Providing great guidance – city nursery receives glowing reports

By Kelly Eve

Last updated 05:27, Friday, 30 May 2008

THE manager of a Carlisle nursery is delighted that her business has been given two glowing reports during her first year in charge.

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Taking the lead: Children at Goschen Road nursery in Carlisle are paid a special visit by Lola the guide-dog.

Inspectors from both Ofsted and the local education authority have visited Goschen Road Nursery recently.

Ofsted found the quality and standards of care and nursery education are strong, rating the privately-owned nursery as good.

Inspector Stephen Blake said children thrive at the nursery and interact well with each other and adults. Teaching and staff were also praised.

This week, children who had been learning about different kinds of helpers were visited by a guide dog to find out what support they give to those who are blind or have sight problems.

Nursery manager Eileen Kerr said: “We’re delighted to have achieved such good reports in our first year of new management and are constantly striving to develop quality provision and maintain our excellent reputation.”

Mr Blake, in his report, wrote: “Children enjoy their time at Goschen Road Nursery. They achieve well because staff are skilled and use their sound understanding of child development and of early years guidance, such as the ‘Birth to three matters’ framework and the ‘Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage’, to provide good quality care and education.

“Staff use their knowledge of child development effectively to plan activities and resources that are accessible and age-appropriate in accordance with individual children’s abilities. Staff have a thorough understanding of individual children’s needs and this helps them to enjoy and achieve.”

He also found that the quality of teaching and learning were good with children eager to learn.

He said: “Children are confident in their use of numbers during play and respond enthusiastically to extend their mathematical vocabulary, for example, when counting each other during registration.”

Staff were also praised for giving child welfare and safety top priority and by having a clear understanding of child protection policies.

The range of toys and measures in place to keep children safe were also highlighted by the inspector, as was the nursery’s work with those children who have physical disabilities and learning difficulties.

The nursery, which has 60 children on roll, employs 10 people. Its leadership is good and premises well-organised with indoor and outdoor areas laid out to maximise play and learning opportunities for youngsters.

Mr Blake has asked the nursery to make sure children cannot reach building materials behind the building and look at ways of ensuring the outdoor climbing equipment does not become congested.

Goschen Road Nursery has also been assessed recently by the local education authority.

Learning was found to be “exciting and fun supported by effective, caring adults”.