Fawood Nursery School & Family Wellbeing Centre

Age group 3 –5 Inspection date(s) 6 –7 March 2012 Inspection number 376572 Fawood Children’s Centre Inspection report

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Unique reference number 101490 Local authority Brent Inspection number 376572 Inspection dates 6–7 March 2012 Lead inspector Denise Morris

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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 3–5 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 73 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Estella Magloire Headteacher Mark Cole Date of previous school inspection 15 May 2009 School address Fawood Road Brent NW10 8DX Telephone number 0208 9659334 Fax number 0208 9659334 Email address mark@fawoodcc.brent.co.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and ski lls 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. Nine lessons were observed, all of them jointly with the deputy headteacher, and five different teachers were seen at work. Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior staff and a member of the governing body. The inspector took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. The inspector observed the school’s work, looked at children’s records of achievement, and talked to some children about their school. The inspector scrutinised the school’s development plan, safeguarding documents, the minutes of governing body meetings and planning documents. Questionnaires were returned from 31 parents or carers and responses were analysed.

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Information about the school

Fawood is a smaller than average nursery school. It is an open-air nursery school where children spend much of their time in outdoor learning. It is part of a children’s centre. The school provides the equivalent of 10 full-time places for children from 3 to 5 years old with autism spectrum disorders from across Brent. Most children attend all day, but a few attend part time. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is above average. The proportion of disabled children and those with special educational needs, mainly autism spectrum disorders or learning difficulties, is high. Most children are from minority ethnic backgrounds, a few are refugees and about half are at the early stages of learning English. The school has recently formed a ‘hard federation’ with Curzon School, another local nursery. Both schools have the same headteacher and governing body. The childcare report for the

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Information about the school

Children’s Centre can be found on the Ofsted website . Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 Fawood Nursery is a good school. It has maintained positive outcomes for children since the last inspection because it has consolidated its strengths and made good improvements to the curriculum and to the quality of teaching and learning. The school is not outstanding because children’s listening skills are not as good as their speaking skills and this leads to occasional dips in progress.  All groups of children, including those with autism spectrum disorders, achieve well. Children make excellent progress in their personal, social and emotional development, their understanding of the world and in their speaking skills because of the very high emphasis placed on these areas. Their listening skills are less well-developed and several find it difficult to listen quietly to stories or to adults. There are too few opportunities for children to challenge themselves by using large physical apparatus.

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Key findings

 Teaching is mostly good, with some that is outstanding. Teaching, typically, extends children’s skills and ensures that the children have equal access to an exciting range of learning opportunities. In a very few lessons, there are not enough strategies to help improve children’s listening skills. Assessment is used well to inform staff how well children achieve and children’s learning journals are of a very high quality, showing their many successes.  Behaviour and safety are good. Parents and carers, overwhelmingly, say that the school is safe and secure and that children behave well. Attendance has risen recently. Children are cared for very well.  The headteacher, along with other leaders and the governing body, has created a welcoming ethos in which all children are valued. School leaders know the school’s strengths and have built capacity by managing the performance of teaching well and by underpinning learning through extensive training for staff.

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Key findings

This contributes effectively to children’s learning and well-being.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve children’s listening skills by July 2012, so that they are better able to benefit from stories and quiet times, by:  encouraging them to listen to other children and to their teachers Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 developing strategies to help children understand how to respond and react in quiet times.  Improve the range of physical activities offered to children so that they have safe opportunities to explore and challenge themselves more.

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Achievement of pupils

Progress across the school for the majority of children, including the most potentially vulnerable, is at least good overall. Achievement, including the achievement of children who are disabled and those with special educational needs, including autism, is also good. Children achieve particularly well in their speaking skills and in their personal, social and emotional development because of the strong focus on playing and working together, learning to share, and in taking turns. They achieve particularly well also in developing an understanding of the world around them because of the wide range of resources and tasks that are planned for this area of learning. An example of this was evident when children were playing in sand. They were fetching water and pouring it into a hole in the sand. Children were intrigued by the way the water disappeared as they poured it. The teacher made them think carefully as she asked them where the water had gone. ‘Down the hole’ said one

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Achievement of pupils

child. Another went and fetched more water, while another said ‘The water’s leaked out.’ All children make good progress in their speaking skills and those learning English learn quickly to communicate effectively. This was evident in a story session when children were trying to identify different fruits from the story of ‘Handa’s Surprise’. Effective promotion of phonic skills (matching letters and sounds) to identify the initial sound in the word helped many of the children to identify the name of each fruit successfully. Parents and carers agree that their children make good progress at the school. ‘My son has come on in leaps and bounds since attending Fawood,’ is a typical comment. Effective spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development ensures children make some very good progress in their personal development. They settle quickly, make friends and learn to share resources with their peers.

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Achievement of pupils

The exciting outdoor learning environment contributes very well to the good-quality curriculum and helps children to make rapid progress both in their personal and academic skills. Although limited in some cases by a lack of climb-on and explore apparatus, children to have lots of opportunities to learn from first-hand experiences, exploring resources for themselves and engaging in imaginative play with their peers. Children find it difficult sometimes to settle when they go indoors for quieter sessions such as stories, singing and rhymes. Occasionally, they do not listen well enough to others or to their teachers and their progress dips.

