Simply Cherish Day Nursery

Familiar voices and small steps give Simply Cherish Day Nursery its clearest character. In December 2023, parents recorded familiar phrases for children learning English, while everyday responsibilities included preparing lunch tables and tidying sand. These are practical ways to connect home, language and growing independence.

At its 6 December 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall, while identifying improvements needed in babies’ movement space and the consistency of teaching. That balance matters: there were useful examples of attentive care, alongside specific weaknesses for families to explore.

The nursery serves children from three months to five years at 77 Alexandra Road South, Whalley Range, Manchester, M16 8GJ, with 53 places in total. Full-day attendance has a minimum booking of two days each week.

Rooms and Ages

Four age groups organise the nursery day: 3–16 months, 16–24 months, 24–36 months and 36 months onwards. This separates the youngest babies from older toddlers and preschool children, giving parents a clear starting point for understanding where their child will spend time.

In December 2023, babies practised posting discs into a box and used soft steps and a slide. Returning to familiar activities gave them opportunities to practise emerging skills. The physical layout needed attention, however: toys and activities drew babies towards a crowded part of the room, leaving insufficient clear space for walking practice. For a child beginning to walk, the arrangement of furniture and resources matters as much as the resources themselves.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides planning around each child’s interests, development and next learning steps. In parent language, that means play and enjoyable experiences are chosen to help children build skills, rather than treating the day simply as supervised play. Each child has an individual learning journey, with opportunities for parents to discuss development.

In December 2023, communication featured in interactions with babies as well as older children. Adults used clear speech, talked at a level suited to children and babies, and interacted with babies through eye contact and conversation. Such exchanges give even the youngest children a part in the conversation.

The same month, children helped one another during computer games and used a sand timer to learn when to let someone else take a turn. Preschool children helped prepare tables for lunch, and toddlers cleared up sand independently. These examples connect learning with ordinary responsibilities: waiting, sharing and looking after a shared space.

Teaching was less consistent than the curriculum plan. In December 2023, staff sometimes lost sight of the intended learning or struggled to plan an activity that stretched a child’s existing abilities. A clear plan therefore did not always translate into a sufficiently challenging experience.

Outdoor and Community Life

Physical play is encouraged as part of the nursery’s approach to children’s development. In December 2023, outdoor play also provided an example of children expressing preferences: when a toddler wanted to return indoors because of the cold, staff responded promptly.

In December 2023, opportunities to recognise families’ different faiths included celebrating events such as Divali. Recognising families’ different faiths brought opportunities to explore beliefs beyond their own household. The value lies in connecting children’s experiences with those of the people around them.

Relationships and Communication

Each child and family has a key carer responsible for individual attention. That gives parents an identified relationship through which to discuss their child’s needs, rather than relying solely on whichever adult is nearby.

In December 2023, staff exchanged ideas with parents about developing children’s language. For children learning English, recordings of a parent saying familiar phrases helped connect nursery routines with home. This was a concrete settling technique, using something recognisable to explain what would happen next.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the December 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described successful support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with tasks broken into manageable steps. These are dated findings, rather than a guarantee about every child’s experience today.

The team includes a SEND/EAL role, and the practitioner in that role holds a SENCO qualification. Partnerships with health visitors, outreach workers and support teams provide routes to other agencies supporting families. Together, these mechanisms give parents specific points of contact and support to discuss when a child needs additional help.

Dental care also receives attention through flexible tooth-care routines. Breastfeeding families can discuss support suited to their circumstances. Both are practical parts of care that sit alongside learning and play.

Sessions and Attendance

Full-day places run from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with attendance required on at least two days a week. The nursery operates for 51 weeks annually and closes for a week at Christmas. That minimum booking matters for families seeking only one regular day.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 0161 860 0864, by email at info@simplycherishdaynursery.co.uk or through the contact form. The address is 77 Alexandra Road South, Whalley Range, Manchester, M16 8GJ.

Funding and Paid Extras

Eligible families can use funding across 38 term-time weeks or spread it over the nursery’s 51 operating weeks. The funding calculations include a 30-hour entitlement, with no more than 10 funded hours claimable on any one day. Spreading funding across the year changes how funded and privately paid hours fit together; it does not make every hour of a full day funded.

For the standard daily rate across 51 weeks, meals and hygiene consumables are included, together with formula until age one; the food provision comprises breakfast, a hot two-course lunch and a light tea. For funded-hours-only attendance over 38 weeks, meals carry a separate daily charge, while parents supply nappies, wipes and creams each day.

A non-refundable registration charge and signed terms secure the booking. Fees increase each April, and monthly invoices are payable in advance on the first day of the month. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation; the fees page explains the charging structure.

• Space for early walkers. The December 2023 findings identified an overcrowded part of the baby room that restricted walking practice. On a visit, ask how the layout now gives babies clear space to move.
• Teaching beyond the activity. In December 2023, some activities did not sufficiently extend children’s learning. Ask how staff choose the next challenge for a child who has already mastered a task.
• Funding and the weekly bill. Term-time funded-hours-only attendance separates meal charges from parent-supplied consumables, while the standard daily rate includes both categories. Compare a written quotation for the attendance pattern you intend to book, including the daily funding limit and registration charge.

Simply Cherish suits families seeking full-day attendance on at least two days a week, including those arranging eligible funding either during term time or across the year. Its key-carer arrangement, learning journeys and SEND/EAL role provide concrete ways to connect care with family circumstances.

The December 2023 judgement gives a positive starting point, but the baby-room layout and uneven teaching deserve attention. Families weighing those points against the practical booking and funding structure have a clear basis for deciding whether this nursery fits their child.