Reedley Hallows Nursery School

School report Reedley Hallows Nursery School and Children’s Centre Burnley Campus, Burnley, Lancashire, BB10 1JD

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Children are happy, settled and confident. Not only do they make excellent progress in their learning, but they also develop their independence by being encouraged to think and do things for themselves.  They love reading and demonstrate their enthusiasm by singing nursery rhymes, playing musical instruments and dancing in rhythm to the words of stories and poems.  Children are unfailingly polite and welcoming. They want to share information about what they are learning whether it be writing their names or explaining how to take away one number from another.  The school has improved since its last inspection because small weaknesses in teaching have been tackled through professional training and by the challenge and support of senior leaders.  The quality of teaching is inspiring and clearly focused on making sure that children achieve their potential. Teachers and key workers

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

create extremely colourful and vibrant surroundings; numerous tantalising activities tempt children to take part in challenging and always enjoyable activities.  Parents believe, and the inspector agrees, that the school cares for their children very well and all said that they would recommend it. Parent workshops are well-attended and, as one parent said, ’I used different voices to read to my children and they loved it.’  Exceptionally focused leaders and governors are determined that each child will receive exemplary care and make rapid strides in their learning. Leaders are working on further development of children’s learning outdoors to encourage children’s language development and independence further.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out with half a day’s notice and took place over two days.  The inspector observed seven lessons and all teachers and key workers were observed. Six were joint observations with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with senior leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body, a parent governor, school staff, children and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector observed children’s behaviour and examined the school’s safeguarding procedures.  The inspector took account of 11 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View). The questionnaires completed by six staff were taken into account.  The inspector observed the work of the school and looked at documentation including school evaluations of its effectiveness, tracking records of children’s progress, children’s work, governing body records of meetings and performance management documents.

p.2

Inspection team

Marie Cordey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This average-sized nursery is set on a campus including a café, a public library, a faith centre, a primary school, a special school and a sixth-form college. It is also part of a Children’s Centre.  Most children attend for five part-time sessions each week.  The proportion of children known to be eligible for free school meals is high.  No children are known to be eligible for the pupil premium because they are not of statutory age to receive it.  The proportion of children who need extra help (either at early years action, early years action plus or who are undergoing assessment for a statement of educational need) is high.  Most children are from ethnic minority backgrounds and are learning to speak English as an additional language. A small number of children are from White British backgrounds.  This school offers early education for children aged two years and also provides a children’s

p.3

Information about this school

centre. These are subject to separate inspection arrangements.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise children’s language skills and independence further by: - providing even more activities outdoors to encourage children to speak and explore their interests further.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Most children join the nursery with a wide range of skills and understanding but many are below what is expected for their age, especially in their communication, social and mathematical development. Children make outstanding progress in all areas of learning by the time they leave the nursery. Most children reach levels that are typical for their age and a significant number exceed expectations for their age. Children’s achievement has improved since the previous inspection.  Disabled children and those with special educational needs also make exceptional progress. Support from key workers is precisely matched to their individual requirements but is also designed to be the responsibility of all staff. Children thrive in the care and precise support they receive from all adults. Children who are known to be eligible for free school meals make outstanding progress. They benefit from the outstanding quality of teaching.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children who are learning English as an additional language revel in the wonderful opportunities to listen, absorb and speak, helped by multilingual key workers. Staff read nursery rhymes, stories and poems so well that all children are eager to begin reading themselves. They are encouraged to talk about books and pick their favourites. Excellent opportunities to develop children’s enthusiasm include planting beans to grow a beanstalk, recording singing of nursery rhymes based on numbers and baking cakes.  Children are taught what sound each letter represents and how to count, add up and take away numbers. Because reading, writing and number are linked to their everyday lives, children learn new skills quickly. They measure out liquids for cooking, write shopping lists, make necklaces from letters and use the computer to make greeting cards, for example. Children practise and learn basic skills in the rich activities available no matter how unlikely that seems. For instance,

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

children walked to the ‘woodland area’ and mapped their route by following photographs of landmarks along the way that they had previously photographed. Stimulated by a story about ‘What Happens Next’ children wrote and talked about taking a rocket to the moon and finding unusual things happening and painting and writing about dragons and their powers.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 A significant strength of the outstanding teaching is how staff develop children’s confidence by encouraging children to ‘have a go’ and find out things for themselves. This is because they have the highest expectations of children’s capabilities. Children beginning to learn English as an additional language, disabled children and those with special educational needs are challenged and supported to achieve their best by knowledgeable staff.  Questioning is used carefully to check how well children understand but also to allow time for children to try to work things out for themselves. This allows children to develop life-long skills for learning and especially for more-able children to reflect and think.  Staff work very well as a team because they share planning and make sure that each child is known to them all. Activities vary considerably from day to day because they are planned to match children’s interests and capabilities. Learning about Chinese New Year lasted longer than

