Everton Nursery School and Family Centre

Everton Nursery School and Family Centre Spencer Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L6 2WF

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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 exceptional start to their school life because teaching is outstanding and they make outstanding progress.  Children with special educational needs and the most able children make outstanding progress.  Teachers, family workers and support staff are extremely knowledgeable and skilled in early years education, reflecting the example set by knowledgeable leaders.  Children are very keen to discover knowledge and learn because they are stimulated by the many activities to read, count and begin to write.  Children’s behaviour is outstanding. They become more confident and self-assured because they are held in high esteem by all staff.  Leadership and management are outstanding. This starts at the top with the headteacher’s resolute determination to prepare children exceptionally well for their future.  The curriculum is inspirational. Children thrive because they are taught the basic skills to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

communicate and relish the opportunities to learn about the world around them.  The school continues to improve because of high-quality leadership. Leaders and governors set high standards for the quality of teaching and children’s achievement.  Strong relationships with parents and the local community make the school a hub for the local area. Partnerships with nursery schools nationally and locally are extremely strong, but awareness of this is a little understated and limits even more opportunities to help other schools improve.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector jointly observed five sessions taught by three teachers and support staff with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. The inspector looked at the learning of children in two sessions with members of the governing body. The inspector reviewed children’s work with staff.  The inspector also reviewed the school’s work, including their explanation of how well the school is doing, documents related to behaviour and safeguarding, records of governing body meetings and information on children’s progress.  Meetings were held with staff, four members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The views of parents were taken into account by looking at the 13 responses to the online Parent View survey.  Staff views were reviewed by analysing questionnaires completed by seven staff and in discussions held with staff throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Marie Cordey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Everton is an average-sized nursery school.  The proportion of children supported through early years action is average. The number of children supported through early years action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The school is an ‘Early Years Hub’ and national coordinator as part of regional and national partnerships to promote and share best practice with other settings.  There is a family centre on site which was not part of this inspection. The inspection report for this setting is available at www.ofsted.gov.uk

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise awareness, of the setting’s partnerships with schools in the local and wider, national areas, to contribute further to school improvement.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children make exceptional progress from their starting points that are well-below those typical for their age. By the time they leave the nursery, their skills are usually in line with, and this year they are above, those typical for their age. Children typically gain detailed knowledge about everything they are learning about so that in their study of nature, for instance, they identify the leaves of a wide range of trees, including oak, sycamore, birch and ash. Similarly, when drawing birds, children are very specific when detailing features such as the red breast of a robin or the differences between a town or domestic pigeon and a wood pigeon.  Their basic skills are very well-developed and children express themselves well, put letters and sounds together, count and make early writing marks.  The high quality of teaching and planning is focused specifically on each child and progress in lessons and over time is rapid. Children’s interests are taken into account to increase their

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.  Children with special educational needs make outstanding progress because they are exceptionally well taught and supported, based on each child’s particular requirements. The most able children make outstanding progress because they are challenged to achieve their potential by thought-provoking activities.  Children seize opportunities to take responsibility, such as when they organise healthy snacks on a daily basis and carefully plan food groups to promote healthy eating. They bake, paint, make music and sing with gusto. These children gain skills to serve them well throughout their lives.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers’ planning emphasises the pleasures of reading, writing and using numbers. The indoor and outdoor areas are used inter-changeably to increase children’s knowledge and understanding. Children were observed in a world of their own, quietly looking at books outdoors, while others were making a collage of leaves indoors.  High expectations of what each child can achieve are at the heart of what teachers and staff do to make sure children achieve their potential. Activities are targeted at children making fast progress and improving their skills.  Staff routinely encourage children to persevere, think and experiment with different ways of doing things to become more skilful. Children develop their skills well when they are encouraged to find answers for themselves and to use information and communication technology safely to research and take photographs.  The outdoor landscape is extremely attractive and deliberately planned by children to encourage

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

learning. Children suggested rolling hills, an amphitheatre and quiet, reflective areas, for example, to practise their physical education, role play and learn through a range of activities. The presence of trees, flowers, art and music, deepens children’s knowledge of the world around them and adds to their joy of learning.  Parents are involved and are knowledgeable about how to help their children learn at home because they attend workshops in school about their child’s learning, speak to staff regularly and are kept up to date about how their children are getting on in their learning.  Children learn mathematical, early reading and writing skills in most of the things that they do because staff incorporate these into activities. Children use mathematical and scientific language, for example, when describing the components of an aeroplane and its relationship to flying in space.  Family workers and support staff are part of a team who regularly update their knowledge, plan

