Osborne Nursery School

Osborne Nursery School Station Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 6UB

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Children from all groups, including those who find learning easy and those who find it difficult, make good progress in all areas of learning.  The way children learn about their own heritage and the heritage and views of others is particularly strong.  Children behave well, because rules are clear and adults’ expectations are consistent.  Staff plan interesting and exciting activities and as a result, children enjoy school.  All staff take every opportunity to develop children’s language skills.  Staff know the children in their key groups well, and check each child’s ongoing progress carefully and accurately.  Parents are rightly confident that great care is taken to ensure the safety and well-being of all children.  Relationships and communications between staff are good, and all share high expectations of children’s progress and development.  Good systems to check the quality of

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

teaching and learning are supporting ongoing improvements.  Governors have a good understanding of their roles and carry them out conscientiously.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 the activities staff plan for children to choose from are not always demanding enough to encourage outstanding progress  not all adults are fully confident in consistently applying their new leadership roles and responsibilities.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in all parts of the school and observed seven sessions, the majority of which were shared observations with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with parents, staff, the headteacher, representatives of the governing body and a local authority officer.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents including the school improvement plan and records of children’s work.  The views of 19 parents were obtained and taken into consideration, some through the online Parent View questionnaire, as well as nine responses to staff questionnaires.

p.2

Inspection team

Sheelagh Barnes, Lead inspector Additional inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is smaller than average.  A higher proportion of children than nationally, around a third, speak English as an additional language.  Families whose children attend speak 27 different languages and many children are at early stages of learning English.  The proportion of disabled children and those who have special educational needs is broadly average. An average proportion of children are supported through school action and school action plus.  There are currently no children who are looked after, or have a statement of special educational needs.  Children no longer attend full time, but have either a morning or an afternoon session.  There have been changes within the local authority to the management of children’s centres, and the children’s centre with which the school shares a site is no longer solely managed by the school’s leaders but within a locality model.  There have also been significant staff changes since the previous inspection, including staff

p.3

Information about this school

leaving and a number of long-term absences through illness.  The headteacher, who is now registered blind, has recently had to take time off to undertake disability management training.  Children are all assigned a key worker, who is responsible for them and monitors their progress. Currently, at the start of the school year, there are three key worker groups and as numbers increase during the year, this will build to four.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that activities for children to choose from in free choice times have more demanding elements for those capable of making rapid progress.  Consolidate recent changes to the structure of leadership so that all staff and governors:  have a complete understanding of the responsibilities of all, and robustly hold leaders and other staff to account for all aspects of school performance  ensure that policies are rigorously put into practice at all times by all adults  focus relentlessly on the training needs of all staff, so that they are all confident to point out ways in which provision may be improved still further.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards have been effectively maintained since the previous inspection, when they were judged to be good. Children start nursery with standards which are below those expected for their age in all six aspects of learning for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Children from all groups, including those who speak English as an additional language, disabled children and those with special educational needs, and more-able children, make consistently good progress.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress in personal and social development is good because of the consistent messages given in words and actions by all staff.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 A high emphasis is placed on the development of language, including early reading and writing skills. As a result, children develop a suitably wide vocabulary and a love of books and stories.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Children’s physical development is supported well by regular opportunities to climb, balance and explore in the garden area.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Early mathematical skills are developed well because all staff take every opportunity to encourage children to count using songs and rhymes, and through activities such as taking the register at the start of each session.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 By the time children are ready to transfer to the next stage in their education, standards are broadly average.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is consistently good across all aspects of learning. As a result, children make good progress and achieve well.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 All staff use information from assessments well when planning for their key groups. This ensures that there is always work at the correct level of difficulty for each child during adult-led sessions.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is not outstanding because the activities planned for children to select for themselves during free-choice time are not always hard enough for those children who are already competent and potentially able to make rapid gains in their skills or learning.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 The promotion of children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. There is a strong emphasis on respecting the beliefs and celebrations of all community groups and as a result, children quickly gain a good understanding of the richness of the cultures in the area and in Britain today.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Activities such as ‘Forest school’ fire children’s imaginations. Memorable experiences such as observing the mini-beasts they discover with small hand magnifiers cause children to call out with delight. Some are more reluctant to hold the worms and spiders in their hands.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers demonstrate high expectations of the children.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Early reading and writing skills are taught well. Children have regular opportunities to see adults using these skills, and to practise them in a meaningful way, such as taking note of posters reminding them not to eat fruit or damage plants in the ‘Forest’ area.

