Pear Tree Nursery

Inspection of Pear Tree Nursery Mary Street, Longtown, Carlisle CA6 5UG

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Children are cared for by an exceptionally warm, welcoming and nurturing staff team. Staff's gentle and sensitive interactions with children, coupled with an ambitious curriculum, greatly promote children's confidence, independence and positive attitudes to learning. Strong settling-in procedures and staff's attentiveness to children's care needs result in children who are happy, well-settled and secure. A well-embedded curriculum intent throughout the nursery means all staff work towards a common goal for children. Children begin to learn and practise skills for school from a very young age. For example, children in the baby room wipe their faces, place their cups away and thoroughly enjoy using their large muscles to carry their chairs to the table. These impressive skills are then developed and broadened as they move through the nursery.

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The provision is good

Staff are excellent role models. They sit with children to eat their own lunch, which helps to embed the expected behaviours at this time. As a result, children sit patiently at the dinner table, happily engaging in conversation with their peers while they wait to give their preference for their meal. They display excellent manners and follow the routine with precision.

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need to do better?

n Overall, staff plan very well for children's progress. Staff know their key children well and plan activities or experiences that will help them develop the skills and knowledge they need to learn next. Children make good progress as a result. n The curriculum for children's communication skills is highly effective. Staff use their interactions with children to introduce lots of new words and to build on children's awareness of language structures. Staff then use carefully posed, open-ended questions to give children opportunities to use their new skills. As a result, children develop excellent language skills. n Stories, rhymes and songs feature in many aspects of the day. Young children display excellent listening skills as they enjoy staff's animated and engaging storytelling. They delight in using their props to join in with the story, anticipating the parts of the story when they will use these. Children's firm

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need to do better?

interest in books and reading is evident. n In the main, staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They use a number of effective strategies to help children understand and manage their emotions. This is reflected in children's interactions with one other. For example, children helpfully remind one another of how to count correctly during play with number cards. Other children politely ask for a turn with the resources. Children's behaviour is excellent. n Staff promote children's health very well. They provide children with a range of opportunities to learn about and practise healthy lifestyles. For example, children

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need to do better?

19 September 2023 eagerly show the inspector the runner beans and tomatoes they have grown from seeds in the nursery garden. Children are physically active and enjoy outdoor play in all weather. n Partnership working with parents and other professionals is strong. Staff maintain a two-way flow of communication with parents so that children's needs are well understood and met. Staff work closely with the connecting school and others that children go on to attend. The manager is committed to working with professionals for children who require additional support. Children benefit from the collaborate approach to their care and learning. n The manager oversees staff's practice and the implementation of the curriculum. This gives her some insight into its effectiveness and impact on children. However, this does not provide the level of scrutiny required to help the manager understand where gaps emerge in staff's practice. As a result, there

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need to do better?

are some inconsistencies in the implementation of the curriculum across the staff team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The nursery is safe and secure, and staff are well deployed to ensure good supervision of children at all times. Children's allergies and dietary requirements are well managed. This includes well-understood procedures when children's lunches are delivered from the linked school. All staff receive training to understand the nursery safeguarding policy and procedures and provide them with up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues. Staff are confident in the actions to take in the event of a concern about a child, the behaviour of a colleague or an allegation.

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should:

n strengthen the performance management of staff to provide more in-depth evaluations of staff practice and the implementation of the curriculum.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY344683 Local authority Cumberland Inspection number 10305583 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 41 Number of children on roll 77 Name of registered person Longtown Childcare Trust Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01228 791 005 Date of previous inspection 27 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Pear Tree Nursery registered in 2007 and is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, all year round, except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. An out-of- school provision is open after school each weekday and during school holidays. There are currently 10 staff working directly with the children, most of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider 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 provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at nursery. n The inspector spoke with the manager about the leadership and management of the nursery. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during a group activity. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

19 September 2023 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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