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Early years · Early years inspection (EIF)

Little Superstars Limited

Inspected 12 Sept 2023 · published 10 Oct 2023 · URN 2713527

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Summary

Requires improvement

Lynn Hartigan

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Inspection date verified

    12 Sept 2023

  • Inspectors verified

    Lynn Hartigan

  • Behaviour and attitudes verified

    Requires improvement

  • Leadership and management verified

    Requires improvement

  • Overall effectiveness verified

    Requires improvement

  • Personal development verified

    Requires improvement

  • Quality of education verified

    Requires improvement

  • Postcode verified

    RM17 6DR

  • Name on report verified

    Little Superstars Limited

  • URN verified

    2713527

Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

  • OverallRequires improvement
  • Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
  • Leadership and managementRequires improvement
  • Personal developmentRequires improvement
  • Quality of educationRequires improvement

6% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Requires improvement (17,905 inspections).

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+22Mostly positivemore positive than 50% of reports of this type graded Requires improvement
OutstandingGoodRIInadequate

In line with other reports of this type graded Requires improvement.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praisehappyenjoyeffectiveeagercaringgood progressenthusiasticfeel safe
Criticismweaknessesnot consistentlylacknot alwaysnot sufficientlyconcernlimitedvariable

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsWhat needs to improveSafeguardingAbout the inspection positive critical
  • Findings491w−8
  • Safeguarding178w+68
  • What needs to improve307w+40

Strengths

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Concerns

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Next steps

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What the report dwells on

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Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
7
Words of findings
935
about usual (typical 857)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 47, typical 53
Average sentence
16 words
Next steps
8
typical 8
Hedged sentences
12%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 33%Safeguarding 12%What needs to improve 21%About the inspection 34%

Full report text

Inspection of Little Superstars Limited The Community House, Seabrooke Rise, New Road, Grays, Essex RM17 6DR

p.1

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 Not applicable

p.1

The provision requires improvement

Children are not offered sufficient challenge to extend their learning. For example, staff do not consider potential learning opportunities when planning the curriculum. Children are interested in some of the activities provided and are eager to have a go. They are initially enthusiastic and engage, but lose interest and move on. Staff do not consistently ensure that activities provided have a sharp focus on what the children need to learn next, which has an impact on their progress.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

However, while there are some weaknesses in children's learning, they demonstrate that they feel safe and secure within the pre-school. They arrive happy, leave their parents with ease and settle quickly. Staff are caring and happily greet children as they arrive. Children play in a calm atmosphere and demonstrate good behaviour. Staff praise them and gently remind them to use manners at snack time. Children engage in stories about emotions and learn new words to express how they are feeling.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

Children participate in spontaneous group singing. They have fun using actions and choosing favourite songs and rhymes. Children enjoy books and interactive story time. They engage in familiar stories with excitement and even young children show sustained concentration. Children giggle as they interact with the staff and recall what they have learned from the story, eager to answer questions.

p.2

need to do better?

n Managers and staff plan the curriculum based on children's interests, but do not have clear intent about what they want individual children to learn. Therefore, while children enjoy some activities, these are not always appropriate, challenging or inspiring for children's learning. n Some staff lack knowledge about how to help children build on the key skills they need to support their future learning. For example, children are not consistently encouraged to have a go and write their name on their creations. Children show a keen interest in puzzles and developing their mathematical understanding. However, they lack space and support and lose interest quickly, moving on to something else. The presentation of the curriculum does not sufficiently ignite children's curiosity and activities are not changed frequently or offer appropriate challenges. n The management team does not use staff supervision and performance

p.2

need to do better?

monitoring systems effectively. Weaknesses in practice are not identified and actioned swiftly. As a result, not all staff have the best knowledge and understanding about how to provide children with rich learning opportunities and challenges to extend their learning. This has an impact on the progress children make.

p.2

need to do better?

12 September 2023 n Partnerships with parents have been established. Parents speak positively about their child's time at pre-school. Many are very happy and grateful about the care their children receive. Parents are complimentary about the staff and comment how quickly their children settle and are happy to return following the summer break. n Children's behaviour is good as they are familiar with the routines and understand the expectations of the staff. For example, they know to wash hands before snack and tidy toys in preparation for story time. They have formed close bonds with their key person and enjoy cuddles and reassurance. Staff are caring and attentive and children play well together and are kind to one another. n Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is being established. The manager is currently the special educational needs coordinator and works closely with parents to ensure that support and early intervention

p.2

need to do better?

from other professionals is in place. The pre-school is fully inclusive to ensure that children are settled and offered appropriate support. n While positive partnerships have been established with parents, systems in place for communicating regarding children's learning are in the process of changing. This means that staff are not currently communicating effectively to discuss what children already know, their experiences and interests at home, to enable opportunities to continue learning in pre-school. n Some staff support children's speech and language well, however, this is variable and not consistent. Some engage children in conversation and give running commentaries about what is happening. However, some staff do not act on opportunities to prompt conversations, introduce new words to extend children's vocabulary or allow them time to think and respond, before giving them the answer.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding children's welfare are effective. The manager, who is the designated safeguarding lead, demonstrates a sound knowledge and understanding of her role. Through regular training, she is fully up to date with current procedures. The staff team shows a secure knowledge of safeguarding and whistle-blowing and the wider issues of child protection, such as female genital mutilation and county lines. They have a clear understanding of their responsibility to respond promptly should they have a concern about the well-being of a child in their care. A sufficient recruitment process means children are cared for by staff who are suitable to do so.

p.3

Due date

develop the curriculum to ensure that it clearly identifies what it is that children need to learn, how this reflects their individual needs and offers appropriate challenge, to help them make at least good progress 18/10/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure that the supervision and monitoring of staff practice is effective in providing coaching, guidance, and professional development opportunities to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently good level. 18/10/2023

p.4

should:

n improve staff knowledge about how children learn and provide an exciting play environment n make better use of regular communication to find out what children already know and can do and what interests them so that teaching can be adapted accordingly n strengthen staff's ability to ensure that children are given more time to think and to respond and problem-solve for themselves.

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number 2713527 Local authority Thurrock Inspection number 10306493 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person Little Superstars Limited

p.5

reference number

Telephone number 07305394875 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.5

Information about this early years setting

Little Superstars Limited registered in 2022. The pre-school employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The pre-school opens from Tuesday to Friday, during school term time. Sessions are from 8am to 3.30pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.5

Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider has 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 provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the curriculum and what it is that the team want the children to learn. 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 manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation together. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at the inspection. n Parents provided the inspector with verbal feedback. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.

p.6

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.

p.6

Inspection activities

12 September 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.

p.6

Inspection activities

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p.7

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

Inspection activities

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p.7

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7

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