Ethelred Nursery School and Children's Centre

Age group 3–5 Inspection date(s) 21–22 March 2012 Inspection number 376412 Ethelred Nursery School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 100552 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 376412 Inspection dates 21–22 March 2012 Lead inspector Angela Konarzewski

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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 74 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Susannah Wiltshire Headteacher Glenda King Date of previous school inspection 20 October 2008 School address 10 Lollard Street London SE11 6UP Telephone number 020 7582 9711 Fax number 020 7582 0711 Email address headteacher@ethelred-nursery.lambeth.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. The inspector spent approximately four hours observing teaching and learning led by four teachers and eight additional staff, and met parents and carers. Meetings were held with staff and members of the governing body. The inspector took account of the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at children’s individual records of achievement, and at tracking data showing children’s attainment and progress. The school’s self- evaluation documents, development plans and procedures for safeguarding pupils were also seen. The inspector considered the responses to 57 questionnaires received from parents and carers.

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Information about the school

Ethelred is an average-sized nursery school that has a children’s centre attached. The latter was not part of this inspection.. Over half of the children who attend the Nursery speak English as an additional language, with many of them at an early stage of learning the language. Almost half are known to be eligible for free school meals. Approximately a third of children have special educational needs, ranging from physical disabilities to specific delay in speech and language acquisition. The school organises and manages breakfast and after-school clubs during term time. Ethelred belongs to a consortium of five Lambeth Nursery Schools, which have become National Early Years Teaching Centres. 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

 Ethelred is an outstanding nursery school. The headteacher and staff team have established a safe, harmonious and vibrant environment where all children are known extremely well and highly valued. Achievement for all children across all areas of learning is outstanding, although there are minor variations in the achievement of different groups from year to year.  Teaching is outstanding. Assessment information is used extremely well to tailor tasks and activities to children’s individual needs and to check that all groups make consistently rapid gains in their learning. Observations of children’s needs and interests are used very effectively to plan enjoyable activities both indoors and outside that increase their knowledge, skills and understanding exceptionally well.  Children behave extremely well because adults apply their expectations consistently and clearly, and provide excellent role models. Robust safeguarding

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Key findings

arrangements ensure that children feel very safe and pay excellent attention to their own and each other’s safety.  Leaders and managers constantly strive to bring about further improvements in the school’s provision and outcomes for children. Teaching is managed highly effectively through performance management. Improvements to the rich curriculum are enhanced by the Forest Schools programme that promotes personal and social development, with an emphasis on developing children’s skills in the outdoors. Families are exceptionally well supported from when they first join the school, and parents and carers work in close partnership to ensure children are well cared for and make excellent progress.  The promotion of children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Children have regular opportunities to express curiosity about the natural world in the Nursery garden. Development of their social skills and their

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Key findings

awareness of right and wrong is exceptional. They also participate in a variety of visits, and celebrate festivals linked to a variety of faiths and cultures represented in the Nursery. 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?

 Ensure that the excellent provision is even more precisely tailored to the varying learning needs of different cohorts of children, by ensuring that all assessment information is used to further refine planning.

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Achievement of pupils

Achievement for all groups of children is outstanding. Children join the Nursery with skills and abilities that are generally below, and sometimes well below, the levels expected for their age, especially in communication, language and literacy and in their personal and social skills. By the time they leave the Nursery, their attainment is in line with or above expectations for children of this age because they make consistently rapid progress in all areas of learning.

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Achievement of pupils

Children thoroughly enjoy selecting activities to complete both indoors and outside, and they are keen to work and play with sustained concentration. Children who speak English is an additional language make exceptional progress because of teaching that is specifically targeted to promote their language development. As they made bread with the teacher, for example, children with little spoken English developed confidence in pronouncing words and sounds because they listened carefully to the adult and to another English-speaking child selected to join the group; they then repeated accurately the words they heard.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled children and those who have special educational needs also make outstanding progress because they are very well known and understood by staff with whom they establish very positive relationships. They benefit significantly from working individually or in groups with highly trained adults and specialists. All groups, including those who are known to be eligible for free school meals, rapidly extend their skills because adults consistently ask questions and prompt discussions to encourage children to reflect on what they are doing. Many languages are spoken by adults and children in the setting, and sign language is taught to enable children who have difficulties with speech and language, including those at an early stage of learning English, to communicate. Gaps between children who have additional needs and others are closing. Children make excellent progress in their communication, language and numeracy skills because teachers promote learning at every

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Achievement of pupils

opportunity, for example by practising counting and adding while planting seeds in pots.

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Achievement of pupils

Individual records of achievement maintained for each child by key workers provide exceptionally high quality detailed evidence of children’s progress across all areas of learning. From when they first arrive in the Nursery, an album of annotated photographs and samples of work is produced. Children and their parents and carers, many of whom add their comments, are rightly proud of these cumulative records. 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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Achievement of pupils

Almost all parents and carers who responded to the survey are justifiably confident that their children are making at least good progress, and that their needs are met very well.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching in the Nursery is consistently outstanding. Key workers planning ensures that children’s learning needs are met very well. Children who need a clear structure are provided with visual timetables that show which activities are planned for them and include photographs to indicate, for example, when their parent or carer will collect them. Staff use imaginative teaching strategies that, together with sharply focused and timely support and intervention, match individual needs accurately. For example, in a small group session led by a teaching assistant, a puppet was used in a lively way to engage children with speech and language difficulties. The teaching assistant encouraged the reluctant speakers to participate by repeating questions through the puppet, and partially giving the answers herself, so children were willing to supply the missing words with confidence and enjoyment.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching promotes children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development extremely well. The outside play area includes a garden, that provides children with a safe environment in which they can explore the natural world, develop curiosity about life and living things, and where they have opportunities to write, draw, paint, make models, measure, count and play. In one session, for example, children were invited to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world by investigating ‘minibeasts’, including ladybirds, worms, snails and frog spawn, and researching them in age-appropriate information books. They used their findings creatively, painting pictures and making models with plasticine, velour sticks and plastic eyes.

