Alexandra Park Creative Nursery School

Alexandra Park Creative Nursery School
Unique reference number (URN): 2763653
Address: Demesne Road, Manchester, M16 8PH
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 23/11/2023
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Storal Nurseries Limited
Inspection report: 8 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.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and
those who speak English as an additional language (EAL), make steady progress across the
7 areas of learning. Some children demonstrate communication and social skills that exceed
expectations. Pre-school children generally use skills of collaboration, negotiation and turn-
taking with friends. These skills will support them as they move to school.
Children demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude. They demonstrate their autonomy as they make
decisions, for example to move play to outdoors. Children persevere at tasks, bringing
friends in to support them. For example, they ask their friends to help them move large
resources that take 2 people to carry.
Children, including children with SEND, make progress from their starting points. Where
children speak EAL and where children have gaps in learning, these gaps typically close,
and children make progress alongside their peers.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders have high expectations for all children. Staff demonstrate consistently kind
behaviours and are quick to remind children of the importance of being kind to friends. Staff
consider the age and ability of children when setting expectations. For example, they
demonstrate to babies, using clear single words. They help older children consider each
other's feelings. Children typically respond well. They use resources safely and usually play
collaboratively with friends.
Staff and children form strong bonds. They develop relationships that are happy and
trusting. For example, babies snuggle on the knee of a familiar adult. Children form
friendships with their peers. They look for their friends arriving, and they make plans for
playing together.
Leaders at the setting encourage parents to come into the setting and talk about their jobs to
children. This helps children to learn about a world outside their own. Staff also plan events
where children can share their creativity with parents. Art, music and imagination are used to
help children share their learning and to celebrate different cultures. These experiences
support children in developing knowledge and respect. Leaders work flexibly with parents to
prioritise and support good attendance. This helps children to get maximum benefit from the
setting.
Leaders identified that mealtimes needed action. They have noted improvement following
adjustments to reduce the number of children eating in one sitting. However, during some
routines, such as when children's care routines are being completed, expectations about
how staff can support children to remain engaged are less clear.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
The key-person system is well embedded. Children have secure relationships with their key
person and with other staff who care for them. Staff have a secure knowledge of children in
their group. They talk confidently about children's interests, their likes and dislikes. For
example, staff know if children like a specific comforter and will offer this when children are
tired or going to sleep.
Leaders and staff work in close partnership with parents to support children's wellbeing and
progress. Staff talk to parents, and, together, make a plan to support children when they
identify gaps in children's learning or changes in their behaviour. This helps children to
benefit from a consistent approach.
Children gain secure skills of independence. Young children manage self-care tasks
independently. As children progress, they are taught to consider risks and manage risks
safely. The setting has a consistent routine that is effective. However, managers have
identified that some transition times are less effective, and they are working with staff to
support these times.
Partnerships with parents help staff to gather important information about children's
individual needs. Where children have allergies or medical needs, this information is shared
so that children can be supported and kept safe. For example, robust systems are in place
to ensure children with allergies are only offered foods that are suitable for them.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
The curriculum is effectively designed to support all areas of learning, with learning indoors
and outdoors. Staff understand the curriculum. They plan effectively for children's learning.
Staff make adaptations to ensure that all children, including children with gaps in learning,
are able to learn and make steady progress.
A strength of the curriculum is the focus on language and communication. From an early
age, staff use sign language to support children to communicate. Progress in children's
speech and communication is swift. Children, including those who speak English as an
additional language, typically demonstrate proficient speech and communicate effectively
alongside their peers.
Children benefit from activities that enhance their creativity and imagination. Staff skilfully
engage with children who are building. They add resources to add complexity. Children use
past learning as they problem-solve and make increasingly complex structures. Children
develop skills that will support future learning.
There are ample opportunities to support physical development. Children benefit from space
to run, jump and balance. They enjoy scooping soil and filling containers. Staff use these
opportunities to introduce mathematical language. Children learn concepts such as full and
empty. Typically, teaching is effective. However, there are occasions when the
implementation of the curriculum is less effective. For example, some staff have less
knowledge about how to respond to children's emerging learning. Their teaching skills are

