Little Legend Pre-School

Inspection of Little Legend Pre-School Friar Park Millennium Centre, Friar Park Road, Wednesbury WS10 0JS

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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

Staff create a calm and welcoming environment that helps children settle quickly on arrival. They greet children warmly, offer comfort when needed, and provide consistent routines that help even the youngest children feel secure. Staff remain close by during transitions and offer physical and verbal reassurance, enabling children to build strong attachments and develop confidence in their surroundings.

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The provision is good

Leaders design a curriculum that places communication and emotional development at its core. Staff model language purposefully throughout the day, using stories, songs and everyday interactions to build vocabulary. They talk to children about what they can see, feel and do, helping them to develop their understanding. Staff support toddlers with repetition and sensory experiences, while older children join in conversations, express their views and recall recent experiences. Staff successfully support children's confidence and language skills.

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The provision is good

Staff promote positive behaviour and set clear expectations that children understand and follow. They model respectful language and offer gentle reminders to support turn-taking and cooperation. Staff notice when children become unsettled and respond calmly, gently guiding children through social situations with patience and care. Children show they feel understood and supported as they learn to regulate their emotions and interact positively with others. They gain a wide range of skills in readiness for school.

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need to do better?

n Leaders use self-evaluation effectively. They identify priorities, such as strengthening children's communication and supporting parental involvement in learning. Leaders monitor teaching and learning through regular observations, staff discussions and progress reviews. They use this information to highlight strengths and identify areas that need further support. n Leaders ensure staff access targeted training to build expertise linked to the setting's priorities. They also support staff to gain early years qualifications over time through apprenticeships, mentoring and links with other settings. These opportunities help staff strengthen their understanding of child development. n Leaders respond promptly when they identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work closely with key persons to monitor progress, set clear targets and adjust support based on children's developmental

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need to do better?

profiles. Staff use visual aids, small-group work and one-to-one support to help children access the curriculum. Leaders maintain regular contact with families and work in partnership with external professionals where needed. n Leaders and staff build trusting relationships with families. They provide daily feedback, hold regular meetings to share children's next steps and offer practical

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need to do better?

27 June 2025 guidance on areas such as toileting, communication and early literacy. Parents feel well informed and speak positively about the care and support their children receive. n Staff use assessment to identify children's starting points and monitor progress. They use tools, such as the progress check for two-year-old children and assessments, to highlight areas for support, particularly in communication and language. Staff plan next steps and work with parents to implement targeted strategies. However, assessment is not used precisely enough to shape daily teaching for younger children. Some activities are not specifically aligned with what individual children need to learn next. This reduces the impact of teaching on learning. n Staff plan a welcoming and engaging environment at the start of the day, with a suitable range of resources that capture children's interests. Children settle quickly and begin exploring sand, construction and role play. However, staff clear

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need to do better?

these resources away soon after arrival, reducing children's access to continuous play opportunities that reflect the seven areas of learning. Planning for the learning environment does not yet fully support children's engagement and choice across the day, particularly for the younger children. n Staff promote physical development through daily routines and access to both indoor and outdoor spaces. Children use the large soft-play area to crawl, climb, roll and balance at their own pace, supporting gross motor development and body awareness. Staff encourage movement games, such as hide and seek, and talk to children about how exercise affects their bodies. Children develop coordination, control and confidence through regular physical activity. n Staff plan activities that help children talk about themselves and others. During a drawing task, children describe their friends' features using words such as 'curly'

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need to do better?

and 'straight', building on earlier discussions about similarities and differences. These conversations help children begin to understand and value what makes people unique.

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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 enhance staff's use of assessment of progress to increase the alignment between planning, teaching and learning priorities for the younger children n review and extend staff's planning for the learning environment to enable children to have greater choice of learning experiences across the seven areas.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY477194 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 10395095 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Little Legend Nurseries Ltd

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Telephone number

Date of previous inspection 8 October 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Little Legend Pre-School registered in 2014. The pre-school employs eight members of childcare staff, all of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 2 or level 3. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday, from 8.30am until 11.30am and from midday until 3pm, during term time only. The pre-school provides funded early education.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Children interacted with 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 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. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation. 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

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Inspection activities

suitability of staff working in the pre-school.

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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

27 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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