Kindercare nursery on Pannal Ash Road in Harrogate, has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

The findings were published in a report yesterday following an inspection in October.

Government inspectors rated the nursery, which was registered in 1993, as ‘good’ in all four categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.

However, the assessment did see the grading fall from a previous ‘outstanding’ in 2018.

The report said “children enjoy their time at the nursery” and found staff provide a “safe and well-resourced” learning environment. It added:

“Children and babies are keen to explore and have a go at the wide range of activities on offer.

“They like trying tricky activities, such as catching falling leaves and taking turns to build ‘wobbly’ towers of bricks.”

Inspectors said the behaviour and attitudes at the nursery, which has 86 pupils, are “very good”.

The report also described the 20 members of staff as “wonderfully positive role models”, adding:

“They treat children with respect and are consistently kind and calm in their manner.

“Staff use sensitive and age-appropriate methods for managing unwanted behaviour.

“They frequently praise children for being kind and helpful. This helps to support children’s confidence and self-esteem.”

The manager was described as “knowledgeable, proactive and enthusiastic”. She seeks and receives good support from senior managers and reflects on staff training and wellbeing needs, the report added.

Inspectors also praised the “fun and warmth” shown by staff to babies, and noted they “clearly adore the job they do”.

They said:

“The special educational needs coordinator has a clear understanding of her role and responsibilities.

“Staff work with partner agencies to ensure that children’s individual needs are identified and well met. This makes sure that children have a consistent approach towards their care and learning.”

Safeguarding was found to be “effective”.

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Areas of improvement

However, the inspectors did say not all staff interactions with children “fully support them to make the best possible progress”. They added:

“Some staff do not give children sufficient time to deepen their ideas, solve problems, predict outcomes and find different ways of doing things for themselves.”

The report also found:

“At times, staff do not ensure that the outdoor learning environment has a rich range of play experiences to further support children’s development. This limits children to build on their growing physical skills.”

Ofsted said to improve, staff should “strengthen the already good teaching” to improve the children’s focus, as well as make full use of the outdoor space “to help to keep children engaged in their play”.

The Stray Ferret contacted Kindercare for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

The nursery is owned by Busy Bees Ltd, which has more than 390 nurseries across the UK and Ireland.

Kirkby Malzeard Church of England Primary School has retained its ‘good’ rating in an Ofsted report published this week.

Inspectors visited the 90-pupil school, which is between Ripon, Masham and Pateley Bridge, on September 26 for only its second assessment in a decade.

As with the previous one in 2018, the school was judged to be ‘good’.

The report said:

“Pupils love coming to school. Pupils are happy and safe in this nurturing environment. The school’s values of kindness, patience, love and peace thread through every aspect of school life.

“Excellent relationships develop between staff, pupils and families. Many pupils move into the area from other schools. They settle in well and make new friends quickly. Staff listen well to pupils and value their ideas.”

Bullying was described as “rare”, safeguarding was assessed to be “effective” and the school was described as “calm”.

The buddy system, where older pupils mentor younger pupils, was praised for being a good way for pupils to “get to know each other really well”.

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Governors were praised for supporting and challenging senior leaders well.

Inspectors said the “well designed and ambitious” curriculum “deepens pupils’ thinking about culture and life beyond Kirkby Malzeard”, adding:

“For example, pupils learn about the reasons why people migrate. They study the Industrial Revolution and the Windrush generation.”

Some areas in need of improvement at the school, which is federated with St Nicholas Church of England Primary School in West Tanfield, were highlighted.

“There is a lack of consistency in the way in which members of staff check pupils’ knowledge systematically, identify misconceptions and provide direct feedback. This means that some pupils are not given a direct steer to make their learning better.

“The school should ensure that all staff are trained to assess pupils’ knowledge and give them timely feedback.”

‘Hugely positive feedback’

Head teacher Sarah Taylor (pictured above) said the school was proud of the “hugely positive feedback” in the report.

Ms Taylor added:

“The report identified how much our pupils love coming to school and praised the behaviour of pupils who they say live up to the high expectations of behaviour set by staff and treat one another with high levels of respect.

