Cherry Tree Nursery School

Cherry Tree Nursery School

Unique reference number (URN): 2852932 Address: 73 Orford Lane, WARRINGTON, WA2 7BS Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 19/08/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: Storal Nurseries Limited

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children achieve ambitious outcomes, demonstrating secure, fully embedded knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. They use new vocabulary confidently, apply mathematical ideas in play and show highly effective control and coordination in their movements. This helps children to express themselves clearly, solve problems and engage in learning with curiosity and motivation.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make excellent progress. They demonstrate growing independence as they practise new skills and participate fully. For example, children use visual prompts to follow routines, and others recognise familiar letters in their names. This helps children to apply learning accurately and build confidence. Children are well prepared for their next stage of education. Staff plan focused opportunities for children to develop skills and positive attitudes to learning. Children thrive and they demonstrate resilience as they solve problems, curiosity as they investigate the environment and independence as they carry out tasks. These experiences help to secure foundations for future learning. Children who struggle with their verbal communication are captivated by the curriculum, enjoying singing and actions. They smile, make eye contact and join in through shared enjoyment, demonstrating deep engagement and connection.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are very well cared for. Each child is assigned a key person who knows them and their family incredibly well. Staff respond quickly and thoughtfully to children's changing needs. All children, including those with special needs and disabilities, receive sensitive, consistent care that enables them to participate fully in all aspects of the provision. Children who require a sleep are provided with individual bedding and a designated sleep space. This promotes good hygiene and helps to ensure they can rest safely and comfortably. Staff ensure that children's privacy is respected during nappy changing. They supervise children in small groups during mealtimes to ensure their individual dietary needs are met and to promote safe eating practices. Leaders have implemented rigorous systems to ensure that all staff are fully aware of children's allergies and dietary requirements.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff work closely with parents to promote healthy eating habits. They provide free fruit for children at the end of the day. This helps families provide healthy snacks. Staff engage children in conversations about healthy choices, discussing topics, such as their favourite fruits or vegetables, helping children to develop their understanding of a balanced diet. Children confidently follow routines and understand the importance of good hygiene as they independently wash their hands before mealtimes. Children are supported to develop their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Staff help children to learn about safety, such as stranger danger and listening to instructions. Leaders have recently updated the risk assessment for outdoors to create a robust approach that ensures all staff fully understand how to identify and minimise all risks. Staff also work in partnership with parents

