Edith Cadbury Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Edith Cadbury Nursery is a happy, welcoming school.

Children play very well together. Adults and visitors are greeted with a smile and a 'hello'. School leaders, staff and governors have a heartfelt commitment to helping their children get the best start possible.

Children do not worry about bullying. They know their teachers will listen to them if they have a problem.

Children behave well, both in the school and at free times.

At playtime, they are kind and considerate, even when playing lively games. A sizeable number of children have specific needs that mean they sometimes struggle to behave. Staff meet these children's needs well, helping them to... know what to do and to understand their emotions.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They feel well informed and know who to go to if they have any problems. They say concerns are dealt with swiftly.

Parents say that they could not have a picked a better nursery.

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

Staff have focused on developing an effective early years curriculum. They have carried out research and have developed a clear sequence of learning.

The curriculum sets out the knowledge and experiences that children need in a logical order so that they are ready for primary school.

Since the last inspection, there have been many changes in the school. Leaders have introduced new ideas.

They have recently introduced a new way of checking the progress that children make. This is leading to more accurate assessment of what children can do but is not yet embedded. The information recorded in children's learning journals helps staff plan next learning steps.

Throughout the inspection, children showed an obvious love of books. Adults read to them at every opportunity, bringing books to life with actions and questions. The book areas are well resourced, with a good range of books.

A new phonics programme has been introduced for children that are ready for it. It is well taught, and children find the phonics sessions exciting.

Mathematics has improved since the last inspection.

The skills and knowledge that leaders want children to learn have been carefully mapped out. Lots of number and shape resources are available to support children's learning. Staff introduce new concepts clearly.

They help children to use appropriate mathematical terms such as number names and words to describe height, time and shape.

Staff have a good understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that children's social and emotional needs as well as their academic needs are met.

The inclusive nature of the school ensures that pupils with SEND achieve well.

Staff are united in their desire to make sure that children develop into considerate and well-rounded people. Children's personal development is carefully nurtured.

Squabbles are quickly sorted out before they get too big. In class, children listen carefully to teachers and do their best to finish their tasks. Children learn to respect and celebrate differences.

This helps to prepare them well for life in modern Britain.

Staff, in general, feel very well supported by the headteacher and are proud to work at the school. Leaders, including governors, are very attentive to the well-being and workload of staff.

They have introduced regular well-being activities such as counselling to support staff. Some staff indicated that there had been a lot of change in a short period of time. They felt that they were not included in all the changes.

As a result, staff said they struggled with implementing some of the new initiatives.

Leaders use the pupil premium funding carefully to focus on supporting disadvantaged pupils' academic and personal development. They check whether interventions are making a difference for the individual children.

Governors are involved in agreeing how the funding is spent; however, leaders do not keep them well enough informed about the impact of the funding.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff know what they should do to keep children safe.

The headteacher has ensured that all staff have received regular safeguarding training. The school has effective systems in place for monitoring and tracking any incident or concern.

Staff are very knowledgeable about the community they serve.

This helps them to be aware of any potential risks and provide appropriate support for vulnerable families. The school works effectively with external agencies to provide suitable care for children.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The new approach to assessing children's development is having a positive impact on staff knowledge about their children.

This has not yet been fully implemented. Leaders should continue to develop staff expertise in understanding the developmental milestones, so that they can more accurately check children's progress. .

The school has undergone rapid change, with multiple initiatives being introduced. Staff have not always felt part of these changes, and this has led to an increase in staff anxiety. Leaders should ensure that future changes are managed effectively, taking into account staff well-being.

. Although leaders check if the support they provide for disadvantaged pupils is making a difference, they do not keep governors fully informed. Leaders should ensure that a detailed evaluation of the impact of this support is shared with governors and published on the school's website.