A YORK nursery school has spoken out after being told it 'requires improvement’, following an Ofsted inspection.
Happy Jays nursery, on Audax Close, in Clifton Moor, which cares for 48 children up to age four, has been told that it ‘requires improvement’, following an Ofsted inspection on April 26.
Inspectors said in their report that the quality of the teaching was not “consistently strong across the nursery”, and that new members of staff need more support through their induction.
The report reads: "Children arrive happily at the nursery and are greeted by warm, kind, and caring staff.
"Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and develop the skills they need for their move on to school and are challenged in their learning and development.
"However, as teaching practice in the nursery is inconsistent, not all children remain highly engaged. This means some children do not progress as well as possible.
"The quality of staff’s teaching interactions with children needs to ensure that learning experiences are enjoyable, challenging, and purposeful.
"There are too many demands on the manager's time. She is currently the key person to some of the children and, therefore, has less time to focus on her managerial role.
"The manager has not been able to assess the impact of the induction process for new staff and the support provided for less-experienced members of staff."
However, a spokesperson for the nursery, who does not wish to be named, has told The Press: “The Ofsted grading is obviously very disappointing. The team have worked so hard for the past two years.
“The children are safe, happy, and secure. Our approach is based on each child developing to their maximum potential at a rate that is appropriate for them.
“We have spent a great deal of time with children who have been through the pandemic. We are not aiming for rapid development, we have focused on social skills, speech and language and most importantly making the children feel secure in the setting.
“Many children, due to Covid restrictions, needed this extra care and support. We have moved at a pace that is appropriate for each child and I fully standby this approach and the reasoning behind it”
The report praised the staff in effectively teaching language and mathematical concepts through play, which helps to increase children’s vocabulary, consistently managing the children’s behaviour, and in their response towards children’s physical and emotional needs.
The nursery's new playground was also praised as an opportunity for the children to be active and to learn new skills.
The nursery has since recruited a joint manager, who has a track record in improving Ofsted grades of nurseries, and two new members of staff who started three days after the inspection.
Ofsted says a school judged as 'requires improvement' is not yet 'good' but overall provides an acceptable standard of education.
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