The two explosions at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant came decades apart in the dead of night.
The first, at 1:23 a.m. on April 26, 1986, spread a cloud of deadly radiation that raised fears across Europe and shook the very foundations of the Soviet Union. Some say it led to its eventual collapse.
The second, at 1:59 a.m. on Feb. 14, 2025, was blamed by Ukrainian officials on a Russian drone with an explosive warhead. While not as catastrophic, it sparked new anxieties about Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor, striking the site that symbolized so much suffering for Ukraine.
“What once seemed unthinkable — strikes on nuclear facilities and other hazardous sites — has now become reality,” said Oleh Solonenko, head of a radiation safety shift at Chernobyl, which Ukrainians transliterate as Chornobyl.
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The drone hit the outer layer of what is known as the New Safe Confinement structure, or NSC, the vast, $2.1 billion archlike shell that was completed in 2019 to enclose the original, hastily built concrete “sarcophagus” to keep the damaged Reactor No. 4 and its deadly debris from leaking radiation. Moscow denied targeting the plant, alleging Kyiv staged the attack.
It sparked a fire on the structure — which is tall enough to cover the Statue of Liberty — but did not penetrate it, damaging an area with low contamination. Monitors detected no rise in radiation levels outside the arch, and no one was injured.
Still, the International Atomic Energy Agency warned that the damage could significantly shorten the arch’s 100-year lifespan, upending its core safety function.
For Klavdiia Omelchenko, who works with over 2,200 engineers, scientists and others at the defunct plant, it rekindled memories of a horrible spring day 40 years ago.
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A lifetime near Chernobyl
Omelchenko was a 19-year-old textile factory worker in 1986, asleep in her home in Pripyat, where most of Chernobyl’s workers lived. She didn’t hear the explosion at Reactor No. 4 during a routine test.
She woke to rumors of an accident, but only understood its scale weeks later — after being evacuated with a small bag holding her documents and some cosmetics. Her former home was now inside Chernobyl’s “exclusion zone,” a 2,600-square-kilometer (1,000-square-mile) area that remains uninhabited.
Soviet authorities did not immediately reveal the scope of what became known as the world’s worst nuclear disaster, which spewed a cloud of radiation over what is now Ukraine and Belarus, and caused alarm across Europe. Dozens of people died in the immediate aftermath, while the long-term death toll from radiation is unknown.
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Omelchenko never found another home and came back in 1993 to work in the plant’s cafeteria. That return “wasn’t as scary as now. Back then, at least, there was no bombing,” she added.
To her, the full-scale invasion in 2022 and last year’s drone attack are more fearful than radiation.
She said she got headaches after the 1986 accident and later had surgery for a precancerous condition, but at age 59, she dismisses the risk of contamination.
“We grew up in it,” she said. “We don’t pay attention to it anymore.”
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Covering the sarcophagus
Yellow daffodils bloom beside wartime fortifications at the Chernobyl plant as workers in ordinary clothes, with badges and special permits, pass through the restricted zone.
It has not produced electricity since 2000, when the last of four reactors was shut down. A global effort built the protective NSC — a landmark project designed to stabilize the site and enable the dismantling of the crumbling Soviet-era sarcophagus covering the reactor.
But Russia’s invasion has put that project on hold.
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Liudmyla Kozak, an engineer who has worked at Chernobyl for over two decades, was on duty when Russian troops seized the plant in February 2022. The staff kept operations running under armed guard for nearly three weeks, exposing personnel to radiation doses well beyond the limits of their normal rotation schedules.
“We had no hope we would make it out alive — it was really that scary,” she said.
Kozak said workers slept on floors and desks, with Russian soldiers occupying key areas. Equipment was damaged and stolen, she added. The troops also drove heavy vehicles through contaminated areas and dug trenches, stirring up radioactive dust.
“With the drone strike as well, it will be much more complicated,” Kozak said.
