also attended training and are therefore able to support their team's well-being.Children have access to a secure outdoor space. Younger children enjoy their time outdoors where they develop their physical skills, climbing on the slide and exploring natural materials.

However, older children were not allowed to play outside because of rain, even though there is a suitable covered area.Staff support children to acquire the skills they need for their future learning, including making a successful start to school life. For example, children develop confidence and resilience, they learn to listen well to others and follow instructions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and the staff team understand how to identify the signs and symptoms that could indicate a child is at risk. They clearly understand how to report any concerns about children's welfare or the behaviour of another adult.

They have a broad understanding of wider safeguarding issues and how to identify and report any concerns. Robust recruitment procedures ensure that all staff are suitable. Thorough induction and ongoing support from the manager ensure staff remain alert to their responsibility to keep children safe.

Staff are vigilant in their supervision of children. Continual risk assessment of the play areas, inside and outside, promotes children's safety.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop staff's knowledge and understanding of how to extend children's early interest in mathematical language and concepts provide older children with opportunities for outside play during inclement weather, making use of the covered area.

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