A NURSERY in a village near Oswestry has successfully turned around its previous 'inadequate' Ofsted rating to a 'good' mark.

The Unicorn Nursery, in Maesbury, was previously criticised for its leadership, management, and personal development elements, but has since undergone a remarkable transformation ahead of a revisit by inspectors in July.

The initial inspection, conducted in January, had raised concerns about various aspects of the nursery, notably highlighting deficiencies in leadership, management, and a lack of information sharing with parents.

However, a new report released in July by Ofsted indicates substantial improvements within the pre-school setting. Inspectors noted the positive change in staff attitudes, with the report adding: “Staff speak positively about the support they receive from leaders.

“They comment that leaders are on hand to help them whenever they need it.”

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While acknowledging the progress made, inspectors also noted that there is still work to be done in providing staff with the appropriate level of support they require.

One key area of improvement highlighted in the report was communication.

They continued: “Parents comment very positively about the nursery. They state that their children are very settled.

“Staff keep parents informed about their child's progress and ways that they can support their child at home.”

The report also lauded the effective safeguarding arrangements implemented by the nursery's leadership, noting that concerns raised in the previous inspection had been successfully addressed.

Notable improvements include enhanced record-keeping practices, ensuring the safe and efficient management of the nursery, and ongoing efforts to improve staff knowledge regarding safeguarding procedures.

Inspectors further commended the nursery staff for their comprehensive understanding of various types of abuse and their prompt reporting of concerns to the leadership team.

They added: “Staff are aware of the action they should take if concerned about a child's welfare.

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“This includes making referrals to those with statutory powers to keep children safe from harm.

“Staff deploy themselves well to supervise children effectively. Recruitment procedures check staff's suitability to work with children.

“The setting is safe, suitable and clean throughout.”

However, the report did outline areas for further enhancement to continue improving the quality of early years provision.

The recommendations included strengthening methods for monitoring staff practice, providing ongoing support to staff, and enhancing the overall quality of teaching and learning experiences for children.

Additionally, improving the organisation of activities to maintain high levels of engagement in children's learning was emphasised as an important objective.