Ribbon School Nursery Review

At the January 2023 inspection, curiosity, conversation and growing independence characterised Ribbon School’s early years provision. Children’s interests shaped learning, with activities indoors and outdoors providing opportunities to explore ideas and practise new skills. The emphasis was on children becoming active participants in their learning, with staff taking time to understand what interested each child.

At the Ofsted inspection on 11 and 12 January 2023, the school’s early years provision was rated Outstanding. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery. At that time, the nursery catered for three- and four-year-olds, with full-time and part-time attendance. An external provider also offered on-site care for children under three, a separate provision from the school nursery.

Spoken language had a clear place in the early years day in January 2023. In January 2023, staff gave attention to developing children’s speech, helping them express ideas as well as take part in learning. Independence was encouraged from the beginning. Together, these priorities gave children opportunities to communicate their thinking and practise doing things for themselves.

Activities built on children’s existing knowledge and drew on their curiosity. Staff planned learning carefully while taking account of individual interests, so exploration had a purpose beyond simply keeping children occupied. Indoor and outdoor opportunities gave children different ways to investigate and practise what they were learning. The January 2023 findings described children thriving through these experiences.

In January 2023, early reading also began within the school’s early years provision. Staff were trained in a systematic phonics programme, giving the teaching of sounds a structured approach. This sat alongside the attention to spoken language: conversation and the beginnings of reading both had a place in children’s learning.

Knowing the individual child was central to the early years approach in January 2023. In January 2023, staff took time to understand children’s individual characteristics and used their interests as a starting point for learning. For families, this matters because children bring different experiences and starting points to nursery.

The same findings recognised staff’s substantial early years knowledge. Their attention to language and independence connected support with everyday learning, giving children opportunities to develop their own voice and attempt tasks themselves.

Attending Ribbon School’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. Choosing the nursery should therefore rest on the early years experience itself; attendance must not be treated as securing the next school place.

Ribbon School is on Barnes Road in Murton, Seaham, SR7 9QR. Families can contact the school on 01915175900 to enquire about the nursery.

Assessment. In January 2023, some subjects across the school needed more consistent checks of gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The concern was school-wide rather than identified specifically as a nursery weakness, but it matters to how learning builds over time.