Chalvey Nursery School & Early Years Centre

Chalvey Nursery School Ladbroke Road, Slough, SL1 2PR

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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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This is a good school

 Children get off to a good start at Chalvey Nursery School. They achieve well from low starting points and make good progress in their learning, particularly in their personal, social and emotional development.  Children of all abilities feel safe in the welcoming and inclusive environment. As a result, they settle quickly and show respect for others.  Staff work well together and teaching is good overall. A wide range of stimulating resources and activities engage children well.  Since the previous inspection there has been good improvement in assessing and tracking children's progress.  Children with special educational needs, including those in the assessment unit, achieve well because of good support that fully meets their individual needs.  Children behave well. They take turns well when playing with each other. High-quality care in the school ensures that children enjoy coming and always have someone to turn to.

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This is a good school

 Planned activities are well linked to children's abilities and interests. Their strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very well fostered through celebrations and enrichment days.  Strong leadership by the headteacher and the assistant headteacher has resulted in an accurate view of the strengths and areas to improve. They have built successfully on the good outcomes of the previous inspection.  Governors, although new to roles, show a clear commitment to managing and improving the performance of all staff and to making the best possible provision for children. They provide good quality challenge to school leaders.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Children do not all extend their language skills in lessons to reach the levels of which they are capable because not all staff are skilled at asking open-ended questions to help children think, solve problems and or develop reasoning skills.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 10 sessions, some of them jointly with the school's leaders. In addition, the inspector made a few shorter visits to different sessions to observe children playing and learning.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers and practitioners, members of the governing body, a local authority representative, some children and a few parents.  The inspector observed the work of the nursery and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information about children's progress, planning and monitoring documents, safeguarding information and a selection of children's learning journals.  The inspector took account of the 27 responses to the online survey, Parent View and 20 responses to the inspection questionnaire from staff.

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Inspection team

Denise Morris, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized nursery school. Most children attend part time, either for morning or afternoon sessions. A few children stay all day.  The proportion of children from minority ethnic backgrounds, particularly Indian, Pakistani and Polish, is very high. There are 24 different languages spoken in the nursery.  The proportion of children with special educational needs supported at school action is well above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also well above average. This is mainly because there is a local authority funded assessment unit for children with complex needs based at the nursery. There are currently nine children at the unit, although there are places for up to 10 children. A few children with early years statements of educational need are based in the main nursery.  Chalvey Nursery School entered a soft federation with the local Slough Centre Nursery School in

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Information about this school

September 2009 and became a hard federation in April 2013. Both schools are managed by the same headteacher and the same governing body. Each school is inspected separately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve opportunities for all children to further increase their language skills by:  helping children to reach higher levels of skills in their language and communication tasks through demanding increased answers to open ended questions  questioning children in a way that makes them think and articulate their ideas both in the classrooms and outdoors  monitoring the quality of discussions and questioning to ensure that children have the best possible opportunities to improve.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children enter the nursery with skills that are below, and often well below, those expected for their age, particularly in communication and language. Good provision in the nursery means that by the time they leave most are close to, and some exceed, the age related expectations for their age.  Children settle quickly because of high quality care by nursery staff. As a result, their progress in their personal, social and emotional development is rapid. Children quickly learn to share and play together and understand what is expected. They are encouraged to make choices and take safe risks in the outdoor play area, eagerly climbing and playing with their peers.  In the special needs assessment unit, children make similarly good progress to those in the main nursery. This is because they are enabled to make effective use of signs and symbols to engage in learning so that they can make choices, select activities, respond to questions and achieve

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The achievement of pupils is good

well. For example, children attending this unit were able to use picture cards accurately to choose a song.  Those with special educational needs in the main nursery benefit from tasks that help them to make small steps of progress so that they achieve well. High levels of individual support and appropriate interventions enable them to join in and learn alongside their classmates.  Those in the early stages of speaking English usually achieve well, although just occasionally their progress is limited because not enough emphasis is placed on encouraging them to extend their language skills through questioning and discussion, particularly in small group or individual tasks.  Activities across the nursery provide many opportunities for children to make marks, draw and develop early writing skills. This was evident as children were observed writing little notes, whilst other children were seen making letter shapes with paint and pens, using the interactive

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The achievement of pupils is good

whiteboard to improve their recognition of letters.  The most able children benefit from challenging tasks that help them to fulfil their potential, so that they exceed their expected progress in communication and language and in mathematical development. For example, the nursery develops early reading skills well through a strong emphasis on listening to sounds both indoors and outside. This was very evident as a group of higher ability children used sticks to make noises in the environment. They had lots of fun and finished by successfully beating sounds to a nursery rhyme.  All groups of children regularly take books home to share with parents and carers, helping them to develop early interest in books and stories.  Mathematical development is good and regular activities across the nursery, both in classrooms and outdoors, engage children well in practical tasks. As a result, many children can already

