Cedar Tree Rocester

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are at the heart of the setting's ethos. Staff create a warm, friendly, and welcoming environment where every child feels valued and secure. This nurturing atmosphere boosts children's confidence and well-being, enabling them to thrive. Staff actively support children's emotional development by encouraging them to reflect on their feelings. For example, during registration, older children share whether they feel happy or sad. Staff listen carefully and help each child understand their emotions, supporting them to regulate their feelings in age-appropriate ways. Children begin to understand daily routines. They follow instructions well, share with friends and take turns. Staff are quick to divert any unwanted behaviours and children's behaviour is good.

Staff plan a well-sequenced and thoughtful curriculum based on children's interests, developmental stages, and any gaps in learning. As a result, the curriculum engages and challenges children across all age groups. For instance, babies play peekaboo to develop communication and form strong emotional bonds with their key person. Older children weigh ingredients to explore mathematical concepts and develop early writing skills as they mark make using glitter or sand. These meaningful experiences engage children in their learning and all children make good progress from their starting points.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Leaders demonstrate passion and commitment to delivering high-quality care and education. They regularly reflect on practice and take clear steps to improve both provision and teaching. Managers involve staff in identifying training needs and setting professional targets during regular supervision and team meetings.
• Staff enhance children's learning by providing real-life experiences. They take children to local lakes to observe wildlife and arrange visits to a nearby factory where children see diggers and tractors. These opportunities help children understand their community and develop a broader awareness of the world around them.
• The curriculum is exciting and stimulates children's interest, though it is the positive staff interactions that engage children. They use everyday experiences to spark children's curiosity. For example, when a helicopter flies over the nearby factory, children eagerly gather to watch. Staff prompt discussions by asking questions, encouraging predictions, and stimulating imaginative thinking. These spontaneous moments inspire investigation and active learning.
• Staff place a strong focus on developing communication and language. They model clear speech, repeat key vocabulary, narrate play, and introduce new words in context. These high-quality interactions help children become confident communicators who take part in meaningful conversations. Staff listen carefully, respond thoughtfully, and create opportunities for dialogue throughout the day. During mealtimes, they sit with children and encourage lively, social conversations, turning everyday routines into rich language-learning experiences. However, on occasion, the way that staff organise daily routines does not fully support all children to engage fully in their learning.
• Staff promote physical development effectively. Babies strengthen their muscles and coordination as they climb on the soft play. Toddlers and pre-school children climb, scoot, and ride wheeled toys to develop gross motor skills. Babies also develop fine motor skills as they explore items in a tray. Staff supervise older children carefully as they cut fruit for snack.
• Staff create an inclusive, well-resourced environment. They build strong, trusting relationships with all children and place a clear focus on meeting the needs of those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work closely with parents and external professionals to deliver consistent support.
• Staff build strong partnerships with parents. From the outset, they provide reassurance, establish trust, and maintain clear, ongoing communication. Parents say they feel confident leaving their children in the care of staff. Staff keep parents well informed about their children's learning and progress. They provide daily verbal updates and use a secure online system to share photos and observations. Staff also invite parents to take part in stay-and-play sessions, sports days, and local outings. These experiences help parents feel involved in their children's learning and strengthen the link between home and the setting.
• Staff promote healthy habits through daily outdoor play and nutritious snacks such as fruit, milk, and water. However, at times, children are offered snacks or meals that are high in sugar or highly processed, which does not consistently support their understanding of healthy eating choices.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• refine the organisation of daily routines, so that children of different ages and abilities are supported and effectively engaged during activities
• enrich opportunities for children to develop healthy lifestyles, supporting them to make and understand healthy choices.