“Inspectors also commented on the calmness within school and the ‘working hum’ as pupils focus on the learning in our ambitious curriculum.

“We are delighted that they recognised the hard work of the staff to provide such a positive environment for our pupils.”

Government inspectors have praised staff at a Harrogate nursery in a report published this week.

Ofsted rated Little Dragons Day Nursery on East Parade ‘good’ following an inspection on September 5.

It said “children benefit from a wide range of exciting experiences at this well-organised setting” and “have strong opportunities to explore with their senses”.

The report added:

“Children share and play cooperatively together. They benefit from secure daily routines and regular mindfulness sessions. This helps them to feel happy, safe and secure.

“Staff are caring, nurturing and fun. They build strong bonds and good relationships with children.”

Little Dragons is on East Parade.

Ofsted described manager Bambi Wainwright as “very effective”, adding:

“She provides strong support for her staff team’s wellbeing and continuous professional development.

“Staff are supported to improve their skills through meetings, training and observations of practice. The manager and her staff team are dedicated and passionate about the quality of the service they provide and the outcomes for children in their care.”

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Ofsted recommended two areas for improvement. It suggested Little Dragons reviewed the use of comforters, such as dummies, “to enhance support for younger children’s developing speech and communication skills” and also reduced distractions during group times “to further support children’s listening and attention skills”.

Little Dragons Day Nursery, which caters for 65 children aged up to four, registered in 2012 and employs 14 members of childcare staff.

Ms Wainwright said many staff had been at the nursery since it opened, adding:

“We are absolutely thrilled. It shows all the team’s hard work and dedication has paid off.”

A village primary school near Harrogate has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted just 19 months after it was found to be failing.

Beckwithshaw Primary School‘s latest Ofsted report reveals inspectors found there had been “rapid improvements” after the previous ‘inadequate’ rating.

The report, published after the end of term following an inspection in July, said:

“Beckwithshaw is a small school with big ideas. Leaders have worked swiftly and tirelessly to bring about great improvement in the school.

“Staff and parents value the changes that have taken place. They recognise that the improvements have led to pupils receiving a better quality of education. This a happy place for pupils to learn.

“Leaders have placed well-being at the heart of what they do for pupils and staff. People care about each other. They are welcomed into school each day with a smile. Courtesy, politeness and respect are modelled by everyone.

“Relationships are strong. This leads to pupils being happy and considerate of others. They enjoy being part of the small school community.”

Inspectors found the school was offering lots of opportunities for reading, from first phonics lessons onwards.

Meanwhile, teaching of maths was found to be “effective”, with teachers adapting the curriculum to suit children’s differing needs.

The report added:

“There is a feeling of positivity in the school, which pupils share. Leaders and staff are ambitious for pupils. They have high expectations for the future.

“Leaders have reviewed the curriculum. They ensure that pupils access learning in a broad range of subjects. They ensure that learning is planned carefully for pupils in mixed-aged classes. In some subjects, learning builds progressively from the early years to Year 6. This helps pupils to use past knowledge to learn more.

“Leaders recognise that there is more to do in some subjects to identify the important knowledge they want pupils to remember.”

After the last Ofsted report, Beckwithshaw – which is federated with Ripley Endowed and Kettlesing Felliscliffe primary schools – was put under the leadership of an interim executive board (IEB).

Two interim executive headteachers, Victoria Kirkman and Chris Whitehead, oversaw all three schools.

Mr Whitehead left last October, when the schools were expected to become part of a multi-academy trust (MAT), as required by Ofsted following the ‘inadequate’ rating given to both Beckwithshaw and Ripley.

However, those plans fell through, and the chair of the IEB, Robert Ling, said the schools continued to look for a trust to join.

Miss Kirkman remains in post on an interim basis, along with co-executive headteacher Rebecca Foy. Along with Beckwithshaw’s new rating, Ripley was ranked ‘good’ in May.

