Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School

Winterbourne Nursery and Infant School Winterburne Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon CR7 7QT Inspection dates 17−18 November 2015

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Pupils, including children in the early years provision, are not making rapid enough progress from their individual starting points to catch up with other pupils nationally.  Attainment is below average for too many pupils in reading, writing and mathematics.  Results in the Year 1 phonics screening check (the sounds that letters make) declined sharply in 2015.  Teachers have only recently begun to use performance information to plan work to more precisely challenge pupils’ abilities.  The quality of feedback given to pupils on how to improve their work is inconsistent.  Leaders do not consistently evaluate teaching linked to pupil outcomes; as a result their judgements can be overgenerous.  Year-group leaders and some new strategic leaders do not check and evaluate their areas of responsibility with sufficient rigour.  The strategic improvement plan does not include milestones and checks by leaders and governors to

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This is a school that requires improvement

ensure the school is on track to meet its priorities.  Systems to check the achievement of pupils who speak English as an additional language and those who have disabilities or special educational needs are underdeveloped.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils are kept safe. They behave well and show good attitudes to one another.  The school environment is vibrant and very well cared for by staff and pupils. Displays proudly celebrate pupils’ talents and cultural heritage.  The atmosphere is calm and respectful. Pupils with additional needs are fully involved and supported positively by adults and peers alike.  Pupils have good opportunities to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding.  Staff work together well as a strong team. They work closely with senior leaders to make sure new initiatives bring about necessary change.  Nursery children with additional needs in the enhanced learning provision are skilfully supported by highly trained and very effective adults.  New staff appointments have had direct impact in their areas of responsibility, notably the early years leader, family support worker and business manager.  Since last October the new and experienced Chair of the

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The school has the following strengths

Governing Body has efficiently re-established a full complement of proactive governors. They now function strategically and they have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and its weaknesses.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management, including in the early years, by: implementing a sharply focused action plan to address the school’s priorities including tight timescales and specific monitoring roles for leaders and governors establishing pupils’ starting points, regularly checking their progress and acting on this information so that all pupils meet aspirational targets by the end of each year and key stage devising a systematic and robust way to check the quality of teaching using all available evidence including the progress of different groups of pupils ensuring the inclusion team is led strategically and act swiftly on first-hand evidence about pupils’ achievement ensuring that the progress of pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language is assessed accurately in line with pupils nationally.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure all teaching is consistently good or better, including in the early years, so pupils’ attainment rises by: ensuring all leaders are supported to improve teaching and achievement to at least good quickly and effectively raising expectations further to plan activities that extend and deepen pupils’ knowledge of phonic skills and mathematical concepts ensuring pupils’ literacy and mathematical skills are applied and developed in other subjects ensuring that the school’s marking and feedback policy is implemented consistently and that pupils act on this feedback ensuring that expectations about the quality and quantity of pupils’ work in different subjects increase at the same rate as for English and mathematics.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership of the school requires improvement. Leaders have not taken urgent action to ensure that pupils’ progress speeds up. Leaders have introduced initiatives to raise expectations, for example, a new assessment system. These are beginning to take effect but pupils’ attainment is not high enough in reading, writing and mathematics. Results in the phonics screening check are inconsistent.  Leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching lack rigour. Lesson observations and drop-in visits to classes and extra support groups pay insufficient attention to the progress made by different groups of pupils, and consequently leaders’ judgements about teaching are over-generous.  Leaders do not evaluate the impact of their work systematically. For example, leaders hold challenging discussions with class teachers and year-group leaders in half-termly pupil progress meetings. Strategies are agreed to address poor achievement, but leaders do not check methodically to see whether these