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The achievement of pupils is good

count to five and are beginning to recognise numbers and shapes. They regularly thread beads and build towers with bricks.  Most children have very good physical skills and regularly run, play and climb in the outdoor area, learning how to work well with others. Children enjoy making models, building, and playing with toys as they develop their physical skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Expectations are high across the nursery and children learn well because the large majority of teaching is consistently good, and at times outstanding. The welcoming environment in the nursery ensures that children enjoy coming to school and are eager to start playing. The displays of children's work include a vast array of photographs detailing children's past experiences. These show a wide range of exciting activities that fully engage children in learning.  Quiet corners, where children can snuggle down and share a book, promote interest in early reading. Listening skills are very well promoted.  Practitioners work well together in teams and plan on a daily basis. As a result, tasks are well matched to individual needs and enable all children, including those with special educational needs and those who use English as an additional language, to take part fully in learning.  Staff in the special needs assessment unit make very effective use of signs and symbols to

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The quality of teaching is good

engage children, focus them on their tasks and to promote independence.  At the end of each half-day session, practitioners effectively review the learning of the children they are responsible for and make notes so that they can successfully plan the next steps.  Assessment of children's skills has improved since the previous inspection and, although in the early stages of development, assessment is now starting to show how much progress children are making.  Many staff use their own bilingual expertise well to support communication with parents and children  Some staff lead children's learning very well through asking open ended questions that encourage children to think about what they are doing and build successfully on their understanding and use of vocabulary. There is not always enough focus on good questioning by all practitioners across the nursery, however, to regularly develop and deepen children's use of

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The quality of teaching is good

language or to extend their speaking skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school's work to keep children safe and secure is good. The nursery provides a welcoming and protective atmosphere in which children and families are well supported. Groups for parents and for younger children are run by staff to help prepare children for entry to the nursery. This ensures that children are eager to start school.  Children themselves told the inspector that they like school and have lots of fun and that they feel safe because teachers look after them.  The behaviour of children is good and most concentrate well on their learning. A very few find it difficult to concentrate and, just occasionally, a few children run around the outdoor area with little focus, because too little is prepared for them to do. Most children are keen to play with others, understand the importance of sharing and know what staff expect of them.  There has been no recorded incidents of bullying or racism over the past two years. Children

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

cooperate with adults and gain confidence by taking safe risks, such as climbing in the outdoor area.  The nursery promotes healthy eating through a daily snack bar in which children can choose from a wide range of healthy foods. This was recently supported by a World Food Day in which many parents came to school to make and try new tastes with their children.  Parents who responded to the online survey said that children at the nursery behave well and are safe and secure. A few parents who spoke to the inspector said that they feel their children are very well looked after.  Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered well through many different experiences and because children and parents are encouraged to share their own cultures with others.  Children's attendance has improved since the last inspection and most now attend regularly.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the nursery federated with another local nursery, leaders, including the governing body, have worked tirelessly to improve the quality of provision and education for all children. As a result, there has been good improvement in all areas and a consistent approach, fostered by high expectations.  The headteacher provides strong leadership. She is ably supported by the assistant headteacher and the governing body. Together, they have improved all aspects of the school and now have a clear and ambitious vision for the future. They know the school’s strengths and areas that need improving. Accurate self-evaluation underpins development planning and shows the nursery's strong capacity to improve further.  Performance management is robust and leaders make effective use of the Teachers’ Standards to bring about improvement. There are several examples of where staff at all levels at the nursery have progressed and achieved promotion because of the high quality training that has

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The leadership and management are good

been provided for them.  Performance is well monitored. This has ensured that teaching is good, so that most children make at least the progress expected of them and many make better than expected progress. Leaders are aware of the issues identified by this report.  Team leaders contribute well to the overall management of the school. They have successfully reviewed the new early years curriculum, developing topics that engage and interest children and improving the way in which achievements are recorded.  Parents are pleased with the nursery and value the support it provides.  The local authority provides good support to the nursery and regularly reviews the work of the assessment unit.  Links with the federated school are very productive, ensuring that staff from both schools benefit from the partnership through joint training and shared expertise.  Leaders make sure that there is no discrimination and that all children have equal opportunities,

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The leadership and management are good

as demonstrated by the fact that all of those who require it benefit from additional support so that they are all able to make equally good progress.  Safeguarding procedures fully meet requirements.  The governance of the school:  The new governing body has made an effective start, promoting a positive climate in which children thrive and progress. Members check the nursery's strengths and weaknesses with leaders regularly, and report on what they observe. They know how well the nursery is doing and understand what needs improving. Members understand their role in managing the performance of staff and they make sure that there are sufficient funds to provide the training needed to ensure that teaching and learning continue to improve. They manage the school's finances well. Members ensure that good teachers and staff are rewarded through the school’s performance management structure and that any underperformance is improved through

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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 109765 Local authority Slough Inspection number 431048

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Nursery School category Community Age range of pupils 3 –4 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 122 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kevin Redman-Brown Headteacher Diane Lister Date of previous school inspection 18–19 May 2011 Telephone number 01753 536293 Fax number 01753 694611 Email address office@chalveyeyc.slough.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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