Little Stars Childcare Leek Beresford

Little Stars Childcare Leek Beresford
Unique reference number (URN): 2778006
Address: Staffordshire County Council, Beresford Memorial C Of E First School, Novi Lane, Leek, ST13
6NR
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 23/01/2024
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Little Stars Childcare Staffordshire Limited
Inspection report: 15 April 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Expected standard
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 Expected standard
Children generally make progress across the areas of learning from their starting points.
They develop key skills, particularly in their personal, social and emotional development and
early communication, as they play and interact with others. For example, children engage in
role play, making links with their own experiences as they pretend to cook and serve food.
They gain an understanding of the world and social development.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to
learning are, in the main, supported to make progress. They benefit from targeted support
and adapted approaches which help them to develop important skills and engage in learning
alongside their peers.
Older children develop some of the skills they need for their next stage of learning, including
early mark making, counting and recognising familiar sounds. However, progress across all
areas is not always consistently built on through precisely planned experiences. As a result,
some children do not always deepen their knowledge and skills as securely over time.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
In the main, leaders set clear, inclusive expectations for behaviour and children respond
positively to these. Children develop secure relationships with staff, who are warm and
attentive. Staff help children to understand daily routines. For example, in the toddler room,
staff use visual prompts to help children recognise what they have just completed and what
they will be doing next.
Leaders and staff promote positive attitudes to learning and children are typically motivated
to explore, particularly in the outdoor environment where they are active and engaged.
Children demonstrate curiosity and enjoyment as they take part in a range of experiences.

However, leaders have not identified that the organisation of some aspects of lunchtime
routines, particularly for older children, results in extended waiting times. This means
opportunities to maximise every moment of the day for learning are not always fully realised.
Leaders recognise the importance of attendance and generally promote this well. They track
children's attendance closely and take proactive steps to maintain regular patterns. For
example, they organise attendance across the week to reduce gaps between sessions and
maintain continuity for children.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing and typically ensure that care practices
meet children's individual needs. Children develop secure attachments with staff, who know
them well and respond sensitively during daily routines, such as feeding, sleeping and
nappy changing. This helps children to feel safe, settled and supported in their environment.
Leaders and staff support children's physical health and wellbeing through appropriate
routines and care practices. For example, they work closely with families to meet children's
dietary and medical needs, adapting provision, where necessary. Staff support children to
develop independence in their self care, such as feeding themselves and managing simple
routines. Leaders and staff promote healthy practices, including supporting oral hygiene,
encouraging children to stay hydrated and following hygiene routines to minimise the spread
of infection.
Leaders ensure that children with additional or complex needs receive appropriate care and
support. They ensure that staff are trained to meet children's specific medical needs. Staff
follow clear care plans and apply this knowledge in practice, helping to ensure children's
safety and inclusion. Leaders work with other professionals and families to support
children's wellbeing and development.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders and staff have an overview of the curriculum and generally understand what they
want children to learn. They plan experiences that reflect children's interests, such as linking
mark making to stories or sensory play. However, the use of observations and assessment
is not yet precise enough to consistently inform planning and teaching. Therefore, learning
experiences do not consistently build on what children already know and can do over time,
including for those who may need additional support.
Staff interact positively with children and typically enhance their play through commentary,
modelling and joining in. In the toddler room, staff use interactive learning experiences and
interventions to introduce and reinforce language. They encourage children to use words,
such as stop, go, fast and pop, during play. In the main, teaching supports children's
development across the areas of learning, particularly through opportunities for physical
development and early communication. It is generally inclusive of children's differing needs.
Leaders provide environments that offer choice and opportunities to explore. Outdoor areas
are generally well planned and engaging, supporting children's motivation and involvement.
However, staff do not always plan and organise the learning environment to consistently

