Celebrations as nursery returns to ‘good’ rating
TIVERTON’S Hurly Burly Nursery is celebrating a significant improvement in its latest Ofsted report, jumping from ‘requires improvement’ in April 2023 to ‘good’ in its most recent inspection.
The nursery, on Bolham Road in Petroc and catering to 80 children aged up to four, had been rated as ‘good’ after an inspection in 2017 and staff were delighted to again receive high praise across all areas.
The report highlighted the confident and happy atmosphere at the nursery, adding that: “Staff plan an ambitious curriculum that successfully challenges children to make the best possible progress across all areas of learning.
“Children enthusiastically engage in play. Playing well together and involving each other in their games.”
Staff were praised for being excellent role models, fostering a respectful environment and partnership with parents was strength.
The report stated: “Parents comment favourably upon the excellent communication with staff and how well staff involve them in their children’s learning.”
Opportunities for imaginative play were a highlight by inspectors, who said that these activities were credited with boosting children’s confidence and communication skills.
Staff were commended for their knowledge of individual children and their ability to plan activities accordingly. But while acknowledging the strong foundation in place, the report also identified areas for further development.
The report said: “Staff use numbers and encourage children to count in routines and activities. However, they do not provide many opportunities for children to use numbers and count beyond five.”
Encouraging comparisons between groups of objects and simple calculations were also areas suggested for improvement.
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The report highlighted how well staff support vocabulary development in all age groups. “Babies are well supported by staff to develop a wide vocabulary. Staff use books successfully to get children talking and introduce new words and name items,” it stated.
Inspectors also commended the focus on healthy lifestyles. “They follow thorough hygiene routines and learn the importance of handwashing,” the report noted.
Developing independence
at lunchtime was another positive aspect and the report credited the manager’s strong leadership and dedication to improvement since the previous inspection.
Her proactive approach in identifying and seeking early help for children with special educational needs was commended.
Investment in staff training and development was another positive aspect. The report concluded: “The manager and staff regularly reflect on their practice and assess the quality of the provision.”
Manager Charlie Kilshaw said they were pleased that the inspector saw all the great things about Hurly Burly and they were back to ‘good.’
“Since we have bought the building, we can focus on expanding the nursery and continuing to create the best learning environment for all our children,” she said. “We have an amazing space with a great team and large garden areas for each classroom, so we have a five-star offering for local families.”