Tarnerland Nursery School

Tarnerland Nursery School Sussex Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN02 0AR

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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 receive an exceptional start to their education. In an extremely warm, safe, happy and vibrant environment, they quickly grow into independent, confident learners.  All adults are highly qualified, skilled and experienced in working with children of this age. They ensure children’s individual needs are met precisely and their interests pursued.  Children, regardless of their ability, first language or background, make outstanding progress, especially in their personal, social and emotional development and mathematical, communication, language, literacy and physical skills. Most attain the levels expected for their age and often exceed them.  Among the many exemplary features in teaching is the way in which adults play alongside children helping them to rapidly acquire a wide range of knowledge, skills and understanding across all the areas of learning.  Staff use signing, pictures, objects and role

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

play extremely well to help all children overcome communication and language barriers. Children also use these skills very well to talk to one another.  Children’s attitudes to learning and their behaviour are exceptional. They feel safe and make confident decisions about the resources they use and activities they undertake.  Children make good friends. They enjoy making up their own imaginative games, sharing books and computers with one another for extended periods of time.  Children attend often. They are hardly ever late; they are so keen to get to nursery.  Breakfast, lunchtime and after-school clubs add significantly to children’s learning experiences.  Exceptional senior leaders, staff and governors, some of whom are long serving, work extremely well together, determined to make a positive difference to children’s lives.  Governors are extremely knowledgeable about the school. They use the extensive range of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

data about children’s achievements to challenge senior staff to sustain high-quality provision.  A creative and imaginative curriculum promotes children’s high achievement and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very successfully.  Partnerships with parents and carers are excellent. Staff are reviewing the range of opportunities they provide to all families to extend their insight into their children’s learning and development.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed four and a half hours of teaching and learning including all practitioners, sometimes accompanied by the headteacher.  Morning and afternoon sessions were observed. The inspector visited breakfast, lunchtime and after-school activities.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, nursery manager, teachers, nursery nurses, and representatives of the governing body. The inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority on the telephone.  The inspector spoke to parents and carers when they brought their children to the nursery in the morning or afternoon. The results of the school’s own surveys of parents’ and carers’ views carried out in the June and October 2013, and 21 responses to the online survey, Parent View, were taken into account. Eight responses to the questionnaire for staff were considered.  Some of the school’s documentation was reviewed. The review included the school’s self-

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Information about this inspection

evaluation summary, improvement plan, reports from local authority representatives following their visits to the school, governing body minutes and arrangements for safeguarding, attendance, records of children’s progress, and some of the ‘learning journeys’ that record what children have been doing, what they have achieved, and what they need to learn next.

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Inspection team

Kath Beck, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The nursery is similar in size to most nurseries nationally. Children start when they reach their third birthday and stay for three, four or five terms or until they transfer to Reception in their chosen primary school.  Families choose from four attendance options, which are; morning, afternoon, beginning of the week or end of the week. In addition to their free 15 hours children can stay for extended care between 8am - 6pm with the opportunity to stay each afternoon and/or go to breakfast and tea- time clubs. One third of children sometimes stay all day from 8.00am until 6.00pm.  In addition the school provides childcare from 8.00am to 6.00pm for children from the age of three months. This includes the early years provision for Tarner Children’s Centre. It is registered on the Early Years Register and was not part of this inspection. It will be inspected separately. The report for Tarner Children’s Centre can be found on the Ofsted website

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Information about this school

www.ofsted.gov.uk.  The percentage of children who speak English as an additional language is increasing. Currently one third of children speak English as an additional language and many are at an early stage of English language acquisition.  The proportion of disabled children and those with special educational needs who are supported through Early Years Action is above that found in most schools. The proportion supported at Early Years Action Plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is also above that found in nursery schools nationally. Children’s diverse needs include speech and language difficulties.  The school is part of the City Partnership. This is a partnership of seven primary and two nursery schools that work together to raise achievement. The headteacher, some staff and the Chair of the Governing Body have key roles in this partnership.  Senior leaders, most staff and governors have been at the school for a considerable number of

