Little Stars at The Beeches Accrington retains good Ofsted

Little Stars at The Beeches, in Rimington Avenue, was rated ‘good’ in all judgement criteria when it was assessed on October 10.

The report stated children are “excited” when they arrive at the provider whilst being “happy and settled” by the time they leave, thanks to the well-organised structure.

 Inspectors said: “Staff develop good relationships with children. Children are happy and settled as they leave their parents at the door. They excitedly enter the nursery ready to have fun in the well-organised environment.

“This demonstrates that children feel safe and secure in the care of the staff. Staff plan a curriculum that is based on children's interests. They use their starting points to plan activities and build on what children already know and can do, to further extend learning across all areas.”

Staff were said to have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs or disabilities and they are monitored closely to identify gaps in their development and work closely with other professionals.

They were praised for their relationship with a local primary school, who they work closely with to share information about the children’s individual needs.

Ofsted also praised the setting, with favour to the outside area, which was well-used and offered plenty of opportunities for fresh air and a range of activities.

Inspectors added: “Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children develop good social skills and are learning to make friends.

“When they arrive, they are pleased to see each other and are eager to begin their play. Children behave well. They are kind to each other and share resources.”

Educating children on their health and wellbeing was also commended and young people understood the importance of washing their hands and were said to have told staff they “were washing away the germs.”

Sensory play sessions were also said to be constructive, and they recognised the children’s emerging interests.

Inspectors added: “Children are developing an understanding of differences within the world around them. They learn to be respectful of each other and have opportunities to discuss what makes them unique.”

Relationships with parents were also said to be good, with staff regularly speaking to parents at drop-off and collection times – encouraging them to view their child’s learning records.

However, it was stated that systems are not consistently in place for staff to share ideas with parents on how to support and enhance children’s learning at home.

Inspectors concluded: “Leaders display a strong commitment to providing good-quality experiences for the children who attend. They form strong relationships with the staff team and have high expectations for what children can achieve.

“Leaders and managers identify areas for improvement and provide staff with training opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills.”

But a lack of monitoring the programme for professional development ensured that the training that staff attend directly impacts the quality of learning.

The arrangements for safeguarding were considered to be effective, with an open and positive culture around it which put children first.