Cherry Tree Childcare

03/06/2026

🌟 Inspection Success for Cherry Tree Childcare 🌟

I am absolutely delighted to share the outcome of my recent Care Inspectorate inspection, where Cherry Tree Childcare was awarded Very Good (Grade 5) across all evaluated areas.
The inspection recognised the high-quality care, play and learning experiences provided, strong partnerships with families, nurturing relationships, and my commitment to supporting every child to thrive. Reading the inspector's feedback about the positive experiences and outcomes for children made me incredibly proud.
This achievement would not have been possible without the wonderful children who fill each day with curiosity, laughter and learning. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey and for making Cherry Tree Childcare such a special place.
A heartfelt thank you also goes to all of my families for your continued trust, support and collaboration. Working together ensures that every child receives the best possible care, learning opportunities and encouragement to reach their full potential.
I am so grateful for the positive relationships we have built and look forward to continuing to provide a warm, nurturing and inspiring environment where children can learn, grow and flourish.
Thank you for being part of the Cherry Tree Childcare family ❤️

27/05/2026

UPDATE: Car now removed. 👏🏼👏🏼Today turned into one of those real-life learning moments.

While we were out near the school, we noticed a burnt-out car that had been sitting there for a few days. Some school children playing around it, and it naturally led to a really thoughtful conversation about whether it was safe. The children were brilliant at talking it through together and decided that the safest thing to do would be to let the police know.

So that’s exactly what we did. We walked down to the local police station and reported our concerns. The children had the chance to speak with a police officers, who took time to listen properly and chat with them. They explained why it was a good decision to come forward and praised the children for thinking about safety and their community.

The police have offered us a chance to do a visit with them again soon as a reward! 💗

25/05/2026

"Children cannot bounce off the walls if you take away the walls”.
Great day of fun, learning, laughing and paddling 🏝️

11/05/2026

08/05/2026

A little appreciation post for the incredible Sir David Attenborough 🌍💚

His passion for nature, wildlife, and protecting our planet continues to inspire me so much within my childminding practice. The way he encourages curiosity, kindness, and respect for the world around us is something I love sharing with the children every day.

From exploring outdoors and talking about animals, to teaching the importance of caring for our environment, his work helps inspire little minds to wonder, learn, and appreciate nature.

The children may be small, but they are the next generation and inspiring them to love and protect the world around them starts now!

07/05/2026

N E W T S & T A D P O L E S

Today we enjoyed a wonderful outdoor learning experience at Almondell Country Park 🌿

The children explored the pond area and went fishing for tadpoles, snails and newts using nets and collection trays. We were very excited to catch several newts and had the opportunity to observe them closely, talking about their features, movements and habitats before carefully returning them safely back to the water.

We also spent time climbing trees, developing confidence, balance and risk assessment skills, while enjoying the freedom and challenge of outdoor play. Along our walk, the children discovered wild garlic growing nearby and loved smelling the strong scent, using their senses to explore the natural environment around them.

A highlight of our visit was meeting a very knowledgeable worker from the park who spent time talking with the children about the insects and pond creatures we were catching. The children listened so well, asked questions and learned lots of interesting facts about habitats, insects and wildlife conservation.

Experiences like this support the children to develop curiosity, confidence and respect for the natural world while encouraging communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills.

This links closely to Education Scotland’s Realising the Ambition guidance through child-led exploration, meaningful outdoor experiences and responsive learning opportunities. It also supports the Curriculum for Excellence by helping children become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.

07/05/2026

🗳️ V O T I N G 🗳️

Such an important reminder that women once had to fight for the right to vote. We talked about the suffragettes and learned about Emmeline Pankhurst and the incredible determination of the women who helped change history.

A little history lesson while making our voices heard 💜

Next week we will focus more on voting and the reasons behind it.

01/05/2026

🌏 E A R T H D A Y 🌍
Loving our planet!

This week we used Earth Day as a wonderful springboard for learning, encouraging the children to connect with the natural world through all five senses and develop their skills across different areas of the curriculum.

The children explored their environment by:
Seeing – spotting ducks, swans, birds, butterflies, and movement on the water.
Hearing – ducks quacking, birds singing, dogs barking, and trees rustling in the wind.
Touching – tree bark, grass, rocks, and a variety of natural textures.
Smelling – fresh flowers and the scents of the outdoors.
Tasting – enjoying fresh fruit during our outdoor experiences.

We also incorporated early maths throughout the week
The children measured and compared what they could see in nature, including a fun challenge to find the largest and shortest dandelions 🌼.
They explored numbers in a meaningful way by finding and counting natural objects, such as:
1 butterfly 🦋10 clouds ☁️7 steps 👣 3 rocks 🪨

By the water’s edge, the children sat calmly and drew what they observed, including baby ducks and swans. 🦢🦆 This supported their creativity while encouraging them to slow down, look closely, and share their ideas through mark-making.

This week’s experiences link closely with Realising the Ambition, supporting curiosity, creativity, and a love for learning through play. It also reflects the Curriculum for Excellence, particularly within:

Sciences (exploring the natural environment).
Mathematics & Numeracy (counting, comparing, measuring).
Expressive Arts (drawing and creativity).
Health & Wellbeing (calm, mindful outdoor experiences).

We also supported the SHANARRI wellbeing indicators:
💚 Safe – children explored a familiar, supervised outdoor space.
💚 Healthy – fresh air, movement, and wellbeing.
💚 Achieving – developing observation, numeracy, and creative skills.
💚 Nurtured – calm, responsive interactions in nature.
💚 Active – outdoor exploration and movement.
💚 Respected – children’s ideas and interests were valued.
💚 Responsible – learning to care for nature and wildlife.
💚 Included – all children engaged in a shared experience.

A rich and meaningful week of sensory, creative, and mathematical learning in the natural environment. 🌼✨