Rubery Nursery School

Age group 3–4 Inspection date(s) 12–13 January 2012 Inspection number 376827 Rubery Nursery School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 103131 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 376827 Inspection dates 12–13 January 2012 Lead inspector Georgina Beasley

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Nursery School category Community Age range of pupils 3–4 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 103 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ian Cruise Headteacher Elaine Ketcher - Acting Date of previous school inspection 15 June 2009 School address Leybrook Road Rednal Birmingham B45 9PB Telephone number 0121 4642158 Fax number 0121 4643327 Email address enquiry@ruberyn.bham.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Five hours was spent observing teaching and learning. Nine adults were observed teaching. Meetings were held with staff and the chair of the governing body. The inspector took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. She observed the school’s work, and looked at the children’s learning journeys, planning and assessment information, monitoring reports, safeguarding procedures and the school improvement plan. The inspector received and analysed 54 parental questionnaires.

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Information about the school

Nearly all children who attend this larger than average nursery school are from White British backgrounds. The remaining children are from a number of different minority ethnic backgrounds. About five per cent speak English as an additional language. About 10% are identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities. The proportion of children known to be eligible for free school meals is high. Rubery Out- of-School Club is managed by the governing body and provides before and after school care every weekday. The nursery has bronze Healthy School status and the Birmingham Healthy Settings award. There is an acting headteacher and two part- time deputies. The nursery shares the forest school environment with the campus schools. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadeq uate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a good school. All staff work closely together to provide an interesting curriculum and experiences that respond well to the children’s interests and learning needs. All children make good progress and achieve well.  Staff have excellent relationships with children and their parents and carers. These promote a highly positive learning environment. Every parent who returned a questionnaire said that they would recommend the nursery to others.  The children talk knowledgeably and with obvious enjoyment about what they are learning and why in response to adults’ highly effective questioning.  The headteacher and deputies analyse achievement termly and share a clear overview of progress with staff and the governing body. They do not consistently monitor achievement of different groups in all aspects within each area of learning to inform fully school improvement planning.  Adults monitor individual children’s learning closely to inform curriculum

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Key findings

planning. Children’s involvement in activity is monitored closely to ensure everyone is busy learning and have a similar learning experience.  Adults assess children’s learning carefully and use the information well to respond to learning when they interact with children during activity time. Adults effectively target the learning of disabled children, and those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. The information is not always used well enough to target systematically the specific skills, knowledge and understanding of all children.  Children’s behaviour is outstanding. They are polite and thoughtful towards each other, which is reflected in the way that the older children looked after those who started nursery during the inspection.  The school gives the children’s safety high priority. The children have an excellent understanding of how to keep safe. They approach adults for help

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What does the school needs to do to improve further?

 Embed systems for monitoring children’s achievement in the different aspects of Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadeq uate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school needs to do to improve further?

each area of learning to inform school improvement planning.  Ensure all adults consistently use assessment information to give identified children targeted support and extension tasks during activity time to raise attainment even further.

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Achievement of pupils

All children make good progress from starting points below those expected for their age. By the end of the nursery year, most children reach at least age-related expectations in all areas of learning. They exceed them in their personal, social and emotional development and in physical development. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language achieve well, and many reach their potential. Boys’ knowledge, skills and understanding when they start nursery is below that of girls. Many catch up by the end of the year, particularly in their personal development. The inspection endorses the view of several parents and carers who said that ‘their children have come on really well since being at nursery.’

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Achievement of pupils

Learning and progress of all children currently in nursery are good. Children are inquisitive learners because of the strong focus on, and guidance given to them to discover things for themselves. They talk knowledgeably about what they are learning and why. Adults help through carefully chosen questions, which offer prompts for the words the children may wish to use, and which help guide their thinking. As a result, the children know what they have achieved and think carefully about what to do next to do even better.

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Achievement of pupils

Children make good progress in developing early reading skills to prepare them well for learning in school. They respond well to the numerous and varied opportunities to enjoy books and to retell familiar stores, particularly in the role-play area. During the inspection several were observed using puppets, toys and animated pictures on the interactive whiteboard as prompts for retelling the story of ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’.

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Achievement of pupils

Children have good levels of independence. They are confident to try new experiences and to be adventurous because they know that they will receive the support they need to be successful. For example, a group of boys worked collaboratively to build a den for their toys outside. They thought through the size of space they would need, decided where the best spot was and why, and fetched the blocks they would need for their planned construction.

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Quality of teaching

Inspection findings endorse the unanimous view of parents and carers who returned a questionnaire that their children are well taught and that the school meets their Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadeq uate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

individual needs well. Adults understand how young children learn and so plan activities that are matched well to each child’s learning needs and preferences. They respond to the children’s interests when planning the curriculum and so children enjoy learning. A varied range of activities effectively promote the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The project ‘Little Europeans Know Each Other Well,’ with six other schools abroad is promoting good opportunities for the children to learn first-hand about different cultures and communities.

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Quality of teaching

The organisation of the nursery into themed areas enables adults to focus on specific knowledge, understanding and skills and ensures that all areas of learning are covered. Highly focused questioning when adults join in with the children’s play develops their vocabulary and language particularly well. For example, in the discovery area children were asked how dough changed its texture when water and flour were added. ‘It’s getting harder,’ exclaimed one child while another noted that it stuck to his fingers when water was added and it got wetter. Another child in the creative area was excited to make ‘dark pink’ as she mixed a little white paint with red. Parents and carers are helped to support learning by borrowing discovery bags that give clear guidance on how to promote and extend learning through similar activities at home.

