Gamesley Early Excellence Centre

Gamesley Early Excellence Centre Winster Mews, Gamesley, Glossop, SK13 0LU

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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.  Exceptional leadership from the headteacher, along with her experienced staff and governing body, has enabled the centre to continue to provide the outstanding education identified in the previous inspection.  Teamwork is strong and all staff and governors are determined that the children receive the best possible start to school life.  Children make outstanding progress in all areas. Their individual needs and abilities are expertly catered for.  By the time they leave, attainment, for the majority, is higher than that expected for their ages. Few children do not reach the expected levels.  Behaviour is outstanding. Children quickly learn to be cooperative, considerate and respectful towards each other.  Children develop strong relationships with each other and the adults who help them to learn through play.  Senior staff and governors monitor teaching extremely well which ensures that children

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

receive outstanding teaching.  Staff plan activities linked to children’s interests and needs which promote high quality learning for all abilities and needs.  Staff and governors promote children’s health and safety very successfully.  Children begin each session eager to learn. All children feel extremely secure and safe.  Parents speak highly of the provision their children receive.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out with half a days’ notice and took place over two days.  The inspector observed teaching and learning in 14 parts of sessions, taught by three teachers and 12 early years’ practitioners. These observations included some joint observations with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, senior staff, a few parents, four members of the governing body and, by telephone, with a representative from the local authority.  There were too few responses to take account of the online Parent View survey.  Responses to an inspection questionnaire from 15 members of staff were analysed.  The inspector looked at school policies, information about children’s attainment and progress, centre self-evaluation and improvement planning, teachers’ planning, minutes from meetings held by the governing body and documentation related to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Nina Bee, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Gamesley Early Excellence Centre currently provides part-time nursery education for 95 children.  Almost all children come from White British backgrounds.  The centre is designated as an Enhanced Resource for nursery aged children with special educational needs. It is funded by the local authority. There are no limits on the number of children or the nature of the designated special educational need.  The proportion of disabled children and those who have special educational needs supported through early year’s action is below average.  The proportion of children supported at early year’s action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  Since the previous inspection, the school has been awarded Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark 2 Award.  There is an on-site day care for children from birth to 5 years and after-school provision for children ages 4 – 11. This provision is not managed by the governing body and so was not part

