The staff, children and parents of Bolton School’s Nursery School are celebrating after they received a glowing report following an inspection visit from OFSTED in October 2024.
In their report, OFSTED graded the overall effectiveness of the Nursery as Good, with its underpinning ratings for the quality of the education provided, the children’s behaviour and attitudes, the children’s personal development, and the Nursery’s leadership and management all also being Good. Given the increasing stringency of OFSTED’s inspection standards for nurseries, achieving a rating of Good in all categories is a point of great pride for the Nursery’s staff and leadership, and for the whole Bolton School Foundation.
Despite recent changes to how OFSTED reports upon the outcomes of its inspections for primary and senior schools, nurseries continue to receive single-word judgements in their inspection reports, hence these singular ratings. The inspection was routine, and had been expected by the Nursery in order that the final stage of its re-registration with OFSTED could be completed. This re-registration of the School’s provision for children aged 0-2 was necessitated following the establishment of the Primary Division within the Bolton School Foundation, in October 2021.
OFSTED’s one-day visit took place on Monday 14 October, led by a single inspector who conducted interviews with the Nursery’s leadership team and staff members, visited a range of rooms to meet the young children they care for, and spoke with parents about their views on the Nursery’s standards.
Key findings from the inspector’s report included that:
- Staff at the Nursery have high expectations for all the children in their care;
- Children’s behaviours and attitudes are very good, and they demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and taking part;
- Staff work in partnership with families to successfully support children’s learning and development;
- Children at the Nursery demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and taking part, and flourish under the praise and encouragement given by staff;
- Staff effectively support children to develop the skills they need for childhood, including perseverance, turn-taking and friendship; and
- Children develop their communication and independence skills successfully, and are encouraged and supported to do so.
Reflecting on the inspection report, Head of Primary Division Sue Faulkner commented:
“This fantastic inspection report recognises all that we know is special about Bolton School’s Nursery, and how its staff prioritise the individual development of each and every child in their charge.
I was incredibly pleased that the Inspector had understood how enthusiastically every staff member engages with the children in their care each day, and the positive impact this has on those children’s development. The Inspector’s recognition of how effectively children are prepared for the transition to school was even more gratifying, and the ever-strengthening links between the Nursery and Beech House, the Foundation’s infant school, are of course fundamental to this success.
OFSTED’s report reflects the significant progress that has already been made under the Nursery’s new management team, and I am therefore particularly delighted by the inspector’s observation that those leaders are “passionate about childcare and have a clear vision for the nursery”. The Inspector’s two recommendations for further improvement at the Nursery are both in areas upon which we are already focused, and I look forward to working with Allyson Hunt, Angela Smith and Jill Sunter to support the Nursery’s continuing journey of success.
I would like to express my sincere thanks and congratulations to all of my colleagues at the Nursery, whose efforts and enthusiasm have made this inspection report possible, and to all those parents who took time from their day to speak with the inspector and to reflect upon their child’s experiences whilst in the Nursery’s care.”
Philip Britton, MBE, Bolton School’s Head of Foundation, concluded:
“The Nursery is the starting point of the educational journey for many children within the Bolton School Foundation, and, as this report attests, provides a great basis for their future learning and personal development that will continue to bear fruit throughout their childhoods.
Our recent investment in the Nursery’s facilities has enhanced the setting’s already-excellent provision for the children in its care, and I am delighted that the efforts of the Nursery’s staff and leaders have been recognised so fulsomely in OFSTED’s report. I echo both Sue’s congratulations to those colleagues, and her words of thanks to the Nursery parents, whose continued support and feedback will enable us to improve still further all that the Nursery can offer the youngsters in its care.”
Read a full copy of the inspection report | PDF | 151KB
