Washwood Heath Nursery School

Overview

Washwood Heath Nursery School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. Children thrive in a “happy and nurturing” environment where they feel safe and form secure attachments with staff. The school continues to deliver high-quality education, preparing children well for their next stage of learning.

Strengths

• Staff plan “exciting activities” and are attentive to children’s needs, fostering a “broad, well-planned curriculum” that covers all areas of learning.
• The school uses an ambitious three-stage learning model, guiding children from ‘explorers’ to ‘researchers’ and finally ‘inventors’, which builds strong foundations in communication, literacy, and mathematics.
• There is a “positive partnership with parents and carers,” with workshops and events ensuring families are fully involved in their child’s learning.
• Staff are “overwhelmingly positive” about working at the school, describing it as “a family” due to the care and support provided to employees.
• Governors carry out their duties effectively, using their skills to “support and challenge the school in equal measure.”

Areas to improve

• Some child-led activities lack a clear learning focus, causing children to become disengaged; the school should ensure all activities support “purposeful and meaningful learning.”
• Some activities are not adapted well enough for individual children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); staff should adjust activities to enable full inclusion.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.