Four nursery schools, one vision, exceptional outcomes

A unique federation of nursery schools is celebrating a remarkable series of Ofsted successes, demonstrating that when exceptional early years expertise comes together around a shared vision, children and families benefit.

Four schools, four highly successful Ofsted inspections in just 14 months, with every nursery school receiving exceptional recognition for the quality of education, care and leadership they provide.

Foundations for Children Nursery Schools Federation brings together four of Northamptonshire's most respected nursery schools: Croyland Nursery School & Day Nursery and Highfield Nursery School in Wellingborough, alongside Parklands Nursery School and Camrose Early Years Centre in Northampton.

Collectively, these schools represent more than 80 years of experience in delivering high-quality early education and support to more than 400 children and families. The Federation was established to build on the individual strengths of each school while enabling leaders, staff and governors to collaborate, share expertise and strengthen provision even further.

The Federation offers a diverse range of provision designed to meet the needs of local families. Parklands Nursery School and Highfield Nursery School provide term-time education and care for children aged two to five years. Croyland Nursery School & Day Nursery and Camrose Early Years Centre offer year-round provision, welcoming children from six months to five years of age and providing extended ten-hour days to support working families. Together, the four schools ensure that families can access high-quality early education and care that meets a wide range of needs from infancy through to school age.

Recent Ofsted inspections across all four schools highlight the success of this approach.

Croyland Nursery School & Day Nursery in Wellingborough has maintained its Outstanding status for more than 13 years, with inspectors praising its ambitious curriculum, aspirational culture and children's "exemplary attitudes towards their learning".

At both Highfield Nursery School and Parklands Nursery School, inspectors found evidence that standards had improved significantly since their previous Good judgements. Highfield was praised for its broad and ambitious curriculum and highly inclusive ethos, while Parklands was described as a "remarkable nursery school" providing children with "the very best start in life".

Most recently, Camrose Early Years Centre in Northampton achieved Strong Standards across all six inspection areas under Ofsted's new and more demanding report card framework. Inspectors highlighted a curriculum designed with "meticulous care" and praised leaders as "early years experts" who have enabled the school to go "from strength to strength".

Across all four inspections, common themes emerged: ambitious curricula, exceptional support for communication and language development, highly inclusive practice, strong partnerships with families and outstanding leadership.

Executive Headteacher Lyndsey Lambert said: "We are immensely proud of these inspection outcomes. They reflect the dedication, expertise and passion of our staff teams, governors and leaders across all four schools.

"Foundations for Children was created to bring together highly successful nursery schools with a shared commitment to excellence. These inspections demonstrate the power of collaboration and our collective ambition to provide the highest quality education and care for every child and family we serve.

"Our schools offer families a range of high-quality provision, from specialist nursery education for two-year-olds through to year-round care for babies and young children. Whatever their circumstances, families can be confident that their children are receiving the very best start in life."

"Most importantly, these inspections recognise the incredible achievements of our children, who inspire us every day."

At a time when the importance of early childhood education has never been more widely recognised, Foundations for Children Nursery Schools Federation continues to demonstrate what can be achieved when expertise, ambition and a commitment to children come together.

The message from Ofsted is clear. Across Northamptonshire, children attending Foundations for Children nursery schools are receiving an exceptional start in life, built upon decades of experience, a diverse and responsive offer for families, and a relentless commitment to educational excellence. For more information about each Nursery School, please visit: www.ffcnschools.com