Windham Nursery School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Windham Nursery School Windham Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 2HP

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Outcome

Windham Nursery School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This highly inclusive nursery school provides a nurturing and welcoming environment, where children are at the heart of every decision that leaders make. They arrive each day with enthusiasm and big smiles. Staff create a caring, safe atmosphere, where every child thrives, builds confidence and develops independence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for behaviour. Children quickly learn to share, cooperate and take turns. Through carefully modelled language, they develop a strong vocabulary to express their feelings. This enables them to confidently seek help and support from both staff and peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children engage in well-designed learning activities that build on their prior knowledge. These activities are delivered by skilled staff, who have a deep understanding of each child. With consistently high expectations, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve extremely well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school fosters strong relationships with families. Parents and carers expressed appreciation for the dedicated support provided. They value the opportunities to extend learning at home. Parents describe the staff as ‘exceptionally kind, knowledgeable and thoughtful,’ and say that ‘Windham is a very special school.’ Children leave very well prepared for the next stage of their education. 4 March 2025

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

The curriculum is highly aspirational and carefully structured, including in Jigsaw, the school’s specially resourced provision. Expert staff across the school have meticulously mapped out the key knowledge that children should acquire by the end of the Nursery Year. This ensures that teaching builds on prior learning as children progress through the school. For example, staff support Nursery children in developing their counting skills, with many confidently recognising and using numbers up to 10 and beyond.

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

The school has implemented highly effective systems to accurately identify the additional needs of children with SEND. Staff use well-chosen activities and resources to ensure that these children access the same curriculum as their peers. They also use checks on children’s learning effectively. This means that the school identifies any gaps in knowledge and ensures that these are quickly addressed. As a result, children’s knowledge is fully secure before they move on to explore new ideas.

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

The development of children’s communication and language is seamlessly woven across all areas of learning. The school has designed a highly effective and consistent approach to language development. This begins with the two-year-old children and continues throughout the school. Staff skilfully introduce new and interesting vocabulary through various learning activities. Children hear carefully chosen language, which is expertly repeated and modelled by staff. As a result, children become very confident communicators by the end of the Nursery Year.

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

Children experience a broad range of books from the moment that they join the school. These books are carefully chosen to support children to learn the words and phrases that they need at the different stages of language development. Children’s access to books is further enriched by a wide range of nursery rhymes and songs that they regularly enjoy listening to and joining in with.

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

The school’s clear rules and routines create calm and structured classrooms, where children learn and flourish. Children act sensibly, take care of resources and are extremely considerate towards one another. The school works exceptionally well with families to ensure that children attend the nursery regularly. This helps children to benefit from the excellent standard of education that the school provides.

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

The school offers a wide range of opportunities to support children’s personal development. They learn about cultural celebrations and gain an understanding of healthy eating, which is reinforced through nutritious snacks. Visits from police officers and firefighters help children to learn about staying safe. The school makes use of carefully chosen equipment to enhance sensory awareness, balance and coordination. For example, children use hose pipes to pull and stretch, helping them develop body awareness and movement control. Children also enjoy a variety of outings, including library visits, farm trips and visits to parks and train stations. These expand their knowledge of the world. Musical experiences, from African drumming to clarinet performances, further enrich their learning and cultural awareness. 4 March 2025

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Governors work closely with the school to ensure that the high standard of education is maintained. Together, they are committed to continuous improvement and actively support other schools in the locality. Strong relationships with parents are evident through regular workshops and drop-in sessions. For example, events such as ‘Puzzles and Pancakes’ help parents to understand children’s learning and support home routines. Staff are extremely proud to be part of the school and appreciate its supportive environment. They value the training provided which enables them to deliver the curriculum to a high standard.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 third ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in October 2012.

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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. 4 March 2025

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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, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 4 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school’s specially resourced provision, Jigsaw, caters for up to 15 children. Some children have education, health and care plans. The provision caters for children with speech, language and communication needs and autism.  The school provides extended care through a lunchtime club.  The school has provision for two-year-old children.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with all senior leaders, a number of teaching and support staff, governors and a representative from the local authority. 4 March 2025

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 The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some children about their learning and looked at samples of children’s work.  The inspectors observed children’s behaviour in lessons and at lunchtime.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff. They also took into account the views of parents using Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Karen Kent, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Newby Ofsted Inspector 4 March 2025

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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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