Little Stars Willow Pit Lane

Inspection of Little Stars Willow Pit Lane The Cottage, Willow Pit Lane, Hilton, DERBY DE65 5FN

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children settle quickly into their allocated rooms in the nursery and are happy when their parents leave. Staff know their children well and offer reassurance to them when visitors attend. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well by their designated member of staff. These staff are attentive and work very closely with the children to support their learning and development. However, this results in other children in the room not receiving the same level of engagement and interaction to support their developmental progress and interests.

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The provision requires improvement

Children make independent choices in their play. For example, pre-school children choose to go outside or to stay inside, and toddlers choose to listen to a story or look at books by themselves. Overall, children enjoy their time at the nursery and access toys and resources to support their interests. However, not all staff clearly understand how to deliver an ambitious curriculum and support children's learning consistently across the nursery. For example, pre-school children eagerly play with water as they fill and empty containers. Staff in this room do not make the most of the children's interests to build on their knowledge, such as for their mathematical development. Additionally, not all staff support children's communication and language development. For example, staff who work with babies do not talk with them during lunchtime.

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need to do better?

n Children's health is promoted well by staff. The children are offered a variety of healthy and nutritious meals and regularly spend time outside in the fresh air. n Staff and parents work in partnership very well. A wide range of information is shared between parents and staff effectively. For example, parents say that they are happy with the care that their child receives and are regularly informed about what their child enjoys doing. Staff also provide further play ideas and activities they can try at home with their children, coupled with stay-and-play sessions for parents to join their children in the nursery. n The manager is new to her role. However, she is clear about what she wants children to learn and how she expects staff to support children's development. Although, the strategies she uses to monitor and coach staff are not embedded enough to ensure all staff understand and implement her vision of an ambitious

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need to do better?

curriculum. As a result, the quality of teaching and staff engagement and interaction with children across the nursery is not consistent. n Pre-school children show confidence as they engage in conversation and develop their range of vocabulary with staff. During a bubble activity outside, staff introduce words such as 'crystallisation' as the bubbles freeze in the cold air. However, background music plays too loudly for toddlers to hear staff telling a

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need to do better?

14 December 2022 story. Therefore, toddlers do not hear clear words and sounds spoken by the staff to support their communication and language development. n The deployment of staff who work in the pre-school room sometimes impacts on how they interact and engage with children to support their learning. Key staff work closely with children who have SEND. However, other children miss out on learning experiences, such as when they play outside. These children play alone or in small groups by themselves and are not supported by staff to learn as much as they can. n Children develop their large-muscle skills well. Pre-school children and toddlers confidently run around as they try to pop the bubbles staff have blown for them. Babies pull themselves up to reach for other toys on various different surface levels. n Overall, children behave well. Pre-school children are familiar with daily routines, such as preparation for their lunch, and know to line up, ready to go outside.

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need to do better?

Staff who work with babies offer lots of reassurance to them to develop their confidence. For example, staff offer babies cuddles and use soft tones when speaking to them. This settles the babies who are then ready to explore and play, demonstrating a positive attitude to their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. They recognise the signs that might suggest a child is at risk of harm in their home or community. The manager and staff recognise the indicators of radicalisation. They understand their duties in relation to the 'Prevent' duty guidance. Those staff who are involved in preparing food hold a food hygiene certificate and have attended a healthy eating course. This means they prepare and provide food safely and that is healthy for children. Staff vetting is regularly checked by the manager to ensure they are suitable to work with children. Staff carry out risk assessments of the environment to ensure children are not exposed to hazards within the premises.

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Due date

ensure staff are provided with the coaching and support they need to further develop their interaction and engagement with children so teaching is consistent throughout the nursery 19/01/2023

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Due date

14 December 2022 ensure staff understand how to implement an ambitious curriculum so that they focus on what children need to learn next based on their stage of development, emerging needs and interests. 19/01/2023

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should:

n help staff support children's communication and language consistently across the nursery n deploy staff effectively to make sure that all children's learning needs are being met.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY440984 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10235643 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 52 Name of registered person Little Stars Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01283730428 Date of previous inspection 9 March 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Little Stars Willow Pit Lane registered in 2012 and is situated in Hilton, Derbyshire. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round, except for a week between Christmas and New Year and all bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.15pm. The nursery receives funding for free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one has early years professional status.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting 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 setting. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The manager provided the inspector with relevant documentation, such as the staff suitability and their qualifications. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out several joint observations across the nursery with the manager.

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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

14 December 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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