Canterbury Nursery School and Centre for Children and Families

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Canterbury Nursery School and Centre for Children and Families Basil Street, Canterbury, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD5 9HL

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Outcome

Canterbury Nursery School and Centre for Children and Families 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?

The school makes a meaningful difference to the lives of the children and families it serves. Children are exceptionally well cared for at this inclusive setting. They are happy, settled and thrive in a nurturing environment. They quickly grow in confidence and learn to manage their emotions. Children are proud when staff praise and celebrate their achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for every child. It is deeply committed to ensuring that children, regardless of their background or starting points, have meaningful experiences of the wider world. Carefully chosen resources bring learning to life through a broad, engaging curriculum. Children progress well through the curriculum from their individual starting points.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Clear and consistent routines ensure children feel safe and secure from the start. Staff speak calmly and form warm, respectful relationships with children. Children trust staff to support and care for them. The school sets high expectations for attendance and communicates this regularly to parents and carers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have a deep understanding of the community and provide a wide range of support for children and families. Parents welcome the opportunity to attend workshops and coffee mornings. The school builds positive, lasting relationships with families. Parents appreciate the regular updates on their child’s progress and well-being. 13 and 14 May 2025

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

The curriculum is carefully sequenced from birth to Reception. Children typically enter school with lower-than-expected starting points. The school immediately immerses children in their learning as staff swiftly identify precise starting points and give effective support. This enables children to settle quickly. Staff regularly check on children’s learning and any gaps are securely identified and addressed.

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

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) including those with a range of needs are effectively supported with great care and expertise. Highly-skilled staff work closely with specialist teams and medical professionals. They develop a deep knowledge of each child’s needs. The calm sensory environment captures children’s imagination. Staff guide children to follow their interests. Children with SEND access all areas of provision and they build confidence and independence.

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

The school prioritises communication, speech and language with a total communication approach. Signing and symbols are frequently used. Staff use clear and precise language to describe and explain learning to children. Children engage well with staff and each other as they become more confident to communicate. This helps them to access their learning independently and cooperate with others. They share and take turns. Children engage in imaginative play and staff skilfully extend their language and thinking. Children solve problems and show perseverance when engrossed in tasks. Songs, rhymes and stories are a key feature of children’s learning. Children show enthusiasm when staff read to them.

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

The school has designed purposeful indoor and outdoor areas. Resources for children’s physical development have been carefully selected to develop their core strength and movement. Children are adventurous in their play. They take on physical challenges like balancing on beams and lifting logs. Staff support children to develop hand eye co- ordination when picking up smaller objects. This prepares them well for skills such as holding and using a pencil. Staff develop children’s mathematical understanding through counting and number recognition. Children are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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

A range of enrichment opportunities extends children’s knowledge of the world around them, including forest school, baking and educational visits. The school provides memorable experiences that children otherwise may not experience. A range of activities supports children’s emotional development including well-being Wednesday, sensory areas and outdoor provision. Children develop confidence and strength of character as they move through school. They are confident to hold conversations with staff, explain their thinking and suggest activities. Children have responsibilities to help at lunchtime and are involved in litter picking to improve the local community.

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

Governors recognise that the successful changes in leadership since the last inspection have ensured continuity for the school. They have the knowledge and skills to effectively hold leaders to account. Staff feel well supported by leaders and welcome the changes to manage their workload. 13 and 14 May 2025

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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 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in May 2016.

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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, 13 and 14 May 2025

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 13 and 14 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.canterburynurseryschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 March 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher are new to their roles since the last inspection.  The school has provision for two-year-old children.  The school has early years enhanced specialist provision for children with SEND and medical needs. It provides for children with autism spectrum disorder, specific learning difficulties, visual impairment, hearing impairment, those who have a disability and those with cognitive or global delay.  There are some children of Reception age at the school with education health and care plans, who will move into Year 1 at primary school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision. 13 and 14 May 2025

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, who is also the special educational needs co-ordinator and the senior administrator.  The inspector met with members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector visited classrooms and spoke to children about their learning and looked at samples of children’s work. They held discussions about the curriculum and spoke to staff.  The inspector observed children’s behaviour around the school and at lunchtime. They met with the headteacher to discuss behaviour and attendance.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and children; and considered

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children’s interests first.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  The inspector met with staff to gather their views of the school. They also considered the responses from the Ofsted survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Nicola Beaumont, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 13 and 14 May 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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