Rosemary Nursery School and Children's Centre

Rosemary Early Years Centre Haviland House, Great Anne Street, Bristol, BS2 0DT

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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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Parents and carers say that Rosemary is ‘a very beautiful school’ and ’an oasis of care’ where children are valued, kept very safe and are taught to be respectful and considerate of others. They paint an accurate picture of the wonderfully supportive relationships between staff, children, and parents and carers that strongly promote the children’s well-being and excellent progress.  Children behave extremely well and greatly enjoy coming to school.  The headteacher sets high expectations and is an inspirational leader. Staff and members of the governing body give strong support and constantly strive to improve their skills to join in her unwavering commitment to continuing improvement.  The school’s continuing and successful improvement since the previous inspection is also rooted in excellent checking of its performance.  Teaching is outstanding because all staff work together as a highly effective team and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

are extremely diligent in getting to know the children and their families.  Staff skilfully adapt their approaches so that the children’s and their families’ needs are supported as successfully as possible.  Staff strongly emphasise outdoor physical activity and building children’s self-esteem and ability to speak English.  As a result, children of all abilities joyfully communicate, mix and learn with each other and achieve exceptionally well. This includes children who speak English as an additional language who start with little or no English, disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those who receive additional funding.  Staff are very aware and respectful of the wide range of cultural heritages and experiences evident in the community that they serve. They carefully draw on this diversity to strongly promote the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector completed 18 observations of teaching and was accompanied by the headteacher during most of these observations.  The inspector observed the full breadth of the school’s indoor and outdoor activities including an off-site visit to Leigh Woods.  The inspector talked with many of the children. The inspector met with the Chair of the Governing Body, and held a telephone conversation and also met with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector held meetings with school staff, including senior leaders, and also took note of 17 staff questionnaires.  There were insufficient responses to the online Parent View survey for the inspector to use this to gauge parents’ and carers’ views. However, the inspector considered an analysis of the school’s own survey of parents’ and carers’ views, and spoke informally with a number of parents and carers as they brought their children to school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed the school’s work, and looked at a number of documents, including teachers’ planning, the school’s own data on children’s progress, leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Alex Baxter, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is one of the smaller nursery schools in the Bristol area.  Most of the children are from minority ethnic backgrounds.  A well-above average number of children speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled children and those with special educational needs supported through school action is above the national average. The proportion supported at school action plus or by a statement of special educational needs is also above average.  Children of Nursery age are not eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and the children of service families).  Additional funding and extra adult support are provided for an above-average proportion of children whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.  Most children attend on a part-time basis, either during the morning or afternoon sessions.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further enhance children’s independence by more consistently emphasising the development of the children’s skills and responsibility for setting out equipment and putting it away after use.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children start the Nursery with levels of skills that are significantly below those normally expected for children of this age, especially in physical and communication skills, and in social and emotional development.  All staff place a very strong emphasis on outdoor play and building children’s self-confidence and English speaking skills. As a result, children learn and play extremely well together, make rapid progress and leave the nursery with skills that are at least expected for their age.  Frequent outdoor, practical learning activities at the nursery, regular trips to the forest school at Leigh Woods, and the consistent focus on improving children’ speech and language skills greatly stimulate children’s interest and underpin their excellent engagement in learning. For example, school checks of children’s progress show that on average children make 20 months’ progress in their physical development in eight months in the nursery.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 School records also show that over 80% of the children who entered speaking no English achieve normally expected levels of skills when they leave, again reflecting excellent achievement.  The staff are diligent in sustaining equal opportunity. This is clearly evident in the equally outstanding progress made by all groups of children, including disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language.  Parents and carers are particularly aware and appreciative of the children’s rapid progress in learning to read and are eager to respond to staff guidance about how they can help their children learn at home.  Children join in excitedly during their group-time sessions when each child is included and learns alongside other children with their key person (an adult who retains a responsibility for a particular group of children). Children readily recite their favourite nursery rhymes and songs,

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

and during the inspection were often seen sharing books with each other and repeating familiar words and phrases with adults. Children eagerly await their turn to take books home.  Children also make excellent progress in developing their mathematical skills, again joining in with number rhymes and readily counting portions when helping to cut fruit at snack time.  The joyful way that children engage in learning at the beginning of the school day, and their eagerness at the end of school to tell parents and carers about what they have learned, show the very positive attitudes to learning that prepare children so well for the future.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 All parents and carers who spoke with the inspector could not praise the teachers enough for what they do for their children.  All staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of how young children learn. They work hard to really get to know the children so that they can offer support at just the right time. For example, when hunting for soft toy animals in the well-equipped outdoor area, staff take careful note and hold back when children are talking productively together so they can continue learning for themselves.  Adults, especially skilled bilingual staff, are equally decisive in stepping in to support children, such as during sand and water play, by modelling speech and, when children’s confidence is raised, with questioning to move learning forward.  Staff meet together very regularly to provide an optimum balance of activities planned and led by adults and those chosen by the children themselves. Staff also make sure that disabled