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the governors’ involvement and awareness of the centre self-evaluation procedures by:  Ensuring that they are more involved in identifying areas for improvement  Ensuring that they take a more active role in monitoring the centre improvement plan.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children enter the nursery with knowledge and skills which are usually below the levels expected for their ages. Careful checking of the progress children make and the consistently outstanding teaching they receive have enabled high achievement and attainment to be maintained since the previous inspection.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Achievement is outstanding in all areas of learning because adults expertly provide activities which exactly suit the needs and abilities of all children.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 All children achieve particularly well as they develop personal and social skills because this area is successfully promoted in all the children do.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Disabled children and those with special educational needs, who all receive the Enhanced Resourced provision, make outstanding progress because their specific needs are quickly identified. Consequently, their needs and interests are always taken into consideration when activities are planned for them.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Higher attaining children achieve very well because they are given activities which challenge them sufficiently. Previous work, in their files, shows that higher attaining children are frequently given activities which successfully extend their learning in all areas. One such child was given many opportunities to improve her developing writing skills. As a result, she could write her name and was beginning to form simple sentences. Photographic evidence and notes written by adults show that children, who were reluctant to speak, are given activities which provide excellent opportunities to develop their speaking skills.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 By the time they move on to their Reception classes, the majority of children exceed the expected levels and most of the other children reach the levels expected for their ages. They are well prepared for their next steps in learning, both academically and socially.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 High quality teaching is a key feature which contributes to the outstanding learning children make. Teaching is imaginative and inspirational. Parents themselves say that their children are very well taught.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Speaking and listening skills are expertly developed as children learn through play. Opportunities are not missed to encourage children to speak and extend both speaking and listening skills. Questioning is skilful and usually enables children of all abilities to be involved during small- group discussions.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Adults have a very clear understanding of how young children learn. Activities, both adult-led and those which children choose themselves, are extremely carefully thought out and the children find them exciting and interesting, and so stay well focused.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Children were seen playing in a role play area which was set out as a builder’s yard. Learning was excellent as children worked together, in a large group, making a construction using plastic bricks. The children spoke confidently about why they had to wear safety helmets and bright jackets. Others politely took turns as they used the cement mixer. One boy picked up a spirit level and confidently asked what it was used for. Much enjoyment by all children was observed, as an adult expertly interacted with them, to enable further gains in their knowledge and understanding of the world.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Adults expect all children to have a go and do their best, and children rise to these high expectations. Learning was outstanding as children thought carefully as they decided whether the toy dog moved ‘over’ or ‘under’ the table. Adult interaction was excellent as the adult focused on developing this specific vocabulary. Children showed much pleasure in their success during this activity.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 All adults are excellent role models for reading, writing and mathematics. Children learn very well as they begin to develop an understanding of letters and sounds, basic numbers and the names of shapes.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The care and safety of the children has high priority. At all times children play and learn in a safe and secure environment.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children quickly learn how to behave and know that, for example, there are different expectations inside, outdoors and when they eat their lunch. Behaviour at all times is excellent.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children were seen, for example, eating their lunch sensibly while demonstrating excellent table manners and much respect for one another and the adults who help them. Lunch-time staff focus extremely well on developing the skills needed to sit, eat and socialise alongside each other. They contribute greatly to the progress children make as they develop personal and social skills, and an understanding of the importance of eating healthily.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Excellent opportunities are offered to children to run about and learn as they play in the outdoor area. Children confidently and safely use the climbing apparatus outside. They show an advanced sense of safety for their age as they use apparatus to move, especially, as they climb up and slide down. They run about outside showing good independence and control. Older children move sensibly and confidently during more formal physical education sessions in the hall. They show a very good awareness of other children and space in general.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children take part in exciting activities when they visit the ‘forest school’ which they travel to a few miles away. Photographs show much enjoyment as children experience adventurous activities such as sitting safely by an open fire or walking and exploring the woods.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Healthy options are on offer during snack time each day. Children are given good opportunities to make choices from a selection of foods and drinks. They do this confidently and enthusiastically. An adult really brought learning to life as children played in their pretend café. They were supported extremely well as they used real fruit and made kebabs which they then ate. This activity not only promoted children’s understanding of the real world but also focused on putting the fruit pieces in a particular order. Learning was outstanding and much fun was had by the adult and the children.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attendance is regularly checked and action taken if there is a reason for concern. Most children love coming to school and attend regularly.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The centre goes from strength to strength under the visionary leadership of the headteacher. She has created an exceptionally strong team of staff and is particularly well supported by her senior teachers.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The quality of teaching is regularly checked and yearly discussions with staff leads to activities which develop individual and whole-staff skills. Additional training keeps all staff up to date with new guidance and changes in the curriculum.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The curriculum is very effectively planned, in all areas, to suit the ages and abilities of all children. Staff and governors ensure that discrimination is not tolerated and all children are treated equally.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The centre’s Enhanced Resource excellent provision for children with special educational needs enables staff to support children with specific difficulties very effectively. Children are fully integrated and play as they learn alongside the other children.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted exceptionally well through, for example, activities to support world celebrations such as Chinese New Year, and very good quality resources such as books and jigsaw which they play with daily. Children have excellent opportunities to develop their own artwork. For example, they learn about mixing colours and are introduced to artwork from different countries, such as India.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Children’s individual progress is regularly checked. This information is then used to plan activities to ensure that all children make the best possible progress.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Self-evaluation is accurate and the centre’s improvement plan is well focused on maintaining the high standard of provision which has been in place for the last few years. Senior teachers speak confidently and knowledgeable about this plan.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 A supportive partnership exists between the centre and the local authority although this is considered to be a ‘light touch’ centre.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school has good partnership links with the local primary schools which aids transition when children leave. Good links with the staff who run the on-site day care and the nearby Children’s Centre allow them to support the families of their children.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Given the current circumstances, the school is very well placed to sustain its current strengths and move further forward in the future.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  The governing body makes a strong contribution to the success of the nursery particularly in relation to keeping the centre safe and secure.  Safeguarding documentation is extremely well organised and risk assessments are thorough.  Governors’ contribution to monitoring learning and teaching is impressive, particularly in relation to reviewing policy and ensuring it is followed in practice. Consequently, learning and teaching have been outstanding for many years. They also are involved in the performance management of the headteacher.  Governors have a good understanding of the centre’s strengths and how well children achieve but are not quite so clear about the areas for improvement.  Their monitoring role in relation to the centre’s improvement plan is underdeveloped.

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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 112470 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 401266

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 3–4 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 95 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Margaret Rostron Headteacher Janet Ackers Date of previous school inspection 14 June 2010 Telephone number 01457 729650 Fax number 01457 728950 Email address info@gamesleyeec.derbyshire.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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