Summary
What we read, and from where
Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.
- Achievement verified
Expected standard
- Behaviour, attitudes and routines verified
Expected standard
- Children's welfare and wellbeing verified
Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching verified
Expected standard
- Inclusion verified
Expected standard
- Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
- Framework verified
Report card
- Group verified
Totstars Ltd
- Inspection datesingle source
19 Aug 2026
- Inspectors verified
Helen Craig
- Postcode verified
CR0 5AQ
- Name on report verified
Totstars The Playbarn
- Safeguarding verified
Met
- URN verified
2821008
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.
- AchievementExpected
- Behaviour, attitudes and routinesExpected
- Children's welfare and wellbeingExpected
- Curriculum and teachingExpected
- InclusionExpected
- Leadership and governanceExpected
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
In line with other reports of this type.
How the report reads, start to finish
Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.
Strengths
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children. p.2
- This supports children to build warm relationships and develop a positive attitude to their learning. p.2
- This enables staff to liaise with parents and build positive attachments with all children, making sure the key-person system is effective. p.2
- As a result, children become settled, build their confidence and feel safe and secure. p.2
Concerns
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
No strong criticism found.
Next steps
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- Leaders should ensure all staff know children's next steps so they can support them to practise and increase their knowledge and skills as they play. p.5
- Leaders should strengthen partnerships with parents and carers further by consistently sharing children's next steps and ideas to extend their learning at home. p.5
What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Leadership & governance16
“Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children.” p.2Communication & language11
“Children enjoy singing songs, sharing stories and talking about the characters in books.” p.2
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 8
- Words of findings
- 1,677
- about usual (typical 1698)
- Reading level
- Fairly hard
- Flesch 51, typical 43
- Average sentence
- 16 words
- Next steps
- 2
- typical 3
- Hedged sentences
- 4%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Totstars The Playbarn
Unique reference number (URN): 2821008 Address: Totstars The Playbarn, 36 Addington Village Road, Croydon, CR0 5AQ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 16/01/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: Totstars Ltd
p.1
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
p.1
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
p.1
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.
p.1
Achievement Expected standard
All children make typical progress for their ages and stages of development. Babies and toddlers strengthen their core muscles as they practise walking with more control and balance. Older children play games of catch and become more accurate with their throwing skills. Children improve their physical skills as they use apparatus and learn to take risks.
p.2
Achievement Expected standard
Children benefit from their communication and language skills developing daily at the setting, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may have barriers to their learning. Children enjoy singing songs, sharing stories and talking about the characters in books. Younger children turn the pages, name objects and feel different textures as they listen. Children receive encouragement to learn new words, share their views and increase their sentences. Children learn to say 'hello' and 'welcome' in a range of languages, which promotes the inclusive environment within the setting. All children are prepared for future learning and subsequent moves to school.
p.2
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children. They support children to build positive relationships and manage their behaviour. Staff provide clear explanations about what is happening now and next. This enables children with individual needs and those who find it difficult to regulate their emotions time to adjust and know what is expected of them.
p.2
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Staff role model positive behaviour. They regularly use praise and encouragement and speak to children in a calm and reassuring manner. Children learn through activities and routines to be kind to their peers. They share resources, take turns and use positive manners. This supports children to build warm relationships and develop a positive attitude to their learning. Children are keen to participate and show a 'can-do' attitude.
p.2
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Staff typically manage routines well, they ensure children continue to learn while they wait for their turn to wash their hands or wait for their lunch. Staff use these times to engage children in conversations, recap on their learning and share stories. These routines support children to learn at times they need to wait and helps them to develop patience. Leaders follow up on children's attendance and punctuality. This supports children's wellbeing and helps parents and carers to establish positive habits for future education.
p.2
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders work with parents and carers to provide flexible settling-in periods which are tailored to children's individual needs. This enables staff to liaise with parents and build positive attachments with all children, making sure the key-person system is effective. As a result, children become settled, build their confidence and feel safe and secure. Staff talk to children about different emotions and help them to recognise and understand their feelings and those of others. Staff typically provide a welcoming environment where all children enjoy their play inside and outside. Children learn about the importance of healthy lifestyles. They begin to show an understanding of the benefits of eating a balanced diet. Staff sit with children during snack and mealtimes to promote safer eating and engage in conversations to promote social interactions. Children demonstrate their self-help skills as they feed themselves, serve
p.2
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
food and cut and peel fruit. Staff meet the care needs of younger children, adapting food consistency, when needed and supervising sleep times. Staff teach all children about the importance of washing their hands and cleaning their teeth. They weave reminders about safety through activities and routines and help children learn to manage risk age and stage appropriately. Extra support is given to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities who may not understand danger or how to keep themselves safe.
p.3
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Staff plan and provide a curriculum that covers all areas of learning and is fully inclusive for all children. Staff use observations and ongoing assessments to track children's progress and identify their next steps in learning. These are known by children's key persons. Due to some staff moving rooms and providing cover, not all staff are consistently aware of all children's next steps. In turn, this hinders children from being supported to practise what they need to learn next.
