Greenfield Nursery School

Greenfield Nursery School Hurst Drive, Waltham Cross, EN8 8DH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Children, including those eligible for free school meals, make good progress from their starting points and so their achievement is good. This is because staff expect a great deal of each child.  A positive improvement since the last inspection is that children’s language skills are assessed and developed effectively.  Children are well prepared for the next stage of education and most leave the school with skills and knowledge that are typical for their age.  Teaching is good and staff work productively with children. Practical activities are used successfully in the outside and inside areas to develop children’s basic skills.  Children’s behaviour and safety are good. Children are keen to take part in all the activities planned by staff and selected for themselves.  Parents work successfully with staff and so children settle quickly and enjoy learning new skills.  Leadership is good because the headteacher

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and staff form a dedicated team which is improving the school successfully.  Governors carry out their role well, and they come in regularly and watch over how effectively children are being taught.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Planning for sessions does not always ensure that staff are clear what skills children are likely to develop and what extra challenges could be used with more-able children.  A few children do not attend the school regularly.  Staff in charge of some areas of learning do not always watch over the progress of different groups of children in detail.  Targets are not recorded or followed up effectively after staff have been observed teaching. Staff do not gather evidence that they have met their targets quickly.  Oral feedback for children sometimes lacks detail about what they have done well.  A few parents do not feel they have enough guidance to help their children to learn at home.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 10 sessions or parts of sessions taught by eight teachers or support staff. Four observations were carried out with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with senior leaders, four governors, parents and carers, 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 shared some books with a group of children and looked at children’s work in folders and in wall displays.  The inspector analysed 37 responses from a school survey carried out in June this year, but there were too few responses to the online Parent View survey to see the results. The questionnaires received from 14 staff were also taken into account.  The inspector observed the work of the school and looked at documentation including teachers’ planning, the school development plan, documentation tracking pupils’ progress, records of the

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Information about this inspection

meetings of the governing body, and arrangements for managing the performance of staff.

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Inspection team

Jackie Cousins, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized nursery school.  The majority of children are from minority ethnic backgrounds; some are in the early stages of learning to speak English as an additional language. The minority of children are White British.  The proportion of children known to be eligible for free school meals is above average.  The proportion of disabled children and those who have special educational needs supported through early action is average. The proportion supported at early action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The school works in partnership with Greenfield Children’s Centre. Childcare is available for children from 8am until 6pm throughout the year.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve children’s attainment, especially in their understanding of the world, so that even more children attain levels of skill that are typical for their age or higher at the end of their nursery year by ensuring:  staff in charge of different areas of learning watch over groups of children’s progress even more carefully  parents regularly receive guidance about what activities they can do at home to help their children develop their basic skills successfully  all children attend school regularly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the quality of teaching so that it is outstanding by making sure:  planning is clearer about what skills children are likely to learn and how staff can challenge more-able children so that they make even more progress  oral comments made by staff always explain what children have done well in detail  targets for staff are recorded effectively and staff collect evidence that they have met them quickly and successfully.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement is good because children, including those from minority ethnic groups, make good progress from their various starting points. Many children start school with levels of knowledge which are well below those expected. They make good progress and so most children leave the school with levels of skills that are typical for their age in the key areas of learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school has tracked how well children do when they go on to primary school. Children who are eligible for free school meals make good progress. Over the last three years, the gap between these children and the rest has steadily reduced so that now it is very small by the end of the Reception Year. In recent years, children who attended the nursery achieved well in primary school and their skills were average by the start of Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Boys and girls, including those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress in learning to communicate and use words. For example, children learnt to talk about natural objects which they collected because the staff asked questions which encouraged them to describe leaves in detail.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children learn to read successfully because story time and staff expertise ensure they listen carefully to sounds and look at pictures and letters thoughtfully. This was seen when children retold the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff because the member of staff used model animals and pictures productively to help the children remember the story.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children learn to write successfully because staff assess their skills part way through the session. If the staff see any children not holding a pen effectively, they show them the best way to do this and so children learn how to make circles and draw lines in a variety of ways.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children learn to count and name shapes because staff use practical activities imaginatively. For instance, children learnt to name shapes such as a square and triangle as a result of good use of paper shapes which they used to make a collage. In this session, more-able children learnt to explain what the properties of a hexagon are because staff used questioning thoughtfully.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children who are disabled or who have special educational needs achieve well because staff use time productively to fill gaps in their knowledge and understanding. Individual education plans contain specific and measurable targets which help everyone to support children in all areas of learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 By the end of nursery, a few children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is slightly lower than expected. This is because the leader who monitors this area of learning does not look carefully at which children are not making good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good because staff know how to encourage children of this age to develop their understanding in most areas of learning. They use practical activities to help children learn key skills. For example, children learnt to control a ball effectively because they were given clear instructions on how to dribble a football and stop efficiently. They were keen to join in all the activities which developed their ball skills because of the enthusiasm of the member of staff.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Staff expect a lot of children and so, for instance, the children learn to use words productively. This was seen when children learnt the meaning of the word ‘crumbly’ as well as how to shape clay into shapes because staff incorporated this word into their conversation with children as they discussed how the clay feels when it dries out. Support staff encourage children who are learning to speak English as an additional language to communicate clearly and so, for example, they learn to describe the colour of clay.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The best teaching develops children’s personal skills as well as other areas of learning. As a result, children learn to do things for themselves and this helps them to remember what they have learnt. For instance, children with additional needs learnt to put on their coats for themselves because staff gave them time to try their own ideas out and then helped them thoughtfully when they got stuck. This also ensured that children learnt to think about solutions to problems and enjoyed persevering in, for example, learning the names for clothes.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Assessment is used well but, occasionally, staff do not explain clearly how they have been successful and what they can improve. Planning for a few sessions does not record the skills which children are likely to develop and how more-able children can be set further challenges. This means that some staff are not always clear about the key reason for doing each activity.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Children’s behaviour is good inside the classroom as well as outside. This is because staff manage children positively and so they learn to cooperate. Staff, governors and parents all agree that behaviour is good. There have not been any exclusions or racial or bullying incidents in the last few years.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Boys and girls are enthusiastic to start work as soon as they arrive at the nursery. They maintain their concentration well and were keen to talk about what they were doing. This is because staff set up imaginative activities for children to explore and learn about. For example, children learnt how to look after chickens and rabbits because the school allowed them to handle these animals carefully with good adult support.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Children share equipment fairly and help each other when they get stuck. They handle tools safely and look after each other if anyone receives a minor injury. Children from all backgrounds get on well and they make friends with children of different abilities.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Bullying is very rare and name-calling is managed successfully. Children say they feel safe and that staff are kind to them. Parents spoken to and who completed the school’s survey agree that children are safe at the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Most children attend regularly and staff monitor this carefully. They call parents on the first day that a child is absent to find out what is wrong and to encourage them to bring their child to school every day. A few children do not come to the nursery for all of their sessions each week.

