Hemel Hempstead nursery told to improve after Ofsted inspection

Cherry Tree Bi-Lingual Day Nursery and Pre-School in Hemel Hempstead has been handed a ‘requires improvement’ rating from education regulator Ofsted after being inspected last year.

The nursery, at 15 Horselers, was rated after its December inspection and had improved from its last visit where it was found to be ‘inadequate’. The report, published last week, said: “They [the staff] sometimes overlook opportunities to build on children's interests and extend their existing knowledge as they play.

“The key-person system is not always effective. Occasionally, staff working with the youngest children are unable to confidently identify their key children.”

The nursery disputed Ofsted's findings. In response to the report’s findings, a spokesperson for Cherry Tree Bi-Lingual Day Nursery and Pre-School said: “Following our recent inspection we would like to express that we are wholeheartedly working to help make each day a bit brighter for the children at our nursery and we are very pleased with our current team of staff, who are working extremely hard to further improve outcomes for our children.

“It is encouraging to see staff empowered and working together as a team to assist children to develop their full potential and to narrow the gap.

They added: “We are working and liaising with our early years consultant. We are a good setting striving to provide our children with the very best and eager and keen to meet the challenges ahead and will do everything in our power to continue to raise attainment.”

There were positives found through the inspection, including support for children with special educational needs and disabilities, staff explained that they supported by the manager, and, all children received encouragement to develop their independence and sense of responsibility.

While changes were made to improve the provision from ‘inadequate’ to ‘requires improvement’, the report stated: “These initial improvements need to be sustained and further progress made to ensure children receive a consistently good standard of care and education.”

Children were found to behave appropriately with staff supporting them to manage their behaviours. But the report highlighted that weaknesses in the staff interactions meant that some children became disengaged in their learning and were less tolerant of others.