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The IAEA found the damage has left the arch unable to fully perform its core functions, which is containing radioactive material and enabling the safe dismantling of the reactor remains. Left unrepaired, the structure would gradually weaken, increasing radiation exposure risks to Ukraine and other countries.
Dismantling work on hold
Serhii Bokov, who oversees operations for the NSC, said he was on duty early on Feb. 14, 2025, when the dull blast from the drone rippled through the structure.
He and his colleagues ran outside, smelling smoke, but initially saw nothing. A nearby military checkpoint confirmed a strike, and firefighters arrived about 40 minutes later.
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Climbing up into the structure, they finally found fire smoldering through the outer membrane. Hoses were stretched across the arch as crews battled flames that kept resurfacing. The fire took more than two weeks to extinguish fully.
“There was no feeling of fear, none at all. It was just a fire — something we practice in drills — only this time it was real,” he said. “I didn’t think, honestly, that we could lose the entire arch.”
The damage is patched and hidden on the inside, while a sealed breach is visible on the outside.
Every night, Bokov walks more than a kilometer (about 1,100 yards) through the structure via what workers call the “golden corridor” — a passageway lined with yellow panels shielding them from radiation. It passes abandoned control rooms, including that of Reactor No. 4.
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When the NSC was completed in 2019, he was proud of being part of something extraordinary, watching it rise and take shape, and being a member of the team keeping it running.
Now, however, the structure is no longer fully sealed. While there is no immediate radiation risk, work on dismantling the sarcophagus is on hold — set back, Bokov believes, by at least a decade.
“Everything depends on how quickly we can restore this and return to normal operations — and to preparing for dismantling,” he said.
Bokov believes the arch can continue functioning in its current state for some time. But the real concern is the stability of the sarcophagus beneath it — and why it’s urgent to resume its dismantling.
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Oleh Solonenko, head of a radiation safety shift at the plant, said the drone damaged the outer layer of the protective NSC but did not fully penetrate it. The damage occurred in an area with low contamination, with no rise in radiation detected beyond the arch.
Still, the incident showed how the war has upended assumptions about nuclear safety, he said.
Without urgent repairs, the risk of the sarcophagus collapsing significantly increases, Greenpeace Ukraine warned in a report by engineer Eric Schmieman, who spent years at Chernobyl and helped design the NSC.
“It is difficult to comprehend the scale of the deadly, hazardous conditions inside the sarcophagus,” he said. “There are tons of highly radioactive nuclear fuel, dust and debris. Now it is critical to find a way to restore the key functions of this facility.”
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AP reporters Vasilisa Stepanenko and Volodymyr Yurchuk in Kyiv contributed.
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The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/
Castle Car Park, in Tower Street, was scheduled to close this spring to make way for the redevelopment of the area below Clifford’s Tower.
City of York Council city development lead Garry Taylor said it would be closed following improvements to the neighbouring Coppergate Multi-Storey Car Park and contractors for the works were currently being appointed.
It follows the approval in December of the Castle and Eye of York scheme which is set to see the area below Clifford’s Tower turned into a park and play space.
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The 298-space Castle Car Park is set to be closed to make way for the redevelopment, though 30 Blue Badge spaces will be retained.
An area dubbed The Castle Gardens is planned and it is set to include The Swathe seasonal planting space representing the moat which was once at York Castle.
It is set to see Castle Car Park grassed over and trees planted and water and power supplies installed so community events can be held.
The historic entrance to the York Castle complex is set to be marked by Castlegate Garden and a radial walkway is planned around the base of Clifford’s Tower.
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A memorial to up to 150 Jews who died at Clifford’s Tower in a massacre in 1190 is also planned.
The project is set to cost an estimated £9.934m, including £200,000-worth of improvements to Coppergate Multi-Storey Car Park.
Castle Car Park, in Tower Street, York (Image: LDRS)
Coppergate is currently under-used for much of the year, according to a council report on the redevelopment.
