Little Stars Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Stars Day Nursery Long Field Academy, Ambleside Way, MELTON MOWBRAY, Leicestershire LE13 0BN

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children happily enter the engaging and safe setting. Staff warmly welcome children who settle quickly and confidently, finding their favourite activities. Babies explore activity boards and use their developing small-muscle skills and coordination to push buttons and roll balls. Staff sit close by to engage and encourage babies to explore. They repeat words and introduce new words into conversations to build the vocabulary babies hear.

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The provision is good

Children develop their large muscles and practise their balancing skills, as they are supported to clamber onto tree stumps. They run excitedly through long grass and discover minibeasts under logs. Staff help children to identify the insects they find, as they exclaim: 'It's a Woodlouse!' and 'I've found a baby snail!' Staff blow bubbles for toddlers. Young children laugh as they chase and pop the bubbles, building their cooperative skills and small muscles.

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The provision is good

Pre-school children play harmoniously. They are supported to use their small- muscle skills to scoop up and mix mud and water. Staff provide children with a variety of containers to fill and empty with the muddy water. Children watch closely as the water flows into the different containers, and they develop their imaginations as they exclaim: 'I'm making mud pie!'

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need to do better?

n The knowledgeable and dedicated manager is committed to continuously improving the quality of the nursery. She is reflective and places high priority on ensuring the staff team build on their knowledge and skills. For example, staff learn about the importance of building children's engagement levels during activities. This helps children to spend prolonged amounts of time at activities and means they are motivated to learn. n The management team have created a curriculum that is ambitious and gives children the essential skills they need for the next stage of their education. However, staff do not always respond to children's own interests as they play. For example, staff introduce new activities that distract children from following their own interests as they play imaginatively with each other. n Parents speak very highly of the calm, safe and relaxed environment that the management team and staff create. Staff ensure that they gain information

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need to do better?

about each child before they start nursery. Parents know what their children are learning and are supported to continue this learning at home. n Children are eager to learn and enjoy the activities offered to them. They are familiar with the routines of the nursery day. However, at times, staff interrupt play to introduce routine activities, such as preparing to go outside. As a result, children are not always able to sustain their concentration and finish activities,

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need to do better?

25 May 2023 such as listening to a story. n The management team support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Staff use sign language and visual prompts to help support children. Parents speak highly of the support that is given to their children. Staff work closely with other professionals to ensure that additional support is put in place swiftly to enable all children to make good progress. n Additional funding is used to ensure that all children gain a wide range of experiences. For example, children benefit from regular trips to a local residential home. Children learn about the wider world and build tolerance and acceptance of other members of the community. n Staff well-being is a high priority. Staff have a mental health first aider as part of their team. They are able to benefit from regular well-being meetings. Staff say that they feel listened to and are very happy in their roles.

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need to do better?

n Children's behaviour is good. They listen to instructions and are polite and respectful to their friends. Staff gently remind children about saying 'please' and 'thank you' throughout the day. Staff provide warm comforting care to younger children who are new to the setting, and they give cuddles and praise when children are kind to each other.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team ensures that staff receive regular updates on their knowledge of safeguarding children through courses and regular staff team meetings, where they discuss safeguarding concerns. Staff have a good safeguarding knowledge and can identify the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is being abused. This includes keeping children safe online and protecting them from radicalisation. Staff understand their responsibilities in escalating and reporting any concerns they may have about another member of staff. Staff use effective risk assessments to minimise hazards in the environment, such as checking areas outside before children play.

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should:

n support children to follow their own interests as they play n improve how staff manage routines, to minimise disruption to children's engagement in their learning and play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY481161 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10265411 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 56 Name of registered person Sanders, Laura Jane

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reference number

Telephone number 01664561234 Date of previous inspection 6 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Little Stars Day Nursery registered in 2014 and is situated in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 provider took the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the nursery. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the provider about the leadership and management of the nursery. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. 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.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the provider. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

25 May 2023 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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