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Information about this school

years, and are also closely involved with Tarner Children’s Centre.  The nursery is used by training organisations and the local authority as an exemplar of outstanding practice.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on the good work completed so far to offer parents and carers, especially those who speak English as an additional language: - a wider range of opportunities to share and contribute to their child’s ‘learning journey’ - greater insights into what their child knows and can do, and what their next steps are.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 An excellent range of data shows that the school has been very successful in increasing the number of children from different groups who are reaching, and sometimes exceeding, the levels expected for their age since the previous inspection.  Children join the nursery with various levels of knowledge, skills and understanding. Some are immature in their communication and socialising skills and others speak very little English. They make rapid progress across all the areas of learning. Their attainment is above that expected, especially in communication, language, literacy, and physical, personal, social and emotional development.  Central to the work of the school is its determination for all children to have an equal chance to succeed. Children who speak English as an additional language make rapid progress because bilingual staff and those from the local authority, promote children’s language development in

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

their home languages. Assessments also made in children’s home languages give staff a very clear idea of each child’s starting point, and how they can be helped to learn quickly.  Disabled children and those with special educational needs or speech difficulties make outstanding progress. They receive very effective support in small groups and on an individual basis. Staff are skilled and implement fully the advice they receive from a range of professionals to meet children’s precise needs, particularly to promote confident speech and language.  Children who start with immature social skills make swift progress due to the highly effective work of all the staff. Although they have been in school for a short time, children already have high levels of social skills, self-assurance and independence. They move confidently between different activities, indoors and outside. They demonstrate a great deal of respect for one

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

another and for adults. In ‘group-time’ they listen carefully, share their ideas and participate enthusiastically because they are taught very well how to behave in a range of situations.  Staff are adept at helping children of all abilities to develop their skills in communication. Imaginative activities provoke children into engaging in conversations. Staff ask children probing questions that help them to think critically and make decisions. Visitors to the school, such as a fireman or small animals from a farm, extend children’s understanding of the world around them and give them lots to talk about.  Children’s early skills in reading, writing and mathematics are promoted strongly in all activities. They love to share a book with a friend or adult. The most able children already have a good grasp of the sounds letters make, try to write simple words, count in sequence up to 20, and carry out mathematical calculations, adding or taking away small numbers. When playing on the

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

computer they squeal with delight when the programme tells them they have got the right answer, and then they ask an adult to give them something harder to try.  Children’s physical development is enhanced significantly by the excellent accommodation and resources. The grounds provide many exciting opportunities for developing excellent levels of control and balance when walking or riding wheeled toys up and down hills. Opportunities to take part in a wide range of role-play experiences and make pictures using a variety of media add considerably to children’s skills in expressive arts and design.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Outstanding teaching by highly skilled and knowledgeable practitioners has brought about the year-on-year rise in children’s attainment since the previous inspection. Imaginative activities make children curious and hungry to know more and help them build exceptionally positive attitudes to learning.  Staff often play alongside the children using their interests or previous real-life experiences to move their learning along rapidly. In an exceptional role play about the ‘Doctor’s Surgery’, staff brought learning alive as children took on the role of doctor, nurse, patient or parent of a ‘poorly baby’. Through outstanding guidance from an adult, children quickly gained new speaking, communication, reading, writing and mathematical skills, and learned how to keep safe.  All staff are extremely proficient in developing children’s spoken language. They use engaging activities, signing, pictures, real objects and other role play scenarios to encourage them to

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

communicate confidently with adults and with other children. Good use of their mother tongue alongside English language use adds immensely to children’s confidence and enthusiasm for learning. Adults own use of language gives an excellent example to the children. These factors enable all children, but especially those with speech difficulties or who speak English as additional language, to make outstanding progress in their language development.  Each session is meticulously planned, but often adapted to challenge children to achieve more or to pursue their emerging interests. Through their precise assessments staff know the children extremely well. They plan activities that build very well on what each child has learned previously, and that meet their particular needs.  Staff record children’s progress in their ‘learning journeys’. These show what children can do and need to learn next. Children are very proud of them and love to share them with adults,

