McMillan Nursery School

Overview

The report describes a "family friendly school" where children are "happy and safe" and "eager to learn." Leaders maintain "high expectations" for behaviour and achievement, fostering "very positive" working relationships. The curriculum is characterised as "broad, ambitious, and exciting," with a strong focus on supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Strengths

• Staff possess "strong subject knowledge" and effectively "identify and check children’s misconceptions."
• Children develop "strong spoken language skills" through immersion in "singing, stories, and rhymes."
• Leaders build "effective relationships with families" and work closely with external specialists to support SEND children.
• The environment is "warm and welcoming," helping children settle quickly and learn routines.
• Governors are "dedicated" and "very well informed," holding leaders to account effectively.

Areas to improve

• The report states that "recent changes to the curriculum are not fully implemented."
• Teaching sometimes fails to "extend children’s learning," limiting opportunities to learn securely across the breadth of the curriculum.
• Staff must ensure they "implement the curriculum as intended" so children achieve consistently well in all areas.

Safeguarding

The report confirms that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."