Little Stars

Little Stars Ascot Way, Rustington, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN16 3SB

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/05/2013 26/11/2008

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Staff follow well-established assessment and planning methods which stay closely focused on the children's development, enhancing their progress as a result.  Children benefit from a well-planned learning environment where they can take part in interesting and engaging activities which spark their curiosity.  Staff build professional and open relationships with parents to promote consistent care for children's welfare, learning and development.  The whole staff team have well-established methods for identifying improvements that will have a good impact on the children.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Children's understanding of acceptable behaviour, with particular regard to group activities, in preparation for learning in the classroom environment at school is not fully promoted.

p.1

Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

p.2

Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.2

Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children at play in the under twos' area, the over twos' area and outside.  The inspector observed care practices in the nursery.  The inspector examined a range of documentation.

p.2

Inspection activities

 A joint observation was declined, but the inspector saw evaluations of activities written by one of the deputy managers.

p.2

Information about the setting

Little Stars registered in 2007 and operates from a purpose-built portacabin in Rustington. The playgroup is open each weekday from 9am to 4pm during term times only. All children are cared for in the main playroom, which has a separate section for children aged under two. There is also an outdoor play area which can be used all year round. The nursery currently has 72 children on roll, all of whom are within the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language. The playgroup employs 14 members of staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications, including one member of staff who has Early Years Professional Status.

p.3

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 review how children are supported in group activities to gain the skills they need, particularly with regard to their behaviour, in readiness for the next stage of their learning.

p.3

who attend

Nursery staff have a good understanding of how to promote children's learning and development. They provide a broad and varied curriculum which covers all areas of learning. Activities are interesting and engaging, helping children to stay absorbed in purposeful play at all times. Staff understand how children learn, and provide an effective balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities.

p.3

who attend

Staff demonstrate a good range of teaching skills. For children aged under two, staff provide lots of independence and choice. Young children can move freely around the area and staff are with them at all times to engage them in play. For example, staff stack soft bricks three high for a child to knock down, and they grin at each other to see them fall. Staff echo the children's babbling and use clear single words and phrases to build children's communication skills. Children enjoy messy play and are able to explore new textures at their own pace, giving them confidence to explore further. Children who are over two also have a wide range of interesting activities available. In free play, they can devise their own games in imaginative play, building lengthy stories which they act out with their friends. In more structured activities, children enjoy songs which teach them about letter sounds, or learn new words about food from around the world. Staff are

p.3

who attend

skilled at engaging children in conversation and emphasise new words to build their vocabulary. Staff give frequent praise, including stickers for children's achievements which are posted by the door for parents to see on arrival. Children enjoy whole group activities, such as singing songs. Staff are skilled at making these educational and at involving the children in making decisions about what the song may include. For example, in a song about making a cake, children decide how many spoons of each ingredient go in and skilfully count up to twenty and beyond. Staff also present activities, such as using a special gel that shows up under UV light, to help children understand how germs might be spread. The good quality of the activities keeps children engaged at all times, and as a consequence, they make good progress in their learning.

p.4

who attend

Staff have strong skills in assessment and planning. Staff meet with parents to discuss the child's starting points and potential next steps. They then plan activities to meet the child's learning needs and make observations of the children's interests and dispositions. Every half term, staff write a summary assessment and meet again with parents to discuss progress and next steps. This systematic method helps children to make good progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage. With the under-twos, staff note the dispositions and favourite learning styles of children and plan activities to facilitate them. For example, active learners enjoy trips to local soft play areas, while quieter babies enjoy a trip to a sensory room. The over-twos have a group time each day, as well as one-to-one activities with their key person. These activities are more clearly targeted at the children's individual learning needs and provide them with specific skills, or activities that will be most

p.4

who attend

engaging to them. Parents are very closely involved with the planning and assessment process, making them genuine partners in the child's learning development.

