Little Rascals Childcare
Little Rascals Childcare is a day nursery in Wallsend for children aged 0 to 4, with 32 registered places. Ofsted report card, 11 November 2025: Strong standard in 1 area, Expected standard in 5 areas; safeguarding standards met.
Segedunum Bath House & Museum, Station Road, Wallsend, NE28 6HR
Key facts
- Type
- Day nursery (Full day care) (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Ages
- 0 to 4 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Registered places
- 32 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Registered
- 6 January 2017 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Opening hours
Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Source: Ofsted report, inspection on 11 November 2025
Who runs it
Little Rascals Childcare is run by Rascals Playtime Childcare Limited (Ofsted register).
Latest inspection
- Inclusion: Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Expected standard
- Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard
- Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Safeguarding standards met
Source: Ofsted, inspection on 11 November 2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
At this welcoming setting, babies and children generally achieve well. On arrival, staff welcome children at the door. Children hang up their coats and bags and settle into their room routines. Leaders set high expectations for children's behaviour and attitudes to learning. Staff provide praise and encouragement for children as they play, supporting confidence and developing their self-esteem. Children develop positive relationships with staff. Staff respond sensitively to children's care needs and provide cuddles and reassurance as children settle into nursery or when upset. Staff provide a variety of focused activities for children. For example, older children learn how to make dough using different ingredients and use a variety of tools to manipulate textures. They show excitement as they feel the different textures, using words such as sticky and wet.
Babies explore coloured materials and enjoy playing peekaboo with staff. Staff support their physical development through encouraging them to roll, crawl and walk. Children are typically engaged in play; however, staff do not always adapt teaching and learning for younger children. This leads to some younger children wandering around and not always fully engaged in learning.
Children know the routine well. They are becoming independent during snack and mealtimes. They serve their own meals skilfully using utensils and independently pour their own drinks. This gives children a sense of achievement and helps them develop their independence ready for school. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported to achieve and thrive. Staff work well with other professionals and support with transitions when children move to their next setting.
What Ofsted found in each area
Inclusion: Strong standard
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are highly valued, promptly identified and consistently well supported within the setting. Robust systems ensure that SEND needs are identified at the earliest opportunity and that children receive timely, well-coordinated support. Individual support plans are clear, purposeful and consistently implemented by knowledgeable staff, enabling children to make meaningful progress. Staff work collaboratively with leaders and a range of external professionals to secure appropriate specialist support and funding, ensuring that strategies are carefully tailored to meet each child's individual needs. This inclusive approach effectively meets the needs of disadvantaged children, those currently or previously known to children's social care, and those facing additional barriers to learning and wellbeing.
Parents are fully engaged as partners in their children's learning through regular, purposeful meetings with staff. They speak positively about the high level of support provided for both their children and their families. Parents have a clear understanding of the targeted interventions in place and how these contribute to children's progress. Leaders prioritise high-quality professional development, ensuring staff access a wide range of training to continually strengthen their knowledge and practice. Leaders make effective use of local network groups to evaluate, share and refine practice. Insightful partnerships with nurseries and schools further support smooth and well-planned transitions as children move on to their next stage of learning.
Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
Staff provide a welcoming environment to give children opportunities to explore and learn and demonstrate a generally good understanding of the setting's curriculum intent. They support sequenced learning and children's next steps. Staff support children's communication and language and introduce vocabulary through their daily conversations and using stories and songs. They weave mathematical ideas into play and routines. Children attempt to make different shapes using their hands following an activity drawing around shapes, embedding mathematical learning. Staff plan the curriculum outdoors to meet the needs of all children, supporting their physical development and coordination.
Staff promote the development of fine motor skills through using various-sized equipment for pouring and filling, and mark making in water play. For example, children show delight in using different-sized brushes and rollers to make marks on the wall with water and bubbles, then splashing in the puddles. Children benefit from meaningful interactions that positively impact the progress they make from their starting points. Staff adapt their approach well for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, at times, staff working with younger children do not consistently adapt the curriculum to engage children fully in their learning.
Achievement: Expected standard
Children are typically achieving well and are prepared for the next stage in their learning. Staff focus their teaching on the three prime areas, and this helps children build a solid foundation of knowledge and skills. Children use a range of vocabulary and are confident to talk through ideas and solve problems together. They are independent, enjoy exploring and are motivated and confident to try new things, displaying a real sense of achievement. At times though, some children lose focus in the activities available to them.
Children make progress in their physical development. For example, they balance on stepping stones and climb on tyres. Babies learn to roll, crawl and pull up to a standing position. This builds their confidence and resilience and gives them a sense of achievement when they succeed. Children, including disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who are known, or previously known, to children's social care, achieve well from their starting points to reach developmental goals through individual targeted plans. Staff update parents about children's progress in many ways, including an online platform, assessments and stay-and-play sessions.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard
Children behave well in the setting. They are polite and friendly and learn to share, take turns and cooperate with each other. Staff communicate clear expectations for the children. For example, children all hold on to a rope when they walk outside, only letting go when they get to the outdoor play area to ensure they are kept safe. Staff praise children to reinforce positive behaviour and build children's self-esteem. Occasionally, there are some minor inconsistencies in staff interaction with children, which does not always promote high levels of engagement in learning for some children.
