Cherry Blossom Childcare

Inspection of Cherry Blossom Childcare Carn Gwaval Health & Wellbeing Centre, Church Road, St. Mary's, Isles Of Scilly TR21 0NA

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is outstanding

Children's unique experiences begin with the journey to the setting. Some come by conventional means, such as walking, car or bicycle, and others get to travel by boat from neighbouring islands. All staff provide children with a warm welcome and listen intently as children speak. Children excitedly tell staff whether they have come on the jet boat or the slow boat and settle quickly into the setting.

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The provision is outstanding

The manager has an ambitious curriculum that supports children's emotional development brilliantly. Children are confident, curious learners who are keen to explore. They make exceptional progress in their development and enjoy discovering new skills.

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in this nurturing environment. Staff are reactive to children's needs. They use positive praise and encouragement superbly. Children respond well, knowing that staff will notice and reward their efforts. For example, younger children receive verbal support to keep trying as they climb up wooden steps in the outdoor area. They smile broadly when they get to the top and receive enthusiastic claps and praise from staff. Older children keep trying as they sequence numbers on circles. Staff offer suggestions about what might come next by using their fingers and modelling counting. Children persevere until they are correct. Staff and children celebrate the success. Children are keen to repeat the activities.

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need to do better?

n Since opening, the manager has strived to ensure that children receive high- quality care and education. She has staff with terrific teaching skills. Some staff have excellent backgrounds in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff training is a priority to make sure that they can support children to develop resilience and the motivation to learn and develop. The manager arranges for training to be delivered by professionals on the island as well as guest trainers from the mainland. All staff, including those new to the setting, develop excellent teaching skills. They provide highly engaging activities that children are eager to take part in. n Partnership with parents and other professionals is a big strength. Parents comment that staff have been terrific throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They say that staff go above and beyond for the families and children, for example by

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need to do better?

sourcing funding to help children travel to the setting from outlying islands, allowing for extra staff and providing specific activities to ensure that all children make the best possible progress. The manager and special educational needs coordinator work with parents and other professionals to help make the move on to school as easy as possible. They make sure that families and children get to meet new teachers and visit the school. They have made sure that this support

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need to do better?

10 May 2022 will continue throughout the summer break. Children become very familiar with the new building. They are extremely well prepared for moving on. n Staff know children intimately. They understand what children know and what they need to learn next. They use children's interests well to plan activities that engage and motivate children. For example, staff use babies' and young children's interest in sensory play to extend learning. Staff fill a tray with cornflour and water. Then they add coloured ice cubes and join in with children as they discover what happens. Children are fascinated as the ice melts and the colours stay on the surface of the liquid. Staff encourage children to explore. They skilfully pose challenges, ask questions and model learning. Children experiment using different tools and their fingers to create shapes, letters and patterns. Staff ask children to find different colours and children pick out red,

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need to do better?

blue and yellow. Children concentrate for extended periods and are enthusiastic learners. n Pre-school children join in enthusiastically with a minibeast hunt. They use the picture clues to talk about what they might find. Children recall the features of the different insects. They count the legs on different insects. They talk about the slugs using slime to help them slide along the ground. They cooperate well and take turns moving grasses, leaves and wood logs to see what they can find. Staff deal with disagreements innovatively. They model being curious about what they can see through magnifying glasses. This encourages children who are reluctant to share to let others join in.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff know how to keep children safe. All staff know who and how to refer concerns about children's well-being and safety. They have systems in place that reflect the uniqueness of the setting, as it is on an island. Staff adapt superbly to changes. Sudden storms can mean that children might not be able to get in or have to get to the harbour quickly to take boats home. The manager and staff ensure that they follow risk assessments to maintain the supervision of children. They are able to react rapidly in emergency situations.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2540384 Local authority Isle of Scilly Inspection number 10215342 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 46 Name of registered person Wild, Anna

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reference number

Telephone number 01720 422276 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Cherry Blossom Childcare registered in 2019 and is based in St Mary's, Scilly Isles. The setting is open from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am to 5.15pm. The setting employs seven members of full-time staff and six bank staff. The manager holds qualified teacher status. Three members of staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3, and one member of staff holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 2. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager and the inspector had a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing while at the setting. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

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.

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Inspection activities

10 May 2022 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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