Cherubs Ruddington

Weekly Explorers sessions give Cherubs Ruddington a clear outdoor thread: children investigate natural surroundings, build and hide together, either at nursery or out in the community. Preschool sports coaching adds another regular opportunity to move, with football, fencing and cricket among the activities. These are useful specifics for families who want physical play woven into the nursery week.

At its May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall, found safeguarding effective and described targeted SEND support involving staff, parents and other professionals; communication and language were strengths, while adult-led teaching and imaginative play needed improvement. That judgement belongs to that visit. The current setting has capacity for 55 children aged 1 to 60 months, at 163 Loughborough Road in Ruddington.

Baby Unit, Toddler Unit and Pre-School provide different stages of the nursery experience. Electronic updates through Blossom Educational Software give parents a way to follow learning and contribute their own observations, rather than relying solely on conversations with staff.

Rooms and Ages

Baby Unit provides an environment arranged to encourage early exploration and curiosity, with resources chosen for very young children.

Toddler Unit combines activities led by practitioners with physical play, quieter experiences, creativity and role play that children can direct through their own interests.

Pre-School uses a spacious, open layout, accessible resources, children serving themselves at meals and a more structured daily rhythm to encourage independence and preparation for school.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage brings learning, development and care together: play, conversation, movement and practical experiences all form part of the child's day. Alongside that framework, the group-wide Explorers programme uses Forest School principles for weekly experiences of the natural environment, including building, hiding and exploring with friends. Sessions take place within the nursery or in the local community, giving outdoor learning a recurring place in the week.

Sports Coaching runs weekly for preschool children. Football, fencing and cricket introduce different movements and ways of taking part, rather than making physical activity depend on free play alone. The sessions are age appropriate and led by a sports coach.

In May 2022, babies explored paint using their hands and tools, while older children investigated birds outdoors. Stories and questions created opportunities to talk and think.

The same May 2022 findings also identified limits. Activities led by adults for three- and four-year-olds sometimes left intended learning unexplored, including during seed planting. Interactions with two- and three-year-olds did not consistently develop pretend play further. The distinction is useful: providing an activity and extending what a child learns from it are separate tasks.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden accommodates climbing, energetic play and stories, with its daily arrangement responding to children's interests. It gives quieter experiences a place outdoors as well as physical activity.

In May 2022, children played hiding games in long grass and used tree stumps to look for one another. Older children made routes from wooden blocks and practised balancing across them; babies copied simple yoga movements. Larger equipment and climbing apparatus were also part of the garden at that time. Together, these observations give a concrete picture of outdoor play across different stages of development.

Relationships and Communication

Blossom Educational Software records children's nursery experiences and learning electronically. Parents can view updates through a smartphone app and add contributions. That creates a practical connection between experiences at home and nursery, with parents able to participate in the learning record.

In May 2022, staff helped children prepare for changes within their families, including the arrival of a sibling. Playing with baby dolls and talking about new experiences made a potentially unfamiliar change something children could explore through play. Everyday routines also included gentle encouragement to use polite language and take responsibility for tidying materials after activities.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Later Ofsted complaint outcomes recorded repeated concerns about accident handling and records. The November 2024 outcome recorded additional staff training in documenting accidents, injuries and first aid, and promptly informing parents. In September 2025, welfare requirements notices addressed safeguarding procedures, safeguarding records and responses to accidents, including seeking medical attention promptly when needed. A further notice followed because procedures for allegations against staff still needed attention. The final published outcome confirmed that all safeguarding and welfare actions had been met. These events qualify the older inspection judgement; their recorded resolution does not indicate current non-compliance.

A dedicated chef prepares meals on site, with a seasonal menu cycle lasting three weeks and Meat Free Monday forming part of the group-wide food approach. The nursery caters for allergies, intolerances and dietary choices linked to culture or lifestyle.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7.15am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas. Those closures matter for childcare planning.

Getting There

The address is 163 Loughborough Road, Ruddington, Nottingham, NG11 6LQ. Regular buses connect with Nottingham and other destinations, while access to the A46 and A60 provides road connections for commuting families.

Funding and Paid Extras

In May 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Teaching beyond the activity. The May 2022 improvement points concerned extending seed-planting learning and imaginative play. On a visit, ask how practitioners now develop children's ideas and follow through on the learning intended for an activity.
• Outdoor learning in practice. Explorers runs weekly, either at nursery or in the community. Ask how experiences are adapted for your child's stage and how the garden and community sessions fit together.
• Your attendance and funding plan. Match the weekday opening window and Christmas closure to your needs, and request a written quotation covering your intended attendance, any funded hours, food and consumables.
• Dietary arrangements. An on-site chef and support for different dietary needs are useful practical features. Discuss your child's allergy, intolerance or other requirement and confirm the current preparation and communication arrangements.

Cherubs Ruddington suits families seeking weekday childcare across the year, with outdoor exploration, preschool sport and practical independence forming recognisable parts of the offer. Explorers and Blossom give that offer substance: one adds recurring natural-world experiences, the other helps parents participate in the learning record.

The May 2022 Good judgement is balanced by teaching improvement points and the later regulatory events described above.