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Quality of teaching

The high quality of teaching in the Nursery ensures that children do very well, whatever their starting points. Adults systematically and effectively check children’s understanding throughout lessons, anticipating where they may need to intervene and doing so with notable impact on the quality of learning. In a literacy session, for example, the class teacher demonstrated her knowledge of children’s abilities by targeting her questions at individuals, challenging them to count beats, or syllables, in animals’ names, for example, ‘kan-ga-roo’ and ‘bat’. Specialist teachers in French, art and music provide excellent opportunities for children to develop their linguistic and creative skills and their confidence. In the survey, almost all the parents and carers agreed that their children are well taught at Ethelred Nursery School, a view that is endorsed by inspection findings.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The atmosphere in the Nursery is calm, vibrant and purposeful and so all children behave exceptionally well. In this secure and stimulating environment, children gain in confidence and maturity. They develop very positive attitudes to learning and excellent relationships with both their peers and with adults. In a lesson where children were asked to evaluate their preferences regarding aspects of the Nursery, 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

they were trusted to use cameras to take photographs of their favourite areas, promoting their independence. Strategies for managing behaviour are consistently applied, so, for example, when two children wanted to play with the same toy in the sand pit, the sand timer was brought out and this method of establishing fairness was immediately accepted by both children. Children are exceptionally courteous towards one another and there are no reported incidents of bullying or racist remarks. Their teamwork at tidy-up time is exemplary.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Children are taught to assess risk well when they walk to ‘Roots and Shoots’, crossing two roads carefully, or when they use the large climbing apparatus in the outside play area. Trips to ‘Roots and Shoots’, a large oasis of calm where these inner-city children can experience the natural world growing and changing through the seasons, have a very positive impact on children’s behaviour and safety. Children arrive punctually and attendance is improving. However, some families continue to take holidays during term time, especially those with families abroad. Almost all parents and carers who responded to the survey are rightly confident that behaviour is good and that learning is not disrupted by bad behaviour, and all confirm that their children feel safe at school.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher is very well supported by staff in her uncompromising pursuit of excellence in all of the school’s activities. The successful drive to improve achievement for all pupils has ensured that all groups achieve exceptionally well. All leaders and managers, including members of the governing body, are highly ambitious for the Nursery and lead by example. Leaders and managers act promptly to address any areas of weakness identified. For example, in response to last year’s dip in attainment in reading, provision this year includes an increased emphasis on books, including the introduction of core books, parents reading in class, home language story telling, and the expansion of the library. These strategies, together with the introduction of the systematic teaching of phonic sounds, have had a significant impact on children’s current achievement in literacy, especially in reading.

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Leadership and management

Key leaders focus relentlessly on improving teaching and learning, resulting in teaching that is consistently outstanding. They share a determined commitment to tackle discrimination and promote equal opportunities, ensuring all children do as well as they can. Safeguarding procedures, including those to prevent discrimination and promote equality are well established and highly effective. The school’s curriculum provides highly positive, memorable experiences and rich opportunities for high quality learning. The Forest Schools project is especially powerful in engaging children so that they progress very well, especially in their personal and social skills that underpin successful learning in other areas. Leaders and managers accurately evaluate where improvements in provision are required, and they share this information with practitioners in the setting. However, these changes are not always made explicit in the school’s development planning process, resulting in some

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Leadership and management

minor inconsistencies in the effectiveness with which priorities for different cohorts of pupils are implemented. The school also has highly effective strategies for engaging 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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Leadership and management

with parents and carers, including fathers who might find working with the school difficult, to the very obvious benefit of pupils. Echoing the views of almost all parents who responded to the survey, one parent wrote, ‘Ethelred exemplifies everything that a parent could hope for in a nursery school. The staff are dedicated, talented, caring and professional. I think Ethelred is a beacon of excellence.’

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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 Ethelred Nursery School, London SE11 6UP

Thank you for your friendly welcome when I visited your school recently. I really enjoyed my visit and seeing you take part in so many different activities. This letter will tell you what I found out during my visit.

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Inspection of Ethelred Nursery School, London SE11 6UP

Ethelred Nursery is an outstanding school that gives you a an excellent start to your education. All the adults there work extremely hard to make sure that you are well cared for and that you have a wide variety of exciting things to do every day. As a result, all of you, including those who need additional help, are doing exceptionally well in all aspects of your learning. I know you enjoy coming to school because your behaviour is excellent, and you get on very well with each other. I saw how much you love learning both inside and outside, especially in the garden area. Your parents and carers are also very pleased with all that Ethelred has to offer.

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Inspection of Ethelred Nursery School, London SE11 6UP

Your headteacher, the staff and members of the governing body are always looking for ways to make your school even better. We have asked them to make it even clearer in their planning when they make adjustments to meet the needs of groups of you from time to time. You can help the school to carry on doing so well by regular attendance and by continuing to do your best.

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Inspection of Ethelred Nursery School, London SE11 6UP

Thank you again and best wishes for the future.

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Inspection of Ethelred Nursery School, London SE11 6UP

Angela Konarzewski 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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