Kintore Way Nursery School

Kintore Way Nursery School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 100767 Local Authority Southwark Inspection number 354886 Inspection dates 28–29 September 2010 Reporting inspector Jo Curd

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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 120 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Anne Stanton Headteacher Sharon Donno Date of previous school inspection 28 September 2004 School address Grange Road London SE1 3BW Telephone number 0207 525 1196 Fax number 0207 231 3953 Email address sdonno@kintoreway.southwark.sch.uk

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Age group 3–5 Inspection dates 28–29 September 2010 Inspection number 354886 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 after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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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 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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 documentation 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'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 1234 234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. Ten opportunities for learning were observed, which included all the teaching staff. Meetings were held with parents, children, governors, local authority officers and staff. Inspectors looked at many aspects of the school's work, including lesson planning, assessments, local authority reports, the school improvement plan and children's work, and 49 parental questionnaires. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following:  the extent to which evidence supports the school's view that all groups of children make outstanding progress in all six areas of learning  the extent to which evidence supports the school's view of teaching throughout the nursery as outstanding  how well evidence supports the nursery's view of the curriculum as outstanding  the effectiveness of policies and procedures to safeguard children's health and

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Information about the school

This large nursery school shares accommodation with its children's centre, which provides year-round whole-day care for 0?5 year olds and provision for children and families. It is situated in a densely populated inner city area. This inspection focuses exclusively on the nursery education of 3-5 year olds. Once they have settled, about three quarters of the children stay for lunch, about a third of whom are eligible for free school meals. This is a higher proportion than found in most other schools. Children come from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds. The largest group is of Black African descent. Over half the children have English as an additional language, and about a quarter are at early stages of this.

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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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Main findings

This is a good nursery school. All groups of children make good progress in their learning and personal development due to good teaching, effective support and an extremely rich curriculum. Children are well behaved and eager to learn. Staff successfully use their high levels of experience and knowledge to promote children's independence and confidence. The vast majority of parents and carers who responded to the inspection questionnaire were very positive about the nursery. One voiced the feelings of many when saying: 'I am very pleased with my child at the nursery. He really enjoys it and staff are very helpful.' Most of the staff have been at the nursery for considerable lengths of time. They work well as a team and continuously review, develop and refine their practice. The nursery has improved well since the last inspection. Leaders and managers at all levels are successfully driving the school forward and embedding ambition in the whole school community.

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Main findings

Despite levels of skill on entry below that which is typical for their age, most children make good progress. They leave the nursery with levels of knowledge, skills and understanding broadly in line with those expected nationally for this age and many delays in attainment have been reduced. Teaching is good because staff adapt activities effectively to meet children's interests and needs. Occasionally a few children are not challenged or guided quite as well as they could be, which slightly limits their progress. Classes for parents and families at the centre while children are at nursery are helping to raise skills and aspirations for themselves and their children. One parent has just won a local award for a film she made, whilst others are quickly developing skills and interests in computing and crafts. Leaders and managers know the nursery well. However, largely because monitoring is not always as finely tuned or detailed as it could be, leaders' views

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Main findings

of the school's performance are slightly too positive. The governing body is supportive and challenging. Governors have worked well with the school to produce comprehensive up-to- date policies for safeguarding and behaviour. These contribute to effective procedures and practice in this area. However, some other related policies have not always been monitored as frequently as they should be. Children enjoy nursery and engage in an extremely wide range of very suitable and stimulating activities inside and out. An emphasis on excitement and learning to take risks safely, such as riding two-wheel bicycles, sawing wood and building (well- supervised) fires has contributed to the motivation and good progress of all groups, including boys. Given the nursery's track record of development and improvement and the stability and success of staff, including leaders and managers, the capacity for sustained improvement

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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?

 Increase progress further by improving teaching, extending the way that all groups of children, including those who learn more quickly or easily, are challenged and supported in their learning.  Increase the detail of monitoring, especially of teaching and assessments, to improve the accuracy of evaluation and show where provision and outcomes can be improved further.  Ensure that the governing body frequently reviews and ratifies all required policies so that the school's principles and practice are clear to all.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of children 2

All groups of children make good progress in their learning and personal development. From relatively low starting points, effective teaching, good support and a highly stimulating and engaging curriculum help most reach age-related levels by the time they leave. Progress in personal, social and emotional development and communication, language and literacy is particularly good. This stands children in good stead for later life and learning. During the inspection, children were seen persevering to develop their skills on monkey bars and a fire fighters' pole, talking to each other and to staff about how well they were doing. On another occasion, a group of children eagerly made modelling dough using well-planned and prepared recipe cards. Progress in this activity was good even though a few opportunities to develop children's recognition of print and use of number were missed. Children who learn more quickly or easily benefit from a wide range of

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of children 2

stimulating, open-ended activities, even though learning is not always challenged or extended quite as well as it could be. Children who have English as an additional language make good progress, because so many activities are very practical and visual. Those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from good support and the use of signs and symbols, even though these are not always used as consistently as they might be. Children behave well, are keen to learn and enjoy nursery greatly. Most attend well. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, because children get on very well with a diverse range of staff and peers, are keen to learn and develop a strong sense of respect and wonder at the world around them. Children's eagerness and very active play indicate how safe they feel. Their attitudes towards health are good. They contribute well to their school community through helping well with tidying up, wiping

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of children 2

tables and sweeping sand and soil from the floor, supporting each other and initiating activities.

