Northampton nursery celebrates second outstanding Ofsted rating despite having only been open for eight years

A Northampton nursery is celebrating its second outstanding Ofsted rating, despite having only been open for eight years.

Blackthorn Good Neighbours Nursery was set up by Growing Together Northampton in 2015, in the former Pig and Whistle pub building in Blackthorn Bridge Court.

The charity has been based in the estate for more than 25 years and has been proud to support local people with social groups, school holiday activities and proceeding to open the nursery.

They were awarded an outstanding rating after the first inspection in 2017 and after another at the start of February this year, they were astonished to have been given the rating again across all areas.

Despite being warned by the inspector about how difficult it is to obtain this accolade, the team defied the odds and are now celebrating how their hard work has paid off.

The report read: “Children thrive in this remarkably inclusive and community-focused nursery.

“Parents and their children are welcomed by kind, nurturing staff.

“Children are excited to discover what is on offer as they confidently and freely explore the well-resourced nursery.”

The management and staff team were also praised for having designed an “ambitious curriculum based on their exceptional understanding of the children”.

On Monday (April 3) an event was held to celebrate the achievement and members of the community, including those who attend the nursery and their parents, were invited.

There was entertainment and face painting for the children, free refreshments and a chance to play and socialise in the nursery garden.

This newspaper also attended and spoke to Kathryn White, chief executive of Growing Together Northampton.

Kathryn told of the provisions they offer in Blackthorn, Goldings, Lings, Lumbertubs and Thorplands – split across community work and running Blackthorn Good Neighbours Nursery.

“When the inspector arrived for the visit, she told us it is virtually impossible to get outstanding these days,” said Kathryn. “So we were especially pleased.

“The children who come to us are local and tend to experience the range of issues you’d expect in an area of low income when their parents live in poverty.

“We work to ensure all our children are as close to school ready as they can be by the time they leave.”

The nursery only takes on children aged between two and four who have funded places.

Kathryn said: “We are very clear here that our motivation as a staff team is trying to give these children the best start – that’s why the nursery was opened.

“We are proud of what we give these children, and when you get that acknowledged by an inspection authority it’s a real pat on the back.

“When Ofsted told the senior leadership team the news, we all just cried.”

The staff team were praised for their consistency with each and every child, and how they encourage them to take risks.

We also spoke to Karen Dalziel, whose daughter attended the nursery until last summer before starting school in September.

Karen and her family moved to Blackthorn in 2020 and her daughter Ava-Grace, who is now five, started at Blackthorn Good Neighbours.

“Ava-Grace was very, very shy and the team was amazing,” said Karen. “They brought her right out of her shell and she loved it.”

The mother of one now works at the nursery and has done so since November last year when a part-time admin post came up.

This is the first job she has worked in since 2017 when she fell pregnant with Ava-Grace.

Karen said: “This is the first place in a long time that I actually enjoy coming to work. Everyone is so friendly and lovely to work with.”

Knowing the experience Ava-Grace had at the nursery made Karen more certain that it was the right decision to apply.

She said: “It was just nice to fit in after not having worked for so long.”

Though Karen was not working at the nursery when they received the first outstanding Ofsted rating, she walked in when the team found out the recent news and says it made her “emotional”.

The National Lottery has also recognised the importance of the charity’s work, as they have provided three years of funding for two part-time staff member posts.

The community groups offered across the five areas include crafts, gardening, litter picking, drop in coffee mornings, and tots groups – which give people the chance to meet and support one another.

“We are chuffed to bits with our recent successes and I am incredibly proud of the staff team and the work we do here,” said Kathryn. “In some small way, it makes a difference to both adults and children.”

Many parents told the nursery that they ‘already knew they were outstanding’, which the chief executive says was lovely to hear.

Each school holiday Growing Together offers a programme of events, including Tuesday FISH sessions – which stands for ‘food in school holidays’.

Working with Emmanuel Church, children are provided with a free meal, entertainment, and it gives parents a chance to get out too.

On Wednesdays in the holidays, the nursery uses its community youth space in Blackthorn Court Road to welcome in the families of those who attend the nursery and from the community.

Kathryn says “parents are often grateful for somewhere different to go” and the simple offering of snacks, drinks, crafts and games is a great way to keep the children entertained.

Take a look on the Chronicle & Echo’s website tomorrow to see more photos from the celebratory event.