August 12, 2026 12:37pm
We’re celebrating the fantastic news from our Little Thinkers nursery here at New Horizons Primary School, who’ve received an outstanding Ofsted report, with inspectors highlighting our child-first culture and strong support for families.
The report judged the nursery to be meeting a ‘Strong Standard’ in Children’s Welfare and Wellbeing, recognising the significant impact their team have on children’s development and sense of belonging.
Inspectors said:
"Leaders and staff consistently place children's welfare and wellbeing at the centre of their care and education. They maintain robust oversight of all children as individuals."
The team received further praise as the report also judged Leadership and Governance to be meeting Ofsted’s ‘Strong Standard’, as inspectors commented:
“Leaders are highly effective in engaging with parents”, before adding:
“The welcoming and supportive relationships help children to have a sense of belonging and thrive”, noting this support is also hugely valued by families.
The report also praises the ‘enriched learning experiences’ available to children, as leaders are ‘swift to identify children’s needs’.
The team’s inclusive approach also stood out throughout the inspection, with Ofsted noting how children with special educational needs are ‘supported well by highly trained staff’.
Farran Harvey, Nursery Manager here at Little Thinkers at New Horizons Primary School, expressed the pride she feels for her team:
"I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved and the fantastic work which has led to this moment, to ensure every child we care for gets the best start to their education.
"We've been on a journey to get to this point and I'm so grateful to our wonderful team for what they do every single day. We're looking forward to becoming even stronger as a nursery as our community of families continues to grow”.
Little Thinkers is a growing family of nurseries with three thriving settings across Portsmouth alone. Supported by Thinking Schools Academy Trust, their mission is to light up learning and create a seamless pathway through education.
Children can join Little Thinkers from as young as nine months before progressing to their local trust school on one familiar site, helping families in the city benefit from consistent support at every stage of their child’s journey.
Sonia Nickerson, Strategic Trustee for Little Thinkers, leads on the trust’s vision for their early years curriculum. She reflected on the importance of this Ofsted report and the dedication from their nursery’s team:
“I’m incredibly proud of our team, our families and our fabulous children. It’s wonderful to see the hard work which goes into our provision is recognised and celebrated.
“Our little ones get the best start in life because of the wonderful people who care for them. I’ve learnt never to underestimate the impact of a skilled nursery practitioner as they make such a difference to the lives of children”.
