Goodway Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Goodway Nursery School is a great place for children to start their education. Not a moment of learning time is wasted. Children explore, play, problem-solve and think for themselves every day.

They concentrate deeply because they enjoy their learning. The classrooms and outside areas are extremely well planned to meet the needs of young children.

All adults believe in every child and want them all to succeed.

They do not put a limit on what any child can do. Children quickly develop independence and confidence. They trust the adults to help them when they need it but more often than not prefer to find out for themselves.

Behaviour is excellent becau...se of the deeply embedded culture of respect for everyone and everything. This underpins all that the school does. Adults help children understand how to respect each other and the world around them.

Children are very happy and settled. They talk about their friends and like sharing things with them. They learn to say 'Stop, you are not respecting me' if someone does something they do not like.

Adults are quick to support children to deal with any unkindness that happens.

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

Leaders have developed a highly ambitious curriculum that gets straight to the heart of what young children need. This curriculum and the way it is taught ensure that learning is exciting and interesting.

The nursery is a hive of activity from the moment children come in through the door each day. Sequences of learning are carefully built on what children can do already. They enjoy repeating things over and over again as well as trying new things.

This ensures that children make very strong progress from their different starting points. They develop new skills and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

High expectations ensure that children are very well prepared for Reception by the time they leave Goodway.

All adults know what they want children to learn and be able to do. They watch children learning and playing together. They know exactly when and how to support and challenge children.

Routines, policies and systems are simple, thorough and highly effective. These all focus on children and help to ensure that children succeed.

Adults help children to manage their own feelings and behaviour really well.

They talk to children about being happy, angry, sad or worried. They use stories and puppets to help children understand how to develop positive relationships. Adults teach children the words to use so that they can express themselves clearly.

Leaders ensure that developing a love of stories and a knowledge of key books is given a high priority. As well as introducing children to letters and the sounds they make, adults read stories to children every day. Children love to talk about 'Going on a Bear Hunt' or what the 'Owl Babies' are doing.

They act out the stories with their friends, using phrases from the books.

The 'buzz' of learning is evident in every part of the nursery. This highly inclusive setting makes sure that all children make progress no matter how small the steps.

Staff take quick action to identify children who may need additional help with speech and language. Excellent support is provided for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The special educational needs coordinator works with staff to ensure that no child slips through the net.

Children benefit from an extensive range of experiences, such as yoga, forest school and visits to the theatre and the town hall. They relish the chance to be the 'eco-warrior', leader or helper for the day. They help other children to recycle their yogurt pots after lunch or sweep the floor after an activity.

Leaders plan extra experiences carefully. They want children to be ready to take their place in the world.

Parents are incredibly positive about the school.

They describe it as an amazing place. They are confident that their children have a voice, are valued and given very meaningful opportunities to develop as individuals. Understated excellence is what this school is built on.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The culture of caring for every child is deeply embedded. Leaders make sure that everyone is well trained in keeping children safe.

All staff are extremely vigilant. They listen to what children have to say and what they do. Adults take action if they are concerned about a child.

Extra support is provided quickly to any child or family that needs help. The learning environment is very well set up so that children can learn how to manage risks safely. Children are encouraged to think carefully about how to stay safe, for example when carrying scissors or riding a tricycle.