Seabridge Little Stars Childcare

Seabridge Little Stars Childcare
Unique reference number (URN): 2798021
Address: The Bungalow, Seabridge School Grounds, Roe Lane, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 3PJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 01/07/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Little Stars (Westlands) Ltd
Inspection report: 8 June 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
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.
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.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children generally make progress from their starting points and develop knowledge and
skills across the areas of learning. Babies develop increasing confidence in their
communication and understanding of familiar routines. Children who face barriers to their
learning and development typically make progress because they receive targeted support
that helps them participate in daily experiences.
Children develop positive relationships with others and learn how to play alongside and with
their peers. Younger children seek out older peers to join their play and offer resources,
while older children respond positively and engage in shared experiences. Children
demonstrate developing social skills, such as sharing, taking turns and showing
consideration for others. Babies happily play alongside one another and engage in shared
experiences with increasing confidence.
Children are generally developing the age- and stage-appropriate knowledge and skills
needed for their next stage of learning. Progress is not consistently maximised for all
children because learning priorities are not always identified with sufficient precision and
some daily routines do not consistently support children's learning as effectively as possible.
As a result, opportunities to accelerate children's progress are not always fully realised.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders have established generally positive expectations for behaviour, attitudes and
routines. Children understand what is expected of them and typically respond well to familiar
routines throughout the day. Positive relationships between staff and children help create a
calm environment where children feel secure and ready to engage in learning.
Children generally demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They show curiosity, generally
engage in activities and develop increasing confidence in making choices and participating
in daily experiences. Staff use personalised approaches to help children understand
routines and expectations, enabling children who face barriers to learning and development
to participate alongside their peers.
Leaders promote the importance of attendance and work closely with families where
concerns arise. For example, they adapt attendance arrangements where needed to help
children access the setting successfully. This generally helps children attend regularly and
benefit from the opportunities available to them.
Staff do not consistently organise some daily routines as effectively as possible to support
children's engagement, learning and wellbeing. For example, aspects of registration, group
times and mealtimes are not always adapted sufficiently to children's age and stage of
development. Babies typically access outdoor experiences later in the day, resulting in
longer periods spent within the same learning environment before experiencing a change of

space and activity. As a result, routines do not consistently maximise children's engagement
and learning throughout the day.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders have established appropriate arrangements to support children's welfare and
wellbeing. Staff know children and their families well and generally work closely with parents
to understand children's individual needs and provide continuity of care. Personal care
routines are implemented sensitively and children's privacy and dignity are respected, such
as during toileting and nappy changing.
Staff and leaders support children's emotional wellbeing through warm and nurturing
relationships. They provide personalised approaches that help children, including those with
special educational needs and/or disabilities, feel secure and develop increasing
confidence. For example, staff provide some children with access to quieter spaces and
sensory resources that help them regulate their emotions and engage in learning, when they
experience difficulties. For example, they use visual prompts, mirrors and other personalised
strategies to help children recognise routines, understand expectations and communicate
their feelings and needs. Staff typically use these approaches to help children develop a
positive sense of self and participate confidently in daily experiences.
Leaders promote healthy lifestyles and work with families to support children's health and
wellbeing. They provide healthy meals, snacks and share information with parents about
healthy eating, oral health and other aspects of children's wellbeing. They also work with
families to address children's individual needs, such as feeding, weaning and toileting.
Leaders and staff help to provide a consistent approach between home and the setting.
Staff generally implement appropriate procedures to support children's care and wellbeing.
Staff understand about safe sleep, safer eating and implement effective hygiene practices.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have established a curriculum that generally reflects the needs of the children
attending the setting. Communication and language is a clear priority and staff typically use
stories, songs, conversations and play experiences to introduce language and develop
children's understanding of the world around them. For example, babies learn new
vocabulary through carefully chosen books, songs and sensory experiences linked to
current themes.
Staff generally use interactions effectively to support children's learning and development.
They weave mathematical concepts into teaching and children's play. For example, babies
join in with number rhymes using props, while older children explore quantity, sorting and
number value through practical resources and play experiences.
Staff generally adapt teaching and learning experiences to help children access the
curriculum. Targeted support, personalised resources and additional adult guidance through
one-to-one support help children engage in learning and develop important knowledge and
skills from their starting points. This typically helps children, including those with special