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Children are generally keen to attend school and have positive attitudes to learning. Those who are new to the school are helped to settle quickly by caring and reassuring staff and the regularity of daily routines. Parents bring their children on time, and children are rarely absent unless they are ill.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is good indoors and out because all staff work in a consistent manner and have the same expectations. They demonstrate consideration and explain why certain things are important. As a result, children quickly learn what is expected of them and grow in confidence.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Children from a very wide range of backgrounds play and work together happily.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Children’s personal development is good. They treat each other well and are helpful in their responses to adults and other children alike because of the high expectations of staff. For example, they are aware of the risk of tripping caused by stray items scattered around on the floor and are careful to remove them.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents, staff and governors all have positive opinions of the children’s behaviour. There have been no racial incidents or bullying reported, and no children have been excluded.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents are pleased with the care the school takes to eliminate risks and ensure children’s well-being. They appreciate the practical steps taken, such as the provision of wet weather clothing for outdoor play in the woodland area.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The areas identified for improvement by the previous inspection have been tackled well. National changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage have been taken on board and implemented fully.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 School leaders and governors have managed the changes to systems, staffing and responsibilities well. The reduction in staff numbers caused by required reorganisation has been managed effectively so that there has been no dip in standards.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Good support from the local authority has enabled changes to be managed in a seamless manner. New roles have been undertaken. Changes to requirements have been dealt with promptly. However, systems and roles and responsibilities are not yet fully embedded in the daily running of the school as some staff are not yet fully confident to step in to improve provision organised by others.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders have high expectations and base their plans for improvement upon accurate and rigorous monitoring. Staff performance targets are based upon clear and well- understood procedures, and meet the needs of individuals and also whole-school requirements. The system is robust and supported by training so that the good standard of teaching and learning has been maintained.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Checks on how well each child is making progress are carefully analysed so that leaders can be sure that all children, including disabled children and those who have special educational needs, those who speak English as an additional language, and those who find learning hard or easy, all achieve equally well with no sign of discrimination.  The governance of the school:  is good; governors are well informed and confident to challenge the school leaders  they have an accurate view of how well the school is performing, which is effectively supplemented by regular visits and involvement with children  governors are aware of recent changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage and knowledgeable about the new different focus on areas of learning for young children  governors are suitably involved in shaping the strategic direction of school improvement  some governors are new, and the rearranged responsibilities with regard to the children’s

p.5

The leadership and management are good

centre have led to some new vacancies on the governing body.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 There is a strong emphasis within the activities and subject areas provided on ensuring that children learn to take care of others and respect different views. Festivals and celebrations of a range of different cultures and heritages are recognised.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are kept well informed and their views are taken into consideration. There are good links with the children’s centre with which the school shares a building, and with a wide range of other agencies.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 Children are taught how to stay safe. Staff training is regularly updated and this ensures that all health, safety and child protection requirements are fully met. Policies are put into practice effectively.

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. School details Unique reference number 103145 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 400590

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

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

p.8

Grade Judgement Description

Type of school Nursery School category Maintained Age range of pupils 3–4 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 60 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sharon Rowe Headteacher Nikki Shaw Date of previous school inspection 22 March 2010 Telephone number 0121 675 1123 Fax number 0121 675 6410 Email address head@osbornen.bham.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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.

p.8

Grade Judgement Description

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 and as part of the inspection.

p.9

Grade Judgement Description

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

p.9

Grade Judgement Description

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. 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,

p.9

Grade Judgement Description

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’.

p.9

Grade Judgement Description

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

p.9