Otley Street Community Nursery School

Otley Street Community Nursery School Inspection report

p.1

Age group 3–5 Inspection date(s) 08–09 November 2011 Inspection number 380198 Unique Reference Number 121269 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 380198 Inspection dates 8–9 November 2011 Reporting inspector Lesley Clark

p.1

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

p.1

School category

Age range of pupils 3–5 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 59 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Janet Booth Headteacher Patricia Lord Date of previous school inspection 15 January 2009 School address Otley Street Skipton BD23 1ET Telephone number 01756 793075 Fax number 01756 709502 Email address admin@otleystreet.n-yorks.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 C hildren 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 rates council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.1

School category

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.

p.2

School category

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

p.2

School category

You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

p.2

School category

To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'.

p.2

School category

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.2

Introduction

This inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. The inspectors visited seven lessons taught by three teachers. They held meetings with the Chair of the Governing Body and staff and talked informally with parents, carers and children. The inspectors observed the school's work and looked at a range of documentation including: children’s ‘learning journeys’ (assessments of children’s progress); the school improvement plan; the school’s monitoring of teaching and learning; and documentation relating to safeguarding. They analysed questionnaires returned from staff and 42 questionnaires from parents and carers.

p.3

Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

p.3

Introduction

 The range and impact of learning opportunities outdoors.  The extent to which staff use children’s ideas to develop large-scale, imaginative play activities.  The extent to which the monitoring of teaching and learning is an effective and shared process.  The quality, range and impact of the engagement of parents and carers on children’s learning and development.

p.3

Information about the school

Otley Street Nursery School is smaller than the average-sized nursery school. It serves a market town and outlying villages in the Yorkshire Dales. Almost all children are of White British heritage. A very small number of children have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children attend the Nursery part time on a flexible basis.

p.3

Information about the school

There have been significant staffing changes in the last two years. Two staff are on temporary contracts. The school holds the Eco Bronze award.

p.3

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

p.4

Main findings

Otley Street Nursery School gives children a good education. It has some outstanding elements. Children are exceptionally well cared for. They are given first- rate support and guidance. As a result, their behaviour is outstanding and their attendance is above average. Children have an excellent understanding of why it is important to live healthily. They play a highly valued part in the local community and have a strong voice in what goes on at their Nursery. For example, they take the lead in checking that lights and dripping taps are turned off and ensuring that recyclable materials go into the recycling bins. The Nursery’s engagement with parents and carers is excellent. Staff take every opportunity to listen to, engage with and respond to parents’ and carers’ views and requests. The result is a warm, family atmosphere where families feel welcomed, appreciated and respected.

p.4

Main findings

Children make good progress from broadly expected starting points for their age. This is because they are well taught. Staff meet children’s individual needs well. As a result, children are confident learners with good self-esteem who cope well with changes. The activities indoors tend to be more challenging and exciting than those outdoors. Although the Nursery has a wide range of outdoor learning resources, staff sometimes miss opportunities to use them to help children to explore and solve problems. Children’s learning varies in group sessions because these are a bit too long and not all children are fully involved.

p.4

Main findings

The Nursery is well led and managed. It is extremely well organised. This means that staff, parents, carers and children know exactly what is expected of them. Self- evaluation is absolutely accurate. The Nursery knows exactly what it needs to do next to improve further. Many aspects have improved since the last inspection. For example, the engagement with parents and carers, which was an area for development, is now a major strength. Good leadership has successfully managed many staffing changes without disruption to children’s’ learning or loss of parental confidence. These factors demonstrate the Nursery’s good capacity for sustained improvement.

p.4

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that outdoor learning is exciting and fully challenges all children by: - giving children further opportunities to explore and solve problems - reacting quickly to children’s ideas and using them as a basis for large- scale role play - using wheeled toys more creatively to enhance role play - making sure that a wide range of different materials is more readily available for children to use constructively and inventively.

p.4

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Keep groups sessions short and focused so that all children are suitably challenged and involved.