While recognising the improvements that had been made, the latest Ofsted report urged the school to make long-term plans. It said:

“The current arrangements for governance have proved to be effective in supporting improvements in the school. However, the arrangements are not permanent.

“The IEB, alongside the local authority, should work with continued urgency to ensure that a transition to a sustainable and high-quality governance model is well managed, and in place as soon as possible.”

North Yorkshire Council has welcomed news of the new grade and sent its congratulations to the school.

Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, executive member for education, learning and skills, said:

“A huge thank you to the teaching staff, pupils, parents, carers and the school community for their continued support in this remarkable journey.

“I am delighted that Beckwithshaw Primary School is now a school where children can flourish.

“The school leaders have worked closely with the interim executive board (IEB), local schools and the local authority to address previous areas of weaknesses, which has resulted in the Ofsted good grading in all areas.

“Ofsted inspectors praised the school for its positivity and stated that ‘leaders and staff are ambitious for pupils and have high expectations for the future’ and they recognised the effective approach in which maths is taught.

“We are committed to continue developing the best possible provision for the pupils and will work tirelessly to build on these successes.”

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A Harrogate nursery has been praised by Ofsted for delivering a “safe” environment where children feel “confident” and content.

Acorns In Harrogate, based in the grounds of Hookstone Chase Primary School, has maintained its ‘good’ rating earned at its last inspection in 2019.

In its latest report, inspector Pat Edmond said:

“Children are happy and settled at the nursery. Staff recognise the impact that the covid-19 pandemic has had on children’s development. They have sensibly prioritised children’s personal, social and emotional development.

“The success of this is evident throughout the setting. Children are relaxed, confident and very well behaved.”

Visiting the nursery in June, Ms Edmond found its staff had a good understanding of children’s development and were able to effectively support children with special educational needs.

She said the children enjoyed the ‘healthy, home-cooked meals” on offer and staff helped them to understand about their health, both through food and drink and by spending time outdoors.

Henshaws has retained its ‘good’ rating in an inspection report published today.

The independent specialist college in Harrogate, which provides education and training for learners with profound and multiple disabilities and complex needs, was praised for its “effective and caring support”.

The three-day visit by three inspectors in May was Henshaws’ first Ofsted inspection since 2018.

Their report said:

“Learners behave well in lessons and around the college as a result of the effective and caring support of staff.

“Learners are respectful towards each other, staff and visitors. Staff create a calm environment, which enables learners to flourish.

“Learners know that staff will not tolerate poor or unkind behaviours, such as swearing and name calling.”

They added “staff support learners well to become active citizens and members of their communities” and that leaders and managers have a “clear vision” that enables learners to build confidence, develop independence and achieve their aspirations.

The report said:

“They support learners, for who it is appropriate, to prepare for employment or to participate in volunteering opportunities.

“They help learners to make friends, learn to live more independently and to look forward to a positive future.”

Safeguarding is described as “effective”. However, Ofsted said a small number of sessions “are not age appropriate” and urged the college to “ensure that the pace of learning in all lessons is appropriate to enable learners to make the progress of which they are capable”.

Besides its overall ‘good’ rating, Henshaws was assessed as ‘good’ in five of the six sub-categories. It was rated ‘outstanding’ in the sixth, which was for personal development.

‘Wonderful to be recognised’

The college on Bogs Lane provides day and residential provision for 66 people. Most learners are aged 19 years and over and all have an education, health and care plan coordinated by their local authority.

The personalised curriculum includes subjects such as art, music, dance, horticulture, English, mathematics, a forest school and swimming.

Sally Daniels interim chief executive and director of education and care services, said it was delighted by the outstanding mark, adding:

“The new inspection framework is generally viewed as being more challenging and we are very pleased to have maintained our overall ‘good’ rating.

“In addition, our safeguarding processes were rigorously challenged during the inspection and found to be highly effective.

“We work tirelessly to provide our students, their families and their carers the best support and curriculum we can and it is wonderful that this has been recognised by our regulator.”

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A village nursery near Harrogate has received praise from Ofsted for the way it encourages children to develop their independence.

