URN 2753408 · Inspected 2026-03-12 · Published 2026-05-12 · Inspector: Liz Caluori
Cherry Blossom Preschool Unique reference number (URN): 2753408 Address: 10 London Road, Bexhill-on-sea, TN39 3JU Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 15/11/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: Birkdale Nursery Ltd Inspection report: 12 March 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 Expected standard Inclusion Strong standard There are very secure arrangements to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These children make rapid progress in their learning and development. Leaders and staff are also committed to helping children and families to overcome barriers to learning. Leaders and staff work effectively with parents and, when necessary, other professionals to meet children's individual needs and promote their learning. Staff are fully consistent in using agreed methods to communicate with individual children and help them regulate their emotions and behaviour. For example, they make effective use of small-group sessions to provide focused support. Staff also wear lanyards with picture cards, including symbols, to indicate when something is 'not available'. These very personalised images very successfully support children's understanding and emotional wellbeing. All staff are eager to continually develop their skills and knowledge around SEND, and leaders have recently booked a Makaton sign language course. Funding is used appropriately to purchase specific resources to extend the learning and enjoyment of the children it is allocated to. In addition, some funding is used to provide targeted training to enable staff to support children with SEND or who face disadvantages. Achievement Expected standard All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress well. Gaps in learning close particularly rapidly for children with SEND and those who face barriers to their learning. Children become independent, enthusiastic learners, confidently choosing the games they want to play and the activities they want to take part in. They also make choices about where they want to spend time. For example, they decide if they want to play indoors or outside. Children use skills they have acquired over time as they play, such as working out how to balance ingredients to make play dough of the right consistency without specific measurements. Children use their developing language skills to chat happily with their friends and share stories and jokes. They confidently speak in a group and interact with other children and adults. These skills, along with their ability to carry out practical tasks, such as putting on their coats and shoes, help prepare children for moving on to school. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Children understand the routines and expectations in the nursery. They are aware of when they can choose where and what to play during the sessions. They also understand the arrangements for snacks, mealtimes and group sessions, cooperating well. Children behave well and listen when staff provide guidance or explanations, which are appropriate for their ages and stages of development. The caring relationships between children and staff help create a positive and friendly atmosphere. Staff teach children to share and take turns, helping them learn valuable social skills. For example, children wait patiently for their turn to talk during group activities and listen while others speak. They also follow instructions well as they plant seeds. Children reflect on previous learning and ask relevant questions, such as how frequently they should water their flowers. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard The care of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is coordinated and effective. Leaders and staff work closely with parents, providing advice and support when needed. This helps to overcome barriers to children's learning. Key-person arrangements work well. Each child's key person takes the lead in overseeing their learning and development. They plan the next steps for children's learning, assess their progress and liaise with parents. This helps promote consistency and supports children's emotional wellbeing. Effective communication means that all staff understand the personalities, preferences and behaviours of every child in the nursery. The environment is thoughtfully organised to allow children to play independently and safely. Staff monitor children's movements around the nursery to ensure that they are safe and that appropriate ratios are maintained. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have recently developed a new curriculum. It covers all areas of learning and is based on a range of topics and themes. Staff work together to plan the curriculum activities, successfully promoting children's learning overall. This is because staff are skilful at using their interactions to encourage discussions and introduce new ideas. However, there are occasions when staff do not clearly identify what they want children to learn. At these times, although children have fun, they do not benefit from teaching that is precisely focused, and some gain more from activities than others. The teaching for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is fully consistent and is planned and coordinated well. Staff are effective at promoting children's communication and language. They introduce new words as children play and engage them in lively and interesting back-and-forth conversations. Staff also plan activities that focus on supporting children's mathematical development. For example, they encourage children to consider the ratios of ingredients as they work with staff to make play dough. The warm interactions of staff, along with the opportunities to make choices and decisions, help children develop confidence. Staff also encourage children to share, take turns and listen to others, which helps promote their social skills. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders have a clear aim to provide a high-quality service that reflects the needs and abilities of each child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They are currently navigating through a period of staff changes and recruitment. This has affected the rate at which they have been able to implement some improvements. Overall, new processes are embedding well; however, there is a lack of clarity over some aspects of the roles and responsibilities of senior staff. As a result, there are gaps in the oversight of teaching and planning. Leaders have introduced a broad and interesting new curriculum that covers all areas of learning effectively. However, they have not established who will take responsibility for ensuring that activities in the curriculum are precisely planned so that the learning intentions are clear. Although staff work together well, this results in a degree of inconsistency in the quality of children's experiences. There are effective arrangements to support staff, including supervision meetings and a commitment to ongoing training. Leaders value the skills and experience of staff. This leads to respectful relationships and contributes to the overall effective organisation and running of the provision. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children develop a strong sense of security and belonging in the friendly, stimulating environment. Throughout the nursery, children have fun, share jokes and laugh with their friends and staff. They approach staff confidently for attention or to enthusiastically join in with activities. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from interactions that meet their care needs very effectively as well as promote their emotional wellbeing. Children enjoy the broad range of opportunities they experience throughout the day. Indoors, they enjoy role play with their friends, pretending to make meals and drinks in the home corner. They also look at books, draw pictures and play with an inviting range of resources. Outside, children engage in active play and learn about the natural world, for instance, as they plant flowers. Inspector: Liz Caluori About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2753408 Address: 10 London Road Bexhill-on-sea TN39 3JU Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 15/11/2023 Registered person: Birkdale Nursery Ltd Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00 The successful focus on promoting regular attendance supports children in accessing the full curriculum. Overall, children progress well and develop the confidence and skills they need to move on to the next steps of their education. Next steps Leaders should more clearly determine some roles and responsibilities in the leadership team to enhance coordination and oversight of teaching practices. Leaders should refine the arrangements to identify the intended learning for each activity delivered in the wider curriculum. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, 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 Local authority: East Sussex Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 12 March 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 3 to 4 Total number of places 24 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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