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for children's outcomes

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Children's achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

Taking into account: Children's attainment¹

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Children's achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of children's learning and their progress 2

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Children's achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of learning for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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2

Taking into account: Children's attendance¹

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The extent of children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

All the children are cared for and supported well. An extensive use of signs and symbols often successfully helps the progress of some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Extended provision successfully supports parents, families and children and promotes the centre's outstanding contribution to community cohesion. One parent said, 'I really benefited from a visit by my son's keyworker before he started the nursery. My family has also benefited from other activities provided by the centre like the coffee mornings for parents and the parents and toddler group.' A very broad and highly stimulating practical curriculum contributes well to the good progress, behaviour and enjoyment of all groups. Children are fully engaged, quickly extending their concentration with and without adults for considerable periods of time. Children successfully learn to take risks safely and persevere with tasks alone and with

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How effective is the provision?

others. During the inspection, a group of children developed their personal, social and physical skills and knowledge and understanding of the world well, spending a considerable time building sandcastles outside. One girl independently fetched water for the sand but accidentally tripped and spilt the water. Following effective support and reassurance from a teacher, she collected the bucket again and this time successfully completed her task.

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Staff facilitate and enable learning well. They astutely adapt activities and provide resources to develop learning and meet children's interests and needs. In this they use their assessments and understanding of children well. One example of this was providing paper for children to make flags for their sandcastles, and another was providing materials to create a huge caterpillar during arts week. Although activities are open ended, imaginative and stimulating, teachers do not always provide as much challenge for children as they could, especially for those who learn more quickly or easily, nor guide them sufficiently in the next steps of learning. Consequently, progress is good rather than outstanding.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 2

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

Leaders and managers at all levels are passionate about the nursery. They are highly committed to inclusion and the involvement of the whole community. Provision for ensuring that all children make equally good progress is well developed. The good progress that all children make is effectively reducing early gaps between low starting points and age related levels. Leaders successfully evaluate their extensive work for community cohesion, in and beyond the centre, and use their findings to adapt and drive practice forward. Events focusing on the locality, St George's Day and traditional English food, as well as international events, have contributed particularly well to the promotion of cohesion within the local community Leaders and managers use their good knowledge of the nursery well to drive improvement, especially in the curriculum. Some aspects of monitoring and evaluation, such as those relating to assessments and lessons, are not

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How effective are leadership and management?

always as finely tuned as they could be. Consequently, leaders have a slightly over- positive view of the school and are not always clear about the details of how and where things could be improved further. The governing body is challenging and supportive but does not always have sufficient detailed information to probe further. It has been fully involved in developing up-to-date comprehensive policies on safeguarding, health and safety and behaviour, consulting and engaging with an extensive range of centre users. Some other policies have not been reviewed or ratified quite as recently, reducing confidence in a few underlying principles and practices. This slightly limits the effectiveness of safeguarding even though most aspects of day-to-day practice are clear, thorough and consistent. Communication with parents and carers is good. Several are involved in special events such as international storytelling. Attendance at termly Saturday

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How effective are leadership and management?

sessions for male carers, including fathers, grandfathers and uncles, is high, although

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

uptake of other events such as those to promote children's learning is lower. Effective partnerships with other agencies and schools contribute well to the school's outstanding curriculum and positive outcomes.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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2

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Views of parents and carers

Most of the parents and carers who responded to the inspection questionnaire were positive about all aspects investigated. Their positive views were supported by discussions with others during the inspection. Very few disagreed with any aspects. Most of the tiny minority of parents and carers who expressed some limited concerns also had positive things to say about the nursery's overall provision, including the quality of care. The most positive responses were that children enjoyed nursery and were kept safe. These were clearly ratified by inspection observations.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of children registered at Kintore Way Children's Centre to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

The inspection team received 49 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 120 children registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 37 76 11 22 0 0 1 2 The school keeps my child safe 38 78 10 20 0 0 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 30 61 16 33 1 2 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 23 47 19 39 1 2 2 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 29 59 13 27 1 2 2 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 26 53 17 35 1 2 2 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 29 59 17 35 1 2 2 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 25 51 15 31 1 2 2 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 25 51 18 37 1 2 2 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 26 63 15 31 1 2 2 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 24 49 19 39 1 2 2 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 30 61 13 27 1 2 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 34 69 12 24 1 2 2 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its children's needs.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its children well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its children.

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Grade Judgement Description

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 children. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 March 2010 and are the most recently published data available (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). Please note that the sample of schools inspected during the autumn and spring terms 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Secondary school figures include those that have sixth forms, and sixth form figures include only the data specifically for sixth form inspection judgements.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a child in their learning and development.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: in other phases of school, for example primary schools, attainment is the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons. However, there is no national average for three- and four-year-olds. Therefore, in inspections of nursery schools, inspectors take account of expectations in the age-related bands of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on 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 headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well children 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. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of children.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets children's needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which children are learning in nursery sessions and over longer periods of time.

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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 Kintore Nursery School, London SE1 3BW

We enjoyed being with you when we visited your school recently. We especially enjoyed eating lunch with some of you and watching you play and work. We agree with your parents that you have a good nursery, where you are learning and developing well. You behave well, enjoy your time there and are keen to learn. You have so very many interesting, exciting things to do which help your overall learning and development. We particularly enjoyed watching you improving your skills on the monkey bars and fire fighters' pole and learning to make sandcastles. All the grown-ups look after you well and provide lots of equipment and activities for your learning. You have a good understanding of how to stay safe and healthy. Some things could be a bit better, so we have asked leaders to improve them. These are to:  make sure grown-ups ask you even more about your learning and provide you with information to make this even better

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Inspection of Kintore Nursery School, London SE1 3BW

 look even more carefully at information they have about the nursery, especially at teaching and the progress you all make, so that they can clearly see how to improve these further  make sure that some important papers, called policies, are discussed and agreed more often. Perhaps you can help by telling your teachers what really helps you in your learning and continuing to try your very best in all you do. With best wishes to you and your families,

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www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please

telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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