Bilston nursery rated ‘outstanding’ for second time
A nursery school has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted for the second time in a row.
Bilston Nursery School, which caters for 140 children aged two to five, was last inspected in January 2018 when it received the same accolade.
In her report, lead inspector Kirsty Foulkes described the Wolverhampton Street facility as providing “high-quality learning experiences” for all its youngsters.
“Each morning, staff welcome children and their families with a warm smile and inviting activities,” she said. “The ‘no tears transition’ works exceptionally well. Families say a calm and confident goodbye to their child knowing they are ready for the learning and fun in the day ahead.
“All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn to know and manage themselves well and make sense of the world around them. Children are fully prepared for primary school.
“Staff are completely in tune with children’s feelings, needs and the next steps for learning. Staff model and expect the highest standards of kindness and behaviour. Children do the same. Incidents of unkind behaviour are rare and handled thoughtfully and quickly by staff.
“Parents and carers sing the praises of all nursery staff and leaders. ‘All staff are a great confidence boost for my child and offer great support to parents’ was typical of many comments made by parents,” she added.
“Governors and school leaders are unwavering in setting the highest standards and expectations of themselves, staff and children. Leaders have carefully supported staffing changes. Staff feel valued and well looked after.”
The report went on to say that following the Covid-19 pandemic, leaders had prioritised children’s personal development, communication and language, skilfully reshaping their daily routines.
“Children have moved from flitting from activity to activity on their own, to playing, learning and sharing together. For example, being able to make music in a band and snuggle up together for story after story, with friends and adults.
“Adults understand what to teach children and in what order. Daily team briefings ensure staff plan and put in place purposeful activities that develop and consolidate learning. Children appreciate stories, both orally and in books. Skilled staff bring stories to life across each room,” the report said.
“The buzz of learning is evident in every part of the nursery. This highly inclusive setting makes sure that all children make progress no matter how small the steps. Leaders have devised a curriculum that helps children learn about their local community and the wider world beyond.
“They want children to be ready to take their place in the world. Carefully planned visits and extra experiences bring learning to life. These include visits to a zoo, an art gallery and a trip on a canal boat. Staff use stories, music and food to help children learn about people who are different to themselves,” it added.