Improvements floated by council officials include opening the multi-storey for 24 hours a day to make up for the loss of the Castle site.
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CCTV and cosmetic improvements are also planned.
The council is yet to give a date for Castle Car Park’s closure or say when works on the redevelopment around Clifford’s Tower will start.
Director of City Development Mr Taylor said officials would continue to share updates about the scheme as the start of construction moves closer.
The director told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “We are continuing to progress our exciting plans to transform the area around Clifford’s Tower.
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“We are currently in the process of appointing contractors who will shape the construction programme.
“A part of this work will include making improvements to Coppergate Multi-Storey Car Park to improve its function and attractiveness for users
“Our intention is to only close Castle Car Park after these improvements to Coppergate Car Park have been made.
“Castle Gateway will dramatically improve this area, with high quality public spaces, a place for children and families to play, spaces to reflect and much more.”
The plans are being considered by South Cambridgeshire District Council
Plans to build up to 75 new homes in Linton have faced backlash from people living near to the proposed development site. Neighbours have shared concerns about the “long-term harm” the new homes could have on “road safety, local services, and the existing community”.
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The homes are proposed to be built on land off Back Road in Linton. Of the 75 homes, 30 are proposed to be made available as affordable housing and 45 to be put on the market. Gladman Developments Ltd said its proposals would create an “attractive, welcoming and walkable new residential development” with a “strong sense of place that is well integrated within its surrounding landscape”.
The design statement says: “At its heart, the scheme will promote health and well-being through the provision of accessible green public space , new play opportunities, and provision for community food growing; ensuring a vibrant and enduring new community.”
The outline planning application submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council aims to provide a choice of housing to meet the needs of the area, while “respecting and enhancing” the site’s environmental assets.
Plans for the new homes has seen local backlash, with several objections lodged so far. One objector said Back Road can “barely sustain the amount of traffic as it is”, so more cars using that road could “cause chaos”.
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A similar objection was raised by another local who said the site is “entirely unsupported by adequate infrastructure” which could “result in long-term harm to road safety, local services, and the existing community”.
Concerns were also raised about the negative impacts on local services such as the GP practice which locals believe will potentially be “stretched beyond capacity” due to the additional demand generated by this development.
Another objection saw apprehensions regarding the site’s close proximity to the River Granta and how Linton “can’t cope with the extra houses, people or cars”.
The spa has been hailed “unbelievable” with indoor and outdoor bars, water slides, saunas and more. You can also bag cheap return flights depending on what time you travel
Christine Younan Deputy Editor Social Newsdesk
06:02, 25 Apr 2026
Skip the expensive spa getaways in the UK and jet off to this must-visit European destination instead. Those seeking a tranquil weekend escape are in for a pleasant surprise.
A spa weekend can do wonders, benefiting both mental health and physical health through deep relaxation, stress reduction and better sleep. Holidaymakers are now raving about a particular European hotspot featuring an “unbelievable” spa with both indoor and outdoor bars, plus water slides.
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The location is Bucharest in Romania. A widely-shared TikTok video from a well-known travel account urged viewers to experience Therme Bucharest – and with compelling reasons.
In the TikTok footage posted to its 27,200 followers, the clip began with: “A cheap underrated European city break you need to visit.”
The TikTok video went on: “No joke, I genuinely believe that a trip to this European spa can be cheaper than going to one in the UK nowadays.
“Therme Bucharest is located in Romania and honestly is one of the most underrated city breaks.
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“The city itself is absolutely gorgeous and the spa is unbelievable. They have indoor bars, outdoor bars, the most gorgeous botanical interior, face mask that you can use, temples, aqua aerobics, saunas, water slides, it’s honestly massive.”
What facilities does the spa provide?
Therme Bucharest presents three distinct experiences to “suit your desires”.
