Little Stars Pre School

Little Stars Pre School St Thomas Church Hall, Rhodes Avenue, Rossendale, BB4 4JS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 June 2018 11 September 2014

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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 manager and staff team are a close-knit team who work well together and share the same vision for the setting. The manager is a passionate leader who regularly consults with her team to evaluate their service. They have identified areas they would like to improve in the future.  The quality of teaching is good. Staff plan a range of activities which excite and motivate children to engage in learning and develop new skills. Children make good progress in their learning and development.  Children build secure attachments with staff and there is a strong key-person system in place. Staff are knowledgeable about children's individual needs and work closely with parents to provide a consistency of care. Children are happy and settled and staff place the welfare and well-being of children at the heart of their practice.  Partnerships with parents are very good. Parents are involved in many aspects of the

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This provision is good

setting. For example, they attend 'stay and play' sessions and are invited to attend special events. Parents are very complimentary about the care and nurture their children receive.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff are not always provided with clear guidance on how they can develop their skills, in order to have a greater impact on the quality of teaching and learning.  Staff do not always consider the learning needs of younger children when all children in the setting sit together for group sessions.

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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

 develop a more focused programme for performance management to continue to improve staff practice and raise the quality of teaching further  follow younger children's needs more closely to engage them further in their play and learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning and development.  The inspector spoke with staff, children, parents and the manager during the inspection at appropriate times.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as records of children's development, a sample of policies and procedures, training records and processes for evaluating the nursery.  The inspector spoke with parents during the inspection and took account of the views of parents through written feedback comments.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff understand the procedures they must follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare. They ensure children are kept safe. For example, the setting shares their premises with other community groups and complete daily safety checks to ensure the environment is safe for children. Overall, staff are supported well through inductions, staff meetings and supervision meetings. Staff attend training opportunities which have a positive impact on children. For example, all staff are trained in paediatric first aid and staff have attended training on supporting speech and language. The manager tracks children's progress to identify any gaps in their learning. Staff liaise with other professionals to support children's individual needs as required. Teachers are invited into the setting to discuss children's needs as they move on to school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff constantly observe children as they play, to follow their interests and to identify their developmental stage. For example, staff have placed a large amount of sand in one corner of the room and children pretend this is the beach. They enjoy the sensory experience as they take their socks off and use a variety of tools to scoop, sift and build models. Staff promote children's language well. For example, children enjoy acting out scenarios using a puppet theatre. They enthusiastically join in with songs and rhymes. Children take part in group discussions about the windy weather and the damage it has done to trees overnight. Staff assess children's development and offer activities to help them develop new skills. Parents share children's achievements from home which complements children's learning at the setting.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff have developed a warm and friendly setting. Parents comment that it feels like 'a home from home'. Children are very settled and behave well. Staff are positive role models and engage children in routines. For example, children visit the local shop each day and buy their own fruit, before helping to prepare it for snack. Children are independent, they enjoy accessing resources, wash their hands and put their coats on for outdoor play. Children learn about the wider world in imaginative ways. For example, they enjoy visits from people who visit with real owls and special days with visitors, such as the postman as they learn about posting letters. Children learn to keep themselves safe. They have completed a first-aid course for children, which complements the first-aid course parents have attended. Children go on outings in the local community, for example they visit the local care home to sing for residents.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress in all areas of their development. They are active learners who explore resources with enthusiasm, lead their own play and make their needs known. They exhibit high levels of independence and are confident communicators. They are well prepared for future learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY476703 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 1105825 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person Louise O'Sullivan

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 11 September 2014 Telephone number 07960 583 453

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reference number

Little Stars Pre School registered in 2014. The setting employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds early years professional status, three hold an appropriate qualification at level 3 and two hold an appropriate qualification at level 2. The pre school opens from Monday to Friday term time only. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The pre school 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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