Canterbury Nursery School and Centre for Children and Families

Overview

Canterbury Nursery School and Centre for Children and Families has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. The setting is described as inclusive, where children are “exceptionally well cared for” and thrive in a nurturing environment. Leaders have ensured continuity following changes in leadership, with governors effectively holding them to account.

Strengths

• Children are “happy, settled and thrive” in a nurturing environment, quickly growing in confidence and learning to manage their emotions.
• The curriculum is “carefully sequenced from birth to Reception,” with staff swiftly identifying precise starting points to support children who typically enter with lower-than-expected levels.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are “effectively supported with great care and expertise” by highly-skilled staff working closely with specialist teams.
• A “total communication approach” using signing, symbols, and precise language helps children access learning independently and cooperate with others.
• Purposeful indoor and outdoor areas, along with enrichment opportunities like forest school, provide “memorable experiences” that extend children’s knowledge of the world.

Areas to improve

• The report identifies no significant areas for improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.