The School House Nursery in Pannal was also found to be a “welcoming” environment where children felt “safe and secure” when inspector Jennifer Cowton visited.

Rating the nursery ‘good’ in all areas in a report published this week, she said:

“Children know what is expected of them and follow the boundaries and routines of the setting well. They enjoy playing alongside each other and understand the importance of sharing and taking turns.

“Staff act as positive role models and encourage children to be kind. They speak to children in a calming manner, and carefully consider and respect children’s views and opinions.”

During the inspection, which took place at the end of March, Ms Cowton said children were “well prepared for their next stage in learning”, being encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves.

Children benefitted from learning about the natural world through growing flowers and feeding wildlife, she found.

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The report said the nursery, which is part of Kids at Heart based near Knaresborough, helped children to learn about good health, as well as offering a menu of freshly-cooked, healthy meals and snacks.

Ms Cowton said:

“Parents speak highly of the nursery. They say that their children love attending and arrive happy and smiling.

“Staff share information with parents about their children’s learning experiences through daily conversations. In addition, they share photographs of children’s activities using an online application.

“Parents are encouraged to contribute to their children’s learning and support their learning at home. Staff provide parents with activity ideas.”

The report found that, while staff understood how to support children’s language development, they could do more to model language to younger children while playing.

It also recommended the nursery manager could make better use of observation and supervision to help staff develop their teaching.

Responding to the report, Julie Shaw, owner of Kids at Heart, said:

“I would like to say how delighted I am with our Ofsted report. I feel it truly reflects the hard work, dedication, and commitment of the staff team at The School House Nursery, Pannal.

“I would also like to say a massive thank you to the wonderful children (who are amazing) and their parents for all their supportive comments, not only on the inspection day, but on an on-going basis.”

A nursery set up just two years ago in Starbeck has been rated ‘good’ in its first Ofsted inspection.

Finding Nature’s Little Learners achieved that rating in all four areas, inspector Janet Fairhurst praised its focus on developing children’s communication skills.

Her report said:

“The nursery is a happy and welcoming place for children. They have lots of fun learning and playing. Children are safe and well cared for by staff who want the best for them.

“Even the very youngest children settle quickly and happily in the calm and nurturing environment.”

Ms Fairhurst found children enjoyed reading books with staff, who made story time a “thoroughly enjoyable experience”.

She also highlighted the work done to encourage friendships between children and to teach them to share and take turns. She added:

“The experienced leadership team show dedication to their roles. They have created a curriculum which identifies what they want children to learn.

“Leaders and staff know each child’s needs well. This starts with the building of strong relationships with families before a child joins the nursery.

“Staff get to know the children and are alert to any barriers they face and the knowledge they need to learn next. Such strategies ensure that staff can quickly identify and meet the learning and development requirements of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.”

After the inspection in March, the report praised the strong partnerships with parents and the amount of information provided by staff about children’s progress.

It found parents praised the nursery and its staff, appreciating the “wonderful range of learning experiences” it offered to the 136 children registered.

Addressing areas where improvements could be made, the report added:

“Overall, leaders are aware of staff’s strengths and aspects of their practice that can be developed further.

“However, monitoring of teaching has not been precise enough to identify where some staff need further support and guidance. For instance, staff do not always consider the environment when planning adult-led activities, so that distractions are reduced, and children are able to concentrate.

“Equally, on occasion, some staff interactions between children and staff do not stretch or develop older children’s mathematical skills, such as counting and calculation, as well as they might.”

‘Proud of the team’

The report has been welcomed by the nursery, which said a ‘good’ rating is “increasingly difficult to achieve”. Owner Samantha Williams said:

“I am exceptionally proud of the team and their continued commitment to ensure that the children attending our setting receive the very best possible care and education. The inspection was really relaxed and the inspector herself said if she was a child attending our nursery she would want to come back day after day.

“We thank all the parents who flooded our inbox with emails to include their feedback on the day – there is no better representation of the hard work and dedication of the practitioners than what the children and parents have to say about their experiences here.

