An ‘Outstanding’ start in life for babies and young children here in Haringey

Babies and young children are continuing to receive the very best start in life here in Haringey, with Rowland Hill Nursery School and Children’s Centre the latest in a long line of our Early Years settings to be rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

Across the board, from east to west, and north to south, children’s centres, nurseries and playgroups throughout the borough have been receiving high praise and rave reviews from the national inspector for standards.

According to their Ofsted report, Rowland Hill  is a “joyful” and “wonderful place,” where “laughter and cries of glee can be heard all day as children delight in their learning.” Leaders and staff there have “high expectations of all children,” with those with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) achieving “exceptionally well.”

Rowland Hill are not alone either. Stonecroft Nursery and the Willow Children’s Centre have been rated Outstanding by Ofsted this year too, while Pembury House Nursery School and Children’s Centre also retained their outstanding status, taking the council’s total tally to 17 Outstanding children’s centres, nurseries and playgroups overall* (*20 including independent settings).

Sian McDermott, the headteacher at Rowland Hill Nursery School and Children’s Centre, said:

It’s wonderful for the children, for families and for the staff team here. We’re so pleased and it’s lovely to be able to think about all the hard work that we’ve done during the pandemic and for that to be recognised for the community here on White Hart Lane.

Cllr Zena Brabazon, Haringey Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families, said:

Our Early Years provision for babies, young children and their families in this borough is second to none.

If there’s another local authority in the whole country with a comparable record to ours here in Haringey, I don’t know of one. Our aim is to give our youngest citizens the very best start in life, – our early years provision which integrates early education, childcare, health and family support is vital in making that happen. 

These Outstanding Ofsted ratings are, of course, testament to the hard work and dedication of our heads, governors, teachers and support staff who consistently go above and beyond for young people here in Haringey. It’s richly deserved for a group of people who are a real credit to our borough and proved invaluable to many of our residents during the pandemic.

Stonecroft’s Ofsted report notes their “highly motivated and confident” pupils are “extremely happy and thrive in this superbly resourced centre,” where they have “exceptionally secure relationships with the caring staff” and “feel loved.” The leader s there meanwhile have “developed their exceptionally ambitious curriculum for all children.”

Stonecroft Nursery Manager Louisa Varnakkidou commented:

It is an honour to be awarded Outstanding by Ofsted for the second time. This award recognises the dedication, commitment and sheer passion the staff team have when providing an exceptionally ambitious curriculum for the children in their care.

Through our passion, we ensure that we offer a superbly resourced nursery, while also maintaining high-quality teaching which helps all children to make rapid progress. 

We hope to continue providing an excellent service, representing Haringey as an outstanding beacon for Early Years childcare and education to the local children in our community, for many years to come.