Sir James Knott Memorial Nursery School

Sir James Knott Memorial Nursery School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 108563 Local Authority North Tyneside Inspection number 356381 Inspection dates 8–9 February 2011 Reporting inspector Karen Ling

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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 140 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Shameem Ibrahim Headteacher Mrs Susan Hucker Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected School address Percy Square River View, Tynemouth North Shields, Tyne and Wear NE30 4AG Telephone number 0191 2005438 Fax number 0191 2966897 Email address SirJamesKnottSchool@northtyneside.gov.uk

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Age group 3–5 Inspection dates 8–9 February 2011 Inspection number 356381 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 123 4234, 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 123 4234 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. The inspectors visited eight sessions or parts of sessions at the nursery school and childcare provision, involving four teachers and six nursery nurses. They held meetings with governors, staff, parents and carers, school partners and spoke with children. They looked at a range of evidence including planning, children's records of achievement, photographic evidence, the assessment process, policies and procedures, seven staff questionnaires and 82 parent and carer questionnaires. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas:  how effectively provision meets the unique needs of each child  how effective the procedures in place to track children's progress are  how well the nursery complies with the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage  how effective the support children receive through working with partners and the

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Information about the school

Sir James Knott Memorial Nursery School shares a site with North Shields Children's Centre at River View in Tynemouth. Almost all children are White British. Very few children speak English as an additional language. A small proportion of children have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery school also accommodates the Smiley Club which offers wrap-around childcare provision to children attending the nursery school. It also offers a breakfast and teatime club. It is open from 8am until 6pm each weekday. The children's centre offers a range of extended services for children and their families. The nursery school, childcare provision and the children's centre are managed by the governing body. The headteacher is responsible for the day-to-day management of all three services. The childcare provision was inspected with the nursery school and forms part of this report. The children's centre was inspected at the same time as the nursery by a separate

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Information about the school

inspection team, under the children's centre inspection framework. It has its own report which can be found on the Ofsted website.

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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

Sir James Knott Memorial Nursery School and Smiley Club childcare provision are good. The headteacher's high expectations for children are supported by her staff. This is reflected in their dedication and the excellent curriculum which children receive. 'My child has a wonderful experience here and enjoys every minute' is one of the many positive comments from parents and carers. When children start nursery school, their level of skill varies, but, overall, skills are in line with those expected for their age. Progress is consistently good and outcomes are outstanding. The highly stimulating and well- equipped classrooms capture children's imagination well. The children are engaged in purposeful play and activity from the moment they arrive. The children contribute to the life of the nursery school exceptionally well and develop a good understanding of following a safe and healthy lifestyle. Much teaching is good. Children build close relationships with staff who know them very

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Main findings

well and are effectively deployed to support learning and welfare. Activities are well planned and accurately meet children's individual needs. Of particular note is the focus on speech and language from the moment children join the nursery school. As a result, staff provide the necessary intervention and support. Observations and assessments are thorough and identify the next steps required to move children on. However, achievement records lack a comprehensive picture of children's development across the areas of learning and the progress they make over time towards the early learning goals. Leadership and management of the nursery school and childcare provision are good. The headteacher's energy, drive and ambition inspire staff, who strive continuously to develop and enhance their practice. As such, there is good capacity for sustained improvement. With commitment and teamwork from all staff, the headteacher has accomplished

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Main findings

seamless provision with the childcare provision and children's centre. The governing body provides support and holds the nursery school and childcare provision to account. Self- evaluation, while relatively informal, has identified strengths as well as weaknesses. However, the governing body has not provided sufficient rigour when evaluating how well the Early Years Foundation Stage welfare requirements have been implemented. Positive relationships are built with parents and carers, who, regularly, receive information about what is happening in the nursery school. However, not all parents and carers feel they are kept well informed about the progress their children are making.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of the governing body by:  - increasing its knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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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

 - ensuring policies and procedures are systematically reviewed, particularly in relation to the welfare requirements.  Improve children's progress further by:  - ensuring assessment processes link closely to the progress children make towards the early learning goals  - keeping parents and carers informed regularly about the progress their children make.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of children 1

Children, clearly, enjoy their time here and have excellent attitudes towards learning. They make choices confidently from the wide range of activities on offer. Routines are quickly learned and children settle happily into the session. The children greet one another and soon strike up conversation as they take on role play or imaginary play situations. When children start at the nursery school and childcare provision, their skills and knowledge are broadly in line with those expected for their age, or above. All children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress. By the time children leave, most children have achieved or exceeded many of the early learning goals. Children show very good social skills as they share and take turns and display high levels of independence and cooperation skills. They build trusting relationships with staff,

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of children 1

develop an awareness of differences and show concern for each other. Children demonstrate good progress in developing skills that will help them in the future. They are very adept at linking sounds and letters and are encouraged to practise and reinforce these early skills using a variety of materials. The regular Welcome Time gives small groups opportunity to listen to each other, talk about what special things are happening, practise their counting skills, recognise and recite the days of the week. Children show developing levels of concentration and persevere very well at tasks. Children enjoy keeping healthy and, regularly, engage in physical activity. In poor weather, the open veranda provides shelte,r but still ensures they are getting fresh air. They climb, build, crawl and balance using a range of equipment skilfully to varying degrees. When asked, children show they know the reason for washing hands before

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of children 1

eating and after visiting the toilet, but are not always reminded to when they forget. The self-service snack enables children to take their time and eat and drink when they choose. Fresh fruit, milk and water are offered each session. Lunchtime is a very social occasion when children eat a freshly cooked meal together and develop dexterity as they handle cutlery. Children show a developing understanding of how to keep themselves safe and behaviour is good. The abundance of rich experiences and excellent basic skills prepare children exceptionally well for future learning.

