Lancaster’s Appletree Nursery School has been rated as ‘outstanding’ and described as ‘providing exemplary care’ in a newly-released Ofsted report. The nursery school, which is co-located with Appletree Childrens’ Centre on Milking Stile Lane in Lancaster, has received the highest possible gradings for both its overall effectiveness and its capacity for sustained improvements.
Most other assessment aspects have also been graded ‘outstanding’ with no single category rated lower than ‘good’. Inspectors, who visited Appletree last month, say its teaching is “excellent, ensuring that children learn rapidly”.
They add that although children’s knowledge and skills are broadly typical on entering the nursery overall attainment is higher than typically seen when they leave.
“The headteacher’s outstanding leadership and excellent support from staff and governors lie at the heart of the school’s success,” the report continues. “Learning is exciting and engaging. Children are invariably absorbed in exploring, experimenting and creating whether alone, in groups or with an adult.”
This learning environment, the inspectors state, “is the basis for their good progress in literacy and numeracy and outstanding progress in other areas”. The report also praises the ‘warm and welcoming atmosphere’ which ‘ensures that children settle quickly, make new friends and take full advantage of all the nursery has to offer’. It adds that “parents wholeheartedly agree that their children enjoy school because of good teaching and effective leadership and are happy with their children’s experiences in the nursery”.
Lesley Matthews, the Extended Services Manager at Appletree, added, “The inspectors were very positive about the partnership working with Appletree Children’s Centre. The two work fantastically together and there are huge benefits for the nursery, the centre and the Lancaster community in joint working.”
In particular, Appletree staff have been able to extend the services offered by the centre, particularly in Hala, through their work at Moorside Primary School, Hala Hall and Barton Road Community Centre.
Appletree headteacher, Barbara Wignall, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the recognition of our work from Ofsted, which follows on from a number of national and local awards given to the school over the past year. However we’re not resting on our laurels and want to press on with continuing to improve the education and well-being of our young children.”
Chair of Governors, Michael Gibson, added, “I’m delighted for the fantastic staff we have at Appletree for the recognition they deserve and for the children who this report shows so clearly benefit from being here. We’re the only nursery school rated as outstanding in the Lancaster district and I’m sure this will have an impact on the number of parents wishing to send young people here and we’d be delighted to welcome them.”
• A full copy of the report can be accessed via the Ofsted website. Anyone wishing to find out more about Appletree Nursery School should call 01524 64132.
Image: David Harrison