Little Stars Pre-School

Little Stars Pre-School

Unique reference number (URN): EY562816 Address: Unit A16, Fieldhouse Industrial Estate, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL12 0AA Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 31/01/2019 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Little Stars Pre-School Ltd

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Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding. This puts children at significant risk of harm. Leaders and staff have accessed some training, however, this has not been effective. Not all staff can recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. They do not know the procedures to follow if they do have concerns about a child. Although staff know to report to the designated safeguarding lead, they have no understanding of procedures for reporting beyond this to the relevant professional agencies. Furthermore, not all staff know how to respond if they have concerns about the behaviour or practice of the designated safeguarding lead. This does not help to protect children from potential harm.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Children do not develop skills they need across all areas of learning. Any learning that takes place is incidental, rather than by design. They spend a lot of time in unsupported free play which, at times, is unruly. Groups of children who are identified as needing support with their communication and language development do not receive it and consequently, do not have the skills they need for the next stage of learning, including their move to school.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Children are confident in the environment and make choices about what they want to play with. They enjoy making structures from dough and use their imagination in the role-play area. However, they do not develop concentration or listening and attention skills. As such, they lose interest and move on from activities quickly.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

Leaders do not implement clear and consistent expectations for children's behaviour. They do not teach children about, or reinforce, rules and boundaries. Children are not encouraged to follow instructions or develop these key skills. Leaders fail to ensure staff manage behaviour in appropriate ways. Some staff allow negative behaviour while others use strategies, such as threatening to call parents. This leads to a disorderly environment and gives children mixed messages about what is expected. Children are not supported to develop respectful relationships with the staff team. Generally, children follow a basic routine. They understand what is coming next which helps them to feel secure. At times, children engage with activities of their own choosing and play alongside one another. However, overall, attitudes to learning are poor and children lack the concentration skills needed to be motivated learners.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement

Leaders have some procedures in place for monitoring absence and attendance. They contact the parents of children who do not attend and work with the local authority to monitor the attendance of children who access government funding.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Leaders have failed to ensure that care practices and key-person arrangements meet children's individual needs. Children do not have their own water cups and instead pour water into universal cups which others then use. Water is kept up on a ledge where some children cannot reach. Therefore, those children who do not speak are unable to request a drink. Leaders do not make certain that staff follow good hygiene procedures. For instance, staff do not consistently intervene to wipe children's extremely runny noses. On the occasions that staff do intervene, they do not wash their own or children's hands afterwards. This does not help to teach children about their own health and wellbeing and puts them at risk of illness.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Staff form some relationships with children, but these are very superficial. They do not develop a good understanding of children's care and educational needs. Leaders take the role of the main key person for children and are therefore the people who get to know them. When new children are upset, staff are slow to respond, waiting for leaders to intervene. This does not help children to learn about their emotions and form strong attachments that promote their wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The curriculum for the pre-school is ineffective and does not meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage. The design is poor and leaders do not have a good understanding of what they want children to learn, or how to sequence learning. Despite clear weaknesses in the quality of teaching, no attempts are made to improve the experiences children receive. Although leaders have some understanding of how to adapt their own teaching for children with barriers to their learning, staff are not taught these skills. Consequently, some children spend most of their day wandering aimlessly not engaged in play or learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Leaders do not ensure that staff have a good understanding of what children already know and can do, therefore they do not extend children's learning further. For example, when trying to teach mathematics, staff continually count to the same low number despite this being below children's capability. Children who speak English as an additional language are not supported to access activities to promote their speaking skills. For example, they are seated for group time but not given any support to understand what is happening. Consequently, they lose interest and become distracted.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who have barriers to their learning is ineffective. Leaders do not ensure that staff use the intended visual aids to support children. Action is not taken to support children with SEND, and those with English as an additional language, to access the curriculum. These children spend their time wandering around the playroom not engaged in any purposeful play or learning. Leaders do not ensure that staff use the intended visual aids to support children. Furthermore, they do not ensure that children who need help with their communication and language are supported. Children receive limited interaction from staff which does not help them to develop their communication skills. Additionally, during story time, leaders fail to include these children when giving out props that correspond with the book. This does not help to make learning easy for these groups of children.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Although staff receive some training, this is insufficient and does not help them to understand how children learn. Furthermore, leaders have failed to ensure that training is understood and implemented. Therefore, staff do not have the knowledge and skills needed to support children with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language. Additional funding, such as early years pupil premium, is not used in ways that narrow the gaps in learning. Funding is not targeted effectively to support the children it is allocated to.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders do not have good oversight of the pre-school. Although they identify some areas for improvement, these are insignificant and there are several breaches to requirements that have gone unidentified. Despite numerous welfare requirement notices (WRN), the provider does not demonstrate the capacity to improve. The actions from the WRN set at a previous visit have not been met and more breaches identified. Any action taken by leaders has been insufficient and the quality of care and education remains unacceptable.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders do not take swift and effective action to address staff practice and improve conditions for children. They fail to ensure that all staff are respectful, courteous and professional. This does not provide children with positive role models. Although staff have accessed some training since previous visits, the quality of teaching remains poor. Supervision arrangements are not effective and do not equip staff with the skills and knowledge they need to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, leaders do not monitor staff practice closely enough to bring around improvements. Consequently, there are significant weaknesses in the quality of care and education children receive.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has not met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has not met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

There are significant weaknesses in the leadership and governance of this pre-school. Children are not provided with a broad and ambitious curriculum that helps them to make progress. Leaders do not consider the impact of the poor curriculum on children's learning and development. Children with barriers to their learning, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language, do not thrive and are at a significant disadvantage. Any progress made from starting points is incidental and does not build foundations for future learning. The curriculum and subsequent activities provided do not help children to learn about the expectations for behaviour or understand how to keep themselves healthy. This does not prepare children for the next stage of their learning.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Leaders have forged positive relationships with parents and get to know them well. Parents receive some feedback on their children's day and the things they do at the pre-school. Leaders share information about attendance with parents and are flexible with the sessions they provide. Children are generally happy at the pre-school and separate from parents with ease. They quickly entertain themselves with the activities on offer and are keen to chat with staff and one another. Children are confident to share their ideas, thoughts and opinions. They discuss their home lives and clearly feel secure and well settled at the pre-school.

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Next steps

The provider is not meeting the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare register and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action.

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Next steps

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to have taken the following actions by the assigned date:

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behaviour

ensure that drinking water is always accessible to children 27/02/2026

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individual needs

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Address:

Unit A16 Fieldhouse Industrial Estate Rochdale Lancashire OL12 0AA

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Little Stars Pre-School Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 18:00

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners and parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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. Local authority: Rochdale

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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