Galaxy: Ideal for families seeking fun, with 1.7km of thrilling water slides, a wave pool and engaging activities suitable for all ages. This is the only zone permitting children aged 3-14.
The Palm: An exclusively adult pool complete with a retractable roof, mineral pools, hydromassage beds, a poolside bar, and both indoor and outdoor areas for unwinding.
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Elysium: Seeking something special? This tranquil sanctuary offers themed saunas, an extensive selection of wellness treatments, tailored spa services and upscale dining options.
Planning your trip? Remember to pack your swimming costume, flip-flops and a towel. Essential items can be purchased from the on-site shop.
Entry prices range from £20-£50 per adult, approximately 100-250 RON. Costs depend on your visit duration – 3 hours, 4 hours or all day – and which zones you access (Galaxy, Palm or Elysium).
Spa passes generally begin at around £22-£24 for standard entry, with additional charges for sauna packages or full-day tickets.
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Return flights can typically cost under £100, but this can vary as a result of the ongoing travel chaos. It’s worth noting last-minute bookings can cost more, or if you’re flying premium.
Oxford Economics chief UK economist Andrew Goodwin said: “We expect the MPC to keep bank rate unchanged at 3.75%, with most committee members seemingly keen to hold policy at its current restrictive level as they gather more information about how the energy shock is feeding through to the economy.
Nigel Farage’s party has been urged to take action over comments made by Linda McFarlane, a Reform candidate in Gateshead’s Chopwell and Rowlands Gill ward.
It comes after Reform expelled another Gateshead candidate, David Prior, when it emerged this week that he was formerly a member of the British National Party (BNP).
In a Facebook post seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Ms McFarlane expressed support for far right activist Tommy Robinson.
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Ahead of his release from prison last year, having been jailed for contempt of court in relation to repeating false claims he made against a Syrian refugee, she said that he “should never have been locked up”.
Last August she also reposted a video suggesting that King Charles III had converted to Islam and wrote that the late Queen Elizabeth II would “never allow Ramadan if she’d still be Queen”.
In September 2025, she posted an image of Enoch Powell which contained the caption “it’s not hate to put your own people first” and wrote “Well said Enoch” and “your words are coming true”.
Mr Powell, the anti-immigration former Conservative MP, is known for the infamous 1968 ‘rivers of blood’ speech.
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The anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate reported that an X account in the name of Ms McFarlane’s Lasting Enhancements cosmetic clinic, which had her photo as its profile image, posted “you should all be shot” at the accounts of Sir Keir Starmer and justice secretary David Lammy.
Screenshots of the account also include comments calling for only white English people to be allowed to become MPs and saying “let them all drown” in response to a post about migrants crossing the channel.
A Reform UK Spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service on Friday that the party is “thoroughly looking into the allegations and posts”.
Liz Twist, the Labour MP for Blaydon and Consett, said it was “appalling that someone who has these views was selected as a candidate to represent the Chopwell and Rowlands Gill ward”.
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She added that the area was “renowned for being a supportive community, one where people of all backgrounds and faiths can live side by side in support of each other”.
The Labour MP said: “There should be an urgent need from Reform to clarify if any further candidates have similar views within their vetting process.”
Hope Not Hate also questioned whether Mike Porritt, Reform UK’s candidate for Whickham South and Sunniside, was a “suitable” person to hold public office.
Mr Porritt was well known as the entrepreneur behind the CarShock chain of car dealerships, which collapsed in 2007.
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The company owed £4.4m to creditors and 53 staff lost their jobs, while he was later declared bankrupt in 2009 having given personal guarantees for £8m of finance from the Santander banking group.
On a Reform election leaflet, Mr Porritt promises to “use his years of business experience and social care to do everything he can to defend and improve the character of our community”.
Mr Porritt also made headlines over his 2004 appearance in the Channel 4 show ‘Boss Swap’. He was placed at an estate agent’s office for the show and sacked its owner’s wife.
