College Farm Nursery School

Overview

College Farm Nursery School is described as a stand-alone nursery in Armagh offering fifty-two full-time places. The report highlights a “welcoming and inclusive learning environment” underpinned by a strong culture of collaboration and a clear shared vision among staff and the Board of Governors.

Strengths

• Staff have developed a “clear and shared vision” that strengthens accountability and guides ongoing improvement.
• Children demonstrate “high levels of independence” and well-developed self-management skills, such as sharing and tidying.
• Pupils engage in “purposeful, concentrated play,” using imagination to solve problems and build on each other’s ideas.
• Story time is used “very effectively” to promote language, listening, and early comprehension skills.
• Staff possess “extensive professional learning” enabling them to support children with special educational needs effectively.
• Partnerships with families and local organisations enhance parental engagement and prepare children for primary school.

Areas to improve

• The report identifies one area for action: to “continue to refine planning to strengthen the quality and use of observation and assessment to inform future learning.”

Safeguarding

The evidence provided demonstrates that arrangements for child protection “align to the current statutory guidance.”