Tarnerland Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 April 2026

Children thoroughly enjoy their time here. They are keen to get started when they arrive in the morning and join in with activities enthusiastically. Well-established routines and a wide range of appealing activities mean that children are soon absorbed in playing and learning, both indoors and out. All areas are supervised appropriately so that they can play and learn safely. Parents and carers have every confidence in the school to take good care of their children, and rightly so. The school’s calm and nurturing atmosphere makes a significant contribution to children’s wellbeing and enjoyment of school. Staff are sensitive to children’s needs and provide lots of encouragement and reassurance. Children are very well cared for and feel secure as a result. They enjoy playing with friends, grow rapidly in confidence and behave extremely well. Children make substantial progress from their starting points across all areas of the curriculum. As a result, they are extremely well prepared for the move to Reception Year. The school makes sure that children are equipped with the personal, emotional and social skills required to access learning successfully. For instance, they learn how to play with others nicely by sharing, taking turns and being considerate. Staff sort out occasional minor disagreements sensitively and discretely. Staff support children’s growing independence skilfully. Right from children’s earliest days in the 2- to 3-year-old class to their final months in the oldest class, they learn how to look after themselves with increasing success. For example, they are taught the importance of washing their hands after using the toilet, learn how to put their coats on and help to tidy up.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should continue work to ensure that staff are consistently clear about the purpose and learning focus of activities so that opportunities to build children’s knowledge and skills are maximised.
• Leaders and those responsible for governance should maintain their focus on ensuring consistently strong standards across all areas of the school’s work.

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