URN 2525201 · Inspected 2026-05-12 · Published 2026-06-29 · Inspector: Judith Rayner
Little Beans Playgroup Unique reference number (URN): 2525201 Address: Arnbrook Children's Centre, Bestwood Lodge Drive, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG5 8NE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 05/04/2019 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Little Beans Childcare Ltd Inspection report: 12 May 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Needs attention 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. Achievement Needs attention Some children generally make progress from their starting points and are beginning to develop the skills they need for their next stage of learning. Children's progress is not consistently supported by staff. Children commonly move from one activity to another as they broaden their experiences. However, due to the inconsistent teaching and engagement from staff, they do not focus or concentrate long enough to consolidate their learning at these activities. Overall, some, but not all, children demonstrate their growing confidence as they select toys of their choice during both inside and outside play. At times, these children demonstrate growing curiosity, resilience and exploration during their play. For example, during a play- dough activity, children practise learning about parts of their face. They point out the eyes and place the dough on the picture face cards. Some children are beginning to be more confident communicators. They say 'spider' and 'big' as they use magnifying glasses to explore insects. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention Staff do not consistently remind children of the playgroup's behavioural expectations. For example, staff remove resources from children, such as buckets, when they struggle to share. They do not help them to understand about sharing and taking turns. There are also inconsistencies in staff practice, for example helping children understand how to use slides safely. This means children are receiving mixed messages on how to use and share equipment appropriately. Leaders and staff are kind and caring with the children. They ensure that most children are included in the activities and experiences that are on offer. Staff help children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, feel involved. They are generally able to follow the routines consistently. Leaders and staff understand the impact that poor attendance can have on children's outcomes. They follow up any non-attendance and encourage parents to build on the importance of their children's regular attendance. All children are beginning to build trusting and respectful relationships with the staff. Children happily give and receive cuddles and, when upset, are reassured by staff. Staff make sure they provide a calm and harmonious environment for children to help them settle to sleep as part of the daily routines. Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention Leaders and staff do not ensure children's safety fully. They do not carry out effective risk assessments of the environment to minimise hazards to children. This is with particular regard to outdoor play equipment that has been damaged and poses a hazard to children. Leaders have not carefully planned or referred to nutritional guidance to help them provide appropriate meals and snacks. For example, children are provided with foods that are highly processed and high in salt, such as crisps. Clear routines, such as regular handwashing at mealtimes, are well embedded in practice. Staff help children who require extra support to understand routines as they visually demonstrate what handwashing means. Children quickly follow these instructions. Staff generally promote children's manners throughout daily routines and activities. For example, when children are provided with meals, staff encourage children to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Sometimes children are not supported by staff to help them understand the importance of remaining at the snack table. On occasion, some children leave the snack table to go and play and then return to the table to finish their food. Children who require sleep are closely watched by staff, who carry out safer sleeping practices to support children's wellbeing and safety. When children wake, staff provide lots of cuddles, reassurance and time for them to decide if they are ready for play or require more sleep. Staff work appropriately with parents to find out about all children's personal care routines and needs. These are respected and met appropriately by staff. Curriculum and teaching Needs attention Leaders have not thought carefully enough about how their curriculum is implemented to support all children's learning and development, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Additionally, across the playgroup, staff do not consistently provide high-quality interactions and engagement with all children. Staff do not consistently help children to remain focused in their learning and build on what they already know and can do. For example, during a sand activity, staff do not help children build on their knowledge of mathematical language. As children fill and empty buckets with sand, staff provide limited conversation. Consequently, not all children make good enough progress in their learning and development given their starting points. Staff plan some enjoyable activities and experiences, such as play dough and spaghetti with leaves and twigs. Children participate in these activities but not with a purpose to support their learning. Some staff do not engage with children to help them remain focused during their learning. Leaders and staff have a positive focus on ensuring children benefit from plenty of time outside to support their physical development and understanding of the world. Staff point out the aeroplanes in the sky to children, repeating the word 'aeroplane' for children to copy. Staff also encourage children to use watering cans to water the growing potatoes as children learn about what helps plants to grow. Inclusion Needs attention Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not consistently receive the support they need. While leaders take action to seek