Children develop a positive relationship with staff. For example, babies go to familiar staff for cuddles when tired or upset. Staff work well with parents to gain a thorough understanding of each child's routine and stage of development before they start. This supports children's transition into the setting and enables staff to plan activities that are tailored to children's individual interests and learning. Children have opportunities to develop their independence skills. For example, at snack and mealtimes, children help set the table and serve their food and drinks. Leaders appropriately follow up children's attendance and absences. This supports children's wellbeing and supports families to develop routines of regular attendance for children's learning. Leaders and staff work actively with families and professionals of those children who may face barriers to their attendance and learning.
Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard
Leaders create a safe, welcoming space where children typically enjoy play and learning. Staff offer a flexible routine to offer children time to explore activities and resources and take the lead in their learning. For example, children choose when they want to have their snack, so their play is not interrupted. However, at times, some children do not fully engage with the activities planned and occasionally wander around the setting. Effective settling-in procedures help children develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing. Staff effectively follow individual care routines for babies, such as sleeping and weaning routines. Key persons prioritise getting to know each individual child and their families, which supports secure relationships and children's emotional development.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported very well in the setting. Staff work closely with external professionals and parents to ensure children are valued and to promote engagement and inclusion. Children adopt healthy lifestyles. They participate in physical activities, such as jumping on stepping stones and climbing on obstacle courses outside. Children enjoy home-cooked meals and snacks and persevere in mastering self-help skills, for example when washing their hands and serving their own food. Staff plan activities to promote oral health. Children use toothbrushes and models of teeth to practise their brushing skills as staff read a book about cleaning teeth.
Leadership and governance: Expected standard
Leaders have a clear vision for providing high-quality care and education in the setting. They are passionate and reflective about providing the best service to children and their families and demonstrate a strong commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment. Effective partnership working with parents is extremely important to leaders and staff. Staff work closely with parents and provide regular feedback to ensure parents know what their children are doing and understand their next steps in learning.
Staff wellbeing is paramount. Staff benefit from regular supervisions and contact with leaders. Staff comment on the support they receive and the open-door policy at the setting. This supports positive relationships and staff morale and contributes to effective teamwork. Leaders monitor practice through room observations, peer observations and evaluating children's assessment. Leaders know the strengths and identify some areas for development. For example, recent forest school training has led to increased opportunities for children to be curious and investigative when playing outside. While leaders prioritise continued professional development, there is scope to tailor this more precisely to the individual needs of staff to ensure all have a secure understanding of the curriculum and how to adapt this, particularly for the younger children.
What the setting must and should do next
The provider should:
- Leaders should support staff working with younger children, so they understand the curriculum well and can provide effective interactions that keep children focused and engaged.
Ofsted's words, from the report on the inspection on 11 November 2025. Read the full report on the Ofsted website. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Inspection history
Ofsted report cards (England, from November 2025)
Since 10 November 2025 Ofsted has graded nurseries and pre-schools on a report card. There is no single overall grade. Instead, each of six areas gets one of five grades: Exceptional, Strong standard, Expected standard, Needs attention, Urgent improvement.
The six areas are inclusion; curriculum and teaching; achievement; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; children's welfare and wellbeing; leadership and governance. Safeguarding is judged on its own, as met or not met.
Expected standard means the setting does what Ofsted expects of every setting. Strong standard and Exceptional are above that; Needs attention and Urgent improvement mean Ofsted found things the setting has to put right.
Source: Ofsted reports
Funded childcare hours in England
All 3 and 4 year olds in England can get 15 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks of the year.
Working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years old can get 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year (Free Childcare for Working Parents), if they meet the earnings rules. You confirm your details every 3 months.
Some 2 year olds can get 15 hours a week when the family gets certain kinds of extra support.
The hours are used at a registered provider that offers them, so ask each nursery how it offers the funded hours.
Source: GOV.UK: Free Childcare for Working Parents, check if you're eligible · GOV.UK: Free childcare and education for 2 to 4 year olds (checked 31 October 2026)
Other nurseries nearby
- Little Rainbows Nursery - Day nursery, Wallsend NE28 6HB, ages 1 to 4, 0.1 milesOfsted, 28 March 2024: Inadequate overall; safeguarding is not effective
- Shooting Stars Wallsend - Day nursery, Wallsend NE28 6TD, ages 0 to 4, 90 places, 0.2 milesOfsted, 11 April 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Kids Planet Wallsend - Day nursery, wallsend NE28 7NE, ages 0 to 8, 120 places, 0.3 milesOfsted, 5 August 2025: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
- Footprints Day Nursery Wallsend - Day nursery, Wallsend NE28 8RH, ages 0 to 10, 100 places, 0.5 milesOfsted, 13 October 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Shining Stars - Day nursery, Wallsend NE28 8QL, ages 2 to 9, 32 places, 0.6 milesOfsted, 21 January 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Schools nearby
- Carville Academy - Primary, 0.3 miles
- Richardson Dees Primary School - Primary, 0.4 miles
- Western Community Primary School - Primary, 0.6 miles
- Burnside College - Secondary, 0.6 miles
- St Peter's Church of England Primary School - Primary, 0.7 miles