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Expected standard

to promote children's safety and wellbeing beyond the setting. They share guidance about appropriate screen time. This helps families to understand the impact of digital habits.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders create a highly inclusive culture by identifying all children's individual needs at the earliest stage. They gather important information from parents and carers and understand the backgrounds that children arrive from. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those from disadvantaged backgrounds or with barriers to their learning. Staff use ongoing observation and assessment to recognise emerging needs so they can put targeted support in place. They work closely with a range of professionals, including public health teams and local authority teams, to ensure that support is in place. This ensures that these children make rapid progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders ensure that staff working with children with SEND receive training and have skills to provide extra support prior to formal referrals. For example, for children who have communication and language delays, they offer language-development sessions. Leaders establish excellent partnerships with professionals in the local authority to reflect on and continuously adapt the environment they offer. This ensures that children with SEND can fully access the curriculum. Leaders use early years pupil premium funding to purchase resources and training for staff. They have designed a curriculum that meets the needs of all children. Children thrive in a nurturing environment. Leaders have equipped staff to deliver physical and relaxing activities to help children regulate their emotions. This approach enables children from disadvantaged backgrounds to participate fully alongside their peers.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They give clear instructions for children to follow. Children, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who are known or previously known to social care, are supported to follow the rules and routines of the nursery. For example, younger children tidy up the environment and older children help to set the table at lunchtime. They help themselves to drinks of water. Overall, children behave well and understand what is expected of them. They are confident in the routines of the nursery and understand what is happening next. Children develop positive relationships with staff and other children. They learn to play cooperatively and are kind and considerate to their friends.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Occasionally, routines of the day do not help children to remain actively engaged in their learning. Some planned group times do not fully engage some children. This means that occasionally, children lose interest and staff do not consistently identify when this occurs. This does not fully support children to develop positive attitudes to their learning. Children attend regularly and enjoy their time at the nursery. Leaders have systems in place to monitor attendance and swiftly follow up on any absences.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders plan an ambitious curriculum for all children, including those who are disadvantaged, those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who are known or previously known to social care. Staff prioritise children's communication and language development. Staff take every opportunity to extend and develop children's language skills. For example, staff engage in back-and-forth conversations with children. They use single words and model new words with babies. However, there are some occasions that the planned curriculum is not delivered precisely to fully engage and enthral all children. At times, younger children lose interest and do not fully benefit from the planned learning. Despite some minor inconsistencies in teaching, the planned curriculum ensures that all children achieve and thrive.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a clear focus on children's physical development. Children have many opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, children develop their large muscles as they run and play in the outdoor spaces. They learn to climb and balance as they develop their coordination and strength. Children are focused as they master new skills. For example, they cheer in delight as they precisely kick balls to one another. They enjoy using spades to scoop and fill containers. They have access to a range of mark- making tools that suit their levels of development. For example, younger children have access to chunky pieces of chalk, while older children use more precise writing tools. This helps to develop children's hand muscles in preparation for writing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff provide many opportunities for children to have social interactions with both staff and their friends. For example, mealtimes are very sociable occasions. Staff sit with children and talk about their day. They help children remember their previous learning. This helps to build children's confidence and self-esteem. Staff support mathematical development as they count and discuss shapes. Children develop the skills they need to move on to school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand the community and prioritise parent partnerships. They form supportive relationships with families. Parents comment positively about the nursery environment and the experiences their children have. Leaders are an integral part of contributing to wellbeing of families. They support families to access help and make appropriate referrals to specialist services when needed. Leaders show commitment to helping address community needs and they organise specific fundraising events. They plan experiences to help children learn about the local community and the joy of helping others.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have procedures in place to ensure that all children, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those known to, or previously known to social care, are fully included and receive the tailored support they need to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand the nursery's strengths and areas to develop. They are reflective and consider how they can improve. Staff say that they feel well supported and enjoy working in the nursery. They have frequent supervisions, where they can discuss any concerns or training requirements. However, leaders do not always provide staff with detailed and precise information about areas to improve, to fully understand the effectiveness of their provision and improve outcomes for children even further.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children experience an inclusive, calm and nurturing environment that promotes security, belonging and readiness to learn from the moment they arrive. They feel valued, listened to and understood. Children build positive relationships with their key persons, and all staff demonstrate knowledge of each child's needs, development and emotions. Children understand clear expectations of them and staff respond sensitively, enabling children to feel confident and able to move through the day feeling safe and secure. Children know adults will support them, which strengthens their trust and emotional security. Children engage in their learning and explore with curiosity, collaborate eagerly with peers and are proud of their achievements. Staff engage in purposeful interactions, making use of children's interests to extend thinking and play. This approach enables children to build on what they already know, apply learning in different contexts and develop resilience, self-regulation and

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

positive attitudes to learning. Children are supported to persevere and express their ideas confidently.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children show positive behaviour and attitudes. They play together, follow routines and show respect for each other and their environment. Support from staff ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to learning, are fully included in every experience.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children connect with the wider community through celebrating important community events and festivals. These experiences broaden their understanding of the world and strengthen their confidence as they encounter celebrations and ideas. Children are happy and thriving. They develop the independence and positive attitudes, including around attendance, needed for the next steps in their learning and the eventual move to school.

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Next steps

Leaders should review the organisation of group activities so that all children benefit from the planned learning and remain actively engaged.

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Storal Nurseries Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. Leaders should provide staff with specific and focused feedback to ensure they fully understand how to enhance their teaching to further improve experiences for children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the leaders, staff, children and parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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. This data is from 26 August 2026

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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