Alexandra Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Children love their nursery. They wave goodbye to their parents and carers with confidence. Everyone is welcome in this setting.

Even the newest children settle in quickly and feel at home.

Staff expect the best of children. They have provided a wealth of activities for children to explore.

Children enjoy coming to the carpet area for their special 'together time' each day. They know that this is the time to listen to adults and to each other carefully. Children develop their knowledge and achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Children learn to be kind to each other. They show concern if someone is h...urt or upset. Children learn to express their feelings in appropriate ways.

Adults do not tolerate any bullying. They deal with any unkindness between children effectively.

Children learn to look after resources well.

For example, they handle books carefully. They pick toys up if they drop them on the floor. Children learn to put on their own coats and boots.

Even though this is tricky at first, they keep trying until they can do it by themselves. These activities help children to develop important characteristics such as responsibility and perseverance.

The relationships between staff, parents and carers, and children are strong.

Children feel safe and secure.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have provided an exciting and ambitious curriculum that covers all areas of learning. Children, including those with SEND, learn the curriculum well.

Leaders know what they want children to be able to do by the time they leave the nursery. All staff share leaders' high expectations for children to succeed.

In most areas of learning, leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge that they want children to learn.

They have provided staff with the information that they need to make sure that children build their knowledge in a logical order. For example, in communication and language, staff teach children the names of garments, such as trousers or coat. When they know that children have learned these well, they introduce alternative words such as pants or jacket.

This helps children to expand their vocabulary well over time.

In a few areas of learning, staff do not have enough information about the knowledge that children need to learn. This prevents staff from making sure that the activities they provide enable children to learn everything that they need to know in those areas.

Leaders have placed reading at the heart of the curriculum. Children are surrounded by attractive books that capture their interests. Leaders have put together a special range of books that children learn thoroughly.

Some of these books introduce children to rhymes, counting and letter sounds. Others teach children about the wider world. Adults read to children often.

Children, including those with SEND, develop a love of reading.

Staff are skilled at recognising when children are learning well, or when they do not understand something. Staff use their strong professional knowledge to provide children with extra help when they need it.

This enables children to move forward with their learning and development.

Leaders work well with staff to identify children who may have SEND. They work effectively with a range of professionals to make sure that these children receive the help that they need.

Two-year-olds develop positive and trusting relationships with adults. This helps these children to feel secure and safe in the nursery. Adults support children to share resources and to take turns.

Two-year-olds learn and develop well in their familiar environment.

Children behave well in the nursery. They learn to follow simple rules and routines quickly.

For example, they know when it is time to stop playing and tidy up. They walk sensibly indoors and save their running for outside. Most children attend nursery regularly.

Leaders provide children with opportunities to learn about a range of faiths and cultures. Children visit places of worship and learn about important celebrations such as Chinese New Year. They learn about difference and similarities in appropriate ways, for example, through stories and pictures.

These activities help children to develop attitudes of tolerance and respect for others.

Governors are knowledgeable about the nursery. They ask leaders appropriate questions to check that the nursery is running well.

Leaders and governors are considerate of staff's workload and well-being. Staff appreciate the support that they receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders provide staff with a wide range of training in relation to safeguarding. This training enables staff to know how to spot any signs of abuse or neglect and to recognise when a child may be at risk from harm.

Leaders have provided clear procedures for staff to report any concerns that they may have about children's welfare.

Staff follow these procedures consistently well. Leaders have strong relationships with parents and with a range of professionals such as health visitors and children's services. This enables them to secure help for children and their families if it is needed.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some areas of learning, the curriculum does not provide enough information about the smaller components of learning, or the order in which these components need to be learned. This makes it more difficult for staff to make sure that the activities they provide are enabling children to learn all that they should. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in all areas of learning provides staff with the information that they need so that children learn everything that they need to know.