Cleator Moor Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 April 2026

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are happy and well cared for. They make lots of friends. They feel safe in their classes and when moving around the school. Children achieve well. They make positive progress from their starting points and are well prepared for learning at primary school. For example, they build a secure understanding of important mathematical concepts. Children develop a love of books and reading, in part because of the school's well-thought-out literacy curriculum and how it is taught. Leaders and staff celebrate the joys of reading and books frequently and effectively with children, including 2-year-olds, and with children's families. Through their learning, children become inquisitive, respectful, independent and confident. Staff teach them to be welcoming and interested in other people. Disadvantaged children's learning comes on in leaps and bounds because leaders and staff think and act carefully to help them to overcome obstacles to their success. Children find that this is a school in which they feel that they belong. This is because leaders and staff are genuinely interested in children's ideas and opinions. It is also because staff teach children to learn how to communicate with one another using gesture as well as words. This approach particularly helps children with SEND to feel included and to communicate successfully. Children enjoy school. Staff act swiftly to halt any unkindness between children, which prevents issues that can lead to bullying. The children behave extremely well. They often demonstrate sensible, kind and thoughtful behaviours towards others. On occasion, some children do not attend school as often as they could. Children benefit from many well-designed opportunities to take part in broader experiences at school. For example, children gain new skills at gardening club, gymnastics and on school trips, including to see the local fells.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should continue their work to improve children's attendance so that children benefit fully from the school's curriculum, teaching and wider provision.
• Leaders should make more effective use of agreed targets in individual children's learning plans to inform teaching, to make an even greater difference to children's progress through the curriculum.
• Leaders should further strengthen teaching so that staff use high-quality talk even more to support children, especially those with language or communication difficulties, so that children achieve consistently well.

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