educational needs and/or disabilities, to participate in learning alongside their peers and
develop increasing independence.
While assessment information is collected and used to inform planning, next steps and
learning priorities are not always identified with sufficient precision. As a result, some
planned experiences are too broad and do not consistently focus on the most important
knowledge and skills children need to develop next. This means that opportunities to
maximise children's learning and progress are not always fully realised and embedded
across the setting.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders have established appropriate systems to identify children who face barriers to their
learning and development and generally work closely with families to understand their
individual needs. Staff typically gather information from parents, use assessments and
ongoing observations to plan support and secure additional help where required.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from targeted support that
is tailored to their individual needs. Leaders work effectively with external professionals,
including physiotherapists, the area special educational needs coordinator and educational
psychologists. Staff generally understand and implement agreed strategies and targets
throughout the day, helping children develop their communication, physical development
and independence skills. For example, they use visual supports and personalised resources
to help children understand routines and communicate their needs.
Leaders use additional funding appropriately to provide specialist resources, equipment and
targeted support. Funding is typically used for its intended purpose and helps to reduce
barriers to children's learning and development. Leaders have provided staff with training to
strengthen their understanding of communication and language development. Staff
implement targeted interventions and strategies to support children who experience delays
in this area. This generally helps children access learning alongside their peers and make
progress from their starting points.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have established a generally clear vision for the setting that focuses on children's
learning, wellbeing and inclusion. Staff understand this vision and typically implement it
through their day-to-day practice.
Leaders support staff to develop their knowledge and skills through professional
development opportunities. Staff report that they feel supported and valued and describe
positive working relationships with leaders and colleagues. A particular focus has been
placed on developing staff expertise in supporting children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities, and leaders continue to prioritise this area in response to the needs of
children attending the setting.
Leaders work closely with parents to support children's learning, development and
wellbeing. Ongoing discussions with families help staff understand children's individual
needs and agree consistent approaches. Parents value the meaningful discussions they

have with staff about their children's development and wellbeing. Leaders also work with
other settings to support children's transitions and continuity in learning.
Leaders do not strategically use information from their monitoring activities to provide a
shared understanding of strengths, priorities and improvement actions across the leadership
team. As a result, improvement planning does not consistently focus leaders' actions on the
areas that will have the greatest impact on children's experiences and learning.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children attend regularly and begin their day positively. Older children eagerly access the
outdoor environment, where well-organised resources encourage exploration, physical
activity and imaginative play. They quickly become absorbed in their chosen activities and
interact positively with their friends and staff. Babies enjoy sensory experiences, such as
exploring sticky spaghetti and crunchy cereal, where they investigate different textures and
materials.
Children settle well into the setting and develop a sense of belonging. Warm interactions
with staff help children feel safe, secure and valued. Family connections are made
successfully. Children benefit from familiar routines, nurturing relationships and carefully
managed transitions, which help them feel confident in their environment. For example,
when they first start at the setting, they receive gradual settling-in arrangements tailored to
their individual needs. Children who initially find separation from their families difficult
become increasingly secure and happy to attend. They grow in confidence as they learn
what to expect from the day and build trusting relationships with staff and their peers.
Children who face barriers to their learning and development benefit from personalised
approaches that help them participate fully in daily experiences and make progress from
their starting points.
Children develop a positive interest in books and stories. Books are readily available and
frequently chosen as part of their play. Children independently explore books and take them
to share with staff, they show enjoyment as they listen to familiar stories. Stories and related
resources are chosen specifically by staff to help children develop new vocabulary and
knowledge. For example, babies learn about animals through books, songs and play
experiences that encourage them to recognise animal names, sounds and features.

Inspector:
Anne Dyoss
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2798021
Address:
The Bungalow, Seabridge School Grounds
Roe Lane
Newcastle
Staffordshire
ST5 3PJ
Children develop positive social skills and enjoy learning alongside one another. Friendships
are developing and children show consideration for others. The positive guidance provided
by staff helps children learn how to take turns, share and interact respectfully with others.
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen daily routines so that learning opportunities are maximised
throughout the day and all children can benefit from experiences that are precisely
matched to their age, stage of development and learning needs.
Leaders should enhance the use of assessment and observations so that children's next
steps identify their most important developmental priorities and are used consistently to
inform precise planning and teaching.
Leaders should extend monitoring and evaluation of practice so that they identify areas
requiring further development more accurately and take coordinated action to enhance
the quality of children's experiences and learning.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator,
children and parents 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.

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 01/07/2024
Registered person: Little Stars (Westlands) Ltd
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Staffordshire
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 8 June 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
Total number of places
24
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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