The LDRS has contacted both Ms McFarlane and Mr Porritt for a response.
Hull City are still in the mix of securing a play-off spot as they travel to face a Charlton Athletic whose survival is all but confirmed
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Charlton Athletic welcome Hull City to The Valley on Saturday still looking to seal Championship safety, knowing a point would guarantee survival.
The Addicks’ winless run stretched to seven matches in midweek as they lost 2-1 at promotion-chasing Ipswich, despite taking the lead inside a minute through Greg Docherty. Nathan Jones’s side remain six points clear of the bottom three with two games left and, even if they were to lose both, Oxford would likely need maximum points and a sizeable swing in goal difference to drag Charlton into danger.
Still, Charlton will be frustrated that the job is not already done, not least because they have struggled to protect leads. They have scored first in each of their last four games — against Watford, Preston, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich — but failed to win any of them.
Hull arrive with their own concerns. A five-game winless streak has stalled their play-off bid, leaving them seventh and level on points with Wrexham with two matches to go. Sergej Jakirovic’s side had climbed into the top six after beating Sheffield Wednesday 3-1, but a run of four draws and a defeat has since pushed them out of the play-off places.
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Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Leicester summed up their recent struggles: Hull went ahead, conceded twice early in the second half, then needed an Oli McBurnie goal to salvage a point. Like Charlton, they have repeatedly failed to turn leads into wins, going in front in four of their last five matches without winning any.
The sides drew 1-1 earlier in the season, and Charlton would gladly take a repeat as they look to finally confirm their place in the Championship for next year.
Charlton vs Hull Prediction
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Charlton vs Hull Team News
Charlton look set to change things up after Tyreece Campbell and Amari’i Bell were forced off in midweek. Lyndon Dykes is expected to start, while Luke Chambers or Matty Godden could deputise for Bell. Campbell and Bell join Josh Edwards (ankle) and Kayne Ramsay (hamstring) on the injury list.
Thomas Kaminski should keep his place in goal after returning as first choice ahead of William Mannion.
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The visitors could name an unchanged XI, though Jakirovic may tweak things to arrest their form. Cody Drameh, David Akintola and Toby Collyer are out, while Regan Slater and Ryan Giles could start after returning to the squad.
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has apologised to Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher
Bruno Fernandes has issued an apology to Jamie Carragher after referencing his penalty miss for England against Portugal at the 2006 World Cup. During an interview with Wayne Rooney, Fernandes recalled celebrating as a youngster the moment Carragher’s spot kick was saved by Ricardo, who also thwarted Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the quarter-final shootout.
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The Liverpool legend initially converted his penalty but was required to retake it after failing to wait for the referee’s whistle. On the second attempt, Ricardo came out on top and Portugal secured their place in the semi-finals, eventually losing to France.
Rooney had been dismissed earlier in the match for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho, with Cristiano Ronaldo notoriously winking at his Manchester United teammate as he departed the pitch in Germany.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, Fernandes said: “Obviously 2006, everyone remembers because of Cristiano and Wayne’s little bit of fire.
“(It) ends up with Jamie Carragher missing the penalty. I had to say this – sorry, Jamie,” the United captain admitted before turning to the camera.
“I had to get a little bit off you, you get on me all the time. I can get on you with that penalty.
“When I miss a penalty, don’t say anything about it, please.”
In 2021, Carragher spoke candidly about his anguish in response to Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford receiving appalling racist abuse for missing penalties in the final of Euro 2020.
In his column for The Telegraph, the former Liverpool centre-back said: “Sven Goran Eriksson summoned me and gave me one job: to dispatch a spot-kick as convincingly as I had in every practise session.
“I had not missed a penalty in six weeks. ‘You’ll take the fourth’, Eriksson told me. Not a problem. England were 2-1 down by the time I made that 40-yard walk, but I was feeling confident staring at Portugal’s No. 1 Ricardo.”
