URN 2746267 · Inspected 2026-01-22 · Published 2026-04-13 · Inspector: Denise Barnes
Blossom Tree Pre School Limited Unique reference number (URN): 2746267 Address: St. Teresa Parish Hall, 135 Devon Street, St. Helens, WA10 4HX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 30/08/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Blossom Tree Pre School Limited Inspection report: 22 January 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Safeguarding standards met The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe. How we evaluate safeguarding When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes: Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Strong standard Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Leaders create a positive and welcoming environment where children understand expectations for behaviour. Staff model respectful interactions and consistently support children to manage their emotions. Children behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning and play. Staff teach children how to cooperate and treat others with kindness. For example, during group sessions linked to a national charity's programme, children discuss what makes a good friend and learn to recognise how their actions affect others. Children confidently give compliments to a peer and explain why kindness makes people feel happy. These experiences help children develop empathy and positive relationships. Relationships between staff and children are warm and supportive. Staff respond sensitively to children's individual needs and help them regulate their emotions. Children confidently approach staff for reassurance or support and are keen to share their ideas and experiences. Leaders promote attendance and punctuality through clear communication with families and supportive relationships. Children arrive settled and ready to engage in the day's experiences. Children interact positively with their peers, cooperate during play and demonstrate confidence, resilience and enjoyment in their learning. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Leaders place children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of practice. Staff create a calm and nurturing environment where children feel secure and supported. Children are given time to settle in a quieter room until they are ready to join in with their peers. Strong relationships between children and staff help children feel confident and settled. Staff support children's emotional wellbeing through experiences and a wealth of opportunities that help them recognise and talk about feelings. For example, children take part in group discussions about what they like about each other. These activities help children understand kindness, empathy and how their actions affect others. Children's physical health and personal care are supported through warm and positive interactions with staff. Children wash their hands before snack and are supported to follow hygiene routines. Staff explain the importance of these routines and model good practice. Children enjoy healthy snacks, such as fruit and breadsticks, and sit together while adults supervise closely. Staff respond sensitively to children's individual emotional needs. For example, they take account of individual children's views on ways in which they feel comforted and respond sensitively to their needs. This supports children's emotional security before they join play confidently. Expected standard Children demonstrate confidence and contentment in the setting. They demonstrate how they feel safe, cared for and emotionally supported by the staff team. Inclusion Strong standard Leaders create a highly inclusive culture where children's individual needs are identified promptly and assessed accurately. Practitioners know children extremely well and monitor their development closely, ensuring that emerging needs and gaps in learning are recognised early. Leaders take prompt and effective action to reduce barriers to children's learning and wellbeing by making thoughtful adaptations. This includes the use of visual supports, communication strategies and sensory adjustments. These help children to engage in their learning with increasing confidence. Targeted early intervention is used consistently when concerns arise, and support is swiftly adapted as children's needs change. Leaders review children's progress regularly and thoughtfully evaluate the impact of support. Staff benefit from relevant training, which enables them to understand and apply inclusive approaches confidently. Leaders work closely with families and, where appropriate, external professionals to shape children's support, opportunities and experiences. Leaders demonstrate informed use of any additional funding to reduce barriers and improve outcomes. Children known, or previously known, to children's social care are supported sensitively and consistently, enabling them to feel safe, included and able to thrive. Achievement Expected standard Children make secure progress from their starting points across the areas of learning and development. They demonstrate confidence, engagement and enjoyment in learning. This is particularly noticeable in children's communication and language development, as well as early mathematics. Children with additional needs and those known, or previously known, to children's social care make appropriate progress. This is because needs are identified early and support is well matched to their needs. Overall, children develop key skills that support readiness for their next stage in education, including familiarity with routines and growing independence. However, some inconsistencies in practice mean that children's progress is secure rather than accelerated. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders demonstrate a secure understanding of the curriculum and how it supports children's learning and development. The curriculum reflects children's interests and prioritises communication, early mathematics and children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff support children's language development through purposeful conversation, signing and questioning that encourages children to explain their ideas and think more deeply. Staff observe children closely during play and everyday routines to understand what children know and can do. This information helps staff plan experiences that build on children's interests and next steps. For example, children develop early mathematical understanding as they roll a dice, recognise numerals and represent quantities by drawing circles. Early writing is supported through activities such as copying names from name cards. Leaders ensure that the curriculum supports most children to develop the knowledge and skills they need. However, staff do not always adapt teaching in response to children's thinking to consistently enhance opportunities for children to extend on what they already know. Children are developing independence in many aspects of daily routines, such as managing their belongings and identifying their own resources. However, expectations for independence are not always applied consistently. At times, adults offer more support than is necessary rather than encouraging children to attempt tasks for themselves. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders demonstrate reflective practice and have a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. They prioritise inclusion and emotional wellbeing, particularly for children experiencing disadvantage or complex family circumstances. Leaders work closely with families and external agencies to ensure that children receive appropriate support. For example, leaders act as a trusted point of contact for families and coordinate support with schools and professionals when needed. This helps to ensure that children and families receive highly effective support. Leaders provide staff with access to relevant training and professional development. Staff undertake a range of courses to strengthen their knowledge and support children effectively. Leaders also monitor children's progress and discuss practice with staff to support continuous improvement. Leaders are committed to supporting staff wellbeing. Regular discussions and an open culture allow staff to share concerns and seek advice when needed. Leaders monitor the quality of provision and children's learning. However, monitoring of curriculum implementation is not yet sharp enough to identify where teaching could be adapted further to deepen children's learning and consistently support children to practice their self-care skills. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Children flourish in this nurturing and inclusive environment, where they feel safe, valued and understood. Warm and trusting relationships with staff help children to settle quickly and feel emotionally secure. Children confidently talk with staff and one another, demonstrating high levels of self-esteem and enjoyment in learning. Children benefit from a broad range of experiences that support their early learning. Staff encourage children to talk about their ideas, ask questions and explore new concepts. For example, during daily routines children confidently recognise their names when selecting their name cards at snack time. They also enjoy early writing activities, such as creating labels to wear. These experiences help children develop confidence in recognising and writing their names while strengthening their sense of identity. Children clearly develop a secure sense of belonging. Families are welcomed into the life of the setting, and staff work closely with them to understand children's experiences and needs. Parents contribute information about children's interests and development, which staff use to shape experiences. Leaders maintain regular contact with families, particularly those facing challenges, ensuring that children and parents feel supported. Children are generally well prepared for their next steps. Staff prioritise children's emotional development, helping them to recognise feelings, cooperate with others and develop resilience. Children demonstrate empathy, confidence and curiosity. This shows they are developing the personal and social skills needed for the next stage of learning. Inspector: Denise Barnes About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2746267 Address: St. Teresa Parish Hall 135 Devon Street St. Helens WA10 4HX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 30/08/2023 Registered person: Blossom Tree Pre School Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30 Local authority: St Helens Next steps Leaders should strengthen staff skills to continually adapt teaching in response to children's thinking to further enhance opportunities for children to extend on what they already know. Leaders should support staff to provide consistent opportunities for children to practise their self-care skills. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator, parents and children during the inspection. We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage. Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 22 January 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 2 to 4 Total number of places 31 Our grades explained Exceptional Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it. Strong standard The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them. Expected standard The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them. Needs attention The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements. Urgent improvement The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. 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