Honeypot Nursery at Highbury Campus receives good Ofsted following inspection

Honeypot Nursery, located on the Highbury Campus, has received a good Ofsted rating following its inspection which took place on June 3, 2024. The inspection discovered that the manager has a clear understanding of what she wants the children to learn during their time at the nursery, and she is good at evaluating the setting.

The report said: “Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), show high levels of engagement as they explore their learning environment with curiosity. For instance, they enjoy spending time swirling their hands in trays of paint. Staff support them to name the different colours. They respond by telling everyone what colour paint they have on their hands.

“The manager is reflective and she uses a number of strategies to effectively evaluate the nursery. This includes seeking feedback from staff, parents and children. This enables everyone to have their voice heard and be involved in improving the quality of children's experiences.”

The inspection also found that the manager works hard to ensure that there is a strong partnership with parents so that children benefit from the best care. One way that she does this is by using translation methods to speak to parents who speak English as a secondary language. This means that there is constant communication about how to maintain the children’s development at the nursery setting and at home.

The safeguarding measures are effective and there is an ‘open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.’

The report added: “Staff plan activities to enhance children's communication skills. For instance, staff support children with SEND to build on their vocabulary by using a series of picture cards for them to communicate how they want to play with bubbles. Staff verbalise what children have communicated, which prompts children to repeat the words back. This enables children to develop their speaking skills.

“Children are supported well to develop an understanding of how to manage their own self-care needs. For instance, staff encourage toddlers to wash their hands after a messy activity.” The Ofsted says that there is room for improvement. It says that the nursery would benefit from strengthening ‘staffing arrangements in the pre-school room during staff lunch breaks so that children's needs are consistently met.’

Cathy Roberts, nursery manager, said: “Overall we were delighted with the results of our recent Ofsted inspection. Just one action was highlighted and that has already been resolved but it was sufficient to take us from ‘Outstanding’ to ‘Good’. We remain super proud of the excellent standard of care we offer here and we’re confident we’ll be back to ‘Outstanding’ at the next Ofsted visit.”

For more information about the Ofsted report for Honeypot Nursery, click here.