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Quality of teaching

Adults discuss and make detailed notes of how well different activities have gone and the learning children have gained from them. The information helps adults decide whether, and how, to make the activity easier or more challenging the next day. During regular planning meetings, adults identify next learning steps for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language which helps all adults target specific skills and language when children visit their areas. While adults respond well to children’s learning in activity time, they do not always identify and target the learning of all children in the same systematic way in order to accelerate progress.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Children enjoy coming to nursery. This is reflected in their high levels of involvement in activities and good attendance. Children know what behaviour is expected and so are quick to tell an adult if they have a concern. They soon learn to share and take turns. They take great care and behave in a safe manner when manoeuvring trikes and scooters around the outdoor space, climbing alongside friends on the apparatus, and using special knives when preparing fruit for snack. The staff who run the Out- of-School Club have the same high expectations for children’s behaviour. Children who attend always follow a request with ‘please’ and follow it with ‘thank you’. Children who started nursery in September were excited to help new starters. They showed them how to find toys and resources and asked, ‘Can I help you with that?’ if they noticed anyone needed help.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The high number of parents and carers who returned a questionnaire and who talked informally to the inspector had no concerns about safety and behaviour. No incidents of bullying and inappropriate behaviour have been recorded for several years. This Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadeq uate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

positive picture is supported by parents and carers who have had previous children at nursery. Parents and carers are unanimous in their praise of the school in keeping their children safe and helping them to behave well. The Out-of-School Club follows all procedures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children who attend.

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Leadership and management

The acting headteacher and deputy headteachers work successfully with the governing body and all staff to evaluate what is going well and to identify subsequent improvement priorities. The children’s and parents and carers’ views are incorporated into the subsequent improvement plan. The monitoring of children’s progress is integral to the process. Progress is tracked regularly in all areas of learning and for most groups including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children from minority ethnic backgrounds and boys and girls. This has resulted in a stronger focus and successful development of boys’ social skills. The school tracks the progress of individual children in each area of learning closely. As yet, the different aspects within each area of learning are not tracked specifically for different groups to enable staff to target systematically any gaps in learning and the curriculum.

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Leadership and management

There has been good improvement since the previous inspection and the school demonstrates a good capacity to improve further. Successful training has strengthened the quality of adults’ questioning and how they respond to children’s learning during activity time. The reorganisation of the nursery environment into themed areas has effectively improved the children’s interest, learning and development. The curriculum is good. There are plans to develop the outdoors further so that forest school activities are available throughout each day. Parents and carers value being involved in the initial and on-going assessment of their child’s learning through home visits, individual learning journeys and parent consultations.

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Leadership and management

The nursery promotes equality and tackles discrimination well. Children and families from different backgrounds get along well together. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Resources and activities reflect cultural similarities and differences. Excellent social and moral development is supported by the older children acting as good role models for those who are just starting nursery. Adults’ consistent and positive management of behaviour helps children to play amicably together, treat each other with respect, have good levels of independence and helps them learn to share and take turns quickly.

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Leadership and management

Comprehensive safeguarding arrangements ensure parents and carers have no concerns for their children’s safety and wellbeing when they are at nursery and when they go on trips in the local area. Parents and carers, staff and members of the governing body recall how much their children enjoyed helping to train a guide dog by joining it and its trainer for a walk around the local lake. Careful checks are made to ensure the suitability to work with children of all staff, volunteers and members of the governing body. All staff are clear about child protection procedures and what to do if they have a concern. Notices around the nursery give parents and carers clear Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadeq uate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

guidance about what to do should they too have a concern about a child’s safety and wellbeing. The governing body makes careful checks to ensure children who attend the Out-of-School Club are well looked after and receive good levels of care. The children are fully involved in planning menus and activities to ensure their likes and interests are met.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Rubery Nursery School, Birmingham, B45 9PB

Thank you for welcoming me to your nursery and for letting me join in with your play and learning. I could see how much you enjoy coming to nursery because you all join in with all of the activities. Your nursery is good. That means it is good at nearly everything it does and some things are excellent. You all make good progress and try your best to learn new things.

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Inspection of Rubery Nursery School, Birmingham, B45 9PB

These are the best things that I found.  The nursery organises lots of interesting activities for you to enjoy and which help you to learn lots of new things every day.  You all behave extremely well which ensures you feel safe in nursery. It was good to see so many of you looking after the new children and helping them to enjoy the activities.  When adults join in with your play and learning during activity time, they ask lots of questions which help you to think and talk about what you are learning and why and to discover new things for yourselves.  You and your parents and carers borrow books and discovery bags so that you can enjoy some of the activities together at home.

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Inspection of Rubery Nursery School, Birmingham, B45 9PB

I have asked the adults to do the following two things to help the nursery to get even better:  to check carefully how well all of you are doing in all parts of each area of learning;  to identify more often whether some of you need to develop specific skills and to make sure they help you achieve these in activity time.

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Inspection of Rubery Nursery School, Birmingham, B45 9PB

You can help by continuing to do your best at everything and to keep trying new things, even when you find them hard at first. I hope you continue to enjoy nursery.

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Inspection of Rubery Nursery School, Birmingham, B45 9PB

Georgina Beasley Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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