Inspectors deliver positive report on Inverness Gaelic School's nursery
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THE Gaelic nursery has received impressive ratings in a recent inspection.
Bun-Sgoil Ghaidhlig Inbhir Nis is run by Highland Council, caring for up to106 children.
The Care Inspectorate evaluated the service using a six-point scale where one is unsatisfactory and six is excellent and the nursery scored fives (Very Good rating) for care, play and learning; setting; quality of leadership and the staff team.
Inspectors found staff were kind, warm and nurturing.
The report stated: “Children were well supported to feel safe and secure. Effective personal planning supported children to meet their potential. Information shared by parents and families ensured that care and support was tailored to each child’s likes and preferences.
“Staff were proactive in seeking additional support when children needed it, working with other professionals, such as both speech and language therapists, to identify appropriate strategies and offer support.
“Significant improvements had been made to snack and mealtimes which were unhurried, calm and relaxed, with the children being given opportunities to develop life skills through preparing and serving snack.”
It added: “Children were able to independently choose where they wanted to play for most of the day, accessing the outdoors with ease, and play experiences and resources supported creativity, problem solving, numeracy and language development, with staff effectively and sensitively supporting children to develop the Gaelic language throughout their play experiences.”
Seven areas for improvement made following a previous inspection last March had been met.
The management team had developed a very clear improvement plan, and a detailed action plan had been created.
The report added: “Robust quality assurance process had been put in place and staff routinely evaluated their practice during team meetings, with a focus on reflection and improvement.
“We discussed with the management team the importance of reviewing key areas regularly to ensure sustained improvements.
“Parents’ and children’s views were sought to inform improvement and these were formally recorded and used to shape future provision, such as the development of more cosy spaces for children to rest and relax in.”
Other improvements included that the manager should ensure staff at times let the children choose to direct their own play; staff meetings were held regularly with a focus on evaluating the service provided against best practice guidance, and the management team had created a shared vision for improvement planning with robust quality assurance and self evaluation processes that included the views of staff, children and families.