p.4

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The nursery staff have a well-established key person system. Staff work in pairs with a particular age group, and care for the children between them. This means that in the absence of a member of staff, children still have someone who is very familiar with them. Staff know the routines of the children aged under two very well, and pass on updates to their colleagues. In this way, staff are able to anticipate children's needs in terms of their sleep patterns and feeding, or give additional comfort when children are teething. Staff who work with older children are also very knowledgeable about the children's needs. For example, any allergies and dietary preferences are noted on self-made laminated placemats. Staff have created a strong learning environment. Children can move freely about the setting and independently access a wide range of play equipment. Boxes are labelled with pictures and words which supports all children to make choices. A picture

p.4

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

timetable helps children to see the routine and what to expect. Outside, the dedicated play area also includes a good variety of equipment across the whole curriculum. This helps more active learners to engage in early writing and mathematical learning when playing outside. Children can move freely into the outdoor area and enjoy playing in the fresh air. Under twos have their own dedicated garden space and also enjoy daily outdoor play.

p.4

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children have good opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. Snacks are well balanced and nutritious and drinks of water are always at hand. Parents provide packed lunches, and receive advice about packing a healthy lunch box. Staff support children to finish their savoury food first, and talk about healthy foods at the sociable meal times. Children develop good self-care skills as they manage their food, taking the lids off yoghurt pots, for example, and finding spoons or disposing of the waste. Children learn good hygiene habits as they learn about how germs are transmitted and how to keep themselves clean. Staff follow a robust routine for changing nappies which minimises the risk of cross infection and supports all children to be clean and dry. Children enjoy good physical play opportunities within the nursery and on outings to parks and soft play areas. They learn how to keep safe and tell their friends to be careful when playing, or explain

p.5

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

how to handle things safely. Children enjoy exploring and experimenting with their physical skills and in this way they build confidence and learn to manage risks.

p.5

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff manage children's transition from the under twos area to the over twos with great consideration. Young children visit the new space and are familiar with it as they can see the children there at all times over the low wall. Children move on when they are developmentally ready, which helps them to settle easily. Older children have opportunities to become very familiar with the local school as they go there for different activities through the year. Children gain good skills to make this move. They are confident, curious and open to new experiences. Children's behaviour is good as they learn to cooperate in play and take turns. However, sometimes the group activities get very noisy, and staff do not take action to lower the noise level. This does not fully prepare children for the move to school as staff are not fully supporting them to develop an understanding of appropriate behaviour or the impact that inappropriate behaviour

p.5

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

might have on their, and on others', learning.

p.5

provision

Nursery staff have a good understanding of how to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements. The owner/manager follows a robust recruitment procedure and suitability checks are renewed on all staff every three years. Staff know the safeguarding procedures in great detail as they review them in team meetings every half term. They understand that the welfare of the child is paramount. The building is very secure and children are only collected by authorised people. Staff follow risk assessments to minimise hazards to children and practise regular fire drills so that children know what to do in an emergency. Staff understand that good record keeping underpins children's well-being and documentation is well-organised. The manager works alongside staff in all aspects of the work and knows the staff team very well. They demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous improvement and analyse the provision well to devise improvement plans

p.5

provision

which have maximum impact on children. For example, identifying they had a significant number of very active learners who enjoyed superhero play, they devised strategies to support and manage the boisterous play. By channelling children's high energy levels and providing consistent boundaries, children were able to learn safe play techniques and enhance their self-control. Staff enjoy regular training and development days and have good support to develop their qualifications. Regular supervision and well-managed appraisals help staff to identify their strengths and areas for development. As a result, staff build consistent skills and expertise.

p.5

provision

Staff build strong partnerships with parents. Parents state that the nursery provides invaluable support in childcare issues, such as behaviour management and toilet training. Parents value the secure social media site that enables only parents to see current photographs of the day's activities. This site also provides a forum for parents to add their ideas and share activities from home. Parents greatly appreciate the frequent feedback they receive about children's development and note their children's good progress. Staff deal with any concerns a parent may have in a thoughtful and thorough way, which builds open and communicative relationships. Staff also build good relationships with other day care settings that children may attend. They work in partnership with other key persons and stay in frequent contact to provide consistent support for children. Staff work closely with receiving schools to share information about a child's achievements and disposition.

p.6

provision

They also work with other professionals and agencies where relevant to provide coherent support for families and children.

p.6

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

p.7

Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number EY359612 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 917463 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 72 Name of provider Kirstie Louise Smith Date of previous inspection 26/11/2008 Telephone number 01903 850 221

p.8

Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

p.8

Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

p.8

Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.9

Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

p.9

Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.10

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10