Garretts Green Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school The nursery provides an outstanding education in all aspects of learning for each and every child. The excellent leadership of the headteacher and the staff team has created a climate of high expectations, a love of learning and an insistence on the very best provision.

Highly committed and knowledgeable governors support and challenge the headteacher effectively. They keep a sharp eye on the school's financial position but are less rigorous in checking the quality of education. Teaching is excellent.

Exemplary teamwork underpins the school's success in ensuring the best outcomes for all children. Teaching is characterised by high...-quality interactions between adults and children. Staff use their expertise and time very well to accelerate children's learning.

From their different starting points, all groups of children, including those who are disadvantaged, make exceptionally strong progress. Children's interests and individual needs are very skilfully planned for and met. The curriculum is filled with imaginative and exciting activities that engage the children.

The learning environment is very carefully planned, both inside and out. It fosters independence and enables the children to explore and be curious. Children behave exceptionally well.

They learn and play happily together because of the very positive relationships with adults, who set an excellent example. Attendance is very good because children enjoy coming to school and learning. They feel safe and secure in the warm, caring environment.

They quickly develop confidence. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well catered for. As a result of the highly effective provision, they make very strong progress.

Leaders have created a culture of vigilance and care for children. Strong and highly effective relationships with families make sure that the right amount of help is provided at the right time to those who need it. Partnerships with parents and carers are excellent.

Parents say they would recommend the nursery, saying staff go over and above for their children.

Information about this school

Garretts Green Nursery School is an average-sized nursery school. Children enter in the term after their third birthday and leave to enter primary school in the September following their fourth birthday.

Consequently, some children spend five terms in the Nursery school and others three or four terms. The school has an enhanced resource provision for children with autism, social interaction and communication conditions. It offers places for six children.

Children attend for a morning or afternoon session. Some children are offered full-time places according to local authority admissions criteria. Those who stay for a full day bring a packed lunch.

The proportion of children with SEND is higher than the national average. The proportions of children known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority have declined. These are now much lower than the national averages.

The headteacher retired in July 2018. An acting headteacher is currently leading the school. She was previously the assistant headteacher.