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

anticipated because children were enthralled by dragons and Chinese cuisine and culture. This also develops children’s knowledge and appreciation of people with traditions and backgrounds different from their own. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding.  Staff carefully and regularly track children’s progress in all areas of learning. They keep thorough records of what children can do as well as what they might do to become more skilled and knowledgeable. Records of children’s achievement and ‘Big Books’ demonstrate children’s learning very plainly. Children also record their progress very efficiently. It is just as likely that children will be photographing, video-recording and talking about learning as staff, for instance.  Children look forward to taking part in the many activities both indoors and out because there are so many things they look forward to doing. There is a sense of purpose among children who

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

eagerly and sensibly read, write, count and play. There are not quite as many activities for children to take part in outdoors and this reduces their chances to develop their speaking skills further and do things for themselves.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children enjoy their time in the nursery because they are made to feel very welcome and because they make lots of new friends. They help each other out and are taught to share. When they are going outside and wearing their backpacks they unpack equipment from them for each other. Children look after each other because they are looked after well themselves. When a teacher commented ‘I like how you said thank you’ all children then made sure they thanked each other and staff.  Children enjoy coming to school and their attendance and punctuality are good. Bullying of any sort is almost unheard of. Children are treated equally, regardless of ability, gender or background and good relationships are fostered.  Clear systems of behaviour are expressed to children in a way that makes sense to them. They begin to realise how individual people might be affected by the actions of others. Almost all children readily share equipment and take turns. They understand about keeping safe because it

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

is explained to them sensitively. At the same time, children are not unrealistically fearful so they happily turn over logs to look for insects and race round the vehicle track in the outdoor area.  Children are used to meeting lots of different people because they use the public library on the campus as well as the dance studio and theatre at the sixth-form college. Children visibly aim to be like the older students and concentrate hard on their role play, dancing and physical exercises. They are confident enough to talk enthusiastically to visitors and take pride in explaining what they have been doing. This extended to children baking cakes and making a thank you card for the inspector, for instance.  Children learn to put aprons on for painting or playing in water and to put coats and wellingtons on if it is cold or raining. When using scissors children are careful to keep the points away from

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

other people. They soon learn to do things for themselves because staff encourage them to persevere.  Children gain in confidence and self-esteem because they know that they are appreciated and that the world is open to them to make their mark.

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

 This school is very clear about what to do in order to make a significant difference to children’s personal and academic development because of exceptionally knowledgeable and ambitious leadership. Parents believe rightly that leaders are making a difference to their children’s lives.  Leadership and management are exceptionally effective because the headteacher is an excellent role model, setting high expectations for each child’s development. The deputy headteacher and all staff follow this lead and share a continual drive for further improvements. Staff questionnaires were overwhelmingly positive and include comments about the success of team work and of ’making sure that every child achieves their best’. Performance management targets are directly linked to the quality and effectiveness of teaching and these are rigorously evaluated by the headteacher and the governing body.  Children’s progress is tracked thoroughly and regularly to make sure that every child is reaching

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

their potential. If this is not the case actions are taken very quickly to remedy this. All children achieve equally well.  The local authority provides ‘light touch’ but nevertheless, very effective support to check that the school is providing a good education for its children.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is extremely knowledgeable about the school’s effectiveness. Parent governors take their roles seriously and encourage many parents to become more involved in helping their children at home. Governors make sure that the school is a very safe place and have received appropriate up-to-date training. They continually ask key questions about how well the school is doing and are astute in using finances to help provide resources for children to learn and develop. The training needs of staff are considered very carefully and linked closely to how best they will benefit children. The governing body continuously works closely

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

with leaders to improve the quality of teaching.

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 is

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 133060 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 402562

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Nursery School category Maintained Age range of pupils 3–4 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 120 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jill Myat Headteacher Brenda Hargreaves Date of previous school inspection 24 November 2009 Telephone number 01282 682285 Fax number 01282 682287 Email address head@reedleyhallows.lancs.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

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9