Ninas Nursery Cale GreenOfsted report card, 10 Sept 2026

Ninas Nursery Cale Green

Unique reference number (URN): EY497512 Address: 5 Heath Road, Stockport, Cheshire, SK2 6JJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 19/01/2016 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Nina's Nursery (Cale Green) 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 Needs attention

Due to the areas of the curriculum that need improving, children are not able to achieve their full potential. For example, children are not consistently encouraged to engage in activities across all 7 areas of learning. Children's current stage of development is not always known by the staff caring for them. This means they do not always benefit from learning that is effectively sequenced or targeted to help improve progress and reduce gaps in their development. During some activities, teaching does not have a clear focus, as some staff do not fully understand what they intend for children to learn.

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Achievement Needs attention

Most children are ready for their next stage in learning. For example, children are supported to wash their hands in readiness for their transition to the toddler room. Pre-school children have developed skills to be able to pour their own drinks. Younger children are supported to use spoons when eating, and, by pre-school, they are proficient in managing cutlery when eating. Children develop friendships and social skills that will support them as they progress to school. Children generally engage in learning that supports them to develop skills and knowledge across most areas of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Inconsistency in how the daily routine is implemented does not fully support all children to know what is expected of them. At times, the routine is disorganised, leading to some children's behaviour becoming disruptive. For example, during some group activities, staff do not fully engage children. Activities are too long, and children sometimes become bored and begin to wander around. This does not consistently support children's positive attitude to learning. During free play, staff do not always keep children engaged. As a result, children can begin to use resources inappropriately. For example, they throw resources on the floor. Staff do not always respond quickly enough to help children understand the expected behaviours. At other times, staff remind children of the rules, such as using 'kind hands'. They offer praise to children for sharing and turn-taking. However, this is not implemented consistently throughout the setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The key-person system is in place. However, recent staffing changes mean it is not effectively embedded. Children, especially those new to the setting, need more consistent staffing to settle well. However, children typically form positive relationships with staff. Staff are keen to follow children's home routines for sleep. This helps children to feel secure. Typically, children collaborate with their friends. Younger children invite their friends to join them on the play bus. Older children work with friends using blocks to build structures. Staff offer support focused on helping children recognise their emotions. They adapt provision to ensure children have a safe space to regulate their behaviour. As a result, children begin to recognise their emotions and develop an understanding that their behaviour impacts on their friends.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders prioritise attendance and are aware that regular attendance supports children's development. They work proactively with parents to help support children's regular attendance. For example, they offer flexibility wherever possible, adapting sessions to meet family's current needs. Regular attendance helps children to feel settled and supports them in accessing activities and learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

There are inconsistencies in hygiene practices throughout the setting. For example, staff do not consistently wash children's drink cups thoroughly. Toys that children have put in their mouths are put down for other children to access. This does not support children's good health. That said, staff do promote handwashing with children throughout the setting, which helps to minimise the spread of infection. Leaders have created policies and procedures to support safer sleeping, eating and intimate care practices. These are typically followed by staff, and leaders are swift to act on occasional weaknesses and inconsistencies. Additional support is required to strengthen staff practice in consistently following procedures.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have created a buddy system aimed to help children have a familiar face and someone who knows their needs if their key person is not there. However, the recent changes in staffing across the setting mean this is not always effective. This impacts the youngest children most. Children ask for staff who used to be in their room. When babies new to the setting are struggling to settle, staff do not always know how to respond to comfort them. For example, staff they are not familiar with support feeding and nap times. This means children's emotional development is not consistently supported. Nevertheless, staff typically demonstrate a caring approach and seek to comfort children, although their strategies are not always effective.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Healthy, home-cooked meals are provided. Staff talk to children about the foods they are eating, meaning that children learn about the importance of healthy eating. Children learn about the foods that are good for them and are supported to develop the skills to make healthy choices. Systems are in place to ensure children do not access foods they are allergic to. Children are closely supervised when eating, and staff are aware of what to do if a child is choking. This helps to keep children safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff consider children's physical health and development. They discuss activities that build babies' core strength in readiness for walking. They provide opportunities for pre-school children to develop their dexterity and coordination. Children make progress in their physical development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders work closely with parents to support children with known health needs. This enables them to provide effectively for these children and ensures their health needs are met.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have planned a curriculum. However, this is not embedded or clearly understood by all staff. Leaders are focused on making improvements, but these have not been in place long enough to determine their impact on children's learning and development. Therefore, they are not yet fully improving outcomes for children. Implementation of the curriculum is inconsistent throughout the setting. This impacts on the quality of teaching some children receive. For example, not all staff know what they want children to learn or achieve next in their development. This means activities are not always pitched at the right level and lack the challenge children require to progress further in all areas of their development. Not all staff have clear intentions for learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Mathematics is not fully supported for all children. For example, pre-school children show an interest in number but are not supported to extend beyond their current abilities. This does not support improvement in their development. In some cases, staff extend children's language, and toddlers are eager to engage in stories. Staff listen carefully and respond to children's conversation. However, weakness in teaching means that not all children receive the same level of interaction, which may impact on their communication skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders and staff made some adaptations to support children with gaps in their learning. For example, they offer activities to support children's current interests. This helps individual children to engage safely in practising skills such as throwing and catching. However, inconsistency in the curriculum and teaching means that at other times, children are not supported to remain engaged in learning. During free play, staff do not always help children to engage in purposeful play. Planned group activities sometimes last longer than children can manage. As a result, children disengage. Babies crawl around without purpose, and toddlers wander away from the group.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders plan ample opportunities for children to spend time outdoors and to develop their physical skills. They know this supports children who may not otherwise regularly benefit from these experiences. Younger children are encouraged to practise scooping mixtures to support their use of spoons when eating. Older children manipulate dough to build their finger strength. Children demonstrate secure physical skills.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders identify children's needs. However, recent changes in staff and staff movement across the setting have resulted in some staff not knowing individual children's needs well enough. Consequently, children do not receive consistent messages, and this impacts negatively on their learning. Leaders have not yet embedded effective practice to improve staff teaching. Interactions are not of a consistently high quality throughout the setting. During free play, children who could benefit from additional direction to engage in activities are not supported to do this. They wander without purpose or use resources inappropriately. Staff recognise that some children who speak English as an additional language may need additional support to develop their communication. However, interactions are not specifically targeted on this area of learning. Some reasonable adjustments are made to remove barriers to learning. For example, children who benefit from 1-1 support enjoy activities with

