Ofsted: Farley Outdoor Nursery falls from outstanding to inadequate

While the staff at Farley Outdoor Nursery School are disappointed, they are confident they can implement the necessary improvements ahead of Ofsted’s next visit in six months.

The report published last month graded the nursery, in Westley Lane, as ‘requires improvement’ for the quality of education and behaviour and attitudes and ‘inadequate’ for personal development and leadership and management.

Inspectors highlighted concerns over safeguarding, staff using their mobile phones, inconsistent staffing and communication with parents. However, the nursery was applauded for its creativity, security of the premises and the staff’s relationships with the kids.

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The report read: “Children's welfare is compromised due to breaches of the safeguarding requirements. Leaders fail to ensure that staff proactively identify risks, in order to keep children safe and protect their well-being. Furthermore, leaders and managers do not consistently ensure that the qualification requirements are met during early morning shifts.

“At times, there are not enough suitably qualified staff on-site working directly with the children. However, staff sensitively and enthusiastically welcome children. This helps children to settle and feel secure. Children follow their interests as they engage in activities, such as climbing, balancing, building or role play. However, the quality of children's overall experiences are variable. Children are not always sufficiently challenged by the activities that staff provide. On occasion, there is too little for children to do.”

Farley Outdoor Nursery (Image: Farley Sparsholt)

Kerry Nettel, nursery manager, said: “I’ve recently stepped in to support the team at Farley Sparsholt from one of our other nurseries. The team has been through a lot of change recently and it’s been tough finding qualified early years educators for our outdoor nursery in Sparsholt. We are quite a rural nursery which can make recruitment more challenging and it has been generally difficult to attract talent in the early years sector. I’m really confident the team is now coming together, embracing training and development and making sure the children have a wonderful experience we can be proud of and we’re confident the outcome at the next inspection will be much improved.”

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Under the previous ownership, the nursery went through a similar situation, receiving an inadequate grade and then successfully achieving an Outstanding grade at the next inspection.

Becy Jenkins, regional education manager of the Storal nursery group, is optimistic that the Sparsholt team will be able to regain a positive Ofsted grade.

She said: “The team at the nursery, those supporting the nursery closely and our fantastic families, are all committed to the success of Farley Sparsholt. I am proud to work with people so dedicated to improving standards and achieving excellence.”

Farley Sparsholt was previously rated outstanding at its last inspection in August 2019. Ofsted has instructed the nursery to implement the necessary improvements by May 5. The outdoor nursery will be re-inspected within four months.