A nursery school in Acton recently played host to its Nordic neighbours from across the North Sea. 

South Acton Nursery School and Children’s Centre welcomed teachers from Kornberget Barnehage School in Norway, a mainstream early years’ education provider, after teachers from the Norwegian kindergarten discovered the school online. 

The Norwegian staff came across an article in which Seibina Downes , headteacher of South Acton Nursery School and Children’s Centre, rated Outstanding by Ofsted, was interviewed by a Norwegian journalist. The journalist, who was living in the UK at the time, had a child attending South Acton and was so impressed by its practices that she wrote an online article for a magazine back in Norway. 

Kornberget Barnehage, like many mainstream nurseries in the United Kingdom, has seen a rise in the number of children with additional needs since the Covid-19 pandemic.  The school was keen to learn from South Acton’s approach to supporting a diverse student community. After exploring the school’s website and watching videos showcasing its work with children, including those with additional needs, the Norwegian teachers decided to reach out. 

While South Acton Nursery School and Children’s Centre is a mainstream learning centre, it also offers specialist provision for children with special educational needs (SEND). 

‘This is what we’re working towards’ 

 Janne Gabrielsen Selseng, the headteacher of the Norwegian kindergarten, asked to visit the school because she was so impressed with the story she read online.  

Janne said: “We found them and said, ‘Let’s check it out.’ There was a lovely video on their website, and we felt inspired. We thought, ‘This is what we’re working towards.’” 

As part of the visit, 23 staff members from Kornberget Barnehage toured South Acton Nursery School and Children’s Centre. They observed lessons, interacted with staff and children, and explored the school’s inclusive teaching methods that encourage children to explore, play and learn independently.  

The team from Norway was particularly interested in how the school supports its most vulnerable children – those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), children with English as an additional language (EAL), and those on child protection plans. 

They were also keen to see how things like signing, sensory stories, and trauma-informed approaches are used to engage children and support families. 

Since the pandemic, both schools have noticed similar challenges – such as behaviour, mental health, toilet training, and issues like the cost of living crisis. Janne said the visit offered valuable insights, especially around supporting children with autism (ASD). She said: “I thought, ‘this is what we can do in our base.’  

She added: “It’s been more than we expected. It’s been so inspiring.” 

‘We share so many core values in early education’ 

In preparation for the visit, Seibina said the children learned about the Norwegian flag and how to say “hello” in Norwegian to welcome their guests. 

She added that parents had also sent emails expressing their excitement about the visit. 

This isn’t the first international exchange for the Norwegian team. Two years ago, they visited a school in Italy, and staff still talk about how insightful it was to learn about education in another country. 

Seibina is open to the idea of a return visit to Norway. “I would love to go,” she said. “My staff have already been hounding me, asking me to pay for their flights. I could see how bonding it was for the Norwegian team. They all came in chatting – it’s great for emotional and social development. We’d love to go there.” 

She added: “Even though we live on different sides of the water, we share so many core values in early education.” 

Councillor Josh Blacker, the council’s cabinet member for a fairer start, said: “It’s wonderful to see one of our outstanding schools receiving international attention. 

“South Acton Nursery School and Children’s Centre is one of many Outstanding schools in the borough – and is doing particularly great work supporting children with additional needs. 

“I’m delighted that headteacher Seibina and her team are getting the recognition they deserve, and I hope they take pride in knowing their good practice is being celebrated and shared beyond our borders.”