Little Strawberries

Inspection of Little Strawberries Little Strawberry Nursery School, 275 Shobnall Road, Burton On Trent DE14 2BE

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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 are thriving at this nursery. They eagerly arrive and separate from parents and carers with ease, excited for the day ahead. Staff are kind, caring and attentive to children's needs. They ignite children's thirst for learning and their curiosity. Consequently, children form strong attachments to staff and feel safe and secure. There is an abundance of activities planned and delivered to meet the nursery curriculum, which focuses on children developing skills ready to eventually transition to school. Staff skilfully interact alongside children, engaging them in their learning. Pre-school children rotate around four rooms, each with a different focus on learning. For example, there is an activity room, where children can engage in water play and problem-solving, such as working out how to channel water through a twisted plastic tube. There is a role-play room, where children dress up and pretend to be their favourite character or work together in the home

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The provision is good

corner making pretend food and feeding their dolls.

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The provision is good

Babies enjoy sensory and messy play. Staff encourage them to find balls wrapped in aluminium foil representing planets, which are hidden underneath shredded paper. They giggle with delight as staff put shredded paper on their heads and say, 'Where have you gone?' Younger children follow instructions well and enjoy moving their bodies to music and action songs. They enjoy looking for plastic sea creatures hidden in sand and can name them, such as 'octopus' and 'crab'.

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need to do better?

n Leaders are passionate and dedicated to the role they play in shaping young children's lives. This enthusiasm and passion is shared by staff, who report high levels of morale and say they are well supported by management and work well together as a team. n Opportunities for training and professional development for staff are available. These help staff's practice to be consistently good, and at times superb. That said, on occasion, during group activities, children can wait too long for the next step. While the children are very good at sitting and listening, they can become a little restless, and this impacts other children's learning. n The nursery curriculum focuses on ensuring that children gain all the necessary skills to become confident and independent learners, ready for their next stage of learning. Staff plan activities based on children's interests and what they enjoy doing. This helps to support children to be deeply engaged in their chosen

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need to do better?

play. It would be beneficial for staff to focus more sharply when planning on what the intended learning outcome is for the individual children so that the activity fully meets all their needs. n Leaders have recently made changes to the pre-school that have led to a positive impact on children's emotional well-being. The pre-school is a hive of

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need to do better?

24 June 2025 activity, with children fully engaged and supported by staff who have a deep knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop. This encourages children to be the best they can be. Consequently, children make good progress in their learning. n Staff are positive role models, and, consequently, children behave well. They can share and take turns. Staff gently remind children about how they would feel if their friend does not share. This encourages children to be reflective about their behaviour and make positive changes. n The nursery has a large outdoor area. Climbing apparatus and swings help children build and strengthen their growing large muscles. Babies have the freedom to explore as they crawl in and out of tunnels or are supported by staff to take their first steps. Pre-school children often eat their lunch outdoors in the shaded seating area. n A strong focus on the curriculum for communication and language helps children

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need to do better?

acquire an impressive vocabulary. Staff support children who may speak English as an additional language by repeating singular words and showing them the item. This consistent approach, along with flash cards, helps to build children's confidence, and they quickly start to speak new words. n Children learn about the world around them. Currently they are learning about the life cycle of a caterpillar. Children excitedly talk about how the caterpillars are in their chrysalis. They paint pictures of what the butterflies may look like. Staff read a story to children about a hungry caterpillar. They help children chop their own fruit and push these on to skewers to make their own fruit kebab, which represents a caterpillar. n Parents are complimentary about the setting. They say that staff are friendly and that their children learn so much. Information is shared through an online app. Homework sheets are sent home for older children as they practise their writing

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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 support staff to focus more sharply on the learning intent when planning activities to meet all the individual needs of the children n enhance children's experiences further by considering different ways to deliver the curriculum during group activities so that children are not waiting for prolonged periods of time.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY546950 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10405614 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 72 Number of children on roll 147 Name of registered person Blues Berries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01283 845554 Date of previous inspection 28 February 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Little Strawberries re-registered as a limited company in June 2017 and is located in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications between levels 2 and 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am to 5.45pm. The nursery provides funded early education for all children who are eligible.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises, including how effective staff deployment is. 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 observed an impromptu fire drill and watched how safely and effectively staff escorted children out of the building. n The children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this is having on the children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out several joint observations, one for each age group in the nursery. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

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

24 June 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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