A nursery in Tilehurst has undergone an impressive turnaround and has now been rated ‘good’ after being told to improve just 10 months ago.

Little Oaks Nursery serves 21 children at a time and is located at Denefield School in Long Lane, Tilehurst.

The nursery has recently been inspected and rated ‘Good’ by OFSTED, after receiving a lower rating of ‘Requires Improvement’ last year.

At the latest inspection, staff at the nursery were praised for creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for the children under their care.

The report states: “Children are greeted warmly on arrival. They demonstrate that they feel secure and safe in the nursery.

“For example, they confidently separate from their parents, greet their friends with enthusiasm and quickly settle with their chosen activities.”

The staff were also praised for being friendly and nurturing to the children, and ensuring activities are age appropriate.

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The inspector in the report added: “Staff make sure that activities support the children’s individual learning needs and actively encourage them to explore their own interests.

“For example, babies enjoy soft play and are supported to develop their physical skills as they climb safely on soft blocks and shapes.

“Older children delight as they search for bugs and closely observe the features of a dragonfly they find in the garden. ”

At its inspection last October, less than a year ago, Little Oaks was rated ‘Requires Improvement’.

The core concern at that inspection on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 was over “weaknesses” in the quality of education, stating that education progress at the nursery was “variable.”

On elements of the teaching, the inspector Melissa Cox said:  “Attimes, children remain unmotivated by the activities on offer, which fail to capture their curiosity successfully.”

However, at the time, safeguarding was judged as effective and staff were praised for understanding healthy lifestyles.

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Following the inspection, managers at Little Oaks were told to enact improvements of staff supervision, deliver a better planned curriculum for the children and improve the quality of staff members’ support to children to make sure they are engaged with play and learning.

The nursery has improved education since the last inspection.

The latest report states: “The manager and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous improvement.

“They have high expectations for the provision to ensure that all children are developing the necessary skills needed to be ready for the next

stage of their education, including school.”

The recent inspection happened on Wednesday, August 17, conducted by inspector Anneliese Fox-Jones.

Little Oaks serves children aged 0-4 and is open Monday to Friday all year round, except for a week at Christmas and bank holidays.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has attempted to reach the nursery for comment but has not received a response.