Shooting Stars Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Parents speak very highly of this friendly and caring nursery. They talk about how staff take time to listen to them and listen to their concerns, no matter how small. Children are very happy in the nursery. Staff have reviewed how they settle children into the nursery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Children now have more visits to help them to settle. They develop very good relationships with staff. For example, older children thoroughly enjoy looking at books with their key person. They laugh and giggle as staff pretend to look at books themselves to increase children's motivation. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) demonstrate that they feel safe in the nursery. For example, they doze off to sleep as their key person strokes their cheek.

Staff have high expectations for what children can achieve, overall. Older children learn a range of skills, such as writing their name and understanding how to form letters. Children behave well, overall. They have a very good understanding of the rules of the nursery. Children quickly respond when staff remind them of their expectations.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• The manager and her staff are clear about what they intend children to learn. They have thought carefully about how they can develop children's learning. For example, staff working with babies provide resources to encourage babies to roll over. They also provide resources, such as tunnels, to develop children's physical skills. During the inspection, children became noticeably more confident as they approached and crawled through the tunnel.
• Children enjoy a range of freshly cooked meals. The cook ensures that children receive a balanced diet with appropriate fruit and vegetables, as well as vitamins and minerals. Parents are delighted that staff respond quickly to their children's specific dietary preferences.
• Children enjoy stories. Staff read books throughout the day with good expression. Two-year-old children listen and join in with familiar refrains as they listen to the story 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. Babies look at board books and explore textures of books with their key person.
• Children with SEND make very good progress. Staff have clear plans for what they want children to achieve. They work well with other professionals to ensure that they provide children with clear, targeted support. For example, staff provide opportunities for babies to practise skills such as pulling themselves up.
• Staff working with babies take time to help them to develop skills such as making eye contact. During the inspection, staff demonstrate excellent eye contact as they watch babies and make clicking noises with their tongue. Babies respond well, watching the member of staff intently, and smiling and laughing as they make the noises.
• Staff support babies' language well, overall. For example, they use single words to help children to learn the names of fruit. However, occasionally, staff use questions and longer sentences when talking to them. This does not consistently help children to expand their vocabularies.
• Older children generally concentrate well. For example, they are highly engaged as they explore numbers with staff. Children count accurately and pick the corresponding number to match number to quantity as they play in the water or read books together. However, sometimes, staff working with older children do not use effective strategies to calm children down during less structured times in the routine. For example, older children are excited as they beat the timer to tidy up. Children start to run around and struggle to concentrate during story time because of this.
• The manager and her deputy make a strong leadership team. They have clear areas for development. Recent improvements have had a positive impact. Parents comment on how they have noticed real improvements recently. They particularly like the improved communication with parents and the gymnastic sessions offered for older children.
• The manager and her deputy have implemented a rigorous programme of professional development. They clearly link professional development to improving practice. For example, staff working with two-year-old children are currently updating their knowledge of patterns in young children's play. Following recent training, staff have reviewed snack time.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more opportunities for babies to express themselves and expand their vocabularies
• help older children to concentrate, particularly during less structured times, such as changes in routines.