p.3
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Staff typically promote children's communication skills well. They ask questions and give children time to think and respond. Staff repeat words and encourage back-and-forth interactions with younger children. They help with pronunciation and regularly introduce new vocabulary. Teaching is purposeful and children learn a range of mathematical concepts. They count independently and together, name shapes, learn about weights and size and use positional language.
p.3
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Staff actively encourage children to be independent and problem-solve. For example, at forest school, children choose to carry a water canister up the hill to make a water fall in the dry soil. They work together and other peers join in to support them when the canister slips. Children show resilience and find a solution. They attach a rope and pull it up the hill together. Staff regularly use opportunities to increase children's knowledge of the world around them and promote their social and physical skills.
p.3
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders and staff strive to get to know children and their families well from the start. This enables them to quickly identify and assess children's individual needs and in turn, ensure that support is put in place for all children to make progress. Leaders initiate care plans to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who may have barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing at the setting while they wait for additional assessments and support from professionals. Leaders have also contributed to children's education, health and care plans when needed.
p.3
Inclusion Expected standard
Staff typically support children who need additional help with their communication and language skills and those who speak English as an additional language. This helps them to build confidence and develop friendships and increase their social skills in small groups, which helps them to prepare for future learning. Leaders understand and acknowledge that some children do not have access to outdoor play spaces at home or experience extra-curricular activities. They ensure this becomes a priority by using early years pupil premium funding to provide additional physical activities, such as sports and music classes alongside additional staff for forest school sessions. Leaders recognise the positive impact these activities and interactions are having by seeing all children confidence and physical achievement improve.
p.3
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders provide regular supervision sessions for all staff throughout their probation period and beyond. They share their ideas, discuss any concerns and ensure their workload is manageable. Staff state that leaders are fully supportive of their wellbeing. Leaders and staff typically work collaboratively and established staff support their peers especially throughout their apprentice training. All staff access regular continued professional development to increase their knowledge and skills.
p.4
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have a clear view of the setting's strengths and areas for development. They have identified some areas which need to be addressed and are currently making changes to improve these. Staff reflect together and discuss what has worked well and where they can make changes to benefit the children.
p.4
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders work with a range of professionals to support children who need additional support. They liaise with local schools to ensure smooth transitions for children. Staff share information between settings for children who split their childcare. This promotes continuity in children's care and learning.
p.4
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Overall, partnerships with parents and carers are effective. Parents comment on the positive experiences their children receive at the setting and the improvements they have made with speech, confidence and social skills. Parents do not consistently know their children's next steps or receive ideas to help them extend their child's learning at home.
p.4
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children arrive happy to attend this fun and friendly setting. Staff provide a warm welcome on arrival and check in with parents and carers to ensure children's wellbeing is supported throughout the day. Children demonstrate their independence as they take off their coats and outdoor shoes on arrival, wash their hands and serve themselves breakfast. Children
p.4
Inspector:
Helen Craig typically settle quickly at a range of activities and engage with staff and their peers, which enhances their social interactions.
p.5
Inspector:
Babies and toddlers benefit from the nurturing staff who are attentive to their changing needs. They respond affectiontally to cuddles when needed and happily explore the environment, showing a zest for learning. For example, younger children use tools to explore different textures which builds on their fine motor skills and sensory experiences. They show perseverance as they build towers with bricks and rebuild when they fall down. Younger children show interest as they try different locks on the latch board puzzle. They play a range of instruments as they join in singing time.
p.5
Inspector:
Older children develop their knowledge of diversity and other cultures as they learn about different countries. They enjoy role-play activities to support this which includes 'boarding a plane' for a pretend trip to Ghana. Staff enhance children's understanding of similarities and differences as children look at photos, share stories and talk about their own experiences. This supports all children to have a sense of belonging.
p.5
Inspector:
Children receive encouragement to increase their vocabulary as they learn new words, repeat phrases and join in conversations. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who may have barriers to their learning are supported by staff to join in activities and receive additional support. This ensures they can continue to build on their knowledge and gain new experiences to prepare them for the next stage of learning.
p.5
Next steps
Leaders should ensure all staff know children's next steps so they can support them to practise and increase their knowledge and skills as they play. Leaders should strengthen partnerships with parents and carers further by consistently sharing children's next steps and ideas to extend their learning at home.
p.5
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, children and parents and carers during the inspection.
p.5
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 provisionn complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.
p.5
Address:
Totstars The Playbarn 36 Addington Village Road Croydon CR0 5AQ
p.6
Address:
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
p.6
Address:
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
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Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
p.6
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
p.7
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.
p.7
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.
p.7
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.
p.7
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.
p.7
Urgent improvement
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.
p.7
Urgent improvement
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Urgent improvement
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Urgent improvement
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Urgent improvement
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