Northampton nursery that has kept good Ofsted rating since opening 10 years ago shares key to success

A Northampton nursery that has been graded ‘good’ for the entire decade it has been running, has attributed their success to going “above and beyond” to give children experiences they might not get elsewhere.

Nether Heyford Preschool, situated in Church Lane, has been graded ‘good’ in all areas following its latest inspection in December 2022. The school has been graded good in all three inspections it has had since its opening in 2013.

The Chronicle & Echo talks with childcare manager Katie Willis to find out how they received the news and why the village nursery has thrived from the very beginning.

Katie said: “We are really pleased with the outcome because Ofsted changed the inspection cycle and we have waited a long time to be reinspected and it’s great to see that we are still doing well and the parents are happy with the service we are providing.”

Dubbed by Ofsted as the “home-from-home pre-school”, Nether Heyford Preschool was praised for providing a curriculum that follows children’s interests and supporting children with additional needs well.

Katie believes the committee-run nursery has done so well because their staff goes “above and beyond” to give children experiences they may not get at other larger settings.

For example, staff teach children about the community and the world around them by using the Nether Heyford village as their outside area and they take the children for bus rides to Flore.

Katie said: “We have not had to recruit since 2017 so we have long term staff and we really get to know the children on an individual basis as well and go on their interests and what they like to do.”

The friendly children at the nursery engage visitors in conversation and share their knowledge - for example, pretending to put out a fire and telling visitors they need to “call the emergencies.”

They show pride in their work as they show staff pictures they have drawn and then smile as staff praise them. They seek out activities of their choosing as staff engage them in meaningful conversations during their play.

The nursery has strong links with the local school, which has enabled children to familiarise themselves with it. The Ofsted inspector reported how children regularly use the school’s outside classroom and confidently say hello to school staff they see in the playground.

Parents have spoken fondly of the nursery’s staff to Ofsted, saying they are proactive when it comes to supporting their children’s needs and sharing information about their development.

Katie told this newspaper: “We just really get to know the children and the families as well. We are committee run - so charity run - we are here for those children; it is not about getting the numbers in. If it is a quiet day, that does not concern us. It just means the children there will get more from the staff.”

Read the full Ofsted report here.