Castle Nursery School & OOSC

Castle Nursery School & OOSC C/o St Nicholas C E Primary School, Kenilworth, Warks, CV8 2PE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 May 2016 2 March 2011

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The management team provides inspired leadership and plans ambitious targets for the future. They lead an exceptionally skilled, highly experienced and well-qualified staff team. Staff are motivated and passionate to provide every child with the highest level of care and learning.  Partnerships with parents are extremely strong. Staff wholeheartedly involve parents in their children's learning. For example, parents are regularly invited to attend workshops to raise awareness of how to extend their children's learning at home. Parents are delighted with the quality of educational support and care that their children receive.  Children make excellent progress from their starting points. Managers meticulously monitor how well different groups of children achieve in their learning. Key persons swiftly identify any gaps and skilfully help children catch up with their peers. Staff accurately observe children and use the information to plan a challenging and exciting

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This provision is outstanding

range of activities.  Children have made very strong attachments to staff who understand their backgrounds and unique characteristics. Families feel thoroughly supported by staff and their children's emotional well-being is given very high priority.  Children demonstrate excellent levels of concentration and are eager to learn. They freely move around the highly stimulating environment. They access a wide array of inspiring resources, both indoors and outside.  All staff have a clear, shared vision to continuously develop and improve professionally and achieve the best possible outcomes for children. They are committed to developing their knowledge and sharing their learning and expertise with other professionals.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 enhance the already excellent programme of professional development to ensure that the outstanding quality of the provision is maintained.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and discussed the impact this had on children's learning.  The inspector held a meeting with the managers. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff.  The inspector spoke to a selection of parents, children and staff during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have an excellent knowledge of how to report concerns and understanding of child protection procedures. Well-focused supervision and professional development plans ensure staff receive high-quality feedback on their teaching skills. Managers intend to further enhance staff's skills through observing each other's practice. Additional funding is used wisely to enhance all aspects of children's learning. For example, it is used to access additional professional support and obtain innovative resources. Staff are proactive in seeking out opportunities to further improve their skills and knowledge. For example, staff are involved in research projects with a local university and a centre of excellence.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff have an excellent knowledge of how children learn. They ensure that activities are exceptionally well planned to make excellent use of all potential learning opportunities. Children contribute with great enthusiasm during story time. They use fruit as props and dress up in costumes to represent characters in the story. This significantly enhances children's enjoyment, understanding and confidence, as they recall a sequence of events and discuss what is happening. Staff skilfully extend the activity, using the same fruit during snack time. They ask children carefully chosen questions that deepen their understanding and promote their problem-solving skills. Children delight in the rich and stimulating outdoor area. They become fully absorbed in their creative ideas as they pretend to make soup in the mud kitchen. Children are fascinated as they discover a spider and expertly use magnifying glasses to look more closely. Lively discussions follow

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

about the lifecycle of different insects help promote children's understanding of nature.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children form excellent relationships with staff and other children. They are highly respectful and sensitively consider the feelings of others. Key persons are very perceptive and expertly promote children's emotional well-being. Children thrive as their physical abilities are challenged. They confidently solve problems and work together as a team. For example, they build bridges and steps from crates that can support their weight. Staff skilfully help children to value and celebrate diversity. For example, children learn words from different languages and include these in songs and rhymes. Children regularly visit the local town and castle, extending their understanding of their community. Staff promote healthy eating. Children enjoy nutritious food at mealtimes and staff help children understand the importance of eating well.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children achieve at the highest level. They persevere with tasks and develop highly positive attitudes to learning. Staff plan exciting ways to promote children's mathematical development. They confidently count, recognise shapes and learn to add and subtract. They gain an astute awareness of people's differences, excellent self-care skills and a thirst for learning, preparing them extremely well for school. Children make remarkable progress from when they start at the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 200549 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 875001 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 3 - 11 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 60 Name of registered person Pauline Weighell

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 2 March 2011 Telephone number 01926 851821

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reference number

Castle Nursery School & OOSC was registered in 1998. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 6, including two staff with qualified teacher status. Five staff hold qualifications at level 3, four at level 2, two staff at level 5 and one member of staff is unqualified. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who have special educational needs or disability.

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reference number

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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reference number

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/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. 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.

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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

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

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