Sir Leslie Martin Nursery Ltd.

Inspection of Sir Leslie Martin Nursery Ltd. Sir Leslie Martin Day Nursery, The Martins Building, Bradburns Lane, Hartford, Northwich CW8 1LU

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

The provision is good

Children have a happy, busy time in the well-equipped nursery. They demonstrate their trust in the friendly, attentive staff. Staff understand how children learn. Pre- school children take off their shoes and socks, ready to walk along a 'sensory footpath'. Children's deep involvement is obvious as they step cautiously into cool water and carefully onto a tray of twigs. The activity promotes rich dialogue because staff encourage and support children to talk about the exciting first-hand experience. Children take several enthusiastic journeys along the footpath. They learn words to describe the different textures and materials.

p.2

The provision is good

Staff work in partnership with parents and carers. They ask parents to help children to find things at home that all begin with the same sound. This helps children to hear, and begin to discriminate between, the initial sounds of words. Staff and parents exchange information about babies' daily care. This helps everyone to promote continuity in babies' care and well-being. The nursery day runs smoothly. This is because routines are clear and everyone follows them. Children of all ages know what they are expected to do and what will happen next. This helps them to develop self-control and confidence.

p.2

need to do better?

n Managers communicate their intentions for the curriculum. They want children to become independent in their play and learning. Throughout the nursery, staff demonstrate an attention to detail when they organise rooms and resources. They patiently guide babies to tidy all of the metal items into a well-positioned basket. Older children increasingly take the initiative at tidy-up times. Children become self-motivated participants in communal tasks. n There are systems in place to supervise staff and to help them to continuously improve their professional skills and knowledge. However, managers sometimes do not pay close enough attention to the detail of staff's interactions with children. This means that targets to help them to improve focus more heavily on the activity than on their teaching. This slows staff's progress towards a consistently high quality of teaching. n Staff write one observation per month, for each of the seven areas of learning,

p.2

need to do better?

for every child in their key group. This helps them to notice children's development. However, achieving the observation quota is less effective in helping staff to identify, and plan for, what is most important for children to learn next. It does not promote children's swiftest progress. n Children learn actively. Younger children wheel small-world vehicles through paint and find out that this makes interesting marks. Pre-school children use sticks to make marks in sand. Staff skilfully help them to notice when the lines that they draw are 'straight' or 'the longest'. This helps children to learn

p.2

need to do better?

2 May 2025 vocabulary that supports their mathematical development. n Staff help children to look closely at the natural world around them. Toddlers make pictures of sunflowers and learn that sunflowers are usually yellow. Children plant sunflower seeds and watch them grow. This promotes children's understanding of the seasonal cycle of growth and renewal. n Children listen to stories every day. Staff help them to think and talk about the characters and events in the stories. Children learn that print carries meaning and that reading is pleasurable. This promotes their readiness to read, when the time comes. n Children eat a balanced, healthy diet and staff create a cheerful, sociable atmosphere during mealtimes. Babies benefit from staff's close attention as they enjoy the tasty food. Older children learn to sit together and participate in polite conversation as they eat. They learn to listen to other people's experiences and

p.2

need to do better?

views about the world. This helps to prepare children for life in modern Britain. n Staff identify and address hazards to children's health and safety. Outdoor play sand is always covered at the end of the day. This keeps it free of anything that could cause children to be ill. Staff regularly apply sun cream to children's skin, when the weather is hot. This helps to minimise the harmful effects of the sun. n Managers check that staff know and implement the nursery's child protection procedures. They review policies and procedures, such as those for safely recruiting and vetting staff. This means that staff's suitability to work with children is checked and regularly confirmed.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

p.3

should:

n pay closer attention to the detail of staff's interactions with children, so that targets for their development show precisely what they need to do to improve their teaching n make better use of observation and assessment, to identify really clearly what children are intended to learn next.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 2816750 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 10395280 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 74 Number of children on roll 79 Name of registered person Sir Leslie Martin Nursery Ltd

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 01606 871 271 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Sir Leslie Martin Nursery Ltd. registered in 2024. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds a qualification at level 4, eight members of staff hold qualifications at level 3 and two at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The nursery manager and the inspector completed a learning walk of the nursery. They discussed leaders' intentions for the curriculum. n The inspector conducted a joint observation of practice alongside the nursery manager. n The inspector held meetings with the managing director and the nursery manager. She spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with parents and took account of their views. n Examples of relevant documents were sampled and reviewed by the inspector. She checked evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.

p.4

Inspection activities

2 May 2025 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.

p.4

Inspection activities

2 May 2025 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6