Little Stars at First Steps

Little Stars at First Steps First Steps Outreach Centre, Princess Street, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 1SP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 September 2016 Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 The managers and leaders are very committed to improving the quality of the provision. Staff are all well qualified and use their knowledge and skills to promote children's ongoing good progress. This has a positive impact on outcomes for children.  The staff know the children well and have formed secure bonds with them, this helps to support their emotional well-being and develop their self-confidence and esteem.  The effective observation, assessment and tracking of children's progress help to identify any gaps in their achievement. Any children requiring additional support are swiftly identified and targeted plans are put in place to narrow gaps in attainment.  Children are happy in the nursery. Staff provide a good range of exciting activities for children across all areas of learning. They make choices about what they want to do and choose from the good quality resources both in and outdoors.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Although the management team expects the staff to be the best they can be, the programme for the professional development of staff is not yet focusing strongly enough on building staff skills, particularly in asking questions to extend children's thinking and in promoting their problem-solving skills.  The organisation of snack time is not as effectively planned as some of the other focused times. This is because staff involvement is less well planned for to support children and make better use of snack time and developing it as a social occasion.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 build on the programme for the professional development of staff to focus more strongly on how staff question children, and the need for them to allow time for children to explore their own solutions to their problems  develop the organisation of snack time to plan more effectively for children's full participation and provide better staff support while children are eating their chosen foods.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector undertook a tour of the premises.  The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching in all of the playrooms and outdoors.  The inspector sampled children's assessment records, planning documentation and a range of other records, policies and procedures.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the provider's self-evaluation and improvement plans.  The inspector took account of the views of children, staff and parents spoken to on the day of inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Training in safeguarding and child protection is undertaken and reviewed annually. The staff are clear and confident of the action they need to take to protect children and how to keep them safe in the setting. All required policies and procedures are in place and implemented well to support the good practice. The highly effective relationships with external agencies and other professionals mean that information is shared to support children's ongoing progress. Overall, partnerships with parents are good. Information is sought when children first start. They are kept informed of their child's development and contribute to the assessment process. Staff practice is monitored, with supervision and training provided to support them in their role. Overall, this is effective. Evaluation of the setting is in place and information from staff, parents and children is used to plan for future improvements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Teaching is good. Staff use the information from assessment to plan for children's individual needs. Staff support children's speaking and listening skills well. They provide opportunities for discussion and use phonics to help children sound out words to support their developing language skills. Children sing the welcome song at circle time and enjoy being greeted into the group. Staff skilfully introduce numbers, colours, letters and shapes as children play to help build children's understanding of mathematics and literacy. Younger children delight in catching bubbles with staff and chase after them, laughing and trying to pop them. They enjoy being outdoors and climb on the equipment. Older children play in the sand and pour the water into containers as they begin to understand about full and empty.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The staff help children to manage their behaviour as they provide them with consistent guidelines. Children are encouraged to share, take turns and to consider each other as they play. They play and learn in a fully inclusive environment. Resources and activities reflect the diversity of the children and the community in which they live. They develop healthy lifestyles as they learn to wash their hands and make choices about healthy foods. Information is sought from parents and routines from home are followed. This helps provide a consistent approach to children's care need and practices. Children mostly manage their personal needs as they are becoming independent. They learn to take calculated risks as they play indoors and outdoors. Children enjoy the lovely sensory experience provided in the dedicated and well-resourced interactive sensory room.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good rates of progress across all areas of their learning and development. Staff help promote children's independence and help them acquire skills ready for their future learning and move to school. Children are active learners and for those children whose starting points are lower, assessment shows they are improving consistently. Gaps in learning, including for those children receiving funding, are closing.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY482813 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 996972 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Sure Start Hyndburn

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01254 232393

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reference number

Little Stars at First Steps was registered in 2014. The nursery employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one at level 5 and one at level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9am until midday and from 1pm until 4pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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reference number

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.

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reference number

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

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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

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

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