Chelsea Open Air Nursery School

Chelsea Open Air Nursery and Children's Centre 51 Glebe Place, Chelsea, London, SW3 5JE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  The very creative way in which learning is planned for each child, within the extremely rich learning environment, ensures that all children make outstanding progress.  The result of outstanding impact shines through in the delight that the children display in each new discovery they make and the pride they have in every success.  The Head Learner’s inspirational leadership enthuses others, including the knowledgeable governing body, to have high aspirations for themselves and the children.  All staff are excellent role models. They are very knowledgeable and have extremely high expectations of themselves and the children.  Children thrive on the challenges that each new situation presents. They make secure links in their learning, are naturally inquisitive, seek out their own solutions and are confident to question.  Staff benefit from the excellent professional development they receive. They use it in a

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

highly effective way to broaden and improve their practice.  Behaviour is exemplary because a love of learning abounds and children are vitally interested in all they do.  This is a caring, happy community. Its rich diversity gives children an outstanding opportunity to learn how to show mutual respect and work and play in a harmonious way.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed children learning in focused groups and in activities led by adults and those children chose for themselves, for six and a half hours.  Two joint observations were carried out with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with the Chair of the Governing Body, the headteacher, senior leaders and staff. The inspector talked to children informally during the observation times. She had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector looked at a wide range of documentation including improvement plans and self- evaluation, as well as assessment data from the monitoring of children’s progress. Documents detailing the nursery school’s arrangements for safeguarding children were scrutinised.  The inspector took into account the 23 responses on Ofsted’s onlne questionnaire, Parent View, one letter from a parent or carer and nine questionnaires returned by staff.

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Inspection team

Barbara Atcheson, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is similar in size to other nursery schools.  One third of children are of White British heritage and the remainder come from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds.  A lower than average proportion of children is known to be eligible for the pupil premium.  The proportion of children who speak English as an additional language is broadly average. A few are at the early stages of learning English.  A lower than average proportion of children is supported through school action.  An average proportion of children is supported through school action plus.  There are currently three children with a statement of special educational needs.  There is a children’s centre on site which was not part of this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Use the government’s new standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five as a basis for keeping a check on the rate at which different groups make progress.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children enter the Nursery with levels of skills, knowledge and understanding that are below those typical for their age.  Children’s overall progress is exceptional across all areas of learning. Where the school has had a particular focus, for example in mathematical development last year, pupils’ progress has got even better.  Children are encouraged to explore, investigate, experiment and above all question. They quickly become confident learners, who are keen to rise to every challenge. Evidence from Parent View confirms that parents and carers are very happy with their children’s progress.  A good example of challenge was seen when a boy who needed four sticks for a model picked up five. The teacher encouraged him to count the sticks, but there was one left over. She did not intervene but watched as he wrestled with the problem of whether he needed the extra stick. He came to the correct conclusion in his own time. The pride he felt in his success was

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

evident in the broad grin which broke across his face.  Children not only gain a love of reading through listening to stories but they use and apply their new-found knowledge later on. For example, children sitting under a sukkah, listening to a story about the Jewish festival of Sukkot, remembered the story. Without any prompting they made links in their learning when listening to a story about harvest in England, later in the day.  A wealth of story bags in different languages and a collection of science boxes ensure that the good work that is carried out in school continues at home and includes parents and carers as important partners in learning. Early writing skills are practised when signing up for an activity and children’s speaking and listening skills are practised and honed in everything they do.  Pupils who are disabled and those who have special educational needs also make exceptional

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

progress. This is because of the high priority the school gives to meeting their needs. It ensures consistent and high-quality help from well-qualified staff whenever it is needed.  One-to-one help for those eligible for the pupil premium ensure any gaps in learning are closed effectively. Children who speak English as an additional language receive learning support that is extremely well matched to the level of their competence in English language and this gives them confidence in their learning.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers are very knowledgeable about the work of educationalists such as the school’s founder, Dr Susan Isaacs, and use it to enthuse children in their learning. Everyone from the ‘Head Learner’ to the youngest child is a learner.  Teachers make sure that children follow simple guidelines so that they make the most of their time at school. For example children are taught how to sit, how to listen and how to give full attention. As a result in story time, in ‘get together times’ and in focused activities children know what is expected. All adults are skilled in asking questions which make children think about their learning. They are also skilled in the more difficult art of knowing when to intervene and when to hold back so that children get the most learning from their activities.  Children are inspired and motivated within the safe, stimulating environment because they have the freedom to explore and push themselves to the limit. However, they also delight in learning