p.5

Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Children achieve well. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress because they are given a good balance of individual support and independence. There is no difference between the achievement of boys and girls or between different groups of children. All thoroughly enjoy their learning because there are so many interesting activities for them to choose from, especially indoors. They concentrate well and persevere with tasks such as flicking paint and scattering glitter on to black paper to create a firework display. Children move freely between the two indoor rooms and outside. Sometimes, their outdoor learning is less purposeful when they rely on adults to prompt and direct. This occurs when children do not have access to a wide range of different materials to foster their inventiveness. For example, children were busily engaged in constructing a building. They donned hard hats and used their tool kits to put plastic crates together.

p.5

Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

However, without ready access to additional resources such as paper, different covers, pegs or plastic bricks and wheeled transport, their interest waned. At other times, when staff follow and extend children’s imaginative ideas, such as when children invented a helicopter using cardboard and a tree, outdoor learning is exciting and challenging.

p.5

Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Children know the Nursery routines; they tidy up resources in no time at all because they are highly motivated. They are happy, confident, settled children who want to learn. Children make outstanding progress in their personal, social and emotional development and good progress in all other areas of learning. Their attainment is above the level expected for their age by the time they leave. Children behave sensibly and maturely. They prepare their own snacks, halving grapes and chopping peppers into tiny pieces. They are willing to try new foods such as sharon fruit. Children make conversation readily because staff encourage them to talk about what they are doing. More-able children are challenged well through discussion, as when they discussed whether bats ate fruit. Children know that ‘drinking milk makes our bones and teeth strong.’ They are curious about the world around them and enjoy the celebration of different festivals such as Eid.

p.5

Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

These are the grades for children’s outcomes

p.5

2

Pupils' attainment 2 The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2 The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

p.5

How effective is the provision?

Teaching quality is consistently good with some that is outstanding. Good features include: promoting talk and discussion through asking questions, giving children time to respond and using repetition to help them to speak clearly. Staff are good at extending children’s learning experiences through playing with them. In the best lessons, staff use time and imaginative resources extremely well to challenge all learners. On these occasions, children’s learning accelerates as they are gripped by ‘moon walking’, for example. Less effective features include over-long group sessions when too few children are actively involved or suitably challenged. These interrupt otherwise positive and active learning. Staff assess children’s learning effectively, charting their progress in ‘learning journeys.’ These are shared fully with parents and carers in regular ‘drop in’ sessions. Parental feedback shows how fully families are

p.6

How effective is the provision?

aware of their children’s progress as a result.

p.6

How effective is the provision?

The well-balanced curriculum helps children to develop early literacy, numeracy and computer skills well. There are considerable strengths in the extra-curricular provision. Often this involves parents and carers in activities. Excellent guidance as to how parents and carers can help their children to gain the most from these shared sessions further support children’s learning. Children’s outstanding contribution to the community through their Eco work reflects a highly effective, innovative aspect of the curriculum. Outdoor curricular provision is less consistent as staff tend to rely on putting out a pre-selected range of resources rather than reacting quickly to children’s ideas and using them as the starting point for large-scale role play. For example, children were enjoying riding round the road track and stopping at traffic lights. The play developed as they decided their vehicles needed petrol but

p.6

How effective is the provision?

opportunities were missed for them to set up a full-scale garage.

p.6

How effective is the provision?

A major strength is the outstanding level of care, support and guidance given to children. Staff and children have excellent relationships. This results in confident, sociable children who are curious and ask many questions. Children with special educational needs are very well supported and fully integrated into Nursery life. Excellent relationships with external agencies ensure early and timely intervention to help children to get the most out of their education. The arrangements for introducing children and their parents and carers to the Nursery are thorough and highly effective at helping children to settle in quickly and happily. Transition arrangements to primary schools are also very effective. These are the grades for the quality of provision

p.6

2

The use of assessment to support learning 2

p.7

How effective are leadership and management?

