RSC Nursery

Inspection of RSC Nursery 51 /52 Waterside, Stratford-upon-avon, Warickshire CV37 6BA

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in this exceptionally nurturing and inclusive environment. Even the youngest children develop secure attachments with trusted adults and begin to explore with confidence as soon as they start to attend. Children arrive at nursery with high levels of enthusiasm and anticipation for the day and excitedly greet their friends and the staff.

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The provision is outstanding

Leaders and staff deliver an ambitious and inclusive curriculum that is firmly rooted in each child's unique experiences. The curriculum is exceptionally targeted and well sequenced to ensure that all staff know what they need to do for each child. This helps all staff to deliver the curriculum very consistently. Children benefit from a rich, immersive literacy curriculum that celebrates their voice and creativity. Staff teach children how to handle books respectfully and develop an enthusiasm for all types of reading material. Children show pure delight and excitement when they discover new books and are eager to share these with their friends, staff and visitors. Staff regularly ask prompting questions during story time to encourage children to recall, predict endings or suggest new alternatives, allowing their knowledge and understanding to thrive.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff have extremely high expectations for children's behaviour and social interactions. Children learn to share and take turns, to reason and cooperate. They converse and have fun with each other. Through the activities throughout the day, children learn to express themselves and recall experiences through imaginative play and self-chosen and adult-directed learning. This inspirational nursery places children at the heart of all it does. Staff have an exceptional understanding of each child, which underpins the thriving environment. Children are very excited about learning and display impeccable behaviour.

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need to do better?

n Leaders are highly visible, responsive and committed to continuous improvement. They provide strong professional and emotional support to staff, model reflective practice and prioritise purposeful training. Leaders ensure staff's core training is continually updated. Other training is regularly attended, reflecting identified areas of development for the team. n Staff ensure the highest quality of education for all children and that each child has a precisely planned education programme that reflects their individual needs and interests. Staff complete baseline assessments of children's prior knowledge and use regular assessments in collaboration with parents to monitor children's learning. Staff use thorough assessments to quickly identify if a child is at risk of falling behind. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are provided with the challenge that they need.

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need to do better?

3 September 2025 n Children benefit from extremely healthy and nutritious meals and snacks, which they relish. Staff use the sociable mealtimes to enhance children's understanding of healthy eating even further and to try new foods. Staff actively promote the importance of healthy bodies and healthy minds. Healthy eating, exercise and oral hygiene are embedded in the curriculum effectively. Allergies and preferences are accommodated. n Children are remarkably motivated learners with tremendously positive attitudes to learning. Younger children confidently explore different areas and resources and select what interests them. Staff seize opportunities to model words and to introduce children to vocabulary in different contexts, such as explaining to children that the 'drip drip drip' sound they here is the rain hitting the roof. n The setting offers an extremely well-resourced and stimulating environment that

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need to do better?

captivates children's interests and enables them to make independent choices about their play. For example, children pretend to go on holiday on the indoor open-air bus or on the large wooden horse. Older children enjoy writing and mark making. Children enjoy moulding play dough with their hands and using various cutting tools to create unique structures. n Mealtimes are sociable occasions where children sit together as a family group, eat at tables laid with tablecloths and cutlery and pour their own drinks from jugs. Children learn about the importance of personal hygiene through conversations, role modelling and daily routines that embed lifelong habits. Children show excellent social skills as they are very content to sit together in their friendship groups. n Staff skilfully adapt their approach to each child's stage of development, using strategies such as repetition, pausing and gesture, particularly for those whose

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need to do better?

language is still emerging. Children become highly confident communicators and use expressive language to share their thoughts, ideas and experiences. n The outdoor environment is a rich and integral part of the curriculum, offering children daily opportunities for exploration, creativity and physical development. Children have access to a vast space to run, explore and develop their gross motor skills. Children squeal with delight as they climb, run and balance on wooden frames and logs. Staff demonstrate outstanding teamwork, ensuring effective deployment so all children are fully supported in their play and learning, both indoors and outdoors. n Partnerships with parents are exceptionally strong. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the care and education the setting provides. They say that their children thrive and are at the heart of all decisions made by staff in a diverse and vibrant environment. Parents and carers receive a wealth of information to

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2728514 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 10398510 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 49 Number of children on roll 30 Name of registered person RSC Enterprise Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01789 414583 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

RSC Nursery opened in 1963 and re-registered in 2023. It is located in Waterside, Stratford-Upon-Avon. It is run by RSC Enterprise Ltd and is a department within the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). The nursery provides funded early education for eligible children. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, for 50 weeks of the year, closing for bank holidays and for two weeks at Christmas. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate hold early qualifications at level 2 or above.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The manager and the inspector conducted a joint observation of a group-time activity indoors. n The inspector discussed the intent of the activities on offer and observed staff's interactions during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this had on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection, including how they support children with SEND. n The inspector spoke with the manager about the leadership and management of the nursery. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

3 September 2025 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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