Gloucester Nursery School

Inspection of Gloucester Nursery School Camborne Close, Delapre, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN4 8PH

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since November 2013. The school received ungraded inspections under section 8 of the Act in February 2018 and October 2023. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 10 and 11 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Gloucester Nursery School is a special place. Its glowing, long-standing reputation in the local community is well deserved. Parents and carers cannot speak highly enough of the school’s nurturing ethos.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for all its children. It truly lives by its motto that ‘every child and family matters’. The school’s sharp focus on independence and resilience ensures that children are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Staff empower children to do things for themselves and to try again if they struggle at first.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have created a warm, caring environment where children feel happy, safe and secure. Children enjoy their time at school and attend well. By watching Jamiee, the school’s puppet, children quickly learn how they must behave and how to treat others with respect. Through Jamiee, staff also teach children about their emotions and how to manage their feelings effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teaching children how to be healthy is a central part of the school’s successful work. Staff show children how to brush their teeth properly. Children enjoy a range of wholesome snacks. They grow their own fruit and vegetables. Staff encourage children to be physically active in the school’s spacious outdoor areas.

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious, broad and balanced. There is a clear order to children’s learning. Well-designed activities build children’s knowledge of themselves and the world. Through the careful selection of resources, staff enable children to make connections and deepen their understanding. By the time children leave, they are well prepared for primary school.

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

One of the school’s core aims is for children to become confident and capable communicators. Some members of staff are highly skilled in developing children’s early language. For example, they commentate on what children are doing, modelling how to talk in whole sentences and encouraging children to do the same with success. However, in some areas of the curriculum, the school has not identified important words and phrases that children need to learn. This leaves some members of staff uncertain about what words they need to teach and revisit when they are working with children and supporting their play. Therefore, some children do not develop their communication and language skills as well as they could.

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

Children enjoy listening to a wide range of stories throughout the day. Staff draw children into the stories that they read by creating suspense and asking children to predict what might happen next. They relate characters and events in stories to children’s lives and experiences. Staff sing songs throughout the day and children join in enthusiastically.

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

The school quickly identifies if children have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school’s support for children with SEND is a strength. It ensures that staff 10 and 11 June 2025

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know how to support these children effectively. The school provides bespoke, individualised learning for children with SEND who need high levels of support. However, the school’s work to help disadvantaged children is not as precise. Some staff are unaware of who these children are and how they need to be supported. Consequently, some disadvantaged children do not overcome gaps in their learning as well as they could.

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Children benefit from clear routines and consistent expectations. They concentrate well most of the time and play co-operatively with each other. Staff teach children how to share and take turns. For instance, children use sand timers to help them wait patiently for others to finish with the equipment that they want to use.

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There is a variety of enrichment activities to teach children about the community that they live in and the wider world. Children go on litter picks and visit nearby amenities, such as the local library and shop. They learn about famous artists and get to see their own artwork exhibited. Children enjoy taking part in a range of celebrations and traditions from different cultures around the world.

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The school is well led. Governors check closely on most aspects of the school’s work. Staff feel well supported in their roles and enjoy the camaraderie that has been created. They describe the school as a magical place to work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, staff are unsure about the specific vocabulary they need to develop through each learning activity and when supporting children’s play. Consequently, some children do not develop their communication and language skills as well as they could. The school should identify fully the important words that children should know across the curriculum and ensure that staff have a clear understanding of the key vocabulary that children must learn at each stage of their development.  The school has not fully ensured that staff have the knowledge they require to support the needs of disadvantaged children consistently. As a result, some disadvantaged children do not overcome gaps in their learning as well as they could. The school must ensure that all disadvantaged children get the help they need to achieve as well as possible. 10 and 11 June 2025

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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, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 10 and 11 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.gloucesternurseryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 October 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has provision for two-year-olds.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 10 and 11 June 2025

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following areas of learning: communication and language, personal, social and emotional development and understanding the world. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited sessions in the nursery and spoke with children and staff.  Inspectors also considered children’s learning across the curriculum. Inspectors spent time in the classrooms and the outdoor areas, observing daily routines and the quality of interactions between staff and children.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders, as well as a range of staff. Inspectors met with the leaders with responsibility for the curriculum, behaviour, attendance, personal development, children with SEND and disadvantaged children.  The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders and staff; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children’s interests first.  Inspectors examined a range of school documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and the school development plan, as well as documents relating to governance.  Inspectors spoke with parents at the beginning of the day and during the inspection.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Shaun Carter, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Emma Tayler Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 June 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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