Inspection Report - Kircubbin Community Nursery School

Kircubbin Community Nursery School

DE Ref No 413-6626

Inspection Report - March 2026

Kircubbin Community Nursery School’s vision, “Developing independent learners in a learning community”, was established following comprehensive consultation with the staff, parents and governors. It is reflective of and firmly underpinned by a shared commitment to inclusion and to “fulfilling the school’s duty in the community”.
The school development plan has been informed appropriately through effective processes of self-evaluation. The current priorities for development and associated actions, which focus on enhancing the provision for children with additional needs; the holistic well-being of the children; and language development across the arts and early mathematical experiences, are impacting positively on the quality of the learning experiences and outcomes for all of the children.
There is extensive medium- and long-term planning in place across all areas of the pre‑school curriculum which is highly responsive to the needs and interests of the children and guides all of the staff well in their work. A timely review of planning processes has begun to make it more streamlined and manageable. Observations of the children’s learning are meaningful and informative and are used very well by the staff to inform future planning and monitor their progress.
The authentically and creatively resourced learning environments, both indoors and outdoors, are highly effective in stimulating the children’s curiosity and promoting consistently high levels of sustained, exploratory, investigative and child-led play. The staff are reviewing the existing provision to identify new learning opportunities that will be possible with the forthcoming enhancement of the outdoor play areas.
All of the children make very good progress in their learning from their individual starting points. Their early mark making and representational artwork is of a very high standard. The children’s work is highly valued and is celebrated around the classroom on attractive and creative displays and also on the “I am proud” wall in the foyer.
All of the children engage enthusiastically in the rich music, art and drama opportunities that are infused successfully and seamlessly across the curriculum. They adopt a range of roles confidently during role play, access a variety of materials and resources to create pictures and models, and initiate and perform on the outdoor stage, singing together and playing musical instruments.
The children’s understanding of early mathematical concepts is well developed; they use the mathematical language of number, shape, size, pattern and time confidently and naturally during routines, transitions and play.
The children are supported and encouraged in their play and exploration by the nurturing staff team. The staff interactions are of a consistently high standard. The staff are excellent role models and, through their skillful questioning, active listening and engagement with the children, they extend the children’s thinking, promote problem‑solving and creativity, and develop their independence at every opportunity.
Routines are established from an early stage, are very well embedded, and as a result, the children feel safe, secure and happy in their school environment.
Feelings are explicitly taught and discussed through, for example, the effective use of puppets and stories which provide the children with age-appropriate vocabulary to articulate their emotions confidently in a safe space with their peers. Additionally, the children are supported to access the recently established sensory room and they use appropriately a range of self-regulation resources, including nursery bears, story props, visuals and sensory toys to express their emotions.
Every child is valued and their individual talents and differences are nurtured, cherished and celebrated. The staff work closely with external agencies including the EA Local Impact Team (LIT), Educational Psychology, Scrabo Children’s Centre, Speech and Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy to meet effectively the children’s individual needs. Staff attend cluster meetings, initiate referrals appropriately, and participate in multi-disciplinary planning meetings to co-ordinate interventions.
“Together we make a difference” is a key sentiment within the vision statement and is lived out in many ways throughout the life and work of the nursery school. The nursery has built very positive relationships with parents through open communication and inclusive practices, including, for example, the bespoke staggered pick-up system which allows parents to enter the classroom daily, play with their child and view their work firsthand. This approach successfully strengthens home-school connections, promotes transparency in learning, and provides valuable informal opportunities for dialogue between staff and parents.
A personalised scrapbook, which all parents are encouraged to prepare for their child on starting nursery, is a very effective visual tool that provides a tangible link between home and school. It is used sensitively and intuitively by staff to support individual children during the settling-in period and throughout the year when required.
Parents and grandparents are warmly welcomed to a range of events, including gardening with the children, attending Stay-and-Play sessions and through participation in the Department of Education’s Getting Ready to Learn programme (GRTL). The ‘Friday Lending Library’ is popular with parents and children and promotes very effectively, at this early stage, a love of stories and books, and an awareness of how to handle and care for books responsibly.
The children participate in regular community fundraising initiatives, which include supporting the Shoe Box Appeal, and collaborating with organisations such as Peninsula Healthy Living. Local businesses and groups contribute resources, including the children’s healthy daily snack. The children also have regular opportunities to visit the local shops and go on “community walks”. These opportunities enhance the children’s social skills and knowledge of their immediate surroundings; add to the highly effective community of learning that exists in the school; and reinforce the nursery’s role as an active, valued part of the wider Kircubbin community.
At the time of the inspection the evidence provided by the nursery school demonstrates that the arrangements for child protection align to the current statutory guidance.

Next steps

The children in Kircubbin Community Nursery School are thriving in this nurturing, holistic, creative and child-led environment. All of the staff and governors are fully committed to providing high-quality pre-school education to the children of this community and have created a “fun, friendly and flexible” learning environment in which all children are supported to reach their full potential.

ETI will continue to work with Kircubbin Community Nursery School as they plan for the refurbishment and enhancement of the outdoor provision and the associated impact on the children’s learning and development.

Inspectors have also identified an area from which other settings may benefit: the creative and inspiring infusion of the arts across all areas of the pre-school curriculum.