“Knowing precisely where to place the ball, I struck it sweetly to the right, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way – my first touch of the game. There was a momentary sense of relief.
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“Then the referee blew his whistle. The Argentine official, Horacio Marcelo Elizondo, said I had taken it too soon.
“Take two. Now I was engaged in a game of bluff with Ricardo, wrongly presuming he would think I would try to score in exactly the same way. I changed my mind and went left. So did he, pushing away my attempt.”
An application to build 151 houses on land on the corner of Coronation Drive and Warrior Drive, Seaton Carew, was initially submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council by Gleeson Homes in early 2023.
However last year it was confirmed the proposal had been amended to instead seek to deliver just 81 properties.
A decision was due to be made on the application by the council’s planning committee on Wednesday, April 22.
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Reports from local authority officers ahead of the meeting recommended the proposals were approved, subject to numerous planning conditions and the completion of a section 106 legal agreement.
However councillors agreed to defer making a decision following a request by the applicant to delay the verdict due to concerns they had around some of the conditions included in the document.
They added they wanted “extra time to work with officers to refine those conditions” which currently “aren’t acceptable” to them.
The scheme proposes a mix of semi-detached and detached houses consisting of 12 two-bedroom houses, 47 three-bed houses and 22 four-bed properties, and feature 11 different property styles.
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However objections have been received from 71 properties raising concerns over the housing proposals for the land.
Worries raised include increased traffic and parking problems, the homes not being “in keeping” with the surrounding area and that they would lead to a loss of wildlife, privacy and identity.
A design and access statement on behalf of Gleeson Homes states: “The aim is to build on Gleeson’s previous design work and knowledge of the area.
“A range of new dwellings will be provided which are inclusive, affordable and cater for a variety of family sizes.”
Every day, visitors from around the world make their way to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art — not necessarily for the galleries inside, but for a statue of a fictional boxer from South Philadelphia.
The bronze figure of Rocky Balboa — arms raised in victory, clad in boxing trunks and boots — has become a point of pilgrimage for people around the world.
For decades, the museum kept an uncomfortable distance from this kind of devotion. Now, it is embracing it — and inviting Rocky in.
Opening this weekend, “Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments” examines how a fictional fighter became a real-world symbol, placing the statue within the sweep of art history and Philadelphia’s identity. The exhibition is the brainchild of guest curator Paul Farber, who spent years exploring the meaning of the statue and public monuments — including through his NPR podcasts — before bringing the conversation into the museum.
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The exhibition spans more than 2,000 years of boxing imagery, tracing a thread of human struggle that Louis Marchesano, the museum’s deputy director of curatorial affairs and conservation, said helps explain Rocky’s enduring pull.
“The common theme that runs throughout 2,000 years of boxing imagery is that people respond to the body under struggle, a conflict in much the same way today as they did 2,500 years ago,” Marchesano said. “It’s not simply about watching two people beat each other up — it’s about endurance, internal fortitude and internal struggle.”
When the bronze statue was left on the steps after filming the “Rocky” movies, the museum fought to have it removed. It was eventually relocated to South Philadelphia before returning to the bottom of the steps in 2006. It was welcomed back, but never fully embraced. The city owns the spot where the statue sits — not the museum.
“The museum has had — and I hate to say this, no pun intended — a rocky relationship with the statue,” Marchesano said.
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“It took us decades to come to terms with it,” he added. “But I’m glad that we did.”
According to the Philadelphia Visitor Center, about 4 million people visit the steps each year — rivaling the nearby Liberty Bell in annual foot traffic.
David Muller, a wrestling coach from France who recently brought his students to the steps, said he thinks Balboa’s trials and travails are “good for the next generation.”
“The movie ‘Rocky’ is important for the mind of sport and the mind of life,” Muller said, after running with them up the steps as they raised their hands at the top, smiling and punching the air like boxers.
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Kate Tarchalska traveled from Poland with family and made the statue one of their stops.
