Dunstable nursery celebrates after improving Ofsted rating to good in just two years

A Dunstable nursery is celebrating an Ofsted report praising its happy and confident pupils.

Westfield Nursery School is described as: “a happy place to be. Children arrive excited to see staff and friends. Clear routines and expectations help to create a positive learning environment. This helps children to make a confident start to their learning."

Ofsted said the school was 'good' after judging it to require improvement in 2021.

Inspector Wayne Jarvis said: “Children access a wide range of high-quality learning opportunities. Those who need extra help, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well supported by staff. Children are calm and focused during formal classroom-based learning and when playing outside. Activities such as a visit by farm staff, and from the police and paramedics, help children develop their interests beyond the curriculum."

He said staff at the Westfield Road nursery know the children and their families well and children were safe and well cared for. He added that there has been a strong emphasis on curriculum development following the previous inspection which outlines what children need to know at different stages of development.

But he also issues a word of caution: “Sometimes staff do not make the most of opportunities to deepen and extend children’s learning,” he said. “This means that children do not always develop their knowledge across the seven areas of learning as quickly as they could. Staff use checks on children’s learning to improve the curriculum and to identify and support children who need extra help to keep up.”

Staff feel valued and appreciate support for their workload, said Mr Jarvis. The school has used external support and training to improve the quality of education and effectiveness of leadership and governance. While effective systems and improved expertise are in place, leaders acknowledge that these are at an early stage of development. The school’s checks on the quality of the curriculum are new and not fully established.

Moving forward Mr Jarvis said that not all teaching is adapted to challenge children to develop and extend their understanding across all seven areas of learning.

Maxine Boyle, chair of governors, said: “We are thrilled to share that we have received a ‘Good’ rating, testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire school community. The inspectors praised various aspects of our school, highlighting the commitment of our staff, the positive inclusive atmosphere and the achievements our students make.

“This recognition reflects the collaborative effort of students, parents and staff alike. We are particularly proud of the report stating that the Nursery is a happy place to be for your children, which underscores our commitment to providing a nurturing and educational environment for all children.

“This Ofsted result is not just a reflection of the school's efforts, it’s also testament to the continuous support we receive from parents and the wider community. We are looking forward to building on this success and welcome all new parents to come and visit our nursery and to see for themselves what we have to offer.”

>A previous version of this report incorrectly stated that the school had been previously graded as inadequate when it was graded as requires improvement. We are happy to make this correction.