Little Sandon

Little Sandon Sandon Primary Academy, Normacot Grange Road, Stoke On Trent, ST3 7AW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 May 2018 Not applicable

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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 nursery benefits from the outstanding leadership of The Sandon Trust who runs the setting. The team of leaders are exceptionally motivated to help achieve and maintain the highest standards since registration.  The provision for identifying and supporting children who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is excellent. Key persons and the trust's special educational needs coordinator scrutinise every child's learning from the outset. This helps them to respond rapidly to children's needs while working with a range of other professionals.  Staff go above and beyond to help children make a smooth move to nursery school and then on to primary school. The children have exceptionally strong relationships with their new teachers well before it is time for them to move.  Children make exceptional rates of progress from their starting points. Some children start well below their expected level of development. The gaps in their learning close by

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This provision is outstanding

the time they move on. The most-able children achieve well beyond the expected levels for their age.  Teaching is inspirational and worthy of dissemination to others. The day-to-day manager of the nursery is an exceptionally talented leader who dedicates her time to mentoring and coaching staff. This helps to ensure all staffs' teaching is highly effective and new staff improve their teaching rapidly to an outstanding level.

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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 support given to parents to help them even more successfully guide their children's learning at home, and monitor the impact of this on children's outcomes.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this had on children's learning. He joined children and staff while they visited the host school's nursery unit, community farm and hall for lunch.  The inspector spoke with children, parents and staff during the inspection. He took account of the views of parents and professionals through written feedback provided.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager. He reviewed teaching and learning with a member of the trust's leadership team.  The inspector had a tour of the premises, including areas of the academy site used by children.  The inspector held discussions with the nursery manager. He had a meeting with the provider who is also the headteacher of the host school and other members of the school's senior leadership team. He looked at relevant documentation and evidence of

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Inspection activities

the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. All staff are extremely vigilant in promoting children's safety. They know how to identify, and report concerns about a child's welfare. The provider has developed a strong culture of self-evaluation. Individual staff are highly critical of their own practice to help maintain the highest standards of teaching. Targeted professional development enables staff to excel in areas they have previously been less skilled in. Staff use the knowledge gained from training to lead highly enthusiastic song times where learning opportunities are rich. Leaders use of the views of others very effectively to help them develop outstanding practice across the nursery.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff are highly skilled and plan meticulously for children's learning, making full use of their detailed and accurate observations and assessments. They are highly responsive to the needs of groups of children and they have an expert knowledge of how to enhance the progress of the most-able children. For example, staff deliver activities outside to help boys maintain high levels of concentration while being active. They teach most-able children how to pronounce letters and sounds of the alphabet correctly, for children to repeat. This helps three-year-old children to recognise letters and link them to words. Staff work closely with the host school's nursery teachers. They agree together how to maintain children's high level of achievement in literacy when they move on. Staff have worked tirelessly to build strong relationships with parents. They have identified through their own accurate evaluation that there is scope to enhance parent partnership even

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

further, such as by helping parents to understand how to guide their children's learning at home. Although, the plans of how to do this have not been fully implemented, as yet.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff provide exceptional additional learning opportunities to children using the wider learning environments at the host school. This includes taking children to the school farm to help enrich their development. For instance, at the farm, children learn about the concept of 'big' and 'little' as they compare the size of eggs collected from the hens. They solve simple number problems, such as how many more eggs they need to fill the box. Staff skilfully introduce other aspects of learning into the activity as they are responsive to children. They talk to children about feelings and encourage them to describe them, when children ask what will happen when the chicken's die. Staff extend the learning even further to help children understand how to help the people who live in the community, such as collecting and selling the eggs to the residents in the school shop. These outdoor experiences help contribute to children's healthy lifestyles through fresh air and exercise.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

The standard of care is outstanding, especially for young children.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children make outstanding progress from their starting points. Children who the setting receive additional funding for are receiving excellent support to help swiftly close gaps in their communication and language skills. All children are exceptionally well behaved and recognise how their actions might make others feel.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY500271 Local authority Stoke on Trent Inspection number 1053081 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 0 - 3 Total number of places 34 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person The Sandon Trust

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01728 319097

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reference number

Little Sandon registered in 2016. It is operated by The Sandon Trust who also runs the host primary school and nursery school. The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including three who are qualified teachers. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8.15am until 4.30pm.

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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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