Coventry nursery where children 'cannot wait to enter' praised by Ofsted inspectors
A nursery in Coventry where children 'eagerly wait to enter' and feel 'safe and secure' has been praised by Ofsted. Children are said to 'enthusiastically tackle challenges' at Cherry Tree Nurseries on Brandon Road in Binley.
Inspectors visited the nursery on Wednesday, July 24. The nursery was offered a 'Good' rating by Ofsted.
Inspectors noticed that babies crawl around and practice their walking skills as they 'cruise' around fencing and low-level equipment while toddlers climb up and down steps, and 'gleefully' come down slides as they play peekaboo with staff.
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Pre-school children build on their 'large-muscle' skills indoors and outdoors, and staff support them to safely climb apparatus, pedal tricycles, and practice their ball throwing skills.
The report also stated that staff understand the importance of sharing books with children to build on vocabulary. Babies enjoy story time cuddles, and giggle as they find animals hidden behind flaps in the book. Toddlers listen intently to familiar stories in small-group story times, while preschool children join in with interactive whole-group story sessions and recall books that staff have shared.
On the other hand, leaders and managers recognise the impact that COVID-19 has had on children's communication, language, and social skills. Staff also complete regular assessments of children's progress, actively seeking the views of parents and children's home learning to plan the next steps in children's development.
Staff also ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress by identifying areas of potential development delay early and planning activities to provide additional support. They also make timely referrals to seek specialist advice when needed, complete additional training, and work with other professionals to ensure children receive the support they need.
Inspectors added that staff plan a balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities throughout the day. Babies bounce up and down, clap their hands, and point to the ceiling as they listen to songs while toddlers happily beat a drum when they sing songs, and pre-school children join in enthusiastically with the rhymes.
The parent partnerships are 'strong' as parents describe the staff as 'amazing and caring', going 'above and beyond' to help them and their children. They say staff create a homely environment and are instrumental in their children's education. They appreciate how staff keep them informed of their children's day during daily discussions on collection and updates on an online app.
Parents value being welcomed into the setting to celebrate special events. They describe how one event, staff supported children to create floral bouquets and giving a presentation saying why they love their mums.
Leadership encourage staff to reflect on what they offer. They work together as a team to make further improvements. This includes audits of the setting and taking ownership of areas of the provision. They have plans to reorganise the use of specific areas of the building to build on toddler's independence and self-care skills.
To view the full Ofsted report and previous inspections at Cherry Tree Nurseries, visit the Ofsted website for more.
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