URN 2589995 · Inspected 2026-06-09 · Published 2026-07-27 · Inspector: Juliette Freeman
Little Rockets Day Nursery Unique reference number (URN): 2589995 Address: 71A Congleton Road, Biddulph, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST8 6EF Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 18/06/2020 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Morton, Krystle Wendy Inspection report: 9 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. Strong standard Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face other barriers to learning, know the routines well and understand expectations. Staff nurture a highly respectful, happy and caring environment, and this supports positive behaviour and strong relationships. Children show consideration for others, negotiate between themselves and play alongside each other harmoniously. This helps prepare them for school. Staff role model positive behaviour, and they help children to express their feelings and emotions. Staff skilfully recognise when children need quiet time and space to self-regulate and quickly provide these opportunities. Children are encouraged to join in and are interested to take part in activities. They choose favourite toys and resources and play well alongside their friends. This includes children with SEND and those who face other barriers to learning. Leaders and staff expertly maintain close partnerships with parents. They regularly discuss children's progress and development with them, inviting them in to chat or making contact through an online app. Leaders promote the importance of good attendance and punctuality with parents so that children achieve well. Leaders know children and their family circumstances very well. They are flexible in accommodating families' individual needs, and this further supports children's good attendance. They offer a wide range of support and advice to parents to help them get any assistance they need. Inclusion Strong standard Leaders and staff are deeply committed to inclusion. This is particularly evident in their proactive vision for supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Skilled and knowledgeable staff identify children's needs very quickly and seek support, additional funding and expert advice promptly and in the best interests of all children and their families. While all children access all areas within the nursery, leaders have also provided a thoughtfully considered, carefully planned dedicated space for children where there are barriers to learning. This means that children can regulate their emotions and engage in specifically targeted play activities. Leaders and staff successfully adapt the environment and routine to suit children's individual needs. They provide those children who need more time the space and support they require. Leaders have high aspirations for all children. They maintain open, friendly, professional and positive partnerships with all families, including families of children with SEND and those who face barriers to learning. This helps them to successfully understand individual needs and help every child achieve. Close partnerships with other professionals help secure children's consistent progress. Leaders and staff work tirelessly to partner up with other services and experts to ensure that children access any additional support they need. Expected standard Achievement Expected standard Children are confident learners and typically enjoy their play and learning at this nursery. They are generally motivated to learn, and they make progress in their development. Children listen carefully and with interest to instructions and are focused on the range of activities on offer to them. They chat with their friends and negotiate as they play alongside each other. Babies explore and investigate with their senses and develop confidence with the caring support of their key person. The sound of children's voices singing familiar rhymes and songs joyfully fills the nursery. Babies hear staff singing songs and listen with fascination as they move in time with the rhythm. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning, are prepared for their next stage of learning. Children's transitions from room to room are thoughtfully considered, and staff take time to settle children, so they are happy and content. Older children enjoy activities that prepare them in good time for their move to school. This helps children understand new routines and learn new skills ready for the next stage in their education journey. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Staff build caring relationships with babies and children and support their individual needs well. This helps them feel secure, safe and ready to learn. Those caring for babies follow their care and sleep routines carefully to ensure consistency. Babies are nurtured as they explore the familiar baby room, reaching for favourite toys or snuggling in with staff for a story. Leaders and staff make sure that safe sleep procedures are in line with requirements. Children's independence and confidence is typically supported well. Babies learn to feed themselves, while older children independently wash their hands when they need to and competently use knives and forks at lunchtime. Children generally have a range of opportunities to develop their physical skills as they climb across large tree stumps, lift logs up to see the bugs underneath or ride wheeled toys. Babies use furniture and soft play to pull themselves up to standing. All children have frequent opportunities throughout the day to enjoy fresh air and exercise. They learn how to stay safe outdoors as they take turns to jump off the tree stumps. They know the importance of washing their hands after letting a woodlouse crawl across the palms of their hands. Children thoroughly enjoy the freshly prepared, home-cooked and nutritious meals provided. They begin to understand about being healthy as they chat with staff about healthy vegetables. Procedures ensure that children with allergies are safe. Staff sit with children during mealtimes to ensure their safety as they eat. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders implement a well-considered, thoughtful and inclusive curriculum that brings together their aims and intentions effectively. Leaders and staff share ambitious goals for children and have a secure understanding of what they want children to learn. The curriculum covers all areas of learning and is sequenced to help all children build on their development and skills. This includes those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or where there are other barriers to learning. There is a focus on learning through play, and adults plan additional activities to support skills such as using scissors, making marks with crayons or using simple mathematical words as they fill containers with water. Leaders and staff plan a learning environment that is generally well thought out. However, there are not enough opportunities for children to become more deeply involved in their play, develop their own ideas consistently or problem-solve and think critically. Those caring for babies sing with them often, support them to explore new experiences and share books together. They encourage them to look at a favourite book and to feel the textures while introducing simple words. Staff introduce older children to initial sounds in words as they attempt to write their names on their drawing of a dinosaur. On occasion, staff do not introduce new words to children or pronounce words correctly. This means children's vocabulary is not extended or developed consistently. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders reflect continually on the provision for children and families to ensure that it meets their needs. They have recently invested in expanding the nursery, with a new pre-school room and a hub to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff are supported to develop their knowledge and skills as they typically access a range of training and professional development opportunities. Leaders identify specific training needs through regular meetings with staff, and this helps to ensure that staff access a range of targeted training. The well-established staff team works collaboratively together to ensure that all children enjoy a range of learning experiences in a caring environment. New staff benefit from a comprehensive induction to ensure that they understand their roles and responsibilities right from the start. Staff feel supported by leaders and value the open-door policy, which encourages daily communication and discussion. Partnerships with parents are typically well embedded, and leaders and staff maintain an open flow of communication with them. Parents are happy with the dedicated care, attention and support their children receive. Leaders and staff use a digital app for two-way communication about daily activities, children's learning and care routines information. They make sure they speak with all parents every day to provide an overview of what children have enjoyed during their day. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has 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 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 are happy and confident at this welcoming nursery. They settle quickly, separate from parents with ease and keenly seek out their friends or familiar staff. Nurturing and attentive staff help children feel safe and secure. Children benefit from the close and responsive relationships staff build with them. They confidently seek out their key person for cuddles, to share news with them or to tell an exciting story to them. Leaders and staff recognise the importance of attendance in supporting children's learning and work closely with families to promote this. Inspector: Juliette Freeman Children are motivated and enthusiastic learners and enjoy the activities on offer to them. Staff supervise children well and join in with their play. Children persevere with challenging activities, for example as they think about how to transport water to fill up a water tray in the garden. They consider whether the containers are full or need a little more water added. This helps them extend their understanding of early mathematical ideas. Children develop their physical skills as they hop across the coloured stepping stones, moving backwards and forwards repeatedly until they are proficient. Their small physical skills are fostered as they hold various writing materials to draw pictures of their favourite dinosaurs or use chalks to make marks on the pavement in the garden. Babies pull themselves up on soft-play resources and develop their balance skills. Children achieve consistently well from their starting points. Their communication and language development is generally well supported. Babies happily sway along to nursery rhymes being sung to them by staff. Children enthusiastically sing along to favourite songs and rhymes, joining in with the actions alongside staff. The sound of children singing is frequent throughout the day and is obviously a well-embedded part of their nursery experience. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning receive targeted, sensitive support. For example, children access a range of sensory activities and resources specifically planned for them in the hub as part of their individual play plans. Having this dedicated space that they can access throughout the day helps them self-regulate and join in at their own pace. Next steps Leaders should ensure that learning activities across the nursery support children to become deeply involved in their play, develop their own ideas and think critically. Leaders should develop staff's knowledge of how to broaden the range of vocabulary children hear, including new and correctly pronounced words and phrases. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs coordinator, parents and children 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. About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2589995 Address: 71A Congleton Road Biddulph Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire ST8 6EF Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 18/06/2020 Registered person: Morton, Krystle Wendy Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR 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 9 June 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 1 to 10 Total number of places 72 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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