additional support and guidance from other professionals, they do not follow this up swiftly or consistently. The delay to implement strategies that offer targeted support prevents children making the swift progress they are capable of. Additionally, the lack of aspiration in the planned curriculum and inconsistencies in the quality of teaching further compromise children's ability to build on what they can do and learn new things at a greater pace. Staff complete assessments of children's progress from their observations of children and identify where children require further support. For example, they share these observations and assessments with parents. Leaders and staff encourage them to make use of additional support and guidance from other professionals, which benefits their children's care and welfare needs. Leadership and governance Needs attention Leaders understand what they want children to learn and have a clear vision for the intent of their curriculum. They are reflective and do seek to make improvements, such as offering further training for key staff roles and overall support for staff. However, due to recent staff and management changes, these are still being embedded, which currently impacts on the overall quality of care and education. Supervision sessions for staff do not focus enough on improving the delivery of an ambitious curriculum, effective planning of play for all children or promoting consistency in the quality of teaching. Consequently, this limits the progress some children make, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders actively check in on staff wellbeing and make sure their workload is manageable. Staff comment that they feel well supported by leaders. Positive partnerships with parents are established, as leaders and staff listen appropriately to parents and families. Leaders make referrals to local professionals when they have identified any emerging needs or support required for children and families. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has not met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met Voluntary Childcare Register requirements This setting has not met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Children's health and safety is not consistently ensured. Staff do not always complete thorough risk assessments to ensure children are safe when playing outdoors. Parts of a climbing frame with a slide are damaged, which is a hazard to children. Once identified, staff guide children to another safe outdoor play area. Some children are provided with meals that are not nutritious and therefore do not promote their health effectively. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or barriers to their learning, are not provided with an ambitious curriculum or supported in their learning well enough. Staff do not consistently engage with all children to support their language development. Children are not always helped to extend and build on what they already know or can do. They are not supported well enough to gain new skills. At times, some children struggle to understand how to share toys and take turns. Staff do not consistently help children to adhere to their behavioural expectations. Children arrive happily at this welcoming and friendly playgroup. They are fond of their key person and show they are pleased to see them. Staff are kind and caring with children. Children settle quickly into their designated rooms and explore a suitable range of activities and resources. Overall, children are happy and enjoy their time at the playgroup. Children's interests are generally respected by staff who plan some activities around their current interests, such as exploring insects. Older children show curiosity as they use magnifying glasses and resources to look at insects. Younger children practise developing their small- muscle skills as they manipulate play dough with their fingers. All children enjoy playing outside and run around with their friends. Children practise using their large-muscle skills as they climb up steps and come down the slide confidently. Overall, children are starting to develop some independence and make choices in their play. Next steps To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date: Action Completion Date ensure risk assessments of the environment are implemented effectively to minimise and reduce hazards to children, with particular regard to the outdoor play areas 15/05/2026 help staff to implement clear and consistent behavioural expectations and support children's understanding of these 22/05/2026 ensure that meals provided are healthy and promote children's health 15/05/2026 strengthen the coaching, monitoring and training of staff practice to improve teaching practice across the setting 22/05/2026 ensure staff implement the planned curriculum effectively and consistently, to ensure and support all children's individual next steps in learning 16/06/2026 strengthen staff practice to ensure there are consistently high-quality interactions across the setting, in particular to support children's communication and language development so all children make effective 16/06/2026 Inspector: Judith Rayner About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2525201 Address: Arnbrook Children's Centre Bestwood Lodge Drive, Arnold Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG5 8NE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 05/04/2019 Registered person: Little Beans Childcare Ltd Action Completion Date progress from their starting points and are well prepared for their next stage of learning ensure that ongoing support strategies for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are consistently maintained and monitored 16/06/2026 About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, 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. 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, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:45 - 17:30 Local authority: Nottinghamshire County Council Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 12 May 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 2 to 8 Total number of places 30 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. 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