provide clear progression across all areas of learning, particularly as children get older. At
times, resources and experiences are not used with sufficient intent to build on children's
prior knowledge. As a result, there is a reduced focus on maximising every moment for
learning.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders create an inclusive environment. They typically identify and understand children's
needs. They generally use assessment information, including progress checks, alongside
ongoing observations to recognise where children may need additional support. They take
action to address identified needs. In the main, leaders and staff provide targeted support
for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities through individual plans and
coordinated input from external professionals. This helps to reduce barriers, such as
supporting children to develop their communication and physical skills. However, variability
in the precision of assessment means some children who need additional support do not
consistently receive sharply targeted input.
Leaders generally support disadvantaged children and those facing barriers to their learning
or wellbeing, through flexible approaches. Leaders use funding, such as early years pupil
premium, to help reduce barriers, improve children's experiences, increase access to
sessions and provide tailored support. They typically make adjustments to attendance
patterns and offer additional hours where needed, helping children to attend more regularly.
Leaders support children known to social care through partnership working with other
agencies, careful monitoring and clear recording. They ensure that children's needs are
understood and responded to sensitively. Leaders ensure that staff have access to relevant
training and guidance to meet children's needs.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders generally demonstrate an understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for
development. They reflect on practice and have identified priorities, such as developing the
outdoor environment, strengthening planning 'in the moment' and improving staff's
confidence. However, leaders' monitoring and evaluation are not yet sufficiently precise to
ensure that identified priorities consistently lead to improvements in teaching and children's
learning over time. This includes ensuring that assessment is used sharply enough to inform
planning and that staff consistently use the learning environment and routines with clear
intent to support progression.
Leaders support staff wellbeing and consider workload in their decision making. They
provide regular supervision and opportunities for staff to discuss their wellbeing and focus
on team building across settings to support staff during periods of change. Staff benefit from
a range of professional development opportunities, including training linked to teaching and
learning, such as early communication approaches and specialist baby-room practice.
Leaders ensure that training is relevant to children's needs.
Leaders work in partnership with families and the wider community. They respond to the
needs of the local community and take practical steps to reduce barriers for families. For
example, they offer additional sessions, adapting attendance patterns and provide access to

resources, such as food and clothing. Leaders work closely with other professionals and
agencies to support children and families, particularly those facing challenges.
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 arrive to a warm and welcoming environment where staff know them well and
respond sensitively to their needs. Babies and toddlers form secure relationships with staff,
who offer reassurance, encouragement and close attention during play and care routines.

This helps children feel safe and confident to explore their surroundings. Children and
babies choose and move freely between indoors and outdoors, returning to familiar adults
for comfort and interaction, showing a secure sense of belonging.
Children generally enjoy their play and are motivated by the experiences available to them,
particularly outdoors where the environment is engaging and well organised. They explore
with curiosity, such as making marks in sensory materials, climbing or using ride-on toys.
Staff interact positively with children, joining their play and supporting them to explore ideas
further. Through these experiences, children develop their physical skills and coordination.
They begin to understand cause and effect through filling, pouring and experimenting with
materials.
Children develop friendships and enjoy playing alongside one another. Pre-school children
gather mark-making resources and choose to sit together on the floor, sharing ideas as they
explore early writing. They begin to share and take turns, responding to simple expectations,
such as tidying away. Babies and toddlers show growing independence as they find their
own belongings and attempt to dress themselves. They follow familiar routines and show
understanding of what happens next in the day.
Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive
personalised care and attention that supports their individual needs. They benefit from
coordinated support that helps them to overcome barriers, such as developing their physical
skills and communication. As a result, children typically make progress from their starting
points and develop the skills they need for their next stage of learning.
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen the use of observations and assessment so staff consistently
use what they know about children to inform planning and build on children's prior
learning over time.
Leaders should enhance the planning of the learning environment to ensure clear
progression in learning experiences that build on children's development across all areas
of learning.
Leaders should review and adapt daily routines, particularly at lunch time, to minimise
waiting times and maximise children's engagement, independence and learning
throughout the day.
Leaders should strengthen monitoring and evaluation of staff's practice to identify
inconsistencies promptly and ensure actions lead to improved teaching and better
outcomes for children over time.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, special educational needs coordinators, children,
parents and carers during the inspection.

Inspector:
Anne Dyoss
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2778006
Address:
Staffordshire County Council
Beresford Memorial C Of E First School, Novi Lane
Leek
ST13 6NR
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 23/01/2024
Registered person: Little Stars Childcare Staffordshire Limited
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 15 April 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 11
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.

Total number of places
36
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.
If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,
please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.
You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium,
under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy
Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email:
psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.
This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk.

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information
and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn.
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
T: 0300 123 1231
Textphone: 0161 618 8524
E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk
W: www.gov.uk/ofsted
© Crown copyright 2026
© Crown copyright