Heath Lane Nursery School

Overview

Heath Lane Nursery School continues to be a good school, providing a happy and safe environment where children develop trusting relationships with staff. Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that nurtures emotional well-being and academic needs, resulting in confident, independent learners.

Strengths

• Children are "happy and safe" and develop "trusting relationships with staff" who take time to listen carefully.
• The curriculum helps children become "confident and independent learners," with staff modelling skills for tasks like using scissors or knives.
• Staff are "skilled at supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities," ensuring they receive appropriate specialist support.
• Early reading is taught well, with staff checking sounds and providing parents with guidance to support learning at home.
• "Partnerships with parents are strong," with parents being "overwhelmingly positive" about the provision.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ensure all staff develop the expertise to teach planned vocabulary effectively, as some currently lack the skills to do this well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders working collaboratively with external agencies to support vulnerable pupils and staff knowing how to report concerns promptly.