Manager 'proud' as Mansfield Woodhouse nursery wins praise from Ofsted

Cherubs Mansfield Woodhouse, off Welbeck Road, has been awarded a good rating following an inspection by education watchdog Ofsted.

In their newly published report, inspectors said: “Children have positive relationships with staff and show they feel safe in their care.

“Children are given the tailored support that they need to become involved in play.

“Some children, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, need specific care to settle into the day. They receive this from attentive staff and, as a result, they quickly focus on activities of their choosing.”

The inspectors said safeguarding was effective and highlighted how children enjoy regular visits to the local community and how staff ‘build on children's skills to help them become more independent as they progress through the nursery’.

The nursery chef was recognised for providing a ‘varied menu of foods that are healthy and represent different cultures’, while Sarah Hickling, nursery manager, was praised for responding to parents’ suggestions quickly, such as setting up parents’ evenings, and ensuring relevant training for staff, although inspectors said ‘some parents say that they are not always given enough information about their child's day’.

Ms Hickling said: “All staff have worked hard and gone above and beyond, providing stimulating activities with extended learning opportunities, ensuring all children’s needs are met and children’s learning is always challenged.

“The inspection day went so smoothly, all staff were confident and showed great knowledge of our curriculum intent and children’s development.

“The inspector was particularly impressed with the joint observation carried out that day and the staff’s individual knowledge about safeguarding practice.

“The inspector also commented on how children’s ideas were implemented into activities straight away and all opinions and ideas were valued.

“I am very proud of my team here at Cherubs, all staff go the extra mile, and our Ofsted grading and report reflects this.”

To ‘further improve the quality of the early years provision’, the inspectors told the nursery to ‘improve strategies for staff to share information with parents, so parents receive more detailed updates on children's daily care’ and ‘strengthen staff's use of strategies that promote children's communication and language development’.