URN 2509660 · Inspected 2026-04-28 · Published 2026-06-16 · Inspector: Mikaela Stallard Trisha Turney
Shooting Stars Nurseries Kings Norton Unique reference number (URN): 2509660 Address: Barbara Hart House, 132 Monyhull Hall Road, Birmingham, B30 3QJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 12/12/2018 Registers: EYR Registered person: My Shooting Stars Nurseries Ltd Inspection report: 28 April 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Needs attention Safeguarding standards not met Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that adequately protects children from harm. For example, leaders do not always follow essential procedures, such as making referrals to the appropriate agencies to safeguard children in their care. They do not ensure that relevant individuals within the organisation are informed, which means there is a lack of effective oversight. Furthermore, leaders have failed to maintain clear safeguarding records. This means that there is no record to show actions taken and/or decisions made. These breaches place children at ongoing risk of harm. Leaders have not ensured that all staff, including agency staff, can clearly explain the procedures for reporting safeguarding concerns or the actions they should take if leaders do not respond appropriately. As a result, staff do not have a secure understanding of their responsibilities to protect children. How we evaluate safeguarding When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes: 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. Achievement Needs attention Not all children are prepared for their next stage of learning because staff do not consistently implement the curriculum well. For example, some children are seen walking around aimlessly without focus or purposeful interaction. When children walk around upset or lie on the floor crying because staff have not responded to their needs or preferences, this directly affects the progress they can make. Children become anxious, which does not help them to engage in the activities on offer. There are some staff who do not know children well enough to support them effectively, and, therefore, teaching is not always tailored effectively to children's stages of development. For example, there are some children who have limited language. However, staff encourage these children to say complex words before they have securely developed basic words and sounds. This negatively impacts children's communication development. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention Leaders do not do enough to enhance the quality of teaching so that every child is supported to remain highly engaged in their learning. For instance, staff do not always identify those children who are wandering around, nor do they respond effectively to promote their engagement. When staff notice children who appear unsettled, they hold out their hands to offer comfort. However, when children walk away, staff turn around and continue to engage with the other children. This shows that they do not always adapt their responses to meet children's emotional needs. This can impact children's positive sense of belonging and their relationships with staff. Leaders do identify children who are not fully engaged or who appear upset, and they intervene promptly. As a result, children are later seen to be more settled and engaged. Staff are not always flexible in adapting routines to support children's individual interests. For example, when children show a clear desire to go outdoors alongside their peers, staff do not support children to make this possible. This results in children becoming upset. Leaders identify that staff do not always engage children well during changes in routine. They are working to strengthen practice in this area. Leaders ensure that parents and carers are aware of the available funding and support them with funding applications. They work closely with parents and the local authority to overcome funding barriers. This helps to promote children's attendance. Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention Leaders do not have sufficient oversight of how staff support children's welfare and wellbeing. Consequently, some staff do not respond appropriately or adapt routines to meet children's individual needs. For example, when children say they need to use the toilet, some staff tell them that they have just been and delay their opportunity to go. Although they eventually allow children to go, the challenge causes children distress. Staff do not always identify children who are upset. However, leaders are quick to identify those children who are unsettled and respond swiftly to meet their emotional needs. Where practice is stronger, staff meet children's needs well. For example, when babies become tired, staff respond promptly by offering them comfort. Children learn to independently pour their own drinks, and staff support them to take turns with their peers. Children say 'my turn' when their peers have finished, demonstrating their understanding. Staff praise children by saying 'good job', acknowledging their efforts. This positively supports children's emotional wellbeing and sense of achievement. Children enjoy engaging socially at mealtimes, including babies who sit at the table together with staff who supervise them accordingly. This helps to keep babies safe. Children sing a song when using the stairs, which helps them to remember to hold the handrail. This helps to promote children's safety and independence. Curriculum and teaching Needs attention Although leaders' intentions for the curriculum are clear and appropriate, not all children receive the same opportunities as their peers to access a broad and ambitious curriculum. This leads to children's experiences being variable. Staff do not consistently adapt routines to reflect children's interests. For example, snack time takes precedence over some children's needs, despite the clear distress the rigid routine causes them. This does not promote children's emotional wellbeing. Some staff who work directly with children do not have secure knowledge of child development or what children already know and can do. As a result, teaching is not always well planned or appropriately matched to children's stages of development. For instance, Urgent improvement some mathematical activities focus on counting skills that children are not yet developmentally ready for. This limits children's success and engagement. The baby room is a strength of the setting. All staff understand what babies need to learn and how to support their early development. For example, staff support babies to roll cars along tracks while modelling simple words to promote early language development. Children engage well with books and activities that intentionally support their language and physical development, such as singing songs that have actions. Inclusion Needs attention Leaders can explain their clear vision for inclusion and state that they want all children to be seen and heard. However, this vision is not reflected in practice. For example, staff do not always recognise when children become upset or disengaged in their learning, nor do they respond appropriately to support them. As a result, some children do not benefit from activities or routines. However, when leaders identify this, they act promptly to help children re-engage. For example, they support children to take part in outdoor play, where they play alongside their peers, showing enjoyment and improved engagement. Leaders have not ensured that all staff know children well enough, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. For