URN 251498 · Inspected 2026-03-30 · Published 2026-05-22 · Inspector: Laura Redmond
Greenhays Nursery School Ltd Unique reference number (URN): 251498 Address: Green Lane, Red Lodge, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 8LD Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 13/01/1986 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Greenhays Nursery School Ltd Inspection report: 30 March 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Safeguarding standards met The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe. How we evaluate safeguarding When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes: Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Strong standard Achievement Strong standard All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or face barriers to their learning, are highly engaged in all activities. Children thrive as they develop a rich breadth of knowledge and skills. They engage enthusiastically in a range of stimulating activities that effectively develop their skills across all areas of learning. There is a sharp focus on developing children's communication and language skills. Children become confident and articulate communicators. They actively engage in meaningful conversations, confidently sharing their thoughts, ideas and experiences. From an early age, children develop a deep love of books. Toddlers respond with delight as staff bring stories vividly to life. Older children explore rhyming word puzzles with enthusiasm, confidently discussing whether words match. Children consistently develop skills across all areas of learning. They grow into highly confident and resilient learners. This ensures children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Leaders and staff have created a highly positive environment, where the expectations for children's behaviour are clear and consistently understood. They are proactive in identifying and addressing barriers to children's attendance. This ensures that children benefit from continuous care and rich learning experiences that support rapid progress. Staff adapt their approach to each child's age and stage of development and their individual needs. They build warm and trusting relationships with children. Staff actively support children to take turns and share and get along with their peers. As a result, children show respect and consideration for others and demonstrate exemplary behaviour. Staff have developed a well- established key-person system. They implement carefully planned settling-in sessions, gathering in-depth information from parents and carers through home visits. This allows staff to respond immediately to each child's individual needs and secure smooth and positive transitions from the very start. Staff are excellent role models. They establish consistent routines and have clear expectations that promote positive behaviour. Staff support children to understand and express their emotions. This helps children to develop effective skills to regulate their feelings. Staff foster a calm and nurturing environment where children's voices are respected. During circle time, children take turns voting on activities for the sensory tray. They then count and discuss the results together. This actively teaches children that their opinions have value. It also introduces the principles of democracy in a practical and engaging way. Curriculum and teaching Strong standard Leaders drive an ambitious curriculum that adapts sharply to all children's individual needs. They monitor impact with precision and act decisively to refine teaching. This ensures all children receive highly effective support and achieve excellent progress. Staff consistently extend and deepen children's learning by building on their interests. For example, when children show a big interest in life cycles, staff enriched this by encouraging them to investigate bugs in the garden. They then organise a local walk, where children use magnifying glasses to explore and identify insects in the woodland environment. Staff have an excellent understanding of children's development and constantly observe and assess them to ensure they are hitting their development milestones. They swiftly identify gaps in children's development and promptly implement targeted support. Staff expertly tailor the environment to suit the needs of children across all ages and abilities. Staff enhance children's communication and language skills throughout all rooms. They support children to be confident communicators and engage in meaningful conversations. Staff encourage children to use sign language to introduce themselves and talk about their emotions and feelings. They lead well-sequenced group times with songs, dance and stories. Children eagerly join in, confidently following actions and dancing alongside their peers. This supports their physical skills and personal, social and emotional development. Staff weave mathematics through their activities. Babies count peas during sensory play and explore concepts of 'full' and 'empty'. Toddlers investigate floating and sinking in the garden. Older children experiment with ice and discuss if they are a 'solid' or a 'liquid'. Inclusion Strong standard Staff expertly support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to their learning. They work excellently alongside other professionals to seek appropriate advice and support. Staff work collaboratively to put targeted support into place in a timely manner. Staff ensure that support remains effective as children's needs change and continuously observe and asses their development. They work very closely alongside parents and carers to regularly review care plans and closely monitor interventions and support. Leaders exercise highly effective oversight of funding. For example, they direct it with precision towards impactful staff training and exemplary resources that significantly enhance children's learning. As a result, children make excellent progress from their starting points due to staff's dedicated and inclusive approach. Staff demonstrate an unwavering commitment to supporting children who face barriers to learning and their families. They actively promote inclusion by valuing and celebrating the diverse cultural backgrounds of children who speak English as an additional language. Staff encourage parents to contribute books in home languages. Staff regularly plan activities such as cooking foods from children's cultures. This enables all children to share and celebrate their experiences. Professional development is highly effective and sharply focused on meeting children's individual needs. Staff confidently apply targeted training, such as sign language, to support children to communicate their needs with increasing independence and precision. