Cheadle Preschool and Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are welcomed to the nursery by cheerful staff. Children show that they feel happy and safe as they get ready to part from parents and carers. Staff understand how children learn.

They plan experiences that stimulate children's curiosity and thinking. Babies use brushes and their hands to experience paint. Staff skilfully combine quiet supervision with timely encouragement.

They help babies to learn that paint is for making marks. Toddlers and pre-school children also learn actively. They find out about the properties of play putty when they squeeze, stretch and cut it.

All children, including those wi...th special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress in their learning.Parents say that managers and staff reassure and support them. They praise how well all of the staff know the children.

This is an outcome of the provider's intention to offer nursery provision that is homely and caring. Parents say that children like coming to nursery. They say that when they drive past the nursery at the weekend, children want to come in.

The atmosphere in the nursery is busy and purposeful. Children have time to explore and make decisions about what to do. They develop self-control relative to their age and stage of development.

This is because staff communicate their high expectations of children in a meaningful way.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Managers have a clear and ambitious vision for what they intend children to experience at the nursery. There has been positive, steady progress since its opening.

Managers seek and value everyone's feedback and ideas. Staff suggested that the daily room briefing could usefully include the allocation of specific duties for staff. This helps the day to run even more smoothly because staff know in advance which routine tasks they are responsible for.

Staff say that they feel supported by the coaching and supervision that they receive. Managers observe staff teaching. They identify strengths and areas for improvement.

However, they do not consistently build on this to promote staff's swiftest progress towards excellence. Sometimes, staff's individual targets are not precise enough to lead to measurable impact on children's learning.The focus on promoting children's communication and language is a particular strength of the nursery.

For example, staff often use signs and gestures alongside spoken words. They teach the signs to children of all ages, including children with SEND. This helps babies to communicate their needs at an early stage.

Older children learn to both look and listen when they hold conversations. This promotes their deeper understanding and engagement.The curriculum is sequenced well.

Managers set out key skills that they want children to achieve as they progress through the nursery. In one example, children work step by step towards being able to put their coat on and fasten it independently. This helps children to be ready to make a confident start to the next stage of their education.

Children explore freely in the nursery's upstairs rooms. Staff are deployed into each room. They welcome the children and invite them to participate in activities.

For example, toddlers discover some sparkly pipe cleaners. Staff show them how to thread the pipe cleaners through holes in cardboard tubes. They give each child tailored support and encouragement.

This promotes children's concentration and effort. They all succeed.Interactions between staff and children are positive and respectful.

This is demonstrated well during activities and care routines. Staff position themselves in front of children and speak with them before wiping their noses. When babies decide to take off their socks and play barefoot, staff accept their decision.

This helps children to develop self-esteem and independence.Staff promote children's physical development in a variety of ways. Pre-school children work really hard to master walking on bucket stilts.

They make visible progress each time they falter, and they begin again. Babies keep on trying to ascend the little indoor slide and steps. Their self-motivated effort helps them to develop strength and coordination.

Staff help parents to continue children's learning at home. They post videos of themselves demonstrating signed communication online. This is so that parents can copy them and learn the signs.

When babies are ready to begin using a spoon and fork, staff and parents work together to support them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The provider makes sure that managers and staff know the nursery's procedures for protecting children from abuse.

Managers carry out 'spot checks' to ensure that staff understand how to apply their safeguarding knowledge to a range of circumstances. Staff teach children to go up and down the stairs safely. Children know to hold the handrail and take their time.

Clear delegation of tasks helps to promote children's safety. Staff check sleeping children regularly. They keep an accurate log of how many children are playing outside.

Managers take account of Public Health Agency advice regarding any newly circulating infections and viruses. They liaise with parents and check that hygiene routines are being followed in the nursery.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: focus improvement planning more clearly so that staff know precisely what they are aiming to achieve and the impact on children's progress and development is measured.