Cheadle Preschool and Day Nursery
Cheadle Preschool and Day Nursery is a day nursery in Cheadle for children aged 0 to 4, with 41 registered places. Ofsted report card, 25 June 2026: Strong standard in 5 areas, Expected standard in 1 area; safeguarding standards met.
City Care, Riversdale House, 18 Gatley Road, Cheadle, SK8 1PY
Key facts
- Type
- Day nursery (Full day care) (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Ages
- 0 to 4 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Registered places
- 41 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
- Registered
- 3 October 2024 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Opening hours
Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Source: Ofsted report, inspection on 25 June 2026
Who runs it
Cheadle Preschool and Day Nursery is run by Emerson Nursery Group Ltd (Ofsted register).
Latest inspection
- Inclusion: Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Strong standard
- Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard
- Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard
- Leadership and governance: Strong standard
- Safeguarding standards met
Source: Ofsted, inspection on 25 June 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are welcomed into a warm and friendly setting. They transition into the setting well with smiles on their faces, excited to start their day. They are greeted with smiles and hugs which they respond well to, having meaningful conversations with staff as they walk through the setting. Children and their families are valued by staff and included in all aspects of their child's learning. Children are taught to be respectful to adults and their peers through positive interactions. They use their manners and show care to one another, asking each other how they are, through excellent communication skills. Much emphasis is placed on developing communication skills from an early age. Babies babble to engage with their key person who speak back, whereas in the preschool, children engage in longer two-way conversations.
Children thoroughly enjoy their learning and play. Careful consideration has gone into planning learning activities based on the children's development, while also appealing to their likes and dislikes. Children complete activities to a high standard and will share this with staff, receiving lots of praise. Barriers to learning are well considered and staff go above and beyond to overcome these. Children learn to play well with their peers, sharing and understanding the impact of their behaviour on others. Children are well prepared for their next stage in learning as there are clear, high expectations for all children.
Children build nurturing relationships with staff. Staff have a passion for providing care for their children which is reflected in their interactions and caring nature. Children are comfortable to 'have a go' and are encouraged by staff to be resilient. Children respond well to this being able to regulate their emotions effectively. Routines are well established and the importance of attendance is shared among the setting and families. Regular attendance gives the children access to a wealth of learning opportunities.
What Ofsted found in each area
Inclusion: Strong standard
Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture where every child is valued, respected and supported to achieve their full potential. Their curriculum celebrates diversity and children learn about the cultures of their peers. Children with English as an additional language are provided with prompts to support their communication. Leaders are proactive in recognising barriers to learning and putting things in place to overcome them, such as redesigning the layout of rooms to meet the needs of a child with a physical disability. All staff know their children exceptionally well and have an excellent understanding of their needs. They ensure that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included in all areas.
Leaders work effectively with practitioners, external agencies and parents to ensure children receive timely support. Leaders focus solely on ensuring the best outcomes for their children, offering support beyond children leaving their care. Staff create a welcoming environment where children can explore their interests and learn in their own way. Children become confident, resilient and a strong sense of belonging as they know they are valued. Staff have high expectations of their children and provide appropriate challenge for all.
Parents report positive relationships with staff. Staff communicate regularly with parents to ensure all children achieve. Parents speak highly of the quick response from staff which adds to the positive experiences children have while at the setting.
Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
The curriculum is carefully designed to build on children's individual next steps while incorporating their interests and fascinations, ensuring learning remains purposeful, engaging and motivating for every child. Leaders agree that their curriculum is in its infancy and there are few occasions where teaching does not meet their high standards, but they are quick to identify this and provide support to maintain those standards.
Staff provide a language-rich environment which is a priority throughout the setting. Staff understand their role in developing communication and language in their children and do so in a highly effective way through stories and rhymes. Throughout the setting, babies are babbling and children are engaging in two-way conversations with adults and their peers.
Staff use their continuous assessment and observations of children well. Staff have a vast knowledge of child development and are aware of the individual milestones. Staff know how to tailor teaching to meet these needs. Extra-curricular activities are offered as leaders are committed to extend children's learning. Leaders have invested in their outdoor area to provide opportunities to apply their learning outside. Staff know what they want their children to learn and prioritise utilising this to prepare children for the next stage in their learning, both in the setting and beyond.
Achievement: Strong standard
Children make excellent progress from their starting points because the curriculum is carefully sequenced and matched to their developmental stages. Children can build on their knowledge and skills as ongoing assessment is used effectively. As children transition through the setting, the progression made is clear to see. Children use single words and longer conversations age appropriately. Babies hear counting to 3, while toddlers subitise and know 1 more.
Children build the physical skills needed at each stage. Babies are supported to pull themselves up and enjoy the dedicated outdoor space. Preschool children climb and learn to balance. Babies learn to grab resources, where preschool children pinch using a finger and thumb. Children naturally choose the age-appropriate action as their physical development has been supported extremely well.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to their learning receive targeted support. This means that all children make sustained progress in their learning and development and are fully prepared for their next stage in learning.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard
Children attending this setting flourish. Staff lead by example and have created a positive learning environment. Clear, well-established routines enable children to feel secure, confident and ready to learn from the start of each session. Children's behaviour is excellent. Children demonstrate consistently strong behaviour and positive attitudes to learning. They are caring, kind and respectful of each other which reflects what is shown to them. Children thoroughly enjoy their learning. They show resilience when faced with challenges, remain engaged in their learning and work collaboratively with their peers. They receive constant praise which encourages them to 'have a go'. Children become confident, active learners who are motivated to explore and achieve their potential.
