A NURSERY and pre-school has been praised for its “rich curriculum” and hard-working staff.
Ofsted visited Happy Days, on Dowsell Way in Ladden Garden Village in November, for its first inspection since opening in 2023.
Inspector Gwyneth Keen said the nursery is ‘good’ in all areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and personal development.
She said children form strong attachments to staff thanks to the nursery’s “bespoke settling-in process”, adding: “Staff work hard to establish close relationships with key children to foster a sense of trust and emotional security.
“They form caring, warm and secure connections with children, allowing them to feel safe enough to explore and join in with play.”
Children are prepared for school as they develop “resilience and curiosity”, and “receive lots of praise and encouragement that helps them to feel valued”.
‘Rich curriculum’ inspires children to learn
The inspector said: “Leaders have designed a rich curriculum that inspires all children to learn.”
Children make good progress with communication and language skills, learn how to use maths during play by counting and measuring, and have plenty of opportunities to learn physical skills.
The inspector said: “Children relish playing outdoors and get plenty of fresh air and exercise.”
Parents are complimentary about the care their children receive at the nursery, which has 157 children aged four and under on its roll.
The inspector said: “Staff provide ideas for parents to build on their children’s learning at home, for example, providing books and resources, such as story sacks, to encourage story time through reading at home.”
To improve further Ofsted recommended that staff offer children more time to think creatively and experiment independently when problem-solving, to develop confidence in their own abilities.
Report is a ‘testament to the team’
Nursery manager Zoe Seymour said: “We are delighted with our Ofsted result; after less than a year of being open it really does highlight the hard work, care and dedication from our amazing staff team.
“The bonds the team have built with the children, the emotional security they provide and the praise and encouragement they give were just a few of the things picked up during the inspection and I feel this whole report is a testament to the team.
“We are very proud of this achievement and excited for what is still to come.”