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

initiatives accelerate progress.  Leaders with responsibility for the inclusion and the achievement of pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language do not use systems to measure pupils’ achievement in line with others in school or with those nationally. Too little time is spent obtaining first- hand evidence in order to evaluate practice, so leaders’ knowledge about the quality of provision lacks accuracy.  Year-group and subject leaders are supported by senior staff who coach and mentor them well to develop their confidence as leaders. Some newly appointed staff demonstrate clear impact. The Early Years Foundation Stage leader has overseen a 15% increase in children making a good level of development at the end of Reception Year. The family support worker, in partnership with the welfare team, has facilitated increased attendance by persistent absentees. A new business manager ensures efficient

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

organisation of recruitment and the required checks to confirm staff suitability for employment.  The stronger practice of new leaders, the effective re-instatement of the governing body, and staff willingness to work together under the direction of the headteacher demonstrate capacity for improvement.  Leaders have created an open culture for staff. Communication between classes and across key stages is positive. Staff work together well and they are keen to implement new strategies. Staff appreciate the feedback they receive from leaders’ visits to their classrooms, and they engage readily with this process to address identified areas within a short timescale.  Professional development helps staff raise their expectations about what pupils can achieve. For example, teachers now analyse class performance information, a task previously undertaken by senior leaders. Delegating this task has raised staff awareness about the need for increased challenge in lessons.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Governors and senior leaders monitor the match between teachers’ performance and their pay awards. Additional adults also receive feedback about their performance. All share common objectives to raise outcomes in English and mathematics. Leaders take appropriate action when staff performance dips.  The curriculum offers different topics which engage pupils’ interests well. Pupils enjoy learning through practical tasks and enquiry in different subjects. While they like activities such as finding out about historical people or important inventions, work in pupils’ topic books is not valued as highly as that in English and mathematics. Some books have insufficient work and scruffy presentation.  The curriculum is supported by visits and extra-curricular activities. Leaders ensure that opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness are strong. Throughout the school, pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

show noticeably tolerant and respectful attitudes to one another regardless of faith, ethnicity or gender. Pupils with complex needs are fully integrated into the daily life of the school and treated equally.  Pupils engaged confidently with inspectors, explaining their work and what they like about the school. They understand and follow routines. Many pupils show positive social skills. This encouraging outlook prepares them well for the next stage in their education and contribution to life in modern Britain.  Sports funding is used to secure pupils’ access to wider sports. Specialist coaches develop staff skills in physical education. Professional development includes topical themes such as ‘fitness not fatness’ to promote all pupils’ active participation in sport.  The safeguarding policy is not up to date and does not reflect the latest guidance. However, safeguarding procedures are effective. Staff and governors receive awareness training on how to tackle extremism and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

radicalisation. A parent governor acted swiftly on this training by speaking to mothers, in their home languages, to actively endorse key messages about the illegal practice of female genital mutilation (FGM).  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The governance of the school Governors have quickly developed and applied their strategic skills to oversee the school’s work. They hold leaders to account for standards, for example through challenging them about last year’s results, particularly in phonics. They carry out independent checks on the school’s work to verify what they have been told. They meet new leaders to discuss their intended actions. Governors opt to meet monthly. Interim monitoring information and records of meetings and visits are shared using a specially devised online ‘chat room’, facilitating more efficient management at meetings. Governors monitor the expenditure and impact of the pupil premium funding. They assess

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

performance information regularly. They know that the impact of this funding has enabled the achievement of pupils in receipt of the funding to make similar and sometimes better progress than others. This year, leaders and governors worked together, for the first time, to produce the strategic improvement plan. This demonstrates a strong partnership to debate and to approve the school’s priorities. However, the process for finalising this document is too slow. Milestones and exacting targets to check the rate of school improvement are not in place.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because pupils are not making fast enough progress to catch up with others nationally. Teachers are more aware of the need to improve pupils’ achievement. They analyse performance information and they ensure that planning challenges pupils’ needs more closely than it has done before. Consequently, rates of progress are stronger when compared with last year.  The school’s new marking policy is not implemented consistently. This is noticeable in some books where comments such as ‘excellent’ are not wholly accurate. Teachers are not providing pupils with useful feedback to improve their work further, thus hindering their progress.  Teachers receive a wide range of training and professional support to help them develop their skills in the classroom. For example, a school focus on writing has created interesting opportunities to encourage pupils to write at length. This is reinforced by drama to explore the plot further and pupils are confident