“As a newly established nursery in the area, we are welcoming ways to strengthen our practice and the Ofsted inspection gave us just that. Through our recent staff training day we have already addressed the improvements suggested and made adjustments in our environments.

“I am a firm believer in there is always room to improve, room to grow and our experienced team show true dedication in their reflective practice.”

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A “homely” nursery in a village outside Ripon has won praise from Ofsted.

Appletrees Day Nursery in Littlethorpe has maintained its ‘good’ rating in a new report published this month by the education regulator.

After visiting the nursery in March, inspector Kelly Nevett said:

“The curriculum helps to prepare children for their transition on to school. A dedicated transition manager ensures that children are ready for this next chapter, and staff have made good links with local schools.

“Staff have high expectations for all children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All children make good progress.”

She said the indoor and outdoor areas helped children to “interact with the natural world” and “make choices in their learning”. Staff helped children to build confidence by offering “nurturing support”, she added.

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The nursery, which has 53 children on the roll, was praised for its effective communication with parents, and for involving families in the children’s learning.

Play was used effectively to help children learn skills such as maths, the inspector said. She added:

“Children are at the heart of this welcoming nursery. They show very good attitudes to their own learning and have good self-regulation skills. Behaviour is also very good across the age groups of children. Staff encourage children to share, take turns and learn how to focus through some group teaching times.

“However, staff do not consistently plan precisely for what children need to learn next during some adult-led activities, such as group times before lunch.”

She also suggested improvements could be made in encouraging children to speak to each other more, as well as with adults, and in allowing older children to develop their independence at mealtimes.

Nursery director Lucy Thompson said she and the rest of the team would use the inspector’s recommendations to make further improvements. She added:

“We are delighted to receive such a good report. The inspector clearly recognised our ethos and well-being priorities of love, care, nurture and our naturally inspiring outdoor space, all of which are so important for positive growth and development.

“We were particularly delighted that parents and guardians shared their positive feedback with the inspector, and did so with such passion. This is a testament to the wonderful community that we have built together, and really meant a lot to us.

“Our brilliant team is incredibly proud of what we have achieved. I felt quite emotional observing the day. We’re so often wrapped up in a busy learning atmosphere in nursery, but to stand back and see Appletrees in full flow made my heart swell. Everyone works so hard to create this wonderful learning environment. It’s a real team effort.”

A Boroughbridge nursery helps children to feel “safe and secure” and “eager and ready to learn”, according to its latest Ofsted report.

Stepping Stones Day Nursery and Out of School Club on York Road has maintained its ‘good’ rating in the latest report, with inspector Janet Fairhurst praising the way children are helped to develop skills and independence.

She said:

“The manager has developed a curriculum that focuses on promoting children’s communication and language, and independence. Staff gain good information from parents about children’s starting points and create activities to build on these skills.

“Staff know the children well. They speak confidently about what children already know. Staff take account of this information to plan activities and provide targeted support that helps children make progress in their learning.”

Ms Fairhurst said energetic play outdoors, nutritious meals and good hygiene routines all helped to teach children the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

She praised the way staff used songs, rhymes and questions to promote children’s language development. The report said children were encouraged to stop their activities and listen at appropriate points in the daily routine, and that they were able to maintain their concentration for sustained periods.

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Looking at areas for improvement, Ms Fairhurst said the nursery could do more to help children learn about other cultures and ways of life. She added:

“The provider, manager and staff build strong relationships with families. They establish effective communication with parents to inform them of their children’s learning and the next steps in their learning.

“Parents appreciate the online system for sharing information, and say they are ‘impressed’ with how much progress their children make.

“However, staff have not yet established effective working relationships with other settings that some children also attend. This means that relevant information to support continuity of children’s learning and development is not shared.”

Stepping Stones has welcomed the latest report and rating. Owner Nadine Blakey said:

“We are really delighted with the outcome of our recent Ofsted inspection, the inspector was particularly impressed with our children’s behaviour, manners and independence.

“I am really proud of all our staff team who work really hard to give all our children the best start in life.”