Gordon Primary School Nursery in Huntly recognised as 'very good'

Gordon Primary School Nursery in Huntly has been recognised as ‘very good’ in an inspection by the Care Inspectorate.

The Aberdeenshire Council nursery, which opened last year and sits alongside the existing primary school on Castle Street, has room for 80 children.

The report found that children were “well cared for by nurturing staff” and that learning and development was supported by skilled staff.

It went on to say children were “supported with kindness, care and nurturing approaches” and were “settled and at ease and responded to staff interactions with smiles and happy chatter”.

It also praised the purpose-built nursery, describing it as “very attractive and welcoming” with indoor and outdoor learning environments that “engaged children's interests and promoted creativity and imaginative play”.

It said: “Children played in one large playroom which had been zoned into different areas. This worked well, creating spaces for noisier and more creative play, with quieter areas for role play and reading.

“Children's artwork was valued, and some pieces of artwork was displayed in photo frames. The book area was well resourced with comfortable sofas for children to relax and read with staff. Children had the choice of playing games on a table or on a large, comfortable rug in the book area.

“The outdoor area was very attractive and enjoyed by the children. Children had fun playing in the mud kitchen, looking for worms and running around. There were opportunities for children to explore a natural environment every day, helping them develop their understanding of the world around them.”

The report is broken down into four main categories and rated from one to six:
• How good is our care, play and learning? 4 - Good
• How good is our setting? 5 - Very Good
• How good is our leadership? 4 - Good
• How good is our staff team? 5 - Very Good

Aberdeenshire Council’s Education and Children’s Services Committee chair Cllr Gillian Owen said: “I am delighted to see the excellent way in which Gordon Primary School Nursery cares for our youngest learners has been recognised by the Care Inspectorate.

“It is pleasing to see that children are supported by motivated and enthusiastic staff and that the team feel supported by Aberdeenshire Council, the manager and senior staff.”

Education and Children’s Services Committee vice chair Anne Simpson added: “It was pleasing to see that parents felt involved in with regular newsletters and information contained in their children's learning journals to keep them informed.”