Abbey Wood Nursery School

Abbey Wood Nursery School and Children's Centre Dahlia Road, London, SE2 0SX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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This is a good school

 Most children, including those who are disabled and those with special educational needs, make good progress in all areas of their development.  Leaders check the quality of teaching regularly. As a result, teaching is good.  Most teachers and additional adults plan many interesting activities that engage children and promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Teachers have high expectations and model good pronunciation of words. Consequently, children who speak English as an additional language make good progress.  Most children are confident in expressing their feelings and they are clearly aware of the high standards of behaviour that are expected of them.  Leaders, including governors, make sure that children’s behaviour is exemplary in the classroom and around the school.  Children enjoy school and are kept safe. Their attendance is improving.  The headteacher has worked very successfully

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This is a good school

to improve the systems that are used to check children’s progress. As a result, there is now more thorough information on children’s progress in all areas of development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Children do not make rapid and sustained progress. This is partly because teachers are not yet fully confident in using assessment information to plan activities that challenge pupils.  Occasionally, the sequencing of activities does not allow disabled children and those with special educational needs and the more able to make rapid progress.  Although governors are beginning to ask challenging questions of school leaders, their checks on children’s progress currently lack rigour.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed six lessons of more than 25 minutes. She made brief visits to other lessons, including sessions on the linking of letters and sounds (phonics), story time and numeracy sessions. Most observations and visits were done jointly with the headteacher.  The inspector took account of the views of 16 parents informally interviewed. There were too few responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, to draw further conclusions about parents’ opinions.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and deputy headteacher to discuss the progress that groups of children make.  Meetings were held with other senior leaders, staff and with the Chair of the Governing Body. The inspector also took account of the 16 responses to the staff questionnaires.  The inspector looked at documents including: records of children’s progress, plans for improvement, governing body meeting records, children’s attendance records and documents

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Information about this inspection

related to safeguarding. Children’s profiles were also looked at.  The inspector listened to children talk about the books they like, ate lunch with them and talked to them to get their views of the school.  The inspector toured the school’s site with the caretaker to explore the safety systems and procedures in the school. Visits were also made to the Forest School area.

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Inspection team

Janice Williams, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger-than-average-sized nursery school.  There are no children eligible for additional support through the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for looked-after children, those eligible for free school meals and the children of service families. There are no children who are looked after by the local authority, and no children from service families currently at the school.  Approximately half of the children are White British, with around 47% from minority ethnic backgrounds. The largest minority ethnic groups are of Black African and Asian heritage.  Around 28% of the pupils speak English as an additional language. This proportion is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported at school action is above the national average, as is the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.

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Information about this school

 There is day care provision and a children’s centre onsite managed by the headteacher and the governing body. These are subject to a separate inspection.  A new headteacher joined the school in September 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding so that all children make rapid progress by ensuring that:  teachers use the new assessment information to plan activities that challenge children to extend their knowledge and skills  teachers sequence activities more effectively to accelerate the progress of disabled children, those with special educational needs and the more able.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure governors check information about children’s progress so that they are better able to hold leaders to account for the performance of the nursery.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start in the nursery with skill levels that are generally below those expected for their age, and most are at an earlier stage of development in all areas of learning. Although they leave the nursery at a level that is lower than that typically found, all groups of pupils, have made good progress from their starting points.  While most disabled children and those with special educational needs make slightly less progress than their peers in their communication and language development, they make mostly good progress in their physical, personal, social and emotional development.  There are slight differences in the rates of progress made by children from different ethnic backgrounds; however, overall all groups make good progress in all areas of their development. Children who speak English as an additional language achieve well because they receive good support from staff, who are skilled in modelling correct pronunciation.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children’s communication skills are developed well because teachers and additional adults encourage them to speak through various discussions and conversations. As a result, they are very confident and can express their opinions well.  Children enjoy many activities and are given lots of opportunities to select activities that they like. Every activity provides them with some learning opportunities. Occasionally, though, activities do not support or challenge the more-able children or those with special educational needs. As a result, they do not progress as rapidly as they could.  The well-resourced outdoor areas provide children with many opportunities to learn about their environment and many explore the ‘mud kitchen’, climbing frames and the Forest School area. They also enjoy their physical education classes.  Sometimes children are not effectively challenged to transfer and extend their knowledge and

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The achievement of pupils is good

skills to other areas of development. This is because teachers and additional adults are not confident enough in using the new assessment information to plan activities that match and extend children’s abilities.  Overall, reading is taught well. In some phonics sessions, activities are not organised as well as they might be. For example, occasionally children are not actively involved for long enough; this slows the progress of these children as they find it harder to maintain concentration.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good because teachers have high expectations and plan activities that engage and sustain the interest of the children.  Most teachers and additional adults ask probing questions that make children more reflective. A few of the questions asked, especially by additional adults, do not challenge children to think seriously or effectively solve problems.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and they provide children with many opportunities to explore and explain what they are doing.  Children are offered many different activities that they can participate in. They also enjoy other activities, including playing with bingo word cards, filling bottles of various sizes at the water table, playing in the sand pit and rice table, and using dolls to explore the foods babies like to eat.  In an excellent session, the Early Years Practitioner challenged children to use play-dough to

