Hickory Dickorys Day Nursery Ltd

Inspection of Hickory Dickorys Day Nursery Ltd 19 Cambray Place, Cheltenham GL50 1JS

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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

Children arrive at the nursery happy and are greeted by a familiar, friendly staff team that knows them and their families well. Staff label each child's coat peg with their photograph and name, including their home language. This helps children recognise their name and feel a sense of identity and belonging. Children settle quickly and are eager to play and learn. They benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum carefully planned by staff that supports their progress in all areas of learning.

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The provision is good

Babies explore autumn-themed activities. They develop core strength as they sit in trays and reach for leaves and conkers. Staff name the objects and point to pictures, introducing words such as 'harvester'. This helps babies develop early communication skills and curiosity. Toddlers focus and concentrate during small- group activities led by staff. They recall familiar stories, name foods and count props. Staff encourage turn taking, listening and having respect for others, helping toddlers develop positive behaviour and social skills. Pre-school children learn about community helpers through imaginative role play. They dress as doctors and nurses and show care and empathy while tending to dolls. Staff explain how tools such as stethoscopes and blood pressure monitors work. Children explore, problem-solve and learn about the world around them. They share resources, cooperate and take responsibility, which strengthens their personal development and prepares them for

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff work together to create a varied curriculum that helps children make progress and be prepared for the next stage in their learning. They provide a wide range of activities and resources to support this. However, they do not always have clear enough learning intentions for individual children or the group activities on offer. For example, at times, intentions are broad, such as 'communication and language', rather than identifying what skills they want children to develop. This makes it harder for staff to focus their interactions to help children make the best possible progress. n Leaders enrich opportunities in the curriculum, recognising gaps and addressing these. For example, acknowledging their smaller outdoor space, they make provision for staff to take children on outings into the community and have used donations to install a climbing wall to promote children's physical development,

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need to do better?

strength and resilience. n The nursery has a range of inclusive strategies to support children's communication and language skills. For example, they have visual aids such as 'now and next' boards, sign language and key words in children's home languages displayed in the rooms. Although these strategies are in place, staff

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need to do better?

24 September 2025 do not always use them consistently, and they are not fully embedded in everyday practice to fully promote children's confidence and progress in communication and language development. n Children enjoy a wide range of healthy and balanced meals and snacks. A full- time chef prepares the food and checks menus against the latest nutrition guidance. Staff promote allergen awareness, serving meals for children with allergies on coloured plates. They ask children for their views and encourage them to vote on new recipes. Mealtimes are purposeful learning experiences. Children collect their plates, serve themselves and pour their own drinks. They grow in independence and learn to care for themselves. n Partnerships with parents are a strength of the nursery. Staff build these from the very start of children's attendance. They invite parents to flexible settling-in sessions and gather information that helps them get to know each child. This

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need to do better?

means staff can plan for children's needs from the outset. Parents' feedback is consistently positive. They describe staff as 'attentive' and 'nurturing' and say they feel listened to and included in their child's learning journey. n Leaders work closely with staff and regularly monitor practice, being present in all areas of nursery life. Staff feel supported both personally and professionally, which keeps morale high and helps them provide high-quality care and teaching. Leaders are introducing personal development plans for all staff. These recognise each person's strengths and areas for development. Leaders aim to use these plans to guide further training and support. This will help staff continue to grow in their roles and further improve the quality of teaching and learning for all children across the nursery.

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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 support staff to set more precise learning intentions to focus their interactions more effectively and help children make the best possible progress n embed the use of inclusive strategies to fully promote children's confidence and progress in communication and language.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY471709 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10407945 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 77 Name of registered person Hickory Dickorys Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01242 574362 Date of previous inspection 22 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

Hickory Dickorys Day Nursery Ltd re-registered in 2013 and is situated in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. It is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery provides funded early education for children between the ages of nine months and four years. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold relevant early years qualifications at level 6 and eight hold qualifications at level 3. There are three further staff members who are completing an apprenticeship and working towards their early years qualification.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector completed a learning walk together with leaders to view all areas of the nursery and discuss the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this is having on the children's learning. n The inspector and the nominated individual carried out a joint observation of a group activity. 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 looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in 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

24 September 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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