Moss Hall Nursery School

Moss Hall Nursery School 189 Nether Street, Barnet, London, N3 1NR

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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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This is an outstanding school

 The school’s promotion of equality and diversity is excellent. Staff make sure that there is absolutely no discrimination between groups so that all children have the same excellent opportunities to flourish individually and achieve exceptionally well.  The development of children’s spiritual, moral and social skills is exceptionally good because this is given a high priority by the school. Their cultural awareness is excellent with parents and carers willingly playing a vital role in helping the school to offer a particularly wide range of rich experiences. As a result, children are extremely considerate of each other, valuing and celebrating each other’s differences, and behaviour is exemplary.  Children make rapid gains and achieve extremely well in all aspects of their development. The school uses information about children’s skills and understanding particularly well to ensure that every individual’s learning needs are met and all

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This is an outstanding school

children fulfil their potential.  Support for children new to learning English, as well as that for disabled children and those who have special educational needs, is excellent and allows these children to make the same outstanding progress as their peers.  Teaching is outstanding. Staff are highly skilled at extending children’s learning, using extremely effective questioning and discussion as they play. Staff plan exciting, challenging experiences that reflect children’s interests particularly well. As a result, children are terrifically keen to talk about what they are doing.  Parents and carers praise the dedication of all the staff. Typical comments used to describe the nursery include ‘utterly amazing’, ‘really nurturing’ and a ‘wonderful place’ for children. As one parent or carer explained, ‘He can’t wait to come home and say what he’s been doing.’  The outstanding leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher has created an

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This is an outstanding school

approach based on constantly striving to reflect on best practice and still look for ways to improve teaching and children’s achievement. Parents, carers, staff, governors and the local authority all acknowledge the high-quality leadership, using phrases such as ‘inspirational’ and ‘enthusiastic’. Maintaining this level of effectiveness as the nursery goes forward from the inspection is the key priority for the leaders, staff and governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector made over 23 observations of children working both independently and on adult- led activities, observing teachers, nursery nurses, early years practitioners and other staff. She was accompanied by the headteacher or deputy headteacher for over three quarters of these. The inspector also visited the breakfast and tea-time clubs as well as observing lunchtime for a group of children.  Meetings were held with staff, school leaders, five members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector took account of the 41 responses to the online Parent View survey as well as analysing previous parental surveys. In addition she talked to a similar number of parents and carers informally as they dropped off or collected their children throughout the inspection. Questionnaires from 16 staff and leaders were also considered.  She observed the school’s work and looked at examples of the children's work. The inspector

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Information about this inspection

also scrutinised documentation, including policies relating to safeguarding, information on children’s progress, the checks carried out on staff performance and the school’s development planning.

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Inspection team

Jacqueline Marshall, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-then-average-sized nursery school. Its facilities include the nursery and extended day care for children from three to five years old.  The majority of children are from a wide range of minority ethnic heritages. Approximately two thirds of the children speak English as an additional language, with 32 different home languages spoken. When they join the nursery most are at the early stages of learning English.  The proportion of disabled children and those with special educational needs, supported at early years action, is below average.  The proportion supported through early years action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average this year.  No children are entitled to support through the pupil premium (additional government funding for those entitled to free school meals, in local authority care or from forces families) because of their age.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure all leaders, including governors, work to maintain the current robust systems and overall effectiveness of all aspects of the nursery.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children from all backgrounds and of all abilities achieve exceptionally well in their personal, social and emotional development as well as academically. Consequently, almost all achieve age- related expectations by the time they leave, and a larger-than-average proportion exceeds these expectations.  Children have a wide range of skills and knowledge when they join the nursery. Starting points are typically below those usually found nationally, especially in their personal, social and emotional and physical development. Their achievement demonstrates the substantial gains they make while in the nursery and as a result they close the gap between their attainment and that typical of other children nationally.  Information on children’s progress is used extremely effectively by leaders to make sure that irrespective of their starting points, all children, including groups such as those who would be

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

eligible for free school meals, make outstanding progress in all areas of learning. For example, progress in acquiring mathematical skills had previously been a weaker area of understanding for some boys. Following a highly successful focus on promoting numeracy in all areas of learning, children made particularly good gains in their mathematical skills over the past two years. As a result, there is no difference between the achievement of boys and girls.  All children, including those from minority ethnic groups, those at an early stage of learning English, disabled children and those with special educational needs, make outstanding gains in literacy. Staff focus on developing speaking and listening skills as a high priority and make sure children make excellent gains in their literacy skills.  Stories, books and reading are all promoted extremely well by adults and as a result progress in reading is especially strong. During a highly successful story time, a group of more-able readers

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

took turns to read a book with the teacher, a second group were able to recognize the similarities between a traditional tale and a modern version (The Three Little Fish), while a third group used puppets to retell the familiar Three Little Pigs story and develop their vocabulary.  Children are encouraged to make the link between the spoken and written word. They understand that all the different languages they speak can be used to write a label or tell a story. For example, parents and carers regularly volunteer to read stories in their home language. During the inspection one parent very successfully read in Farsi to a group of engrossed children while a member of staff translated into English.  The skills of linking sounds and letters (phonics) are quickly developed and children use these to recognise and write their own names. While all enjoy a wide range of mark-making activities, some are beginning to use their phonic skills to attempt to spell unfamiliar words. For example,