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders are proactive and passionate about providing a high-quality setting where children, families and staff can thrive. Since the last inspection, there has been new leaders. They have completed extensive training, building confidence and expertise in leading the setting effectively. Leaders have addressed the previous actions and recommendations set. They Expected standard have established clear and thorough procedures to ensure all children, especially those with special educational needs/and or disabilities (SEND), receive the support they need to succeed. Leaders ensure Disclosing and Barring Service checks are completed in a timely manner. Leaders are highly reflective and recognise their strengths and identify ways to improve and enrich the nursery. They provide supportive and thorough supervision sessions for staff. Leaders actively seek opportunities to enhance professional development. For example, staff visit other settings to gain new ideas and share knowledge to further enhance practice. Many staff have been with the nursery for a long time and consistently report that they enjoy their roles and feel extremely well supported. The nursery actively builds very positive parent partnerships. Leaders involve parents and carers in all decisions. They regularly gather feedback through questionnaires, using it to drive meaningful improvements. Parents feel the setting is an exceptional early years environment that supports children to thrive and be well prepared for the transition to school. Parents who have children with SEND, discuss the extensive support the nursery has given them. They say how much their children have significantly grown in their development since starting. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Staff have an excellent understanding of every child's needs. They place children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of their practice. Staff are highly skilled in safer sleep, feeding and weaning. This enables them to support children and guide parents and carers with confidence and expertise. Mealtimes are expertly organised, carefully considering dietary requirements and allergies. Children enjoy diverse and nutritious meals that actively promote healthy lifestyles. The setting has gained an award in oral health to help children have a secure understanding of this. Children benefit from daily outdoor play, which supports their physical development and nurtures a sense of curiosity. Staff actively teach children to recognise risks and make safe decisions, consistently modelling and reinforcing safe practices. For example, during trips to the woods, children learn to navigate hills and stairs safely. Staff use these activities to develop children's confidence and awareness keeping themselves safe. Staff establish a nurturing and harmonious environment, where children thrive socially and emotionally. They build secure relationships with children, enabling them to seek support, share their ideas and engage enthusiastically in their learning. Children explore with curiosity and develop key social skills. They gain confidence in managing their feelings and behaviour. Children are confident and independent learners. They get dressed, use the toilet with ease and tidy away their toys. However, at times, children do not have consistent opportunities to further develop their independence and decision-making skills. For instance, children who are capable, do not have the opportunity to self-serve their lunch or pour their own drinks. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Children thrive and feel secure in this nurturing and family-centred setting. Leaders and staff are passionate about what they offer. They put children and their families at the heart of everything that they do. Staff establish calm, consistent and predictable routines that support children's emotional wellbeing. Children separate confidently from their parents and carers. They quickly engage in the wide range of exciting activities available. Children have exemplary behaviour. They are kind and considerate to their peers. Children build lovely friendships, play cooperatively, easily share resources and patiently wait for their turn when playing. Leaders collaborate with parents to promote regular attendance and ensure children fully engage in high-quality learning experiences. Children actively explore a wide range of stimulating activities that ignite their curiosity and foster a love of learning. For example, they investigate different scented teas in a large tray, practising pouring and measuring while developing concentration and coordination. Children use scissors to cut green beans, strengthening their fine motor skills and learning to manage tools safely. In the garden, children make mud cakes, gather sticks for candles, and sing 'Happy Birthday' together. This supports their creativity, teamwork and social skills. These rich and hands-on experiences enable children to make progress across all areas of learning while thoroughly enjoying their time at the setting. Leaders have an excellent understanding of the difficulties some children face and are passionate about inclusion. They provide targeted support for children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to their learning. Leaders and staff promote children's wellbeing and broaden their experiences beyond the Inspector: Laura Redmond About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 251498 Address: Green Lane Red Lodge Bury St. Edmunds Suffolk IP28 8LD Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 13/01/1986 Registered person: Greenhays Nursery School Ltd setting. They provide rich opportunities for children to encounter new languages and take part in regular outings. This helps them to develop a meaningful understanding of their community and the world around them. Children leave the setting well equipped for the next stage of their education, demonstrating a deep eagerness and drive to learn. Next steps Leaders should further support children to have more opportunities to become increasingly independent in managing their personal needs to consistently make their own healthy choices and decisions. About this inspection The inspector spoke with the manager, deputy manager, special educational needs coordinator, room leaders, staff, children and parents and carers during the inspection. We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage. Register(s): EYR, CCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:30 Local authority: Suffolk Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 30 March 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 38 Our grades explained Exceptional Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it. Strong standard The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them. Expected standard The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them. Needs attention The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements. Urgent improvement The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. 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