A Kenilworth nursery has received its fifth consecutive outstanding Ofsted rating, meaning it has been one of the best schools for early education in the county since 2007.

According to the inspector's report Kenilworth Nursery School, on Bertie Road, "is a superb place for children to learn".

The nursery, which had its inspection on December 2, is open to children aged two to five.

"Children have an enjoyable and meaningful experience in all areas of learning, led by expert staff," the report said.

"A particular strength is the imaginative way in which staff develop children's communication from the outset.

"The carefully planned and sequenced curriculum is centred around the school's core value of recognising the uniqueness of every child. "

Kenilworth Nursery School is one of just six maintained nursery schools in the county – and 289 nationally.

This means the school benefits from a head teacher and staff who are all qualified teachers.

"Staff really enjoy working at the school," the report added.

"They know that leaders take their well-being seriously and they appreciate the decisions that have been taken to improve their workload."

Head teacher Rachel Gillett is also a National Leader of Education and works countrywide on projects with the DfE in both training and research.

As a co-lead for the Warwickshire Early Years Hub, the school is recognised both locally and nationally as a place to train future teachers to specialise in early years.

And with the inspection being the first since the pandemic, the report also found that staff had thought carefully about the impact this has had on children.

The report said: "Leaders know that some children's starting points have been affected by the pandemic.

"This includes a delay in physical development because children spent so much time indoors.

"Leaders have skilfully adapted the curriculum to ensure that those at risk of falling behind have been supported to catch up."

Having now been rated as outstanding since 2007, the school was understandably proud to have maintained such high standards.

"The Ofsted inspection has shown that the work done at Kenilworth Nursery is a superb and ever improving example of its offer to the youngest members of the communities and their families," a school statement said.

"The best possible start in the early years is the most significant factor in life expectancy and general well-being.

"We are now accepting applications for September 2022 spaces in our Nursery School and Nurture Nursery."

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