Nursery and forest school with 2023 Inadequate rating now ranked Good

Partou Natures Day Nursery and Pre-school near Ascot has been rated ‘Good’ in all areas by Ofsted – having recovered from a bit of a rocky history.

The nursery is based in Meridian House, London Road. As well as indoor playrooms, it features a forest school set in two acres of grounds featuring sandpits, mud kitchens and sensory spaces.

This nursery, including the former one at the same location, mainly received Good ratings in recent years.

However, in January 2023 it was rated ‘Inadequate’ across the board under its old provider, Nature's Nursery (Ascot) Limited.

This reflected a dip down from Good, and back up again in May 2023, before changing hands to Partou.

Its first ever rating was Good, though there have been two concerns filed by Ofsted, leading to actions taken, including one after this latest result.

On October 30, Ofsted found the provider ‘was not meeting some of the requirements’ – but had ‘taken action to put this right.’

Partou explained to the Express that this a child ‘had a tumble, sustaining a small cut’ and it notified Ofsted ‘in line with standard practice’ before launching an internal investigation

Ofsted is ‘satisfied with the actions taken and the matter is now closed’, a spokesperson said.

In this latest inspection on September 24, the inspector said children are ‘happy and settled at this welcoming setting’ and ‘settle quickly into activities of their choosing.’

Team members were described as ‘good role models’ with ‘high expectations for all children's development and behaviour.’

Staff gather information from parents when children first start and use this to plan around children’s interests and stage of development.

“This means staff know the children well and have secure bonds with them,” the inspector wrote.

Management at Partou Natures have ‘good oversight’, with team members conducting regular observations of children, which helps them to be clear about what children know and what they need to learn next.

Plans are then put in place to support children's development, so children make ‘good progress’ from their starting points.

Team members were praised for supporting the children’s mathematical development and independence.

“Staff encourage children to complete tasks for themselves, such as managing their self-care needs and putting their shoes on,” the inspector wrote.

“Younger children confidently feed themselves with support from staff.”

After speaking to families, the inspector states: “Parents report that their children are happy and progress well.”

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should strengthen staff skills to consistently give children time to think and respond to questions, Ofsted said.

Natures Day Nursery should also strengthen communication with parents.

Janet Alexander, the nursery manager, said: “It is a really positive report which accurately reflects the happy and upbeat mood that the children recognise when they arrive each day.

“The inspector highlights that team members are well-supported are provided with opportunities for further training, which is an important aspect of how we are constantly striving to achieve the highest standards in everything we do.”