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Quality of teaching

Almost all of the parents and carers who responded to the questionnaires, rightly, agree that their children are taught well. The vast majority of lessons have good Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

pace and very effective use of resources to engage and interest children. Teachers make good use of the creative curriculum to design lessons that match children’s needs fully and extend their abilities. For example, a few children with autism spectrum disorders used pictures and symbols very well as they chose a topping for some toast at snack time. One child showed how well he could spread jam independently with a knife, whilst another concentrated hard as he squeezed jam out of the plastic container. Both children benefited from adult attention and support as they increased their independence. The teaching assistant was used very well to record each child’s success through photographs and annotations. Adults’ questioning is a particular strength that is helping to develop children’s skills and deepen understanding. Teachers are skilful in promoting the teaching of phonics. This was clearly evident in a book session when children with a wide range of

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Quality of teaching

language ability were sharing a story and responding to questions. The teacher modelled words and sounds well so that the children were able to repeat words such as ‘book’ and ‘bed’ successfully and accurately, showing good understanding that both words began with the same sound. Teachers across the federation plan together and share training to meet the needs of all their children better. As a result, children at both schools benefit from a wider range of expertise and ideas. Teachers moderate annotated evidence of children’s achievements together so that they have a very clear view of each child’s progress. Targets for improvement are clearly set. Teaching promotes children’s spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development well, often using children’s own cultures to extend the understanding of others. Just occasionally, children’s learning dips when teachers lack the skills to settle them quietly for stories and discussions. At these times, for example, they do not always

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Children share their learning and play well together. Almost all children, including those with autism, respond well to the school’s strategies to promote their good behaviour and safety. There are a few examples of children who have had difficulties with their emotional and social skills, making good or better progress and joining in well with their peers because of effective support. The wide range of activities in the outdoor learning environment and the high staff ratios have a positive impact on the calm atmosphere, positive relationships and good spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. Parents and carers say that behaviour is generally good and improving, but acknowledge that learning can very occasionally be disrupted by the behaviour of a small minority of pupils. Although some minor disruptions were evident during the inspection, these were managed effectively and children are learning to manage their

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

own behaviour well. Children are confident in the staff and know there is always someone to help them. Children, obviously, enjoy school and many are keen to talk about it. Most attend regularly and attendance rates are rising.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Children are safe and secure. Almost all of the parents and carers who responded to the inspection questionnaires believe that their children are kept safe. There is no evidence of any bullying, including bullying related to disability, special educational needs, race, religion or gender. Children say that everyone is kind. The curriculum Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

provides many opportunities for pupils to learn about safety in their work and play. For example, the children learn how to use scissors safely, they learn to use a knife and fork appropriately and how to be careful as they ride their bikes and scooters around the school. The lack of large-scale climbing and exploration equipment, however, limits children’s opportunities to be challenged through safe risk taking.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher and senior leaders have successfully created an exciting and innovative environment in which children thrive and feel valued. They have built a good capacity to improve through high levels of training for staff and through the well-organised, imaginative curriculum which provides good opportunities for all groups of children to explore the world around them and make at least good progress.

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Leadership and management

Collaborative working between the two federation nurseries is promoting effective joint planning and moderation of children’s work is increasing the accuracy of assessment. It also supports dialogue between teachers and provides peer support. Close working relationships within the children’s centre ensure that children’s needs, including for a range of therapies, are met quickly.

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Leadership and management

Leaders, including the governing body, have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and a strong track record over the last three years of successful development. The deputy headteacher’s role is focused clearly on performance management through monitoring and supporting teaching and learning. This is having a positive impact on the quality of teaching at the school. Leaders have established effective strategies to teach children the early stages of recognising letters and sounds to prepare them for their futures. They promote equality well and tackle any discrimination rigorously through curriculum activities that are well designed to meet the needs of all groups and promote learning by disabled children, children with special educational needs, and those from minority backgrounds. Spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is good and promotes pupils’ personal development well. Leaders engage well with parents and carers as shown

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Leadership and management

by children’s rising attendance. The vast majority of parents and carers are pleased with the school. A few parents and carers wrote of their concerns about the cold weather and the fact that their children are outdoors for much of the day. Parents and carers are right in that it can be cold outside. However, children always wear their coats and really enjoy playing and learning in the outdoor environment. Leaders are working on improving the school and plans are well advanced to improve the accommodation to include more indoor learning spaces, particularly for wet or cold weather. Leaders ensure that all children have access to all the opportunities available. The school’s safeguarding procedures are effective and meet statutory requirements.

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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 Fawood Nursery School, London NW10 8DX

Thank you for the welcome you gave me when I inspected your school recently. It was lovely to meet and talk with you. You told me many things about your school, such as what you like doing and all about your friends. You told me also that you enjoy school and feel safe.

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Inspection of Fawood Nursery School, London NW10 8DX

I can see from the answers to the questionnaires that I received from your parents and carers that you are happy at school. It is a good school and there are lots of good things in your school, such as your achievement and the teaching. Your headteacher and the other managers are also doing a good job. I thought your behaviour was good and I know that you all try to come to school every day. Well done for that!

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Inspection of Fawood Nursery School, London NW10 8DX

Sometimes you find it difficult to listen to your teachers, especially when you are expected to listen to stories or join in with rhymes and songs. I am asking your teachers to try and help you with this. You can help too by trying to listen carefully when your teachers ask you to. There are not enough chances for you to climb on large apparatus or investigate equipment that provides you with challenges. I am asking your leaders to provide more activities that allow you to do these things. I am sure you will enjoy them.

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Inspection of Fawood Nursery School, London NW10 8DX

Denise Morris 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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