23 Jan 2024
A family-run nursery in the heart of St Michael’s village has been rated ‘Outstanding’ in its latest Ofsted report.
Toddlers-In Nursery School, based at St Michael’s Memorial Hall in Branch Road, was visited by inspector Jill Hardaker at the start of December, its first routine inspection since the Covid pandemic began in 2020.
She rated the nursery as ‘Outstanding’ overall, and in each of the four categories of the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.
The inspector said: “Children are excited as they arrive at the friendly nursery. The very warm welcome they receive from staff helps them to settle and to begin learning from the outset…
“Highly effective interactions from staff encourage children to use more vocabulary and to build on their already excellent speaking skills…
“Staff are highly patient with children and give them time to complete their tasks. Children thrive on the positive praise and encouragement they receive, and have a wonderful aptitude to learn…”
She praised the behaviour of children, who are kind and caring towards each other and adults, and said leaders devise and implement a highly aspiring and well-structured curriculum with great success.
The report said parents felt their children thrived in a stimulating environment and are making excellent progress.
The inspector added: “The manager and staff are passionate about making links with the local community. They meet with staff from other early years settings to offer each other support and to share ideas. The nursery is held in high esteem by the parish council, which makes sure the building is safe and suitable for children to use. The manager has recently been asked to use her expertise to support the opening of a new community toddler group.”
Unusually for a nursery, manager Victoria Horsnall has recently completed a doctorate in education, and the inspector said she shared her extensive research with staff, further deepening their already strong understanding of how children learn and develop.
Dr Horsnall said: “I am extremely proud of this achievement and recognition.
“I would like to thank our entire nursery community for helping us to achieve this wonderful outcome.”
