Grasmere Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 October 2023

Children are always busy learning at Grasmere Nursery. Upon their arrival each day, children are met with exciting activities. They quickly develop into confident and enthusiastic learners. Being safe and achieving well is important here. Children enjoy warm and nurturing relationships with adults. This means children are happy and feel safe. Adults speak in calm voices that reassure children. They use positive prompts such as 'kind hands' and 'please walk' to support children's behaviour. Children follow simple instructions and know the routines of the day. They learn about being kind and respecting each other. Staff are quick to spot any child who becomes upset. They deal with these situations sensitively so that children can quickly return to playing alongside their classmates. Children make the most of their time at the nursery. The environment provides opportunities for children to learn new things. They are eager to explore and be creative. Children love being outside in the school orchard finding out about the natural world. They enjoy looking after their school pets. The school understands the important part parents and carers play in their child's development. They communicate their high expectations well. Parents are very happy with the education their children receive.

What the school should improve

• In a few areas of the curriculum, the plans are not sufficiently precise, hindering children's learning and development. This means that in these areas children do not fully secure their understanding as quickly as they could. Leaders should ensure that curriculum plans have sufficient detail so that staff use the programmes consistently and effectively to plan children's learning well.
• Some staff are new to their roles of subject responsibility. They have not fully developed the skills and knowledge to fully evaluate the impact of their curriculum plans. This means they do not yet know the refinements required to improve the quality of education provided across the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that all staff receive the training to carry out their roles of responsibility effectively.

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