Highfield Nursery School

Overview

This ungraded inspection found that Highfield Nursery School’s work “may have improved significantly across all areas” since the previous inspection. Consequently, the school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection. The report highlights a “safe and nurturing environment” where children thrive and are “exceptionally well prepared for the next stage in their education.”

Strengths

• Children are described as “eager and curious learners” with “excellent” behaviour, supported by “positive, trusting relationships” with staff.
• The “broad and ambitious curriculum” is well-considered, enabling staff to provide “bespoke learning experience[s]” tailored to individual needs.
• The nursery maintains a “highly inclusive ethos,” ensuring children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive “expert support.”
• Communication, language, and literacy are promoted effectively through stories, rhyme, and adapted methods like signing or visual prompts.
• Leadership has strengthened standards, fostering a “supportive, dedicated team” with strong partnerships with parents and the community.

Areas to improve

• The report identifies no significant areas for improvement.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”