Leaders understand the changing needs of their children. They know their children well and quickly identify to barriers to their learning, engagement and wellbeing. Staff are reflective on their practice and work closely with families and external agencies to adapt teaching, provide challenge and meet individual needs. Children make progress and thrive.
Leaders strongly emphasise the importance of regular attendance and routines. Staff have built relationships with parents and closely monitor attendance, working sensitively to overcome barriers.
Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeing are at the heart of the setting's practice. Strong, trusting relationships between staff, children and families ensure children are settled quickly and develop a strong sense of belonging. When babies become unsettled, staff swiftly offer cuddles and toys to re-engage them. Children become emotionally intelligent as they are encouraged to talk about their emotions and feelings. Staff model kindness, empathy and respect to help children understand their own and others' feelings. Children build strong relationships with their key persons, who know them well.
Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities successfully. Robust plans are in place which are reviewed frequently with parents and external agencies. Staff support children's individual needs well. Children are taught to respect differences between people but celebrate these differences well. For example, they share children's cultures through handmade age-appropriate books. Children are taught about their roles in the community. For example, they visit a local care home to share arts and crafts activities.
Children's physical health is promoted effectively through nutritious meals and outdoor play. Children talk of the importance of choosing healthy foods and trying new things. Staff support children to develop their independence when managing their own personal care. They are offered tissues to wipe their nose and wash their hands after. Staff support this with respect and dignity.
Leadership and governance: Strong standard
Leaders know their setting very well. Leaders are highly reflective and understand current strengths and areas for development. They consistently look for ways to better their practice and improve their children's experiences. All aspects of their practice develop and change to meet the needs of each new cohort. Staff have high expectations for their children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work hard to overcome any barriers to learning by creating an inclusive and ambitious curriculum.
Staff wellbeing is paramount. Staff report they feel valued and appreciated by leaders. They know how to seek support and feel confident to voice their thoughts and opinions. Staff are invested in the journey the setting is currently on. They are open to the changes implemented and understand the rationale. There are clear systems in place to support staff's personal and professional development. Leaders speak highly of their team and report that they work together putting children at the centre of everything they do.
Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the impact of the setting on their children's personal, social and emotional development, and academically. Parents praised the leadership of the setting and many spoke of the transformation over recent years.
What the setting must and should do next
The provider should:
- Leaders should continue to support staff to embed the curriculum so children consistently experience high-quality teaching.
Ofsted's words, from the report on the inspection on 25 June 2026. Read the full report on the Ofsted website. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted report cards (England, from November 2025)
Since 10 November 2025 Ofsted has graded nurseries and pre-schools on a report card. There is no single overall grade. Instead, each of six areas gets one of five grades: Exceptional, Strong standard, Expected standard, Needs attention, Urgent improvement.
The six areas are inclusion; curriculum and teaching; achievement; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; children's welfare and wellbeing; leadership and governance. Safeguarding is judged on its own, as met or not met.
Expected standard means the setting does what Ofsted expects of every setting. Strong standard and Exceptional are above that; Needs attention and Urgent improvement mean Ofsted found things the setting has to put right.
Source: Ofsted reports
Funded childcare hours in England
All 3 and 4 year olds in England can get 15 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks of the year.
Working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years old can get 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year (Free Childcare for Working Parents), if they meet the earnings rules. You confirm your details every 3 months.
Some 2 year olds can get 15 hours a week when the family gets certain kinds of extra support.
The hours are used at a registered provider that offers them, so ask each nursery how it offers the funded hours.
Source: GOV.UK: Free Childcare for Working Parents, check if you're eligible · GOV.UK: Free childcare and education for 2 to 4 year olds (checked 31 October 2026)
Other nurseries nearby
- Mini Montesaurs - Day nursery, Cheadle SK8 1AQ, ages 0 to 3, 40 places, 0.2 milesOfsted report card, 25 August 2026: Strong standard in 3 areas, Expected standard in 3 areas; safeguarding standards met
- Busy Bees Day Nursery at Cheadle Kingsway - Day nursery, Cheadle SK8 1NP, ages 0 to 5, 67 places, 0.3 milesOfsted, 27 June 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Elm Cottage Nursery at Brookfield - Day nursery, Stockport SK8 1ES, ages 0 to 4, 63 places, 0.5 milesOfsted, 20 December 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Nursery Rhymes Children's Day Nursery - Day nursery, Stockport SK8 2AJ, 33 places, 0.5 milesOfsted, 21 June 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Goodwood Lodge Day Nursery - Day nursery, Cheadle SK8 1EX, ages 0 to 4, 45 places, 0.6 milesOfsted, 20 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Schools nearby
- Cheadle Village Primary School - Primary, 0.2 miles
- The Kingsway School - Secondary, 0.5 miles
- Lady Barn House School - Prep, 0.7 miles
- Meadowbank Primary School - Primary, 0.7 miles
- Inscape House School - Special, 0.8 miles