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

to provide feedback about how to improve a performance.  Teachers and pupils share developing ideas from their lessons using an instant online interclass system. This enables pupils to assess and improve their own ideas through an interclass forum. For example, they found further examples of onomatopoeia to help their writing about space and aliens.  Adults promote pupils’ reading fluency effectively. Pupils read confidently and use phonic skills to work out unfamiliar words. They enjoy reading and know how to choose books at the right level and interest.  Teaching of mathematics is not as strong as English because pupils are not provided with enough opportunities to problem-solve and deepen their knowledge of mathematics in different situations.  Pupils spoke very positively about what the school has to offer. Some learning experiences are clearly meaningful. For example, one child explained the importance of Nelson Mandela thus: ‘black and white

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

people did not live together; he tried to stop that because it isn’t right’. Art has a high profile in school and pupils enjoy developing these skills and techniques. One child commented knowledgeably about Picasso’s Blue period and use of cubes in his work, in response to displays in the school hall.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Observations in lessons confirm that pupils are keen to do well. They develop positive attitudes about their work and learning.  When pupils are given responsibility to improve the standard of their work, they act on this, although this expectation is inconsistent. In some books, marking does not help pupils to do better and in other books, particularly their topic books, scruffy presentation is unchallenged.  Pupils of all ages spoke confidently to inspectors about the good things the school has to offer. They care for the school environment. They talk proudly about displays and how these represent their different cultures and languages. Such elements strongly promote pupils’ personal development and self-esteem.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school. They could not recall incidents of bullying, which was confirmed

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Personal development and welfare

by inspectors’ analysis of behaviour records. Pupils are aware of cyber-bullying and how to stay safe online.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite and caring to those around them. Inspectors saw no examples of poor behaviour in classrooms or outside. At lunchtime and playtime, children get along very well, and follow routines to move around the school calmly, following adults’ instructions quickly.  Pupils form mutually strong relationships with each other and with staff. All adults, led strongly by the headteacher, model how to treat others with respect. This explicit message promotes the calm and tolerant feeling in school.  School leaders have worked hard to improve attendance but it remains below average. Leaders monitor absence robustly and governors analyse weekly figures. Attendance officers prioritise reducing the persistent absence of a minority of pupils and those eligible for pupil premium funding. As a result, the attendance of these pupils has improved markedly since 2013.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Pupils enter the school with skills and abilities frequently below those expected for their age. By the time they move on at the end of Year 2, their attainment in national tests is below average. Too few of the most-able pupils reach the higher outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics.  Results in the phonics screening check are inconsistent. In 2015, outcomes decreased sharply to 20% below average, whereas in 2014 the overall figure was above average. Inspectors observed phonics sessions and they scrutinised pupils’ work that indicated that because of recent efforts, pupils are making strides to improve spelling accuracy.  Green shoots are also evident in the improved pupil outcomes in 2015 for reading, writing and mathematics when compared with 2014. Pupils’ work in English and mathematics books confirms the school’s information that more pupils have been making better progress since September.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Inspectors’ scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that from their individual starting points, the rates of pupil progress require improvement. Some pupils make good progress, others less so. Lower attaining pupils, those eligible for pupil premium funding and those who speak English as an additional language tend to achieve more strongly due to the extra help they receive.  Pupils eligible for pupil premium funding benefit from additional work in small groups and one-to-one support. Additional funds are deployed in a wide range of activities which enables them to make at least the same progress as others.  Inspectors assessed the work and individual plans for pupils with disabilities and those with special educational needs. This shows that they are supported well to meet their learning targets. Pupils’ progress requires improvement that is similar to others in the school. Leaders lack accurate performance

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

measures to check how well achievement compares with that for pupils nationally.

