Shooting Stars Nursery School

Inspection of Shooting Stars Nursery School S K C A, Old Down Hall, 364 Kempshott Lane, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG22 5UY

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are happy and eager to arrive. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents do not enter the nursery. This does not stop children from entering confidently. The nursery environment provides a wealth of opportunities for children to create, explore and be curious. Children are keen to learn and try new experiences. They thoroughly enjoy their play and learning. Their behaviour and attitudes to learning are strong. Children learn to be confident and independent. They are interested to take responsibility for doing things for themselves. For example, children lead their own learning and make decisions about what they would like to experience and play with. Staff follow the children's interests and provide a curriculum that motivates children to make good progress. For instance, following on from their interests in pets, children recently had the opportunity to visit a pet shop.

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The provision is good

Children's personal, social and emotional development has been a focus of learning. Children feel safe and well cared for. They have plentiful opportunities to develop their relationships with others. Children are kind, polite and well behaved. Staff help children to make considered decisions about their play. For example, they encourage children to earn marbles for the 'kindness jar', to respect the resources and to help to tidy up. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including starting school.

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need to do better?

n Staff gather a wide range of information from parents about their child when they first start to attend. This helps to ensure that children settle quickly into nursery life and their individual needs are met well. n Staff know the children well. They use what they know about children's interests and achievements to plan for their learning. Staff provide a broad and balanced curriculum that supports children to develop, consolidate and deepen their knowledge and skills. However, the organisation of staff and the environment for the babies is not as well implemented to support their well-being. n Overall, staff promote children's communication skills well and speak clearly to them. They introduce babies and children to an increasingly wide vocabulary in a variety of ways, such as through songs, stories and rhymes. However, some staff do not consistently extend children's vocabulary. For example, they repeat

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need to do better?

words that children say but do not extend these and give them time to fully explain their understanding. n Staff find out about the experiences the children have at home. They provide new experiences to help to enhance children's learning. For example, they enjoy hunting for small dinosaurs, visits from the police and a farm. Children benefit from frequent music-and-movement sessions, trips to the nature reserve or wildlife projects.

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need to do better?

21 March 2022 n Parents are very complimentary and value the staff. They talk highly of the personalised approach to settling children in, and they say how happy and excited their children are to attend. Parents comment positively about the wide range of experiences the staff provide and state that they are well informed about their child's day. n The special educational needs coordinator quickly identifies any areas of concern in a child's learning. Staff build effective partnerships with other professionals who support children and their families to receive the help that they need. This ensures that early interventions, including referrals to outside professionals, are put in place in a timely manner. n Staff are knowledgeable in ensuring that children's individual needs are prioritised. Additional funding is used well to close any gaps in children's learning. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or

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need to do better?

disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress. n Leaders have a clear vision for the nursery. They continually reflect on and improve their practice. Leaders have a good programme of support, coaching and training for all staff. Leaders observe staff as they work with the children and offer additional training to benefit the children and help staff to develop their knowledge and skills further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff's knowledge of safeguarding is secure and up to date. Staff recognise the possible signs that a child may be at risk of harm and know what to do if they have concerns. They know how to identify children who may be exposed to extreme views or wider safeguarding matters. The premises are clean, secure and free from hazards. Staff ensure that children are safe at the nursery. Staff teach children how to understand risk, for example by reminding them how to hold and carry scissors. Leaders ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children and carry out appropriate checks to ensure that they remain suitable.

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should:

n review and make improvements to the baby area to ensure that it is implemented effectively and enhances close attachments with key staff, to support babies' well-being and development n build on the good systems for supporting staff's interactions to focus on the challenges during daily routines and activities and to raise the quality of education to an even higher level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2567476 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10221150 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 23 Number of children on roll 51 Name of registered person Shooting Stars Nursery School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07900600243 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Shooting Stars Nursery School registered in 2020 and operates from Old Down Hall in Basingstoke, Hampshire. The nursery employs 10 members of staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, and two staff hold qualifications at level 6, including one who has qualified teacher status. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am to 5pm.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The inspector observed activities in the main base room and garden. She talked to staff about the progress individual children are making and what they want the children to learn. n The manager and the inspector had a learning walk across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n A joint observation was carried out by the inspector and the manager. The inspector observed interactions between staff and the children and the impact these have on children's learning. The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children. n The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including staff's qualifications,

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Inspection activities

records and evidence of paediatric first-aid training. The inspector had a discussion with leaders about the evaluation of the nursery and plans for improvement. n The inspector spoke to parents and children during the inspection and took account of their views. n A meeting was held between the inspector, directors and the manager. The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

21 March 2022 regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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