Grove House Nursery School & Children's Centre

Grove House Children’s Centre 77a North Road, Southall, Middlesex, UB1 2JL

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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.  Children make an excellent start to their education because of outstanding provision in the nursery.  Children’s achievement in personal, social and emotional development, communication and language as well as physical development is exceptional, regardless of their background and ability.  Children are prepared to read and write exceptionally well. This helps them to make rapid progress in other areas of learning and topics.  Teaching is excellent over time. Adults’ support is exceptional. As a result children become independent very quickly.  Behaviour and safety are outstanding. All children are very safe in the setting. This is because the site is very secure; excellent links with parents ensure that children settle down in the nursery quickly. They have excellent relationships with each other and the adults around them.  Checking of children’s work, their learning needs and what they need to do next is

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

excellent because there is a very rigorous system of monitoring in place and all adults execute it diligently.  There is outstanding provision for a wide range of areas of learning and activities provided for children. They choose independent activities they like to do that are also linked to their interests at home.  The headteacher is extremely effective in motivating and setting up ambitious goals for each child which is reflected in all staff also aiming to achieve well. Staff overwhelmingly support her vision. Since the previous inspection, the setting has maintained the delivery of outstanding education under this highly successful leadership.  The governing body gives first-rate support to the setting and has helped it to maintain outstanding performance in all aspects of its work, including teaching and children’s achievement, since the previous inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in four lessons or parts of lessons. All were observed jointly with the headteacher. Children were observed in both morning and afternoon sessions. Children were also observed working in small groups with teaching assistants.  The inspector made a number of shorter visits to other lessons. He also listened to and observed children and scrutinised work in their learning books. Meetings with the Chair of the Governing Body and senior leaders were conducted by the inspector who also had discussions with the local authority representative and the headteacher from the local partner setting on the phone.  The inspector looked at documents relating to safeguarding, the performance management of staff, the tracking and assessment of children’s achievement, records on attendance, behaviour and safety and the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning.

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Information about this inspection

 There were seven views of parents registered on Ofsted’s online questionnaire ‘Parent View’ that were taken into account. The inspector also looked at the setting’s own survey as well as meeting parents at the start and end of the school day. He scrutinised 15 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Zahid Aziz, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Grove House Children’s Centre is larger than an average-sized nursery school which is part of a children’s centre. It also provides day care for children from 8.00am to 6.00pm throughout the year. Both are subject to separate inspections.  There are 11 children full time and 89 part time; altogether there are 120 places. There are two daily part-time sessions taking place, one in the morning and another in the afternoon.  The proportion of disabled children and those with special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average.  The children in nursery do not receive the pupil premium. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those children who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after by the local authority).

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Information about this school

 The nursery does not receive any sports funding.  The large majority of children are from minority ethnic backgrounds and the proportion of children who speak English as an additional language is well above average. The main languages spoken, other than English, are Panjabi and Tamil.  The headteacher is the leader for the locality of four children’s centres.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide more consistent opportunities for children to gain experience in modern technology by increasing the use children and teachers make of it in the classroom as a tool for learning.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children make outstanding progress in the nursery. They join the nursery with skills that are below the levels expected for their ages, especially their personal and social skills, and communication and language. As a result of very high-quality teaching and excellent adult support, high expectations and a first-class partnership with parents, a far larger-than-expected proportion of children attain expected and above expected levels by the time they join Reception.  Children’s work shows high levels of achievement in other areas of learning. In understanding the world, a strong focus on practical work such as building a tall tower and climbing it safely, as well as many opportunities to use mathematical and literacy skills, enhances learning in all these areas of learning.  Through varied topic work, children enjoy diverse and very wide-ranging experiences. For instance, the more able have opportunities to sharpen their skills in project management to build

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

a castle or improve author skills, for example, by writing a book about their family and how black clouds make the rain.  Every child has an opportunity to play a musical instrument and, as a result, they show exceptional skills in playing those instruments.  Children who have special educational needs do extremely well. Teachers check children’s progress carefully, and give them support that closely meets their particular needs and tasks that are hard but within their ability.  The achievement of all groups of children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs, is equally strong. Equality of opportunity is clearly demonstrated by the way the setting cares well for all its children and offers them the same degree of challenge and high expectation, and ensures that there is no discrimination.  There is an excellent focus on the early development of children’s skills for love of learning and

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

reading, such as how to look after a book. They are encouraged to read books with an emphasis on accessing them easily by placing them in strategic locations throughout the nursery. This contributes very positively to raising their achievement even further across the different curriculum areas of learning.  Staff take many opportunities to prepare children thoroughly for the move to school. They arrange visits to children's new schools and children take their ‘My Learning Journey’ file with them, helping to continue their progress at the new setting.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is of a consistently very high quality, with appropriate use made of the learning environments, both indoors and outside. Teachers plan a highly enjoyable and wide range of practical activities for children in developing reading, writing and mathematical skills, and investigative work in understanding the world such as the habitat of snails. Teachers have very high expectations of children and encourage them to challenge themselves and to be independent.  Teachers and other adults are excellent role models and they encourage language development in an imaginative way such as in a cooking session. Children are able to smell and feel the ingredients, making it relevant. Role play provides an opportunity for an adult to pretend the baby bear wants to eat, feel and smell the ingredients and because he wants to join in, the child later mimics the sounds while playing with the bear and pretends to feed it.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Adults skilfully promote communication and language exceptionally well sounding out new letters, words or numbers. All the staff listen carefully and respond to children appropriate to their level of understanding and development. Sometimes they provide an account of their own or the child's actions, ask open questions and listen to the responses. Staff encourage children's development in all aspects exceptionally well because staff talk to children about everything.  The outside area is used exceptionally well to encourage children’s independent investigative skills and their physical development. They learn to share and take turns as well as to appreciate mathematical language and understand time by using sand timers, digging earth to find slugs, using spades to strengthen the body muscles such as hand, arms and legs and improve their coordination and physical development.  Children’s progress is tracked termly in each of the learning areas. Staff observe and identify