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The leadership and management are good

 All staff are proud to work at the school. Leadership of the headteacher is good, and she is supported well by staff. They work as a successful team and they think carefully about what could be done to improve the school for children. The development plan contains specific targets and outlines ways to meet them effectively.

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The leadership and management are good

 Improvements since the last inspection include the use of children’s records of achievement which have been refined and assist staff and parents to see how well children are doing. Over the last three years, the children’s language skills have been improved considerably because assessment is used carefully when children start at the school and regular reviews of their progress are carried out by staff.

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The leadership and management are good

 Training is used productively to develop staff skills and some have gained extra qualifications because of leaders’ support. For example, some staff say that training has enhanced their skills in teaching mathematics so that they have a deeper understanding of how to promote these skills. The school is beginning to encourage staff who watch over different aspects of the nursery to develop their role and use the system to track children’s progress more carefully.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff are observed by senior leaders, but areas for development are not always recorded or followed up effectively and staff are not encouraged to provide evidence quickly and efficiently that they have met them. This means that, occasionally, improvements in teaching take a little while to become established.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents really appreciate the helpfulness of staff and the opportunities their children have to learn at the nursery. They say their children make good progress in all areas of learning and become more confident. One parent said, ‘We have had two children through this school and we believe they have progressed so well in primary school because of the great start they had in the nursery.’ Some parents would like more support on how to help their children learn at home.

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The leadership and management are good

 Children enjoy learning through a wide variety of activities at the nursery. For example, they learnt to create pictures of the seaside adding dark blue sea, using paint effectively. This is because staff set up resources successfully and children can use these when they choose to. There are good opportunities to become healthy and fit because children use the outside area well and weekly physical education sessions are led by staff.

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The leadership and management are good

 Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is provided for well. For instance, children learnt about some celebrations and what people wear, eat and do during Eid and Diwali because of good staff expertise and use of resources.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding meets requirements. The school makes sure that checks are carried out and recorded carefully on staff. All staff have received basic child protection training. They log the minor accidents which children are involved in and make sure parents are informed about what has happened. Good partnerships with others mean that any concerns about children are followed up with specialist health practitioners such as speech therapists or health visitors.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority supports and challenges the school effectively. It has successfully assisted governors to develop their role since the last inspection.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance is good. Governors come in regularly and carry out thoughtful observations of children and staff working together. They ask staff to explain how well children are doing and know that records of achievement are being used more successfully to support children’s learning. Governors are clear about the strengths and areas for development of the school. They use data effectively to challenge the school about children’s progress, the quality of teaching and finances. The headteacher’s performance is monitored regularly. Governors are knowledgeable about how staff are supported if they have weaknesses, or are rewarded with extra responsibilities and pay if they perform well. Safeguarding is given a high priority by governors, and concerns about children or families are followed up because the school serves the whole community successfully.

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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 117067 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 425187

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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 3–5 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 98 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kris Didymus Headteacher Pat Bishop Date of previous school inspection 6 December 2010 Telephone number 01992 760779 Fax number 01992 652046 Email address head@greenfield.herts.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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