The Nottingham Nursery School and Training Centre

Inspection of an outstanding school: The Nottingham Nursery School and Training Centre Denman Street West, Radford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG7 3AB

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The nursery school works hard to establish strong, positive relationships with all. The needs of the children and their families are carefully considered. For many parents and carers the nursery is an ‘oasis’ of support and a place of safety. As one parent commented, echoing the views of many: ‘The nursery is like a family and my child has felt welcomed from the very first visit.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff encourage children to persevere when they cannot do something for the first time. Expectations for behaviour are made clear. Adults use set phrases with children. This helps them to understand, learn and follow routines. Children understand why rules are needed and how their behaviour affects others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Lunchtimes are happy social occasions. Children learn basic self-help skills, such as how to use a knife and fork appropriately. They are supported to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. ‘Freddie the frog’ checks on children who have done ‘good sitting’ and have eaten enough before they play outside. They respond with smiles.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children are supported well by adults to explore the world around them. For example, in the woodland area, children marvelled at the shape of the trees and explored the willow tunnels.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The nursery school serves a diverse range of communities. Many children speak English as an additional language. The school is determined that all pupils should do well, regardless of their background. It has carefully considered the needs of its community 20 March 2024

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and children when redesigning its curriculum. There is a clear focus on vocabulary and language acquisition. Books are used to develop key early concepts such as prepositions, time and relationships. The curriculum aims to prepare children for their primary school education. However, the curriculum has recently been introduced. The school has not yet had the opportunity to make checks on the impact of the entire curriculum.

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When children start at the nursery, many play and learn in isolation. Through careful adult interactions and support, this transitions into more collaborative learning. Starting in the two-year-olds’ classroom, children learn to listen and respond to adult instructions. They learn to use words, develop self-care skills and coordinate their bodies and movements. Older children benefit from adults extending their sentences and ideas. For example, while making soup in the mud kitchen, adults encouraged children to consider if their meal needed additional pepper or carrots for flavour.

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Staff appreciate the support they receive to develop their expertise to teach the school’s curriculum. Many staff are multilingual. They use this knowledge to support children and their families who are new to speaking the English language. Occasionally, opportunities to implement the planned language and vocabulary are missed. This can hinder children’s secure understanding of key words and ideas.

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Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the whole school curriculum. Adults simplify their language and use communication methods such as sign language to help children with SEND to make their needs known. They are encouraged to use actions and words through songs and rhymes.

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Children enjoy hearing and sharing familiar stories. Some use puppets as they sing familiar nursery rhymes. This develops their sense of number and counting. Many enjoy using key ideas from books they have shared in their own play. For example, after reading a book about spiders, some children hunted for minibeasts in the garden.

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The school has a well-considered approach to support children’s personal development. For instance, children learn about the importance of helping to tidy their classroom. They learn to make good choices and to respect their nursery environment. They sample foods and traditions from a range of different cultures. Children learn to share their own routines and celebrations during ‘culture days’. This increases their sense of belonging to the community.

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Governors recognise that the school is going through a period of rapid change. This does not hinder their ambition for the nursery. They have clear plans to ensure that the nursery school continues to develop and improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 20 March 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum has been recently introduced. Checks on how well the curriculum meets the needs of the children are not yet complete. The school must ensure that any necessary adaptations to the curriculum are made so that it can be fully implemented as intended.  Occasionally, the planned language and vocabulary opportunities are not implemented. This does not enable the children to overlearn key words and ideas. The school must further equip staff with the necessary knowledge and expertise to deliver the planned curriculum.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in May 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, 20 March 2024

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 20 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Nottingham Nursery and Mellers Primary Federation in February 2022.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors held meetings to discuss the provision for children with SEND, behaviour and attendance. They also discussed the school’s personal development offer. The lead 20 March 2024

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inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority, and the chair of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into the following areas of learning: communication and language, physical development and understanding the world. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, followed by observations of a range of activities in the nursery. They spoke with children and staff.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s parent and staff surveys. They also spoke to parents and staff on site.

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Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Roary Pownall Ofsted Inspector 20 March 2024

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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