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

potential achievable next steps and share this information with other staff. Any concerns are discussed sensitively with parents by visiting the home to ensure the child gets any help they may need. This underpins all children's excellent progress including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language.  Some teachers make good use of new technology. However, others miss opportunities to use it to enhance their teaching and children’s learning even further.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children’s behaviour is excellent and has a very positive impact on their attitude to learning. They work very well in groups and support each other when help is required with their learning. This has an outstanding impact on their learning as they want to experiment with things themselves without any adult help.  Staff fully understand the importance of providing children with a very strong sense of security. They do this by ensuring children have familiar people caring for them who understand their needs at all times through ‘key workers’. This process starts very early when staff make home visits even before the child begins the nursery. Strong, familiar routines also help children, including those with low social skills, to feel secure and confident.  Children explore confidently and show curiosity in all that is around them. Discussion with parents and the school’s own survey confirmed that parents feel that their children are very safe

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

in the nursery because the site is very secure and there are plenty of staff to look after the children.  Staff are vigilant and manage undesirable behaviour calmly and patiently. They are proactive and promote children's positive behaviour at all times. They attract children’s attention whenever necessary and talk about appropriate behaviour with children to reinforce positive messages. As a result, there are no bullying or racist incidents.  Staff support children to be assertive very early when joining the nursery. For example, in a reading session safe behaviour is reinforced by clearly explaining to children to be firm when they are not comfortable about other children touching or saying something they do not like. This fully supports children to develop empathy and to recognise how others are feeling.  Children with special educational needs are very well integrated in the daily routine. They have

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

excellent relationships with each other and the adults around them, and as a result they make outstanding progress in their learning .  The setting has been very successful in improving attendance and punctuality since the previous inspection. This is because it has communicated early with parents in the induction programme where it is explained to them about not taking holidays during term time and the importance of children of coming to the nursery on time.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher has a calm demeanour and is a great motivator who puts the children at the heart of everything she does. Since the previous inspection and under her direction, the setting has maintained outstanding outcomes for its children in achievement, teaching, behaviour and safety. As a result, parents feel that this setting makes an excellent contribution towards helping their children to be ready for the next stage of their education.  Senior leadership and governors are passionate about the provision they offer. They are constantly evaluating, using the views of staff, parents and professionals to improve the setting. In addition, a visit to Italy to see outstanding practices and then implementing them in the school helped children learn independent skills and gain new experiences quickly.  The leadership of teaching is outstanding. This is because teachers’ targets are very well monitored. The setting is self-reflective in its teaching practices. For example, leaders have

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The leadership and management are outstanding

realised that daily planning meetings have a real purpose and now have a clear focus on those children who will be observed next day. This is helping staff to continuously fine-tune their teaching skills.  There is a strong commitment towards staff development. Staff have regular appraisals and opportunities to attend short courses and develop their qualifications. Staff have the skills to observe and assess children's development knowledgeably. They plan activities and experiences relevant to the children's developmental needs and skilfully support and challenge their development. Consequently, all children make excellent progress.  The nursery has excellent working partnerships with other professionals. As part of the children’s centre they have easy access to them. Staff make contact with the schools that children move onto, and staff are welcome to visit to see the child in the nursery environment. The

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The leadership and management are outstanding

management team is keen to develop the nursery's profile in the area and supports other settings in improving early years education because of the outstanding practice it has.  The nursery is highly successful in engaging parents to participate in their children's learning. Staff informally discuss the day with parents when they collect their child, ensuring important information is shared on a daily basis. Children take a book home with them to share. This simple activity helps to develop a very strong link between home and nursery.  The setting also provides an excellent opportunity for parents to do courses such as English for Speakers of Other Languages to support their child's literacy skills. There is high-quality provision for children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development supported by parents’ own appreciation of knowing about other cultures and visiting places of worship such as a

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The leadership and management are outstanding

church and a mosque with their children.  The setting receives light touch support from the local authority which has confidence in the setting’s own ability to sustain its high-quality development.  The governance of the school:  Governors have a wide range of professional expertise in areas such as education and law. They have excellent knowledge of what happens in the setting. They undertake regular training and this helps them to challenge school leaders very effectively and so contribute to maintaining the outstanding achievement of children. Governors make sure that appropriate safeguarding and child protection procedures are in place. Through scrutiny of the setting’s finances, governors are well aware of how effectively money is used to support children’s learning. They are well informed about the quality of teaching and of the progress children are making. Governors know about teachers’ performance management and make sure that pay

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The leadership and management are outstanding

awards are approved where targets have been met.

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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 101860 Local authority London Borough of Ealing Inspection number 425582

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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 100 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rakes Parmar Headteacher Himisha Patel Date of previous school inspection 13–14 January 2011 Telephone number 020 8571 0878 Fax number 020 8571 1208 Email address head@grovehousecc.com 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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