Inspection Report - Ashgrove Nursery School, Newry

Ashgrove Nursery School, Newry

DE Ref No 511-6112

Inspection Report - April 2026

Ashgrove Nursery School is situated in a residential area of Newry and offers 52 part‑time places for pre-school children, through one morning and one afternoon class.
Ashgrove Nursery School’s vision is to be a caring and inclusive school. The vision is underpinned by a clear ethos of ‘CARE’ where strong connections are built, achievements are appreciated, respect is embedded and encouragement empowers every learner to grow and succeed.
The identified priorities for development are appropriate and aligned well to the nursery school’s context. These include: a clear focus on enhancing and modernising the indoor and outdoor environments to support high‑quality learning; the further promotion of the children’s wellbeing; and to increase the opportunities for safe, challenging and risk‑aware play. The staff have also prioritised appropriately the further development of planning, observation and assessment.
The long‑term planning demonstrates clear progression and provides a coherent framework to support further development of monthly planning.
The children enjoy and delight in their learning, exploring the environment eagerly and with curiosity. The staff provide a wide range of play-based learning experiences across all areas of the pre-school education curriculum which are responsive to the children’s interests and needs and supports progression in their learning and development. The children are respectful of one another and the staff’s positive and gentle encouragement of them supports well the development of their confidence and wellbeing.
The children’s interests and views are sought and used well by the staff who respond thoughtfully to what the children share. In response to the children’s feedback, the reconfigured quiet room and home corner has led to the children’s increased participation in story time and in collaborative and sustained play in the home corner.
Almost all of the children show high levels of independence, putting on their own aprons, serving and washing up after snack and taking off their wellies to wash them after playing in the the sand pit.
The emphasis on the children’s wellbeing is evident across the setting. All of the staff talk regularly to the children about their feelings, there are yoga sessions, calm plans and a morning exercise routine. All of these strategies are developing very effectively the children’s resilience, emotional awareness and self-management skills.
Outdoor learning is used effectively to provide appropriate challenging play experiences for the children which supports well their physical development. Rich, hands‑on experiences such as planting, digging, den building and participating in nature walks support the children’s understanding of the world around them. They sustain focus during activities, enjoy imaginative role play and confidently retell stories within the fairy garden.
The children demonstrate high levels of curiosity and sustained interest, particularly in their exploration of living things. They show respect, care and responsibility for their environment through caring for flowers, nurturing caterpillars and recycling food waste. These experiences are developing their understanding of the world around them, aligning with the nursery school’s Eco Green Flag status and supporting the children to become more environmentally aware.
The children show interest in the wide range of storybooks located across the different areas of play. There are appropriate opportunities for them to develop their early mark‑making skills, select materials independently and use tools such as scissors safely and with increasing control.
Through the ETI questionnaire responses, the parents report high levels of satisfaction with the nurture, care and support their child receives, the progress they make and the staff’s child-centred approach to meeting their child’s needs.
The staff provide an inclusive and nurturing environment for all of the children. They use information from parents, playgroups and the local Sure Start Project to identify early any learning and/or development needs. The personal learning plans are detailed, reviewed regularly and include achievable targets that enable the children to experience success. The use of highly effective support strategies, including visuals, communication boards and sensory resources, enables the children to make good progress in their learning. The recent creation of a high‑quality sensory room, funded by the Pre‑School Inclusion Fund and support from a local business, is impacting positively on the children’s social and emotional needs.
The children’s achievements are routinely recognised and celebrated by the staff. The ‘Ask me why I got this…’ stickers encourage the children to speak confidently about their learning and success. Their achievements are also celebrated through CARE certificates, ‘Wow Moments’ and the beautiful display of children’s work across the nursery. These approaches promote the children’s pride in their achievements and support meaningful conversations with parents about their child’s learning and progress.
Through clear and regular communication via newsletters and digital platforms, the parents report they are well informed about their child’s learning. They appreciate being involved in the Department of Education’s ‘Getting Ready to Learn’ programme through which they have a better understanding of how to support a love of books and reading with their child.
All of the staff actively engage in ongoing professional learning, including SEN provision and planning for learning and progression. This is building their confidence and expertise in strengthening the overall quality of practice across the nursery.
The parents are actively engaged in maintaining the outdoor nursery environment through supporting planting and upkeep. They also share aspects of their professional roles in nursing and firefighting, which enriches the children’s learning, extends their knowledge of the wider community and provides real-life contexts for discussion and play.
Community links, including visits from the community police and support from local businesses enriches the children’s learning. The hanging baskets provided by a local group of volunteers are used by the children for planting and care activities, promoting responsibility and supporting their understanding of the natural world. The school is also developing appropriate partnerships with local primary schools to support effective transition to the next stage of education.
At the time of the inspection, the evidence provided by the school demonstrates that the arrangements for child protection align to the current statutory guidance.

Next steps

Ashgrove Nursery School is highly successful in realising and living out its CARE vision of Connect, Appreciate, Respect and Encourage. This is clearly reflected in the warm relationships, positive learning culture and nurturing environment that consistently support the children’s wellbeing, confidence and engagement in learning.

As identified by the school, the area for action for Ashgrove Nursery School is to develop further the cycle of planning, observation and assessment. The District Inspector will monitor the school’s progress in addressing the area for action, as part of ETI’s normal monitoring processes.