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

new skills such as how to throw and catch a ball or how to work together to float a large parachute and send ‘rocket bear’ up to the moon. Adults not only bring back the new expertise that they learn on courses, they build on it, adapt it and make it their own.  These positive attitudes towards learning, values and behaviour permeate the school and ensure that all children become confident, inquisitive, independent learners.  Teachers are acutely aware of children’s individual capabilities and plan carefully, reflecting on the progress that children make and readjusting plans to help them make the maximum amount of progress. All staff aspire to be experts in their field. Nursery officers and teaching assistants are highly skilled in knowing how and when to support all children but particularly those with special educational needs or at a very early stage of learning English.  Work in small groups helps these children to make fast progress because learning is tailored to

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

meet their particular needs, for example, learning how to take turns and begin to communicate effectively.  Language and early reading skills are developed skilfully. Children quickly learn to love books through the stories that they listen to. All staff encourage children to understand that books and text are read from left to right. Adults encourage reading by pointing automatically to the words as they read. Teachers also link sounds with letters whenever the opportunity arises.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Even though the children have not been at the Nursery for very long, their behaviour is exemplary. As soon as they step over the threshold they quickly seek out something which entices them as if drawn by a magnet. The atmosphere is quiet because they become immersed so quickly in activities such as experimenting with water or sliding along the tree trunk.  Children concentrate extremely well and stay very focused on their learning. They talk to adults confidently and freely about what they have found out. Strong relationships help children to feel secure enough to play and learn alongside and with others and are happy to make choices.  All adults encourage children to ask questions and become independent learners. Children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own well-being and know to say ‘Stop it, I don’t like it, because...’ As a result children quickly learn to respect each other.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children feel very safe in the Nursery. They are confident to take risks in the outdoor area, but listen carefully and respond to adults when they feel children are entering an activity that is potentially dangerous.  The school’s anti-bullying week uses stories and traditional tales as a focus for role models and discussion, and children feel confident to discuss any concerns with their key worker. Any cause for concern is discussed and meetings are planned to ensure that the children’s needs are being met.  Although children of this age often succumb to childhood illnesses, attendance is high because children love coming to school. A very large majority of those parents and carers who responded to Parent View agree that children are safe and well behaved.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher leads a skilled team of highly committed staff. They share her passion to maintain the trend of continuous improvement, which has been judged outstanding by two previous inspection reports. They ensure that self-evaluation is accurate, and monitoring and evaluation systems and procedures are rigorous. All staff execute their responsibilities in a highly effective way and continuously evaluate and discuss priorities.  Information about how well children are doing is used very effectively to monitor the school’s performance and adapt aspects of its work to ensure that progress is excellent for all children. However, the way in which the school keeps a check on the progress of different groups of children has yet to be updated in line with the government’s new standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five.  Robust performance management, and focused staff development, especially for newly qualified

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The leadership and management are outstanding

staff, have sustained the outstanding teaching found in the previous two inspections. All staff are keen to refine their practice and seek out even more effective ways to meet children’s needs. The local authority provides useful opportunities for professional development in the course of its light-touch support for this outstanding school.  Professional development courses are devised to meet the needs of individual teachers and also the needs of the school as a whole. Coaching and modelling are used very successfully to raise the skills of newly qualified staff.  The creative, rich curriculum makes an outstanding contribution to the excellent achievement of all children. The excellent opportunities that are planned for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development ensure that all in the school respect each other and get on exceptionally well.  The governance of the school:  has a secure knowledge and understanding of the nursery school’s strengths and weaknesses

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The leadership and management are outstanding

and uses this effectively to ensure that a high level of provision is maintained  offers a high level of support and also acts as a critical friend particularly in relation to ensuring that the school always gives outstanding value for money  ensures that the performance management system, including the performance management of the headteacher, improves the quality of teaching and leadership  ensures that statutory duties are met and that financial resources, including the pupil premium, are managed effectively.

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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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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.

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School details

Unique reference number 100474 Local authority Kensington and Chelsea Inspection number 400416

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Nursery School category Community Age range of pupils 3–5 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 59 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Maria Elena Arana Headteacher Kathryn Solly Date of previous school inspection 18–19 November 2009 Telephone number 0207 3528374 Fax number 0273 768350 Email address kathryn.solly@coans.rbkc.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 .

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School details

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.

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School details

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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School details

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, please

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School details

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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School details

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

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