Shooting Stars Nursery

Conversation, signing and outdoor play give Shooting Stars Nursery in Batley its character. Children discussed earthquakes, explored water and soil, and practised balancing and riding bikes in March 2026. These are useful examples of learning through talk, movement and hands-on exploration.

At its 3 March 2026 inspection, Ofsted assessed all six evaluation areas at Expected standard and found safeguarding standards met. Teaching still needed to stretch the most able children more consistently, while staff development needed closer tailoring to individual practitioners.

The nursery has capacity for 64 children aged 0 to 60 months.

The early years foundation stage covers children's learning, development and care: here, its March 2026 examples included learning mathematical language through play and practising communication through books and songs. Shape, size and number became part of everyday activities indoors and outside. That gives abstract ideas something concrete to attach to.

Makaton signing supported communication in March 2026, with staff using signs alongside visual prompts to help children understand routines. Songs, stories and new vocabulary during puzzles provided other routes into language. Children could participate through gestures as well as speech.

Outdoor activity included bikes, balancing equipment and jumping practice that month. Small toys and mark-making also gave children opportunities to exercise their hands. Sharing play dough and taking turns with puzzles brought social learning into ordinary play, rather than leaving it as a separate lesson.

At the March 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received specialist-linked support and individual plans, but leaders did not fully assess the effect of additional funding or involve parents collaboratively in decisions about spending and next steps. This matters because support at nursery and at home needs a shared direction.

In March 2026, staff reviewed individual targets and worked with professionals, including physiotherapists and social workers. Visual prompts helped children follow routines, while books about emotions supported children who found expressing feelings difficult. Parents received updates, although the decision-making weakness remained material.

Meals and snacks were healthy in March 2026, and staff sat with children to discuss food and model manners. Children with medical or additional needs received careful supervision while eating.

The address is 18 Wilson Wood Street, Batley, WF17 7LE. The nursery operates across the year and closes on Bank Holidays. Its total capacity describes the whole setting, rather than the number of children sharing an activity or room.

• Stretch for confident learners. In March 2026, activities did not consistently take the most able children's thinking further. Look for examples of how staff extend an activity once a child has mastered its starting point.
• Shared support decisions. March 2026 findings identified insufficient parental involvement in additional-funding decisions and next steps. Families needing individual support should explore how they will contribute to targets and reviews.
• Attendance arrangements. With year-round operation and Bank Holiday closures, ask which opening hours and booking patterns would apply to your child's place.

Shooting Stars suits families who value language-rich play, signing and active outdoor experiences. Its March 2026 account offers concrete examples of children learning to communicate, cooperate and manage everyday tasks independently. The main reservations concern extending learning and making individual support a more collaborative process with parents. Those deserve as much attention as the activities themselves.