Some of you may be aware that our nursery at 3 Norfolk Road, Edgbaston had a routine inspection by Ofsted on 6th May.
I am delighted to inform you that it was rated “Outstanding” in terms of its overall effectiveness, as well as in every particular area inspected (quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management).
Click here to view the full report.
I am sure that you will join with me in congratulating the staff and management on this magnificent achievement.
We were rated “Outstanding” following our last routine inspection in November 2016. However, it is widely recognised that subsequent changes to the Education Inspection Framework have made it yet more difficult to achieve this coveted rating. Below is an extract from the Early Years Inspection Handbook for Ofsted-registered Provision which summarises how the inspectors must exercise their judgment in the particular areas mentioned above.
Reaching a judgment of outstanding
175. Outstanding is a challenging and exacting judgement. In order to reach this standard, inspectors will determine whether the early years provision meets all the criteria set out under ‘good’ for that judgement and does so securely and consistently. In other words, it is not enough that the provision is strong against some aspects of the judgement and not against others: it must meet each and every criterion. In addition, there are further criteria set out under the outstanding judgement, all of which the provision will also need to meet. Provision should only be judged ‘outstanding’ in a particular area if it is performing exceptionally, and this exceptional performance in that area is consistent and secure across the whole provision.
I am particularly pleased that the inspector identified in her report a number of key aspects of our philosophy which everyone has worked so hard to establish, namely: children flourishing; children being “at the very heart of the setting, in every aspect of their well-being”; Children forming “exceptionally close bonds with staff”; staff being “extremely attentive to children’s individual needs”; “a wonderful ambience of positivity throughout all the rooms”; “all children making excellent progress in their learning”; the provision of an “astounding array of different activities”; “exemplary” parent partnership; and children’s safety being of the “utmost priority”.
I would like to express my sincere thanks to you and all the staff for making it possible to put our philosophy into practice so effectively. It something which is ingrained in every one of our three settings, and of which we are very proud. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss any aspect of this report.
Hayley Fox, Senior Nursery Manager.