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

children, those with special educational needs, children at an early stage of speaking English and others in need of additional support receive close individual support.  This is especially effective during group work and during snack time, when adults take every opportunity to promote children’s self-confidence by praising and developing their willingness to share with each other, encourage their understanding of number by counting oranges and strongly promote good hygiene habits.  Most staff present consistently high expectations of children and encourage them to take responsibilities relevant to their stages of development, including washing up equipment after use. Children love being the 'special helper'. Occasionally, opportunities are missed to further develop children's independence, for instance by expecting them to put away resources when they move from one experience to another and not just at the end of session 'sorting time’.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Staff are extremely skilled in making sure that children have fun learning through practical and physical activity. Regular minibus trips to forest school provide excitement and are very relevant in widening children’s experiences. Stimulating talk between adults and children on the minibus journey begins the very lively learning which continues into the woods.  Children joyfully paddle in mud, and are fascinated and stimulated by this very contrasting location. When crawling under the branches, one little boy shouts out, ‘Be careful’, when spotting a fungus, and is immediately praised by the teacher, who explains why to other children.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children feel very safe and know that caring staff ‘are always there to help and look after us’.  The children’s outstanding behaviour, and especially their growth in self-confidence, are particularly seen in children’s rapidly increasing ability to joyfully learn with and from each other across a stimulating range of practical activities.  No evidence of bullying or racist incidents was seen during the inspection and school records show that none has needed to be recorded.  The children’s very kindly relationships, and particularly good manners and politeness, were all praised by the parents and carers who spoke with the inspector. Children also show good awareness of how to keep safe, for example climbing very carefully over the stimulating adventure equipment in the school’s ‘secret garden’ outdoor area.  Children greatly enjoy school, show interest in their work and throw themselves enthusiastically

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

into all activities. They cry out with excitement in the forest school as they leave the ‘crocodile log’ and climb through the wall into ‘the secret valley’.  They sing with joy when staff read favourite story books, experiencing ‘Walking through the Jungle’ and bringing the story to life with clapping, body movements and role play with model animals.  Similarly, after a particularly successful ‘group-time’, the children beamed with pride as the teacher rewarded each of them in turn with comments such as, ‘fantastic talking, brilliant listening and well done for sitting so well’.  The confident way that children regularly attend school, and so warmly approach adults and talk to staff openly about their feelings, clearly demonstrate their trust and sense of safety at the school.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Exemplary leadership is underpinned by the headteacher’s sharp knowledge of her school. The headteacher, senior staff and members of the governing body have an outstanding vision for developing the school and have done much to establish its fine reputation. This includes a determination to go ‘the extra mile’ in consulting with outside specialists to support families at times of greatest need.  The staff’s high morale shows that they feel part of a friendly, highly effective team committed to improving the life chances of all the children and their families.  The quality of self-evaluation is excellent and ensures that specific priorities for improvement, like enhancing children’s outdoor and practical learning opportunities, accelerate their physical, social and language development.  All staff work very closely with families. Parent consultation meetings with staff play a key role in helping parents and carers to continue children’s learning at home, raising children’s confidence

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The leadership and management are outstanding

and enjoyment of school and supporting families at times of need.  The performance of teachers and other staff is checked very rigorously and staff respond very positively to opportunities to further develop their skills. The headteacher uses information from observations of teaching to make sure that staff pay and awards for increased responsibility contribute to expected improvements in children’s achievements.  Efficient financial management, and the staff’s determination to treat children equally and eliminate discrimination, ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve equally successfully.  Staff are fully checked, implement agreed procedures, and consult with specialist agencies and parents and carers to securely safeguard children’s welfare.  Developing children’s sense of community and utilising the cultural diversity of children’s backgrounds lie at the heart of the rich breadth of learning activities provided at the school. For

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The leadership and management are outstanding

example, forest school, faith festivals and family events promote the children’s spiritual, moral and social development extremely well.  The local authority provides light-touch support, encourages close cooperation with other schools and remains ready to respond whenever this highly successful school seeks its assistance.  The governance of the school:  The governing body receives detailed evaluations of the specific steps taken to improve the quality of teaching and children’s learning. As a result, they know well that children’s progress compares very favourably with similar schools and additionally that all groups of children increase their language, social and physical skills at a particularly rapid pace. Governors also make frequent visits to the school to talk to staff and parents and carers, and to check for themselves how well children are doing. As a result, governors are very well placed to ask

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The leadership and management are outstanding

searching questions and make sure that spending decisions have a positive impact on children’s progress. This enables governors to support staff training and recruitment, and ensure that staff performance management and pay links well with school priorities, for example, to extend outdoor learning facilities. Governors have authorised the use of additional funding to provide further visits to the forest school, rightly identified as a highly beneficial experience in enriching the well-being of children. Governors also engage fully in training, such as in child protection procedures, to make sure that children are kept safe.

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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 108898 Local authority Bristol City Inspection number 401023

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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 2–4 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 102 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tina Austin Headteacher Toni Glazzard Date of previous school inspection 28–29 April 2010 Telephone number 01179031467 Fax number 0117 903 1468 Email address rosemary.n@bristol.gov.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

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