“He was my hero when I was younger,” she said. “And now I am so glad I could be in the same spot as him.”
Suraj Kumar, visiting his aunt in Philadelphia from St. Louis, made a point to photograph the statue to share with his father, who first introduced him to the films when he was growing up in Bengaluru, India.
“When I got to know this statue is here, I was like, I really have to come down here,” he said.
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One gallery places Rocky in the global boxing fever of the 1970s, featuring works by Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol — all created during a time when boxing had the world’s attention.
“In the 1970s, we knew minute by minute who the heavyweight champion of the world was,” Marchesano said. “The artists in this gallery are responding to that global frenzy. Sylvester Stallone, in ‘Rocky,’ was doing the same — thinking about internal and external struggle.”
Another gallery turns to Philadelphia itself, presenting photographs of the Blue Horizon boxing gym and a section on Joe Frazier, whose real-life story at least partially inspired Rocky.
“Without Joe Frazier, Rocky doesn’t exist,” Marchesano said.
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When the exhibition closes in August, the statue inside will move to a permanent home at the top of the museum’s steps — a place it has never officially held. The statue currently outside remains on loan from Stallone.
Rocky’s longtime spot at the bottom of the steps won’t be empty — a statue of Frazier will replace it.
The nursery caters for children between the ages of four months and four years
A Cambridgeshire nursery where children “grow and thrive” has been handed a Strong Standard and Expected Standard Ofsted rating. In a glowing report published on April 20, the staff at Little Seedlings Nursery in Hampton Vale, Peterborough, were described as “excellent role models”.
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Ofsted visited the nursery on West Lake Avenue in February this year. The nursery, a “purpose built term-time nursery” for children between the ages of four months and four years said it offers the “highest level of early year’s education” through their child-centred approach.
The report by Ofsted said that “children enjoy close, nurturing interactions with staff during story time”. The report said: “For example, they snuggle in as they turn the pages of the book and lift the flaps to see what is hiding underneath.”
Inspectors found that children “develop a positive sense of belonging” at the nursery where they “grow and thrive” in a “stimulating environment”.
The report said that staff are “excellent role models” who form “secure attachments” with the children. The report said: “They reinforce routines through daily practice, including snack time, group activities and outdoor play. Children listen carefully and follow instructions, for example, they are encouraged to help tidy up and wash their hands before they eat.”
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Inspectors praised the nursery for having a “high level of support for children with SEND” which “is what makes this setting unique”.
The report continued: “Children’s individual needs are treated with the utmost importance. Leaders and staff are committed to the early identification of children’s needs.”
Headteacher, Paula Chamberlain said: “Our Little Seedlings Nursery at Hampton Vale Primary Academy, part of The Four C’s Trust, is celebrating a remarkable achievement following it’s recent Ofsted inspection, earning high praise under the newly introduced framework, making it one of the first early years settings in the area to be assessed in this way.
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“As Headteacher, I couldn’t be prouder of the outcome for the Nursery, particularly given recent developments within the setting. Our nursery was one of only two settings in Peterborough to secure the government grant to expand and one of these rooms has only been open for 5 months, so this really is a huge achievement.
“To achieve this so soon after expanding, and under a brand-new framework, is an incredible testament to the dedication of our staff and the wonderful children and families we work with.”
The report also highlighted that staff are “respectful, compassionate and kind” and even “sing softly to babies as they rock them to sleep”.
The inspection concluded that all children make secure progress and overall are prepared for the next stage in their learning and transition seamlessly into the next room.
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To improve, Ofsted asked leaders to help staff to fully understand the learning intent behind planned activities so that children can engage in more purposeful learning, and strengthen the training, coaching and monitoring of staff to improve the curriculum and quality of the teaching further.
“Our nursery team now looks ahead to continuing its development, building on this success while maintaining the high standards recognised in the inspection”, Ms Chamberlain added.
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