Hillsborough College Nursery: Preschool bounces back after losing 'outstanding' rating with Ofsted last year

Inspectors were full of compliments for Hillsborough College Nursery following a visit in March 2022 – but weaknesses in teaching and minute-to-minute interactions by staff led to the preschool falling from the highest rating available to ‘Requires Improvement’ in all areas.

Now, the nursery has shaken off the tarnished rating and has now been rated ‘Good’ in all areas in a new report by the education watchdog published today (April 12), with the almost spotless write up describing the setting as “warm”, “welcoming” and “happy”.

The report reads: “Friendly and caring staff greet children on arrival at this warm and welcoming nursery… Older children arrive happy and excited to enter the nursery. They often forget to say goodbye to their parents in their eagerness to enter. Babies smile and become excited at the sight of their key person. Children feel happy and safe at the nursery.

"Leaders and managers plan an ambitious curriculum for children to give them the knowledge and experiences which they need to succeed in life. They have high expectations for all children.”

The day the watchdog visited – March 9 – happened to be when Sheffield was blanketed in snow, and the inspector’s write up is filled with references to the children playing confidently and cooperatively outside.

The otherwise gleaming report’s only criticism was that older children are not always suitably challenged.

The nursery looks after children aged zero through five years old and has 63 little ones on its roll.