St Malachy's Nursery School

Overview

St Malachy’s Nursery School is described as a “happy and inclusive” setting where staff are “wholly committed” to their vision of nurturing every child. The report highlights a “caring, warm and stimulating environment” supported by “excellent and purposeful partnerships” with parents and the wider community.

Strengths

• Staff use “bespoke resources and strategies” to help children “understand and manage their own emotions” and play alongside peers.
• The “transformation of both the indoor and outdoor learning environments” has greatly enriched the breadth and quality of children’s learning experiences.
• Children are “very well settled” and are developing independence, problem-solving, and social skills within “well-embedded routines”.
• The school demonstrates “excellent and purposeful partnerships” with parents, the adjacent primary school, and health professionals.
• Staff engage in “thorough and insightful” observations to inform personalised planning and extend children’s thinking through open-ended questions.

Areas to improve

• The report identifies one area for consideration: to “review the focus on the intended learning and the development of the children’s skills within the planning” to help embed existing practice.

Safeguarding

The report states that “arrangements for child protection align to the current statutory guidance” and notes staff involvement with ‘Operation Encompass’ to safeguard and promote the welfare of local children.