S4YC Ledsham Park Day Nursery

Inspection of S4YC Ledsham Park Day Nursery Ledsham Park Day Nursery, Fernbank, Ledsham Road, Little Sutton, Ellesmere Port CH66 4QN

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Children do not benefit from effective partnership working with parents. Leaders do not keep parents informed about their children's learning or ensure that staff consistently share important information with parents. Leaders are beginning to support staff to understand how to identify and plan for children's next steps in learning in order for them to provide a challenging curriculum. However, these plans are not consistently embedded throughout the nursery. Leaders do not ensure that all staff receive regular supervision and coaching to develop their skills. This impacts on staff's ability to provide all children with good-quality teaching and learning opportunities. Not all children are supported to make good progress. For example, children are eager to share their mathematical knowledge as they recognise the number of spots on a ladybird. However, staff do not support their learning further.

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The provision requires improvement

The environment is well organised and well resourced, and children are happy and settled in this welcoming nursery. Older children are curious about nature and use natural objects to represent food for their pretend picnic. They play cooperatively together. This helps children to develop some skills needed for their move to school. Staff are nurturing and respond well to children's individual needs. For example, they provide babies with cuddles and their favourite comfort toys when needed. Staff working with babies provide opportunities for them to hear language as they play. They use words such as 'crunch' as they explore different textures. This helps babies to develop their early speaking skills.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have identified the weaknesses at the nursery and have started to put action plans in place. However, at present, they have not established strong partnerships with parents. Communication with some parents is solely based on children's care routines. All parents are not provided with information about children's learning or progress. This means that parents are not aware of children's next steps to enable them to support their learning at home. n Leaders do not ensure that all staff receive supervision and feedback on their practice. Inconsistencies in practice have been identified by leaders. However, they have not ensured that staff have been supported to develop their skills. This means that teaching and learning opportunities offered to children are variable. For example, some story sessions for older children fail to engage children. Children become restless and struggle to sit and listen, which impacts

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need to do better?

on their learning. n Leaders implement policies and procedures for keeping children safe. They check staff's ongoing suitability and ensure that they recruit staff safely. Staff are vigilant and deploy themselves well. For example, they teach children to line up

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need to do better?

7 July 2025 to be counted before leaving the garden area. This helps to keep children safe. n Children access a wide range of opportunities that focus on their growing physical skills. Babies have space to crawl and cruise around the low-level furniture. Two-year-old children have opportunities to climb, balance, make marks and manipulate dough. Older children spread cream cheese on bagels and pour their own drinking water at snack time. This contributes to children's physical development. n Staff's delivery of the curriculum for all children is inconsistent. While staff ensure that learning is linked to children's interests, they do not always support children's learning needs. This is because staff are not consistently aware of what children need to learn next to be able to fully support children's learning. Children do not make consistently good progress. n On the whole, staff promote children's good health. For example, they check the

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need to do better?

ultraviolet levels daily before children go outside and ensure that children wear sun cream and hats when needed. On occasion, staff do not follow strict hygiene procedures in the baby room. For example, they observe babies crawling into a food play tray in their shoes that others are using their hands to explore. This minor inconsistency does not fully support children's good health. n Children's behaviour is good. They understand and follow routines well. For example, children enjoy helping to tidy up along to their tidy-up music. They are confident around new people and eager to share their experiences from home, such as recent holidays. Two-year-old children initiate their own play ideas. They work together to build a bird's nest using twigs they find in the garden. They develop friendships, and this contributes to their growing social 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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Due date

ensure that staff build strong partnerships with parents to ensure that they are provided with information about what children are learning in the nursery 22/08/2025

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Due date

ensure that all staff receive supervision and coaching to target inconsistencies in practice 22/08/2025

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Due date

7 July 2025 implement a curriculum that is ambitious for all children and that builds on what children already know and can do. 22/08/2025

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should:

n support staff to consistently implement the nursery's procedures to support good hygiene.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2807178 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 10410695 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 102 Number of children on roll 73 Name of registered person S4YC Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07734705559 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

S4YC Ledsham Park Day Nursery registered in 2024. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays. The nursery offers government-funded places for childcare.

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Inspection activities

n Leaders joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during a planned activity. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke with senior leaders about the leadership and management of 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

7 July 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.

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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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