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Inclusion Needs attention

key staff. Staff who know children's interests follow these, offering planned targeted learning. This encourages children's engagement in learning.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Where gaps in learning are identified, leaders regularly assess these. Leaders and staff build positive relationships with parents to maintain continuity between home and the setting. This supports children with identified needs to make progress. Where children have identified health needs, leaders and staff are proactive in offering support. For example, leaders plan alternative foods to ensure the continued health of children. Some staff have benefited from training to support children's language. They use assessments well to monitor progress and plan next steps.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have not ensured that professional development and supervision offers effective coaching and mentoring to strengthen staff understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Leaders model high-quality interactions when working with staff, but this is not having the intended impact. As a result, children do not benefit from consistently high-quality teaching.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

There have been recent changes in staffing at this setting. In addition, there has been movement in where established staff work across the setting. This has resulted in a lack of consistency for children. Leaders have identified plans for improvement, but these changes are not yet implemented effectively or consistently to make the planned improvements. Leaders' vision and intent for children's learning are not clearly understood by all staff at the setting. Not all staff have a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have not had a sharp enough focus on helping staff implement the curriculum effectively. As a result, there are times of the day when the routine is disorganised, and some children's needs are not effectively met.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders know what they want children to achieve. They demonstrate skilled interactions and teaching practice. Children engage well and learn when in the care of leaders and some staff.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff wellbeing is supported through individual and group meetings. Staff report that they feel supported, and they describe how they have implemented some training. For example, staff have considered the environment to make activities more appealing and accessible to children. They have noticed this has supported children's prolonged engagement.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have knowledge of the wide and diverse catchment their setting covers, and they explain how they have established secure partnerships with families, offering support to meet the individual needs of families at times of crisis. This has enabled children to continue attending and supported consistency of care.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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

Children's health and wellbeing are sometimes impacted by the recent staffing changes and staff movement around the nursery. These changes have resulted in inconsistencies in staff practice. Policies and procedures are not consistently followed by all staff. Children's needs are not fully known by all staff who care for them. This means children's learning is not always targeted to support their emotional wellbeing. For example, babies new to the setting are passed between staff. This does not help them to form secure attachments or to settle quickly.

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

Not all children have consistent access to a high-quality curriculum. This is because effective systems to support sequenced learning are not in place. Children's next steps are not known by all staff, so some staff do not know the intentions for each child's learning. As a result, they implement the curriculum without a clear understanding of what they want children to achieve, and learning is not always purposeful. Children benefit from other staff who are skilled and offer high-quality teaching. Pre-school children in the setting are generally engaged and motivated learners. They explore activities, typically demonstrating concentration. Toddlers enjoy story sessions, and babies have opportunities to explore textures. They practise scooping mixtures, filling and emptying bowls with the support of staff. Most children demonstrate that they are settled. They smile and laugh as they play. Overall, children demonstrate polite manners.

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

Children's regular attendance is encouraged by leaders and staff who work closely with parents to support this. The current needs of families are considered by leaders who take time to get to know each family well. Children are typically supported with changes in their

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Inspector:

home routines, for example a new baby. Children are supervised by staff as they play. They are typically reminded of ways to remain safe. For example, children who are able are encouraged to use steps safely as they climb onto the changing table.

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Inspector:

Children are supported to develop healthy attitudes to exercise. These are promoted through outdoor learning. Children develop coordination and balance as they climb on outdoor equipment. Where children have barriers to their learning, leaders consider adjustments to the environment to support individual children's needs. For example, children practise their physical skills indoors. They use resources that leaders have added to the environment to support their engagement and learning. Children benefit from meals carefully prepared to support their health.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure that policies and procedures are implemented consistently to support children's health and wellbeing 08/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure supervision offers effective coaching and mentoring to strengthen staff understanding of their roles and responsibilities for all children 08/10/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve the curriculum, with particular regard to children's mathematical and communication and language development, to ensure children benefit from consistent teaching and develop positive attitudes towards learning 08/10/2026

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

We carried out the inspection under section 49 and 50 of the Children's 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. Lynn Richards

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Nina's Nursery (Cale Green) 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.

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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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