Bacup Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 9 June 2026

Children love attending this school. They are eager to join in with the enticing activities that are on offer. For example, in the woodland area, children cherish the opportunity to climb trees, fly through the air on a tyre-rope swing and explore different leaves. Children regularly broaden their experiences through activities such as cooking, dance and sports. Through these, children discover and develop their talents and interests early. Children benefit from visitors, including farmers, police officers and firefighters. These opportunities develop children’s confidence to engage with others and instil positive attitudes towards the roles these people play in society. Leaders ensure that all children participate in these experiences. Children flourish from the moment they join the school. They quickly forge trusting relationships with staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Children build highly positive, supportive friendships. They beam with happiness as they see their friends arrive at school. Children look out for each other and actively welcome others into their play. On rare occasions when children become upset, such as after a fall, other children show genuine care and concern. Children develop a mature understanding of what makes them and others unique. They celebrate this and embrace the many opportunities they have to learn about diversity. Children strive to live up to the school’s rules of ‘kind hands, kind words and kind feet’. They know that staff will help them if they struggle with this. Staff are alert to any potential bullying or unkind behaviour between children. They deal with it rapidly. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, progress quickly from their starting points and achieve very well. They benefit from consistently high-quality teaching and an engaging curriculum. Children who face barriers to their learning get the right support, at the right time, from staff. This helps to quickly close gaps in children's knowledge and skills.

What the school should improve

• Leaders and governors should ensure continued improvement to teaching so that this has a transformational and sustained impact on children's achievement across all areas of learning and aspects of school life.

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