Brearley Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 May 2026

Children at Brearley Nursery School arrive each day to adults who know them and their families well. Their photographs sit on family trees in every room. The languages they speak at home appear on the walls. Children feel safe. They say that the adults look after them. They enjoy coming to nursery. They speak with pride about visits to the farm and the nature reserve. They have opportunities to feed sheep on their trips. An artist and a music teacher come in each week to work alongside them. Children take part in everything the nursery offers. Those who find busy rooms hard spend time in a smaller, quieter space. They join their friends outside and return to the larger rooms when they are ready. Children who do not yet use words are met with signing, pictures and puppets. Children learn to recognise and name their feelings. Parents say their children use the same words and pictures at home. Children are calm. They follow the routines they have learned. They sing as they line up and as they walk downstairs. They eat lunch at tables where each child has a placemat with their name on it. The school cook prepares a hot meal for them each day. Children share toys and take turns. When they need a reminder, an adult is close by to help. Children get out into the wider world. They visit the library. They mark a day to celebrate the different cultures in their nursery and their parents come in to share in this. They explore the woodland through forest school sessions. For some, going on a school visit is the first time they have travelled on a bus or a tram. For their families, the nursery is a place where they too feel welcomed and supported.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should develop adults' use of open questioning and modelling of peer-to-peer interactions so that children sustain conversations with each other and extend their thinking.
• Leaders should ensure that staff can identify when children are ready to be stretched and challenged in their learning, enabling them to make the best possible progress.

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