The leadership has considerable strengths in creating a strong staff team who are keen to improve their practice. The school improvement plan reflects the leadership’s effective ambition and drive to improve the school further. It accurately identifies what the Nursery needs to do next. The headteacher takes an encouraging and supportive approach to evaluating the quality of teaching, learning and provision. This is very effective in motivating and inspiring all staff. She has rightly identified that the next step is to involve staff in sharing and checking on agreed points for improvement so as to make teaching very effective at all times.

p.7

How effective are leadership and management?

The governing body is fully involved in evaluating the work of the Nursery and actively seeks the views of parents and carers. It offers good levels of support and challenge. The governing body has rigorous procedures to ensure the health, safety and well-being of staff and children. The thorough safeguarding procedures fully meet current government requirements. They are regularly reviewed and understood by all adults working with children. Staff are vigilant at keeping children safe in a very supportive and caring environment.

p.7

How effective are leadership and management?

The school promotes equal opportunities well and there are no forms of discrimination. As a result, children from different backgrounds get on well together. The school demonstrates its strong contribution to community cohesion through its local links, celebration of different cultures and festivals and its wide range of educational visits and visitors to the Nursery. Parents and carers are kept exceptionally well informed via letter, telephone, e-mail, text and the website. Regular ‘drop in’ sessions help parents and carers to feel fully included as partners in their children’s education.

p.7

How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for the leadership and management

p.7

2

The leadership and management of teaching and learning 2

p.7

Views of parents and carers

A large majority of parents and carers responded to the questionnaire. Their views were overwhelmingly positive. Most commented on how well their children settle and how much they love coming to Nursery. Parents and carers are especially pleased with the care the Nursery takes of their children and how happy their children are. A typical comment is ‘my child begs to be allowed to go to Nursery at the weekend.’ Inspection findings reflect these positive views.

p.8

questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Otley Street Community 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. The inspector received 42 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 59 pupils registered at the school.

p.9

Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 40 95 2 5 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 39 93 3 7 0 0 0 0 The school informs me about my child's progress 35 83 7 17 0 0 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 37 88 5 12 0 0 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 37 88 3 7 0 0 0 0 The school helps me to support my child's learning 34 81 8 19 0 0 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 34 81 8 19 0 0 0 0 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) 35 83 5 12 0 0 0 0

p.9

Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 38 90 4 10 0 0 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 29 69 12 29 0 0 0 0

p.9

Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 31 74 11 26 0 0 0 0

p.9

Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 37 88 4 10 0 0 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 40 95 2 5 0 0 0 0

p.9

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%.

p.9

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.

p.10

Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9 Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5 All schools 10 44 39 6

p.10

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.

p.10

Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above is for the period 1 September 2010 to 08 April 2011 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

p.10

Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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.

p.10

Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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.

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

p.11

Common terminology used by inspectors

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

p.11

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.

p.11

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.

p.11

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.

p.11

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.

p.11

Common terminology used by inspectors

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

p.11

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.

p.11

Inspection of Otley Street Community Nursery School, Skipton, BD23 1ET

Thank you for your very friendly welcome. I really enjoyed meeting so many of you and talking to you. You go to a good Nursery. You are happy and settled. You know what you like doing and you play very well with your friends. These things are outstanding. You behave extremely well. You know a lot about keeping healthy and doing things like picking up litter and recycling to help the wider community. Your Nursery staff take excellent care of you and your parents and carers come to lots of things too.

p.12

Inspection of Otley Street Community Nursery School, Skipton, BD23 1ET

This is what we have asked your teachers to do next.

p.12

Inspection of Otley Street Community Nursery School, Skipton, BD23 1ET

 Make outdoors just as exciting as indoors. Put out lots of different things so you can all build, explore and solve problems.  Make sure that they do not ask you to sit down for too long so you do not lose a moment of active learning time.  At the moment, your headteacher does a lot of checking to see that everything is working well. We have asked her to make sure that other adults join in too.

p.12

Inspection of Otley Street Community Nursery School, Skipton, BD23 1ET

You can all help by coming to Nursery with lots of ideas and asking adults to help you make them happen. I wish you all the very best.

p.12

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 .

p.13