Houghton Community Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Leaders and staff share a desire and determination to provide the very best care and education. This contributes to constant and sustained development in this already outstanding nursery. Staff at all levels have a deep understanding of the curriculum.

They provide an exemplary range of appealing and challenging activities. Children are highly enthusiastic and happy in their learning. They make strong progress.

This top-quality provision is driven by high expectations of both staff and children. Staff are extremely keen to build on their expert knowledge and this enhances their first-rate teaching. Children conc...entrate, persevere and celebrate their achievements with great pride.

Parents work in close partnership with staff and share their aspirations for children. They have extensive knowledge of what their children are learning in nursery. Parents say that they welcome 'excellent ideas and support' to extend this at home.

Children show that they feel safe and have a strong sense of belonging. Babies thrive in a tranquil yet stimulating environment, where their individual needs are met precisely. Older children show high levels of confidence and self-esteem.

Children are very well behaved. They show concern and empathy for others and develop a secure understanding of right from wrong.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

The learning environment is planned meticulously to enrich learning opportunities.

Staff carefully consider children's interests alongside what they want them to learn next. Children's curiosity is embraced. Staff support children's self-led play extremely well.

Children build rapidly on what they can do, know and remember.Staff use their excellent knowledge of individual children to help them to extend their experiences. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop skills and knowledge that prepare them extremely well for success in later learning.

Arrangements to support children when they move on to the nursery school provision are highly effective.Children have plentiful opportunities to explore, investigate and discover. Babies use their whole bodies to paint.

Staff extend this very well when children show amazement at the footprints they make. They link this learning to a familiar book and share babies' delight as they tickle their toes while they read. Older children develop excellent problem-solving skills.

For example, they discuss how a bowl of sand is heavy and work out how to make it lighter.Staff skilfully adapt their interactions to help children develop their communication skills. For example, they use very simple language and signs to support children who are in the early stages of learning to speak.

With the most able children, they model new words and encourage them to describe during play. This helps children to develop a wide vocabulary and they are confident, fluent talkers.Partnerships with other professionals are highly effective.

Excellent arrangements for sharing information help to ensure that any concerns about children's learning and development are addressed swiftly and precisely.Staff teach children about the values of others in a highly age-appropriate way. They frequently visit the local community, including an allotment and local shops.

They learn about different religions, for example when a member of staff uses a book to share celebrations that are important to her. Children discuss the similarities and differences between themselves and others in an extremely positive way.Staff value the benefits of outdoor play on children's physical and emotional well-being.

Garden areas have undergone significant development and staff have introduced a range of exciting outings to promote outdoor learning. All children get plenty of fresh air and exercise. Those who prefer to learn outdoors are supported extremely well.

Arrangements to supervise and support staff are highly effective. Managers have detailed knowledge of the skills and strengths across the team and consider these carefully when deploying staff. Staff morale is extremely high.

They excitedly share the ways they plan and review their teaching. They are proud to be a part of the nursery, of their own learning and of the impact this has on children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and managers use a range of professional development opportunities to ensure their knowledge of child protection procedures is first rate. They have a very secure understanding of a wide range of factors that can impact on children's safety and welfare. Leaders have an excellent knowledge of how to identify children at risk of harm.

Procedures to record and report concerns about children's welfare are clear, effective and fully understood by all. Staff are extremely vigilant, which helps to ensure children's safety. Furthermore, records of accidents and incidents are scrutinised to minimise risks in the nursery even more effectively.

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