Roosters Day Nursery

In September 2023, storytelling, early movement and close relationships with staff characterised children's experience at Roosters Day Nursery. At that inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good, found safeguarding and sleep-safety systems effective and reported good progress for children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The nursery has 44 places in total and accepts children aged 0 to 120 months. That whole-setting age range is broader than the children aged 0 to 4 attending in September 2023, when holiday care also catered for older children.

In September 2023, younger children experimented with sound by striking drums and bringing objects together, while babies practised standing and taking steps. Older children drew, painted and began explaining what their marks meant. These were different stages of learning, rather than one activity applied to everyone.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, the September 2023 curriculum covered its areas of learning through activities that built on children's existing abilities. Expressive storytelling held children's attention, and questions about familiar books encouraged them to contribute. Older children also acted out a story about pigs, exchanging ideas as they played.

Community trips were another part of nursery life in September 2023, giving children experiences beyond the setting. Activities across the year introduced them to other people and encouraged considerate behaviour.

In September 2023, settling sessions were adapted to individual children. Staff responded promptly to tiredness, hunger and changing needs, offering comfort when children became unsettled. For babies, that responsiveness matters as much as the activities on offer.

Key people gathered information from parents about children's starting points and followed their development through observation. In September 2023, concerns prompted information-sharing with families and other professionals, followed by individual plans. Parents also received updates about development and advice on continuing learning at home.

Daily care in September 2023 included handwashing, cleaning equipment, balanced meals and access to drinking water. Staff explained behaviour expectations calmly and consistently, helping children understand how their actions affected others.

Roosters Day Nursery is at 6 Brassington Terrace, Den Lane, Wrinehill, Crewe, CW3 9BT. It opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, throughout the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas.

In September 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four, alongside school-holiday care for older children. Those arrangements belong to that dated account of its provision.

• Thinking time. In September 2023, staff questioning needed development so children had more opportunity to consider their answers. On a visit, look for pauses that let children work things out themselves.
• Challenge for older children. Activities were not consistently adapted to sustain engagement or extend the most able children in September 2023. Ask how activities now change as a child becomes more confident.
• Attendance and costs. With weekday opening from 7.30am to 6pm, ask which booking pattern fits your child and request a written quotation covering funded hours, meals and consumables.

Roosters suits families seeking weekday care and a setting whose September 2023 practice combined expressive storytelling with responsive personal care. The Good judgement provides a dated quality benchmark. The most useful visit question is how staff now adapt activities and give children time to think, especially as they approach the older end of early-years provision.