Phoenix Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 January 2024

Phoenix Nursery School is a small, well-equipped nursery school at the heart of its community. The school is a nurturing and safe place to be. Relationships between adults, children and their parents are strong. Parents are extremely positive about the school and the support it provides for its children and families. The view of one parent was typical of many when they commented, 'The school is like a family, and staff are caring and welcoming.' All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), experience a wide range of activities. They follow routines and learn and play together effectively. Older children support those who have just started school. Most of the support adults provide helps children to achieve well. Leaders have high expectations of children's behaviour. They have thought thoroughly about their expectations of how children should behave. However, on occasion, staff do not reinforce these expectations consistently. Children enjoy a wide range of experiences, both indoors and outdoors. They benefit from experiences such as visits to an outdoor learning centre and links to the music department at a local secondary school.

What the school should improve

• In some areas of learning, the school has not precisely identified the content it wants pupils to learn. As a result, sometimes, staff are unsure what children should learn and when. The school should ensure that all curriculum thinking sets out the key content that children need to know, and when, so they can learn well.
• Staff do not consistently plan activities that extend teaching points during learning and play time. This means that, at times, children do not always get the most benefit from their learning and play. The school should enable staff to know how to support children's learning across the day.
• Staff do not always ensure that the school rules are learned and followed by children throughout the school day. This means that children do not always know how to behave and what is expected of them. The school should make sure that staff apply the school rules when working with children so they consistently learn positive behaviours.

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