Mini Stars Childcare LTD

Inspection of Mini Stars Childcare LTD UK Centre for Carnival Arts, 3 St. Marys Road, LUTON LU1 3JA

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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

Management and staff provide a nurturing environment. Children and their parents are warmly greeted by a member of staff on their arrival. This supports a smooth transition into their nursery day. Staff provide a good range of adult-led and child- initiated play. This includes daily opportunities for children to practise their skills and previously learned knowledge. Children eagerly explore the environment, behave well and demonstrate a positive attitude to their learning. For example, younger children concentrate as they manipulate and mould dough. They make models, such as pretend monsters and snakes, demonstrating their understanding of the difference between short and long as they describe their models.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage babies and younger children to develop their hand-eye coordination skills as they learn to scoop and pour sand from one container to another. They encourage children to explore the texture of shaving foam, demonstrating how to make marks and draw different shapes. Children copy drawing wriggly lines and circle shapes. Staff support children to link numerals and amounts. For example, children place the correct number of pegs into wooden blocks to match the written numeral. Staff then encourage children to count the number of pegs. Additionally, staff support children to explore different shapes. They are able to identify that a square has four sides and a circle is round.

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need to do better?

n Management and staff are committed to providing good quality childcare. Their curriculum is planned to give all children the foundations for their future learning. Management and staff regularly reflect and evaluate their practice, continually looking at ways to improve. This has led to changes to snack routines and a designated area for children aged between two and three years. There is a strong team ethos, staff's well-being is prioritised, and training opportunities are highly valued. n Staff implement an effective key-person system and know the children well. They recognise the importance of children feeling emotionally secure and value their relationships with parents. Staff complete ongoing observations of the children to monitor their progress and well-being. This supports staff to understand each child's personality, interests and learning needs. Staff supervise the children well, support children's independence and join in their play.

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need to do better?

However, on occasion, staff do not use spontaneous opportunities to further extend children's thinking, including challenging their physical skills when they play in the outdoor environment. n Staff swiftly identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work effectively in partnership with other professionals and parents, involving them in discussions about that child. Staff plan specific activities to

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need to do better?

30 January 2025 support the targets set for each individual child. This support ensures children are included, have fun and make progress alongside their peers. n Management and staff place a high priority on supporting children's communication and language skills, including those who speak English as an additional language. Staff working with the babies and younger children respond to their gestures and sounds and successfully introduce words and phrases as they play. For example, as children slide down the foam cube, short sentences such as 'ready, steady, go' are introduced. Younger children respond eagerly, saying 'go'. Older children confidently use their language to talk about what they are doing. They remember that the word of the week is 'translucent,' and some older children are able give an explanation of the meaning of the word. n From a young age, children display their enjoyment of books, rhymes and songs.

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need to do better?

Older children readily choose storybooks to share with staff. Children intently listen to staff as they read their chosen story. They show an interest in the illustrations, engage in conversations about the story and extend their range of vocabulary. Additionally, children enthusiastically learn a range of rhymes and songs. n Management effectively uses additional funding to support children in receipt of funded education, including children in receipt of early years pupil premium. For example, additional resources have been purchased to support children's communication and language, and a sharing library has been developed to enable children to take home books to share with their parents. n Partnerships with parents are a strength of the nursery. Staff spend time talking to parents and getting to know children's care needs and stage of development before they attend, for example during home visits and settling-in sessions. This

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need to do better?

helps to ease the transition from home to the nursery. There is a good, two-way flow of communication. Parents receive daily feedback and newsletters that contain an abundance of helpful information. Additionally, parents receive updates about their children's progress via an app and during consultation evenings. Parents are also invited to join Christmas and graduation celebrations.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n use every opportunity to extend children's learning during spontaneous activities, including challenging their physical skills when in the outdoor environment.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY396927 Local authority Luton Inspection number 10378872 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 Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 33 Number of children on roll 71 Name of registered person Mini Stars Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01582 437 121 Date of previous inspection 22 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Mini Stars Childcare LTD registered in 2009. It is situated in a self-contained unit within the UK Centre for Carnival Arts building in Luton. The setting employs 15 members of staff. Of these, 13 hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 2 and above, including two with early years professional status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, 49 weeks of the year, except for bank holidays. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The provider offers government funded places for childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years curriculum is organised. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation in the room for children aged over three years. n The provider, manager, staff and children engaged in discussions with the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working at the nursery. n The inspector took account of the views of parents from written information and by speaking to them.

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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

30 January 2025 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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