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

with teachers and closely examine what exactly is required to help children improve their skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of children is outstanding. They gain confidence and raise their self-esteem because they know that they are valued as individuals and because they are made to feel unique. As a result they not only value themselves but also respect the feelings of others.  Children are encouraged to try things for themselves. They quickly learn to put on the outdoor suits when the weather is cold or wet, or the specially designed caps with visors and neck covering when it is hot. They are proud of their school, take part in ‘eco’ activities, such as gardening, to look after their school and they wear their blue and yellow uniform with pride.  Behaviour is very well managed by staff, and the improvements in the behaviour of children with complex special educational needs are exceptional. Children have very positive attitudes to learning, inspired by outstanding teaching and stimulating activities.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Although children’s attendance is not statutory at this age, the school has made a deliberate effort to improve attendance because leaders have noted that more frequent absence has slowed down the learning of some children. Attendance is improving, although a very small number of children do not attend enough to make the most of their learning in the nursery.  The school’s work to keep children safe and secure is outstanding. Children feel safe. Their parents agree and also believe that behaviour is good. Leaders, staff and governors are well informed about safety arrangements. The governing body and site supervisory staff regularly inspect the school and grounds to check on safety and security. Safety training for staff and governors is regular and thorough.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The exceptional qualities of leaders and managers are the cornerstone of the nursery’s success. The quality of teaching is regularly and rigorously checked to make sure it is leading to children making outstanding progress. The headteacher’s considerable knowledge of early years education and her understated, steely determination are at the heart of the school’s effectiveness.  Leaders work together very well. Middle leaders are very effective because of the excellent example set by the headteacher and deputy headteacher. They take advantage of numerous professional training courses and carefully check the quality of teaching and children’s learning. All staff are considered to be leaders and work cooperatively and effectively together. The headteacher is extremely efficient in developing the expertise of staff so that they become more and more effective in their roles. Senior leaders express their ambition clearly and helpfully so

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The leadership and management are outstanding

that all staff share in the vision for transforming children’s outcomes.  Leaders and governors contribute to school improvement locally and nationally through partnerships to share best practice and train providers in early years’ settings. Everton is a teaching school and shares its expertise and outstanding practice when participating in the training of future teachers.  Performance-management targets are linked to teachers’ pay and are rigorous and challenging. They are well received by staff because they share leaders’ aims to improve children’s outcomes and the quality of teaching. Professional training is used to refresh staff knowledge and keep abreast of early years education. The school also works very effectively to improve other schools and provides regular local and national training in early years’ settings. This is understated by leaders who are reticent to appreciate their impact in improving schools.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school’s partnerships with parents and the local community are very strong. The vast amount of activities for families, local groups and services and children, are well attended and valued.  What children learn and do are carefully crafted to be enjoyable and to encourage in them a desire for learning and discovery. Activities concentrate on children’s acquisition of basic skills and a wide-range of subjects. Children’s exceptional progress, including for those with special educational needs and the most able children, reflect the school’s commitment to equality of opportunity.  Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Their social skills, for example, are very well developed at lunch time when they sit at dining tables with an adult, use cloth napkins and talk about school events, topical news and their interests. For their age, children are very knowledgeable about art through their visits to Liverpool Tate and the teaching

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The leadership and management are outstanding

of the visiting artist. Music is a strength of the school and children experiment playing a range of musical instruments and are keen singers. They are taught about the world around them and learn to respect people from different walks of life.  Targets for the children’s achievement are securely and routinely based on children making outstanding progress. Systems to check children’s progress are clear and understood by staff. Parents take part in developing their child’s learning at home because they are kept aware of what their children are learning and how to develop it further.  The local authority provides regular, high-quality support to the headteacher and successfully challenges the school to achieve high-quality outcomes for children. It also provides much appreciated training for governors and for staff.  The governance of the school:  Governance is outstanding. The governing body has systematically set about improving its

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The leadership and management are outstanding

effectiveness through local and national training, increased involvement in the life of the school and in gaining extensive knowledge about early years education and achievement.  Governors are very involved in observing teaching and checking the quality of children’s work. They use this information to help to set challenging targets for the performance management of staff. Pay progression is used well to reward good teaching. The school’s finances are extremely well managed and based on recruiting, developing and retaining high-quality staff and effective resources, such as equipment and information and communication technology, for example, to help children to achieve.

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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 104505 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 439934

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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 115 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Joyce Humphreys Headteacher Lesley Curtis Date of previous school inspection 17 May 2011 Telephone number 0151 2331969 Fax number 0151 2331960 Email address everton-ht@evertoncentre.liverpool.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 and 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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