A TIDWORTH nursery has celebrated its recent Ofsted inspection, being rated 'good' in all areas. 

The Den Nursery at Wellington Lions Primary Academy was visited by inspectors on February 7 and on March 8 a report was published by the education watchdog. 

It was the first inspection for The Den during term time since it opened in 2014, with its previous review taking place during a holiday club in 2017. Six years ago the nursery was rated 'outstanding' in all categories, although there were limited staff and pupils in attendance. 

The report on the recent inspection said: "Children love having their own ideas and experimenting with the wide range of resources and activities available to them. Children create pictures, while staff encourage them to think about traditional stories they have been learning."

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It added: "Staff value and capture what children have said by recording their words, ready to share with parents at the end of the day."

Inspectors praised the "clear curriculum for children to help prepare them for the next stages of their learning". The nursery follows the school's curriculum around ‘The Curious Child', to encourage enriching and exciting experiences from an early age. 

On safeguarding, inspectors noted: "Leaders have developed a culture among staff that helps keep children safe. All staff are alert to spot the signs that a child may be at risk of harm. They have clear procedures to report concerns to appropriate authorities."

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Executive headteacher for Wellington Primary Academies, Claire Addis, said: “We were delighted by the outcome of the Ofsted inspection for The Den. We are very pleased the inspector highlighted that 'staff develop strong relationships with children' and that ‘parents speak highly of staff that work with their children’.

"The Den team is led by a qualified teacher, who works closely with skilled keyworkers, to provide the very best support for all pupils and liaises closely with the Nursery Manager at Wellington Eagles Primary Academy and the school senior leaders.

"The report noted 'leaders place a high value on the impact that the early years can have on children's long-term progress'. Special educational needs pupils are fully supported, with the report saying ‘staff provide children with special educational needs and disabilities with regular opportunities throughout the day to practise the key skills that they need to close gaps in their learning'.”

Chief executive for The Ascend Learning Trust George Croxford complemented the school and nursery team for their close liaison in ensuring the best outcomes for all pupils, regardless of their age. He added: "Our youngest pupils are extremely well catered for in The Den, with the transition into school carefully managed to ensure all pupils’ needs are met. They really are a fantastic team."