Huntingdon Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Every child coming to this nursery school is instantly made to feel welcome.

They quickly settle and become a valued member of their class. Adults are very attentive to children's needs. They want every child to succeed.

All children have a means to be heard and listened to. For example, children learn to communicate through speech, use of pictures or sign language. It makes all children feel safe to express their thoughts and feelings.

They do so with self-control. They trust adults will help them. Learning happens in an environment which is calm and purposeful.

Children look forward to coming to nursery. They delight in seeing their friends and sta...ff. Close bonds are formed.

Children play happily and kindly together. All children follow routines and expectations exceptionally well.

Engaging learning opportunities often reflect the children's interests.

Children enjoy their snack time with their key-worker group. This is much more than just having fruit and a drink. It is a crucial daily routine to ensure that all children learn how to socialise, talk, show respect and rehearse previous learning.

Children quickly feel they belong here. Every child gets a regular turn to be a helper. Children love having their birthdays celebrated.

They have enjoyed drumming workshops and meeting a local farmer.

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

The school ensures that all children access all aspects of the early years curriculum so they are prepared for primary school. Children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are provided with meaningful learning opportunities.

Children love the stories they hear and joining in with familiar songs and rhymes. Adults engage in purposeful conversations with children. Children are encouraged to practise new words and phrases.

They use ambitious vocabulary adults share with them. There are daily chances for children to practice their counting and measuring, with growing complexity. This helps them to develop good understanding of language and early mathematical concepts.

The support for children with SEND is a strength. Leaders have ensured that there is a sharp focus on setting specific targets and sourcing specialist help. Adults are trained well.

They support children with SEND with expertise. As a result, children with SEND achieve well.

Leaders are currently updating the curriculum to ensure that it is tailored to the specific needs of all children.

Leaders have set out what knowledge children need to know in the most important areas. However, some of this curriculum development and training is still ongoing, for example in understanding the world and expressive art and design. As a result, not all staff know the precise knowledge children need to learn at each stage in these areas.

Staff regularly check on any gaps children may have in their learning. Leaders then set individual targets for each child. However, adult interactions with children are not always sufficiently precise, particularly in the areas of the curriculum that are less developed.

Sometimes, opportunities are also missed to extend children's understanding further. This means some children do not achieve what they are capable of as quickly as they could.

Children easily access resources to extend their own learning.

Predictable and well-practised routines mean even the very youngest children can learn independently. All children demonstrate exceptional attitudes to learning, for example showing great perseverance when faced with new learning.

Children demonstrate collaborative behaviours which are impressive for their age.

Children are explicitly taught how to turn take, share, have good manners and listen. Consequently, disruption to learning or play is extremely rare. If it does happen, adults deal with it swiftly and effectively.

Children are encouraged to share festivals linked to their heritage. Any discriminatory behaviour is managed appropriately. Children like to share their native language and traditions.

They have an early understanding of democracy promoted through, for example, voting for books they would like to read. They know it is fair that everyone gets a turn to be a helper.

Staff are hardworking and caring.

They appreciate being part of the school and being able to talk to leaders openly.

Governors are keen to support the school. They attend meetings regularly.

However, they are not yet as effective as they could be in holding leaders to account or meeting their statutory duties.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some aspects of the curriculum are currently being reviewed.

This means that not all staff are fully aware of the detailed knowledge they need to teach at what stage in a few curriculum areas. This limits how well-prepared children are for the next stage of their education in these areas. Leaders need to complete this work as soon as possible and ensure that all staff know explicitly the depth of knowledge children need to achieve these updated curriculum expectations.

• Some activities or interactions with children are not always precisely matched to their specific learning needs. This means some opportunities to develop children's knowledge are not maximised or learning is not extended further. Leaders need to continue to provide bespoke training to all staff to ensure that all learning opportunities address specific gaps and extend children's understanding.

• Governors are not fulfilling their statutory duties as well as they could. They are not holding leaders well enough to account or monitoring safeguarding processes with sufficient rigor. Governors should ensure that they source appropriate support to gain the expertise needed to fulfil their strategic and statutory roles effectively.

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