Ashmore Park Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 October 2024

Children are happy and well cared for in this welcoming school. They arrive with a smile and are keen to explore both the outside and inside areas. The school is ambitious for children's learning. By the time they leave the school, children achieve well across much of the curriculum. The school's rules 'be kind' and 'be a good listener' are reflected in the way staff and children treat each other. Children are kept safe. Staff help them to settle quickly at the start of each day and are always on hand to help. Children are well mannered and supportive of one another. Children benefit from experiences that enrich their learning and wider development. A puppeteer, for example, helps to bring stories to life. During a visit to an outdoor adventure centre, children show courage as they walk on a rope bridge and try out a zip wire. The curriculum encourages children to learn through practical first-hand activities. For instance, they enjoy learning about the natural world by growing, harvesting and cooking vegetables. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. One parent, representative of many, commented, 'All of the staff have the welfare and education of the children at their heart.'

What the school should improve

• In some areas, the curriculum does not identify precisely what children are expected to know and remember. As a result, some activities are not sharply focused on what children need to learn. The school should ensure that the curriculum identifies the essential knowledge that children need to know so that children learn as well as they could.
• Staff use of questioning is inconsistent. This means that gaps in children's understanding are sometimes missed, and children's learning is not moved forward as quickly as it could. The school should support staff to develop their questioning strategies further.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)