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Early years provision requires improvement

 Children start in Nursery Year with skills and abilities that are usually below those typical for their age. From different starting points, the progress of most children requires improvement but some achieve strongly. In common with the rest of the school, assessment systems in the early years provision including the enhanced provision, lack accuracy and regular checks to demonstrate children’s progress.  In 2015, the number of children who made a good level of development increased by 15% to reflect the national expectations as a direct result of new initiatives in the early years provision. The achievement of disadvantaged children is similar to and frequently above others, except in literacy and mathematics.  The early years leader has noticeably improved adults’ understanding of how young children learn best. He has prioritised developing the nursery provision by working alongside staff and modelling good

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Early years provision requires improvement

practice, and consequently expectations are now higher. Adults engage children’s interests skilfully, helping them to develop their language and social skills. For example, outdoors, adults explored positional language whilst children excitedly re-enacted the story of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen using bottles of squeezy paint on the floor.  In Reception Year, teaching is not as strong because some adults’ expectations are not high enough, particularly in developing children’s mathematical skills. However, children show positive attitudes to their learning, choose to write independently using the resources provided and continue to show positive social and emotional skills. These skills and better outcomes at the end of Reception prepare children well for Year 1.  Children behave well and they are keen to do their best. Trusting and secure relationships are evident between adults and children. Children know and understand class rules and follow instructions

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Early years provision requires improvement

immediately.  Parents are actively involved in their child’s learning. They attend open days and receive important information from their child’s key worker. Parents feel confident in becoming involved in the school because of good relationships with adults. For example, mums and dads participate enthusiastically in weekly singing and music sessions.  Children attending the enhanced learning provision receive good-quality support and care. All have profound communication needs. Adults have highly effective skills to enable all children to achieve well according to their individual needs and abilities. Clear routines and procedures support children’s learning and progress as well as ensuring that they learn safely alongside each other.  Adults include special moments of awe and wonder to hold children’s interest and encourage them to express their responses in sensitively crafted ways, for example, through songs and tactile learning

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School details

Unique reference number 101746 Local authority Croydon Inspection number 10005687 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Nursery and infant School category Community Age range of pupils 3−7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 586 Appropriate authority the governing body Chair Vivienne Coghill Headteacher Tony Ahmet Telephone number 020 8689 7684 Website www.winterbournenurseryandinfants.co.uk Email address winterbourne-inf@croydon.school.uk Date of previous inspection 16−17 November 2011

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized infant and nursery school.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well above average.  The proportion of pupils with disabilities or with special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils for whom the school receives pupil premium funding is average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are cared for by the local authority.  The school provides part-time early years provision for children in the Nursery class and full-time provision for children in five Reception classes.  The school has enhanced learning provision in the nursery for 12 children who have complex and additional needs. Six children attend part time in the morning or afternoon. Most children leave the

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Information about this school

provision to attend specialist provision from the local authority.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection converted from a short inspection to a full inspection to check whether the school continued to provide a good quality of education and whether safeguarding was effective as there was insufficient evidence to support this by the end of day one. Four further inspectors joined the lead inspector on day two.  Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all year groups, including 29 short visits to lessons with the headteacher and senior leaders. During visits to classrooms, inspectors reviewed pupils’ work and spoke with them about their learning. They scrutinised pupils’ books in a range of subjects. They listened to pupils read.  Inspectors observed pupils during playtime and lunchtime.  Inspectors held discussions with the leadership team, subject leaders, members of the governing body and groups of children.  School documents and records were scrutinised, including information about the quality of teaching,

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Information about this inspection

pupils’ progress, behaviour and attendance, checks on staff suitability, school improvement planning and governors’ records.  A review of the safeguarding records and procedures was carried out.  The lead inspector made phone calls to a representative of the local authority and a parent.  Inspectors spoke informally to parents at the beginning of the school day. They took into account the 29 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Ann Debono, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Clementina Aina Ofsted Inspector Christina Cleugh Ofsted Inspector Roger Easthope Ofsted Inspector Calvin Henry Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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