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The quality of teaching is good

make buns. The children then added and subtracted buns from their total. Children at this table made excellent progress because they were encouraged to explore the concept of subtraction.  In another class, at the rice table, a teacher effectively introduced numeracy concepts of empty, half-full and full. As a child filled her bottle with rice, the teacher confidently explained and demonstrated the difference between the three concepts of measurements. Within a short time, the child made good progress and was able to explain the difference between a half-full and full bottle with confidence.  At the time of the inspection, sports coaches were teaching physical education classes to the children. They enjoyed the activities of identifying the colours of the cones used and moving in a responsible and mature manner, getting the right balance as they jumped and moved around the cones without bouncing each other or falling. Children were able to stack the cones

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The quality of teaching is good

according to the colours with confidence. They made good progress in running, jumping and skilfully negotiating their space successfully. However, there were a few missed opportunities to transfer and consolidate children’s counting skills.  During story time, children with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress in dramatising their stories while their peers sit and listen attentively to the teacher reading their stories.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Behaviour of children is outstanding. Most are very polite and caring. They know the difference between positive and negative behaviour.  Children who attend the nursery regularly willingly welcome those who are new, particularly those who speak English as an additional language. As a result, these children’s communication skills also develop quickly because they learn from their peers.  During the inspection, children were seen working extremely well in small groups with their peers. They show high levels of respect towards their peers and adults.  Children clearly know the difference between right and wrong behaviour. They learn to share toys and resources and understand the importance of being polite to each other at all times.  In the three classes, children share well with each other and willingly explain or demonstrate to their peers how to play games or do different tasks.  Children who remain and eat lunch display exemplary table manners. They respond well to

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

suggestions to try new foods and use pictures to arrange their cutlery in an accurate way. They handle the jugs of water responsibly and pass the jugs to their peers so that they too can independently pour their water.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. The front of the school is gated and there is another gate that parents have to go through to take their children to their classrooms. Parents or visitors who come on the grounds after school has started have to use the intercom system to identify themselves first before they are allowed to enter. Children are helped to understand risk and know how to stay safe.  All opened outdoor mud is covered overnight so that animals do not get in and the climbing frame equipment is checked several times during the day before children are allowed to climb.  All parents interviewed say that their children are safe and enjoy attending the nursery.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

Consequently, their attendance has improved this year. There are no reported incidences of bullying.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is an inspirational leader and has accurately identified areas that need further improvement. Firm plans are in place to accelerate children’s achievement further.  Since being in post the headteacher has worked well with the existing staff and there is a harmonious working environment where all children are treated equally and looked after well by all staff.  Leaders check the quality of teaching regularly and have an increasingly accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They know exactly what must be done to accelerate children’s progress further. Middle leaders make an important contribution to this evaluation.  Assessment information is not yet used with equal rigour by all teachers to identify children who are underachieving or need to be further challenged. The headteacher is aware of this and has introduced new systems for checking on children’s progress. Staff are being trained so that all

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The leadership and management are good

are effective in using the assessment systems and understand that they are accountable for children’s progress.  The school has worked well with the local authority to help with the recruitment and appointment of the new headteacher, and to bid for additional funding for sports. If successful, the funding will be used to offer swimming lessons to children.  The headteacher has introduced a new performance management system. Teachers are now set targets which are linked to high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge children. There are secure links to pay progression.  The range of subjects and topics offered to children is interesting and most children find the topics appealing. Consequently, they are keen to develop their communication skills by accurately applying the new words that adults teach them.  Leaders carefully monitor the development of children’s physical well-being by employing sports

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The leadership and management are good

coaches to deliver physical education lessons. There are many opportunities for children to use the climbing frames regularly.  Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural and development is promoted well. There is a monthly language focus and many outreach programmes that involve the community. At the time of the inspection, the language of the month was French and children were learning different greetings and songs in that language. Parents are also given these greetings on the parental notice board.  Leaders, including governors, have worked well with parents to involve them in many events such as ‘Heritage Week’ and ‘Dad’s Brunch’, which promote effective social interaction and provide information about different cultures. Consequently, there is a high level of respect for different cultures in the nursery and children are very tolerant and respectful of different cultures.  The governance of the school:

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors are supportive of the work of the school, ensure that the site is secure and that children are looked after well and kept safe. They attend many training courses offered by the local authority.  Governors have been involved in the appointment of the new headteacher and have set very challenging targets so that they can hold leaders more to account for children’s progress.  Governors’ evaluation of how the school compares to other nursery schools was over- generous because the information received previously on children’s progress was not thoroughly analysed. They are now asking the right questions of senior leaders and staff and are aware that there is scope to use this information to hold leaders more accountable for accelerating children’s progress further.  Governors know about the quality of teaching in the nursery. They are aware that there is a new performance management system in place and ensure that teachers’ targets are now

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The leadership and management are good

linked to children being challenged to accelerate their progress further. They ensure that safeguarding requirements are met and are effective.

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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 100099 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 430822

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Nursery School category Maintained Age range of pupils 3–4 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 102 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Valerie Richeux Headteacher Clare Barber Date of previous school inspection 23–24 May 2011 Telephone number 020 8311 0619 Fax number 020 8311 0619 Email address headteacher@abbeywood-nur.greenwich.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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