Blossom Trees Nursery Ltd

Inspection of Blossom Trees Nursery Ltd Mill Yard, Staveley, KENDAL, Cumbria LA8 9LR

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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

Staff work effectively to provide a friendly and welcoming nursery in the centre of a thriving community. Staff are patient and responsive to individual children's needs. This helps children to settle quickly. Staff interact warmly and positively with children and give them extensive praise for their achievements. Overall, children behave well. They happily approach staff for comfort or reassurance. For example, when babies wake after sleep time, they confidently look for familiar staff before eagerly joining in play. Babies and children show high levels of emotional resilience.

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The provision is good

Staff plan an ambitious curriculum with purposeful learning environments that help spark children's imagination. They build on children's interests and what they can do to nurture their creativity. For example, babies giggle and dance as they play peekaboo standing up inside a tube tunnel. Older children make mud spaghetti Bolognese to serve to the adults by mixing garden materials such as twigs, soil and leaves. All children make good progress from their starting points.

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The provision is good

Staff support children to become independent. For example, staff model to babies how to wash hands before eating, and how children can use cutlery appropriately. Children are curious in making independent choices about where they want to play and what they want to play with. For instance, young children vigorously use the soapy water provided to wash the steps of the climbing frame. Other children focus intently on washing their bikes or mixing water and mud together using the mud kitchen pots and pans. Children are confident in leading their own learning.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have an ambitious vision for the nursery. They use feedback from parents and outside agencies to make continuous improvements. For example, purpose-built play areas outside allow children to practise large-muscle movements through climbing and building. The development of specific areas in pre-school encourages children to play in smaller groups, supporting increased focus and engagement. This positive approach to self-reflection helps to enhance children's experiences. n Overall, staff manage children's behaviour well. They provide clear explanations and gently remind children when some behaviours are not appropriate. However, sometimes staff working with older children do not help them understand their behaviour's impact on others. At these times, children's understanding of good behaviour is less well supported. n Clear and strong leadership across the setting means transitions between activities and the different playrooms are well planned. The well-established key-

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need to do better?

person system means that staff know children well. They share detailed information about each child's care and learning. This helps to ensure that the

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need to do better?

24 July 2024 individual needs of all children are met as they move on to the next stage in their learning. n Staff have specific training to meet the individual needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work with the manager of the setting to establish effective communication with other professionals. Staff devise and implement clear and targeted support to ensure a fully inclusive environment meets all children's needs. Consequently, children with SEND progress well from their starting points. n Staff take pride in their involvement in the local community. For instance, children visit the local park in the village and attend the nearby church for story time. Nursery staff work with the local school to facilitate children's involvement in forest school sessions. Staff forge exceptional links with the local school. Children take part in craft sessions led by the schoolteacher. These experiences

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need to do better?

help children to develop their social skills and gain an awareness of their local community. n Staff are keen to promote children's understanding of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. They talk to children about different foods that help them grow strong. Staff provide activities that support young children with dental hygiene practice and they guide parents on toilet training and the benefits of not using dummies. This contributes successfully to children's overall health and positive well-being. n Staff prioritise children's communication and language development. Children enjoy an abundance of stories and rhymes. Staff introduce new words with clear and appropriate explanations while sharing stories. They confidently ask thought-provoking questions that encourage children to connect their ideas and recall past learning. For example, while children are learning about the Olympics, staff ask, 'What do athletes look like?' Children discuss their ideas and eagerly

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need to do better?

draw an athlete in a wheelchair. Opportunities such as these help to develop children's communication and language skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n help staff to consistently support older children's growing understanding of the impact of their behaviour on others to further enhance their knowledge of good behaviour.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY399891 Local authority Westmorland and Furness Inspection number 10347024 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 43 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Blossom Trees Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01539 822400 Date of previous inspection 22 August 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Blossom Trees Nursery Ltd registered in 2009 and is located in Kendal, Cumbria. The setting employs 12 members of childcare staff, of whom 10 staff hold relevant qualifications at level 3 and above, including two with qualified teacher status. The setting opens from 8am until 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, for 50 weeks of the year. 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 provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Staff and children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with the manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting. 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 The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their

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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

24 July 2024 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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