Squirrels Pre-school (Delamere Park)

Inspection of Squirrels Pre-school (Delamere Park) 59 Delamere Park Way West, Cuddington, Northwich CW8 2UJ

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Staff are well attuned to children's needs and demonstrate a good knowledge of their progress and abilities. As a result, children are happy and secure. Children enter the setting with a smile and are warmly welcomed into an organised play environment that reflects their interests. Staff plan activities that focus on children's individual next steps. For example, they providing mark-making opportunities in a heavy-duty plastic tray for children to practise writing letters of their name. Children benefit from a designed curriculum that promotes meaningful learning.

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The provision is good

Children have autonomy over their learning, with opportunities to test and trial new ideas. Staff extend on this by asking children questions such as 'What do you think we need to use to build a bridge?' This supports children's critical-thinking skills. Children contribute ideas on how to create robots and horses from cardboard boxes and are met with enthusiastic staff who foster this creativity. Children work collaboratively with their peers and often seek help from one another if needed. They build positive relationships with each other and demonstrate respectful attitudes. What has been learned and experimented with earlier in the week is revisited for children to recall and reflect on. Children demonstrate high levels of engagement and a keenness to learn. This helps them to make good progress in their learning.

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need to do better?

n The provider has a fluid curriculum in place that moves with children's interests. Activities are often revisited so children can recall what they have learned before. The play environment changes to reflect children's experiences. For example, staff transformed an area of the provision into an 'airport', as some children had been on holiday. In the main, staff understand what they want children to achieve, and they plan children's next steps effectively. However, some staff deliver the curriculum with more confidence than others. As a result, children do not receive high-quality interaction and teaching consistently. n Staff support children to develop a love for reading effectively. Children listen with intent to stories as staff bring them to life using good intonation in their voices. When reading 'Room on the Broom', staff pause to enable children to fill in the missing phrases. This supports children's communication and language

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need to do better?

skills. Children and their families have access to a lending library, which shares the passion for reading with the wider community. Children make good progress in their early literacy skills. n Staff focus on getting children ready for school. They share photos of their new school environments, which creates 'social stories' for the children to take home and show their families. These photos also help children to know what to expect ahead of their transition to primary school. Managers and staff maintain a good

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need to do better?

16 July 2025 rapport with the local schools in the area. This further contributes to a smooth transition to school for children. n Children are kind to one another. Staff develop age-appropriate methods of teaching children about the importance of boundaries and consent. For example, staff are on hand to remind the children that their friends have 'bubbles of privacy,' when they are close to each other. As a result, children develop an early understanding of respect and begin to appreciate when their peers may need space. n The provider ensures children have a consistent routine in place. Children follow adult directions willingly. They recognise familiar aspects of their routine. For example, children tell staff that it is tidy-up time when they notice the sand timer has finished. Overall, children's behaviour and conduct are good. n Management and staff work swiftly to identify any gaps in children's learning,

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need to do better?

using observation and assessment to do so. Leaders have good knowledge of when and how to involve external professionals to further support children's development. Staff plan targeted interventions for children in line with their next steps. Additionally, the setting ensures parents are involved early if concerns about their children's development are identified. Parents comment on the support that the setting gives to them as a family unit. All children, including those who require additional support, make good progress in their learning due to timely interventions. n Overall, staff teach children about some similarities and differences among themselves and others. For example, children enjoy drawing themselves and talking about their own features and how they may differ from their peers. However, staff do not help children to learn in depth about cultures and beliefs different to their own. This limits children's understanding of the wider world and

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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 interest first.

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should:

n provide further opportunities for children to develop their understanding of equality and diversity in modern Britain beyond that of their immediate community n support staff to implement the curriculum consistently to help support children's individual learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2734440 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 10399964 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 12 Name of registered person Squirrels Pre-School (Delamere Park) CIO

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reference number

Telephone number 01606888782 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Squirrels Pre-school (Delamere Park) registered in 2023 and is situated in Cuddington, Northwich. The setting employs four members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The setting is open from 8.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday, term time only. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked about the curriculum and what they wanted children to learn. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation during the morning session. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Parents shared their views with the inspector. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning and development. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

16 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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