Children flourish at 'vibrant and inclusive' Sunshine Nursery in east Leeds suburb - Ofsted report
‘Staff deliver the curriculum through purposeful play and meaningful interactions’
Ofsted inspectors have praised the work of staff to make a nursery in east Leeds “vibrant and inclusive.”
Sunshine Community Nursery, located on Shepherds Lane, Harehills, scored a ‘Strong standard’ rating in all six inspected categories during an Ofsted visit on September 7 this year.
Inspectors adjudged the nursery to have scored highly in the areas of - achievement, behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines, children's welfare and wellbeing, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, and leadership and governance.
It was the nursery’s first inspection since it officially relocated to the former Little Owls Nursery site on Shepherds Lane in May of this year.
“Children are happy, settled and flourish at this vibrant and inclusive nursery,” the education watchdog said. “They benefit from highly nurturing relationships with passionate and experienced staff who know them and their families extremely well.
“Staff have a deep understanding of children's starting points, routines and interests and use this knowledge to provide tailored experiences that fully support their learning.”
Children achieve extremely well across all areas of learning, according to the report. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those who speak English as an additional language, make rapid progress.
They experience calm, well-established routines and move smoothly between activities and areas of the nursery, with little disruption to their play and learning. Routines are thoughtfully planned and adapted sensitively for children who need additional support.
Children consistently behave well and “show secure emotional awareness.” They remain engaged in activities, share resources, take turns and show a willingness to learn alongside others.
Their individual needs are identified from the moment they start. Leaders have developed a “fully inclusive approach” and have a deep understanding of children and their families.
Inspectors added: “Leaders use their excellent knowledge of child development to design a high-quality, ambitious curriculum. They regularly evaluate its effectiveness and use monitoring, assessment and professional discussions with staff to identify priorities for improvement.
“Staff deliver the curriculum through purposeful play and meaningful interactions. They follow children's interests while maintaining ambitious learning intentions.”
Focusing on next steps, the report recommended that leaders should continue to strengthen parent partnerships to share home learning ideas to “achieve a transformational impact” on children's learning and development.
Leaders at Sunshine Community Nursery “prioritise all children's welfare and wellbeing.” Staff provide warm, responsive care throughout the nursery.
They have a “clear vision for continuous improvements” and high expectations for children's care and learning.
Posting to Facebook, a nursery spokesperson said: “We are absolutely over the moon and so proud following our recent Ofsted inspection. Seeing our strong standards recognised across all areas is such a special achievement for our whole Sunshine family.
“I’m incredibly proud of the dedication and hard work I’ve put in alongside my amazing team to help us reach this moment.
“This is a true reflection of strong standards, teamwork, dedication and a shared passion for giving our children the very best start in life.”