instance, not all staff are aware of which children receive targeted support. Consequently, staff do not consistently adapt their teaching or interactions to meet children's individual needs. This limits the support children receive and undermines leaders' inclusive intentions. Leaders identify children who would benefit from additional support. They meet with parents and carers and external professionals to agree appropriate strategies, which together they monitor. Leaders secure inclusion funding and purchase resources in advance, enabling children to access support without delay. Staff report that these resources positively support children's behaviour. Parents value staff's feedback about their children's learning and experiences. They say it helps them to better understand and support their children's feelings at home. Leadership and governance Urgent improvement Breaches of requirements have a significant impact on children's safety and wellbeing. Although leaders demonstrate a reflective and responsive approach and show a willingness to improve, weaknesses in current practices and procedures place children at risk of harm. For example, leaders do not follow essential safeguarding procedures when children make safeguarding disclosures. They do not always make referrals to the appropriate agencies to safeguard children. Furthermore, leaders do not maintain clear safeguarding records that show actions taken or decisions made. Leaders have not ensured that all staff, including agency staff, can clearly explain the procedures for reporting safeguarding concerns or the actions they should take if leaders do not respond appropriately. These breaches place children at ongoing risk of harm. Leaders have not ensured that staff consistently identify or respond to children's needs, such as when children become upset or disengaged in their learning. Staff do not yet adapt routines sufficiently to meet all children's interests, wellbeing and learning needs. For older children, the curriculum is not well sequenced or delivered in a way that ensures they build securely on prior learning. Additionally, not all staff know children well enough, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This has a negative impact on children's learning that is not always planned well and is, at times, incidental. Leaders recognise that staffing pressures affect the smooth running of the setting. They hold regular staff meetings with staff to discuss practice and provide staff with some training opportunities. Parents and carers speak positively about the setting and the support staff provide to their children, including the interventions in place to support children's behaviour. For example, staff have introduced a mini figure for children to care for. This helps to promote children's independence and provides them with a sense of responsibility and ownership. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children are at risk of harm because leaders do not constantly follow essential safeguarding procedures. For instance, when children make a disclosure, leaders do not consistently take appropriate action to safeguard children. Furthermore, leaders fail to maintain required safeguarding records. This means there is no clear evidence of decisions made, or actions taken to protect children. Some staff cannot clearly explain the procedures for reporting safeguarding concerns or the actions they should take if leaders fail to respond appropriately. This means children's safety cannot be assured. There are inconsistencies in teaching and learning. For example, not all children can access a broad, age-appropriate and ambitious curriculum. This is often because staff do not know children well enough to build on their existing knowledge, skills and interests. Children's engagement in their learning and emotional welfare is not constantly supported, and routines are not always adapted to meet their individual needs. For example, when children stand at the door crying because they want to go outside with their peers, staff do not recognise the need to adapt the routine. This does not help children to thrive in their learning. Where practice is stronger, children develop a positive sense of belonging. For example, babies are soothed to sleep by attentive and nurturing staff. They gain confidence in taking their first steps under close supervision, walking steadily up a ramp as staff gently remind them to hold on. Most children enjoy engaging in the activities on offer. They colour pictures with pencils and explore cutters and play dough, which supports their fine motor skills. They learn to name the colours with staff's support as they make a flower. Children of all ages enjoy sharing stories with staff, which supports a love of books. For instance, babies point to familiar pictures, smile and babble, promoting early language development. Children build houses using sticks, straws and bricks as staff model language and ask them questions to build on their interests and extend their language. Next steps The provider is not meeting the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action. We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to have taken the following actions by the assigned date: Action Completion Date ensure leaders understand their responsibilities to report all concerns about a child's safety and welfare to the relevant agencies 20/05/2026 ensure all staff, including agency staff, have clear knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures, ensuring they understand which agencies their concerns need to be reported to 20/05/2026 ensure confidential records relating to children are accurately maintained and easily accessible 20/05/2026 strengthen staff interactions with children, ensuring staff identify and respond promptly to children's needs, such as when children become upset and disengaged in their learning 20/05/2026 To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date: Action Completion Date ensure that children have access to a broad, age- appropriate and ambitious curriculum through high- quality teaching 10/06/2026 Inspectors: Mikaela Stallard Trisha Turney About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2509660 Address: Barbara Hart House 132 Monyhull Hall Road Birmingham B30 3QJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 12/12/2018 Registered person: My Shooting Stars Nurseries Ltd Action Completion Date ensure all staff gain sufficient knowledge of children to enable them to build on children's existing knowledge and skills 10/06/2026 ensure staff are flexible in adapting routines to support children's individual interests, learning and wellbeing 10/06/2026 About this inspection The inspectors spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator, agency staff, children and parents and carers during the 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. We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this. Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Birmingham Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 28 April 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 93 Our grades explained Exceptional Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it. Strong standard The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them. 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. Needs attention The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements. Urgent improvement The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects 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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