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

one boy decided to make his own class register and after writing his own name used the key sounds to spell out his friends’ names.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Adults have an excellent understanding of how young children learn. They are particularly adept at challenging children to try new things, work together, take responsibility for their own learning and develop independence. These are key factors in children’s extremely positive attitudes towards learning.  Children's learning is moved forward extremely well as adults actively play alongside children to model activities and engage their interest, providing encouragement or posing open questions. This stretches the learning even further and gets children thinking more deeply.  Adults build up an extremely close relationship with children and their families. Parents and carers appreciate the regular opportunities to share details about children’s progress. Families of disabled children and those with special educational needs speak highly of the efforts of the staff. This success is because staff are acutely aware of each child’s learning and personal

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

development needs and tailor focused sessions and experiences extremely effectively in response to these.  Staff use information they gather on progress exceptionally well to inform long-term planning, as well as to plan activities and experiences for the next day. This allows staff to build on children’s own interests and abilities to maximise learning opportunities. Children respond with remarkable concentration and perseverance and are really keen to explore and investigate all that is on offer.  Every part of the building and outside area is used imaginatively to provide new experiences, giving outstanding learning opportunities. For example, as part of the construction week during the inspection children built castles, built homes for the three pigs, looked at buildings from around the world and created homes for creatures in the garden. These, they had decided, should have leaves and twigs on them to make them fit in to their surroundings. The next day

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

an adult very effectively discussed with a group which insects might choose to live in the ‘homes’. A girl spotted one of the ‘homes’ hung from a branch and decided it would need to be a creature that could fly ‘like a bee’; ‘or a ladybird’, her friend agreed.  Meals, whether breakfast or tea club, lunch or snack time, provide an excellent opportunity to develop children’s independence and social skills as well as being another chance for adults to extend children’s speaking. Children help pour drinks for each other, serve themselves, chop and peel fruit and vegetables and tidy away once they have eaten.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Whether working with an adult or playing independently, in the nursery or during the extended day sessions, children’s behaviour is exemplary. Regardless of age, gender or ethnicity they show considerable support for one another.  Children’s personal development is excellent as a result of the strong focus on developing their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. This is demonstrated well through their keenness in helping to look after the classrooms and garden as they tidy up daily, or to care for the fish and guinea pigs.  Children’s understanding of how to stay safe is excellent. Negotiating the stairs, enjoying a bonfire, using the woodworking bench or the scramble net are all daily safe experiences for the children because they have been shown how to do them safely and they know adults are there to help if they need them. Events such as ‘Walk to School Week’, together with one-to-one

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

sessions on learning about a safe place to cross a road, promote road safety well.  Staff deal promptly with instances of unwanted or unkind behaviour, teaching children how to empathise with others and to resolve conflicts amicably.  Strong links with families mean that children develop very trusting relationships with staff. In addition, parents and carers respond positively to the school’s drive to ensure that children attend regularly and arrive punctually. They overwhelmingly agree that their children are safe and really enjoy coming to school.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The outstanding headteacher, supported exceptionally well by the deputy headteacher, has driven forwards the improvements seen in teaching and progress since the last inspection. They share a very clear vision of how the school can build on its success and high standing in the community and local authority. Along with the governing body they are determined to make sure that this continues.  The headteacher has fostered a very positive atmosphere where all staff willingly rise to the challenges that are asked of them. Typical comments from staff included, ‘The team spirit, commitment and passion for the job make this an amazing place to work.’ Consequently, leaders are able to focus rigorously on continually improving the quality of teaching, setting improvement targets for teachers’ performance and providing many opportunities for staff training.  Thorough reviews on the school’s effectiveness provide leaders with information about any areas

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The leadership and management are outstanding

of the school’s work that might be further developed and they take action swiftly. Following the previous inspection, the local authority gave the school valuable support and expertise to refine its use of information on children’s progress. As a result, this information is now used extremely well to check on the progress of individuals and groups, ensuring all make exceptional progress.  Within the local authority the school is held in high regard and used to disseminate best practice. The school has very strong links with other schools, which enable staff to share resources and to learn from others. Leaders and staff work extremely closely with a wide range of services and professionals to ensure that children’s needs as learners can be met, both within and beyond school.  The governance of the school:  Governors are fully involved in checking the progress the school makes in addressing its priorities for development. They have a very clear understanding of the strengths and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

weakness in teaching, how the management of staff performance is used to improve outcomes for children and that promotion and pay are related closely to teachers’ effectiveness. Governors know funding and resources are allocated to support particular children. They know what the money is spent on, and how effective it is in ensuring the impressive progress of the children involved. They provide very good challenge to the school’s leaders and hold the headteacher to account effectively for the school’s performance. Safeguarding checks are rigorous and governors take considerable care to ensure government requirements are met and the nursery and extended day care are safe places to work and learn.

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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 101253 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 400468

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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 152 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Brian Salinger Headteacher Perina Holness Date of previous school inspection 16–17 September 2009 Telephone number 020 84452518 Email address office@mosshallnursery.barnet.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

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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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