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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 1

Taking into account: Children's attainment¹

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Children's achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 1

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 1

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

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1

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?

Children receive a friendly welcome as they arrive at nursery school and the Smiley Club and soon settle into the day. They are well cared for and staff, successfully, promote positive attitudes, offering gentle coercion if appropriate. A rich and stimulating curriculum is designed and modified to follow children's interests. It offers breadth and depth of new and familiar experiences to reinforce learning. Indoor and outdoor spaces are effectively organised and resources are easily accessed. The routine of the session is carefully planned to ensure each child receives a balance of adult-directed and self-chosen activity. The curriculum extends well beyond the nursery school. Staff organise a wealth of visits to develop children's knowledge and understanding of the wider community. For example, they took a ferry across the river to South Shields and the metro to the museum in Newcastle. The success of the curriculum design is being disseminated to other schools,

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How effective is the provision?

having being recognised by the local authority as highly effective practice. Staff set high expectations for themselves and are passionate about continually developing their own skills. This is achieved through peer observation and by visiting other good- quality provision. A strength in teaching is the organisation of adult-led activities, which are inclusive while offering varying levels of challenge to meet each child's needs. In the main, staff are skilful at interjecting to add challenge or to encourage children to solve problems. Collaborative working with other agencies, parents and carers ensures that

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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

children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who speak English as an additional language, are supported effectively. The popular learning resource packs are successfully engaging parents and carers in supporting their children's development at home. Staff, clearly, know each child very well and use information gained from observations to plan accurately the next steps to extend learning. A system to assess language skills for children entering nursery school has been introduced since the last inspection. As the result of targeted intervention, communication and social skills are particularly well supported. However, the current system used for recording children's skills when entering and leaving the nursery school does not enable staff to monitor how well all aspects of areas of learning are covered, or to check on children's rates of progress towards the early

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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?

The headteacher is dedicated to providing children with a high-quality exciting early years' experience. Inclusion and the provision of an equal opportunity for all are central to the work of the nursery school and childcare provision. Much has been achieved since the last inspection in developing a cohesive team of nursery school, childcare and children's centre staff. This has led to greater continuity of practice. Senior staff and the governing body know the strengths of the nursery school and have outlined future plans for development. For example, the headteacher has identified the problem at arrival times leading to a congested corridor and the potential risk and has plans in place to address this issue. The governing body provides satisfactory management. It has developed constructive relationships with staff and supports the nursery school well in tackling weaknesses. It has plans in place also to support those who have recently become governors. Currently, the

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How effective are leadership and management?

governing body is undertaking a review of policies and procedures. However, it has not been sufficiently rigorous in reviewing its statutory duties since the implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure the welfare requirements are fully met. Safeguarding systems are soundly in place to check the suitability of employees to work with children. Child protection procedures are known and understood by staff, who have attended the necessary training. The school tackles any form of discrimination effectively and community cohesion is promoted well. Children learn about differences through role play, visits and special themes. Aspects of other cultures and faiths are explored in meaningful ways.

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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

The nursery school has earned much respect from families who recognise the good work and the efforts made by staff to support them. One parent commented that 'The headteacher listens to the parents and takes note of their views and opinions.' This highlights the determination of the headteacher to involve all concerned in decision making for the benefit of the children. Several stakeholders were keen to express to the inspection team their high regard for her inspiring and challenging approach. These good partnerships with parents, carers and external agencies contribute effectively to children's development and welfare.

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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

Parents and carers who returned the questionnaires or who spoke to the inspectors are overwhelmingly supportive of the nursery school's work and agree that children enjoy nursery school and feel safe. Written and verbal comments, overwhelmingly, express their delight at the dedication of staff. While most parents and carers agree children make good progress, a few feel they are not kept informed about the progress their child makes. Inspectors reviewed this concern and it has been identified as an area for improvement.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Sir James Knott Memorial Nursery School 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 82 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 140 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 65 79 17 21 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 64 78 17 21 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 33 40 30 37 13 16 2 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 49 60 26 32 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 60 73 20 24 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 53 65 26 32 2 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 59 72 23 28 0 0 0 0

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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) 41 50 31 38 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 53 65 27 33 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 47 57 24 29 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 45 55 28 34 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 46 56 32 39 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 59 72 21 26 0 0 0 0

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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 August 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 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. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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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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4AG

Thank you for being so friendly and helpful when we visited you. It was wonderful to see how happy you are at the nursery school and the Smiley Club and we can see why. You have so many interesting things to do. Some of you have not been here very long, but, already, you know where things are, what happens next and can manage to do lots of things all by yourselves. Those of you who have been here a little longer know so much as well. I was very impressed with how you can read your names and are trying to write them too. You can count confidently and use the computer. Your teachers and nursery nurses look after you very well and know so much about each one of you. I was very impressed at tidy up time. When the music comes on, you all know exactly what to do and help to put things away. You have a super garden to play in and know how to stay safe when climbing on the frame or the wall. Even though your nursery school is good, your teachers never stop trying to make it even

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4AG

better. I have asked the governing body and the headteacher to do the following:  make sure that documents needed for your nursery school and the Smiley Club are checked regularly to make sure they are all there and up to date  improve the way they record how well you are doing so that they can help you to do even better. I have also asked them to make sure all your parents and carers know how well you are doing. Well done everyone.

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4AG

Mrs Karen Ling Lead inspector (on behalf of the inspection team)

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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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