not yet embedded to support children with the same high-quality interactions that other staff
demonstrate.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders demonstrate a collaborative approach to supporting children and their families.
Staff identify and implement ways to overcome barriers. For example, they consider quiet
spaces to support children where needed. This helps children to feel calm and remain
engaged. As a result, all children are making progress.
Staff demonstrate a firm understanding of individual children's needs and the action they are
taking to support progress, including where children have special educational needs and/or
disabilities or speak English as an additional language. Observation and assessment are
used well to monitor progress and to identify gaps. Additional support is offered where
required. Staff consider ways to adapt and support engagement. For example, staff use
visual cues and sign language to aid children's communication and understanding.
Leaders for special educational needs attend meetings and collaborate with other
professionals, such as psychologists and health visitors. They work closely with staff and
parents to ensure there is a coordinated approach to support offered, including decisions
about the use of additional funding for individual children. For example, managers are keen
to support staff with specific training and sensory resources to help children to engage and
make progress.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have a clear and ambitious plan for supporting continual progress. They offer a
curriculum that supports children to be independent, learning through creativity and
exploration in the setting's well-planned and equipped indoor and outdoor spaces. Leaders
know the families attending and the local community. Many children speak English as an
additional language or speak dual languages. Leaders ensure that communication and
language are firmly embedded in the teaching and the curriculum offered.
There are robust systems in place for safer recruitment, and leaders offer secure induction,
supervision and mentoring of staff. In addition, staff benefit from coaching and peer support
to build knowledge and share skills. Staff report that they feel well supported and valued.
However, leaders should build on the skills and knowledge for all staff to embed consistently
high-quality teaching across the provision.
Leaders demonstrate their ability to correctly identify the strengths of the setting and any
areas for improvement. They are currently working with staff to make transitions at
mealtimes more effective and have already noted some positive results.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Managers have planned a curriculum that supports children to be sociable, confident and
inquisitive. Children demonstrate high levels of collaboration as they share ideas and play
together. For example, children communicate effectively, using problem-solving techniques
to move resources to make a slide. They gleefully whizz down the slide, shouting 'Yay!'
Children enjoy learning, and they celebrate their achievements with friends.
Staff know children well. They want them to succeed. In general, teaching skills support
children's progress. For example, staff demonstrate how to throw and catch. Even young
children are encouraged to manage self-care tasks, such as pouring their own drink or
handing out plates. Children make progress from their starting points.
The knowledge staff have of each child helps them to adapt the environment and plan
experiences that all children can engage in. For example, they offer children a range of
different-sized brushes to paint. This helps all children to engage, including those who have
gaps in their learning. Where children have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or
where children are not making expected progress, staff are swift to note this. They offer
targeted support, working with specialists where required. As a result, all children thrive.
They make progress in readiness for their next stage of learning.
The setting has a high number of children who speak English as an additional language
(EAL). Communication for children is supported by the setting's unique bilingual approach.
Children, including children who speak EAL, become confident communicators. They make
steady progress in their spoken English.
The nursery has a strong focus on supporting children to consider their own safety. Children
can be heard checking if it is safe to jump, or checking structures are secure before they
climb. They develop effective life skills that will support them in future learning.
Next steps
Leaders should continue to build on staff's knowledge and skills so that all staff offer
consistent high-quality teaching.
Leaders should help staff to use routines more effectively to support children's continual
engagement in learning.

Inspectors:
Lynn Richards
Chris Scully
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2763653
Address:
Demesne Road
Manchester
M16 8PH
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 23/11/2023
Registered person: Storal Nurseries Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Manchester
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 8 January 2026
About this inspection
The inspectors spoke to the leaders of the setting, parents and practitioners 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.

Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
148
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.
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