Railway Kindergarten

Inspection of Railway Kindergarten 110 Railway Road, Urmston, Manchester M41 0YD

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Leaders have made improvements since the last inspection. Staff consistently implement strategies to support children's positive behaviour. This helps children to behave well and engage positively in the activities on offer. However, leaders have not ensured that staff supervision arrangements are fully effective for all staff. In addition, the sleeping arrangements for some children are not appropriate to ensure their comfort.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are happy and settled. Strong and secure attachments are evident between staff and children. Staff are highly attuned to children's emotional needs and respond swiftly when they require additional support. For example, when children become unsettled, staff offer them reassuring cuddles. This helps children to feel emotionally safe and secure.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff support children's overall development effectively. They carry out regular observations and assessments. They use this information to inform their planning and also to reflect children's interests and developmental stages. This ensures that all children make good progress from their starting points in development. Children demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. They show a clear understanding of the nursery's routine. Children enjoy engaging in a wide range of activities, indoors and outdoors. For example, when children show an interest in making pretend ice creams with play dough, staff extend this by transforming the outdoor playhouse into a role-play ice-cream parlour. These experiences nurture children's imagination skills well.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff have designed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that ensures that all children develop the skills they need for the future. Staff who are responsible for supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities understand their roles and responsibilities clearly. They work well with parents and carers and external professionals involved in children's care. This joint approach ensures that children receive the additional support they need to help close any gaps in their learning. n Leaders support staff's well-being. Staff speak positively about the strong ethos of teamwork within the nursery. Termly supervision sessions are in place for staff. However, leaders do not ensure that they use supervision arrangements consistently to monitor and reflect on staff's performance. As a result, not all staff receive the guidance they need to make improvements in their practice.

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need to do better?

n Children have regular opportunities to be physically active. They benefit from daily fresh air and exercise in the well-equipped garden. For example, children enjoy balancing and climbing on the climbing frame. However, leaders have not

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need to do better?

29 August 2025 considered all aspects of children's physical well-being, such as ensuring there is adequate bedding for children to use when they sleep. This does not ensure children's comfort while sleeping. n Staff know children well and plan effectively for their individual next steps in learning. This supports children to make good progress in their learning and development. However, at times, staff do not give enough consideration to the wider learning intentions across the curriculum to extend children's skills during daily routines. For example, at mealtimes, staff limit the chances for children to practise important independence skills. At times, this does not help to prepare them for their move on to school. n Children benefit from healthy and nutritious snacks, such as fresh fruit and cereals. Staff sit alongside children during mealtimes and engage them in conversation about their food. However, they do not implement hygiene

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need to do better?

practices effectively. For example, staff do not consistently teach children to wash their hands after wiping their noses. This limits children's understanding of good hygiene routines. n Staff carefully plan activities so that all children can access and take part in the experiences on offer, this promotes inclusive practice effectively. For example, staff provide activities on table tops and on the floor. This enables children to choose how they engage while also supporting the development of their core strength. n Staff support children's communication and language development well. They create environments rich in language. Staff help children to broaden their vocabularies and develop their speech. For example, staff in the baby room eagerly narrate children's play and introduce new words in context. Older children enjoy listening to stories with their key person. This helps children to develop their listening skills and promotes a love of reading.

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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

implement robust systems to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place for staff supervision sessions 26/09/2025

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Due date

29 August 2025 ensure that there is an adequate supply of bedding for every child who sleeps to aid their comfort. 26/09/2025

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should:

n support staff to implement the curriculum intentions more consistently to promote children's learning and development further n strengthen handwashing procedures for children to promote good hygiene practices.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY458243 Local authority Trafford Inspection number 10383062 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 22 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Langford, Margaret

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reference number

Telephone number 0161 282 0523 Date of previous inspection 12 December 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Railway Kindergarten registered in 2012 and is located in Manchester. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, one member of staff holds an appropriate early years qualifications at level 5 and seven staff hold qualifications at level 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides government funded childcare for children aged from nine months to four years.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working at 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

29 August 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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