Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation

Overview

Chestnut Nursery School maintains its overall judgement of ‘good’, with evidence suggesting it might achieve ‘outstanding’ if a graded inspection were conducted now. The school is described as a ‘buzz of activity’ where children are ‘happy and safe’, benefiting from strong relationships with staff who know them ‘exceptionally well’.

Strengths

• Staff support children ‘exceptionally well’ in learning and play, fostering ‘extremely high levels of concentration’ and resilience.
• The curriculum is ‘highly ambitious’, carefully designed around children’s interests, starting points, and speech and language needs.
• The school is ‘highly effective’ in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), using tailored targets and positive interactions.
• Reading and language are ‘highly prioritised’, with staff ensuring every opportunity is taken to read with children and extend vocabulary.
• Governors are ‘highly ambitious’ for children, providing regular support and challenge while investing significantly in staff development.

Areas to improve

• The report identifies no significant areas for improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.