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

including their parents and carers. Some parents and carers contribute to these books, but others do not. Feedback in a recent survey shows they would like to contribute more.  An excellent range of child-initiated and adult-led activities helps children to become independent and confident learners. The recent focus on helping children to try something new; to ‘have a go’ with their friend ‘Mo,’ has strengthened children’s own understanding of what they know and can do. Children playing at ‘having a birthday party’ used their new knowledge of phonics (the sounds letters make) to write their party invitations.  The atmosphere in the nursery is exceptionally vibrant, warm and fully supportive of children’s learning. Staff are vigilant and caring. Excellent relationships and high levels of trust help children to play and behave extremely well, especially when playing, problem solving, taking calculated risks or exploring ideas on their own.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children’s behaviour and attitudes to learning are outstanding. Staff, governors and all parents and carers responding to the online survey Parent View and the school’s own questionnaires believe that this is usually the case.  Children from all backgrounds and abilities play very happily together, often becoming absorbed in the activities they choose to do alone, with friends or with an adult. They play imaginative games for extended periods of time making key decisions about the resources they need. They share their toys, help one another and take turns to operate the computer games that help them to improve their mathematical, literacy and creative skills.  Children who receive one-to-one support are taught extremely well how to behave, so that when they are on their own they know how to play with other children. No child has been prevented from attending the nursery because of poor behaviour.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Staff ensure that breakfast, lunch and tea-time meals are excellent social occasions. Children learn to eat with a knife and fork, show good manners, and take part in conversations about their day.  Children take pride in the nursery. They respond sensibly when it is time to tidy up, and put everything away neatly.  The children come to the nursery on a regular basis because they are eager to start the engaging activities set out for them.  Staff teach children to move around the nursery carefully and to use scissors and knives safely. Children are often reminded how to keep themselves safe and that they should speak to an adult if they are worried about anything. When playing in ‘The Meadows’, or riding their wheeled toys children learn to take small risks while keeping themselves safe.  The school works closely with parents and carers to ensure children are kept safe when using the internet and when they are out in the community.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Long serving governors, staff and those new to the team have high ambitions for children in their care. They work very effectively together to help children to achieve as well as they can. This is shown in the successful manner in which the nursery has sustained its outstanding practice over many years.  Through training for leaders and staff at all levels, working with a range of professionals, other schools and the children’s centre, staff have remained open to fresh ideas to make learning even better for the children. These factors have proved particularly successful in raising children’s skills in communication, literacy and language and meeting the needs of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. The current initiative to help children understand how well they are learning through characters such as ‘Have a go Mo’ is encouraging children to be more adventurous in their learning.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Rigorous appraisal systems for all staff and frequent checks on the quality of teaching by senior leaders have sustained high-quality teaching. The strong dedication to improving their skills means the majority of staff have high-level qualifications linked to working in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Robust self-evaluation includes rigorous analysis of data and the views of parents and carers, staff and governors. This informs the priorities identified in the sharply focused school improvement plan. The school is rightly reviewing the range of opportunities available for parents and carers, especially those who speak English as an additional language, to understand fully what their children know and can do. A recent project to involve parents and carers, including those who speak English as an additional language, in understanding how well their children are doing proved very successful.  Through its close partnership with the children’s centre, the school offers parents and carers

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The leadership and management are outstanding

access to services that they may not otherwise obtain, and helps to keep vulnerable children safe. This allows the parents, carers and school to work together to overcome barriers to children’s learning.  The programme of work is highly imaginative, and promotes children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development extremely well. It encourages children to be curious about the world around them, and makes them very eager to learn and to try out new ideas. Children who stay all day enjoy a rich range of experiences that add significantly to their achievements.  The local authority provides light-touch support for this outstanding nursery.  The governance of the school:  Highly effective governors share the ambitions of staff to give children the very best start to their education and prepare them very well for the future. All are extremely knowledgeable about the school, and frequently undergo training to ensure they are fully up to date in their

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The leadership and management are outstanding

knowledge and skills. This ensures that the nursery continues to meet children’s differing needs, and statutory requirements, including those for safeguarding, are met. Their visits to the school, regular surveys of parents’ and carers’ views, and discussions with other professionals who work with the school give them a very good understanding of the quality of teaching. Robust appraisal systems and very effective use of data allow governors to offer substantial challenge and support to senior staff to maintain high-quality provision. Governors are forward thinking. Options for the long-term development of the school have been drawn up and are under discussion with the relevant authorities. Finances are monitored meticulously and used to provide high-quality resources that enhance children’s learning and development.

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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 114350 Local authority Brighton and Hove Inspection number 426413

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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

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Age range of pupils

Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 78 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Viv Warren Headteacher Julie Plumstead Date of previous school inspection 10–11 November 2010 Telephone number 01273 294199 Fax number 01273 294179 Email address admin@tarnerland.brighton-hove.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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Age range of pupils

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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Age range of pupils

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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Age range of pupils

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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Age range of pupils

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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Age range of pupils

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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