The Norwegian Kindergarten In London

The Norwegian Kindergarten In London 28 Arterberry Road, Wimbledon, London SW20 8AH

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 This is a happy community school, popular with parents. The school engages well with parents and keeps them fully informed about how well their children are learning.  A strength of the school is providing good teaching in both Norwegian and English. By the time children leave, they speak both languages fluently.  Leaders have been thorough in ensuring full compliance with the independent school standards.  Leaders, ably supported by governors, make sure that the curriculum covers a wide range of subjects and topics. These promote children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  The curriculum is enriched with a well- considered programme of trips and visits. These exciting opportunities enable children to learn about other faiths and ways of life.  Leaders make sure that the quality of teaching is consistently good, so that children learn well and make good progress. Leaders visit lessons

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and join in the teaching. Leaders encourage adults to attend courses to develop their skills.  Leaders provide helpful advice to adults. However, leaders do not routinely ensure that activities have sufficient challenge to encourage children to learn as well as they possibly can.  Teaching enables children to develop a wide range of skills. Adults promote children’s speaking, language and number skills well. Books are used well, and there are many opportunities for children to learn mathematical and science skills.  Adults promote outdoor learning as much as possible. Children build strong physical skills and develop good coordination. However, indoor play equipment is less varied and stimulating.  Children are looked after extremely well. The school is a safe environment. Safeguarding is effective. Provision for children who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is particularly strong.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Children behave well. They get on well together and share the play equipment willingly.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements. The school also meets the requirements of the statutory framework for the early years foundation stage.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 To help children make as strong progress as possible in their learning, leaders should ensure that teaching is challenging, by:  offering advice to adults on how they can encourage children to learn more rapidly  making sure that all activities offered to children have a stimulating level of challenge.  Provide children with access to a range of stimulating resources, particularly in the indoor play areas, so that children learn a wider and more stimulating range of skills.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders and governors ensure that the school meets all the independent school standards. As an early years setting, the school also meets all statutory requirements of the early years framework. Children are cared for extremely well, and provision for children who have SEN and/or disabilities is exceptionally well planned and delivered.  Leaders ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently good. Leaders often work alongside the teachers and support them well. They encourage staff to develop their skills. Staff who responded to the Ofsted survey of their views are highly positive about the school and the encouragement they receive from leaders.  Leaders have created a happy school that is warmly supported by parents. Parents told the inspector that they particularly like the friendliness of the school and the way it promotes children’s health through outdoor play. One described the school as providing

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

‘education with fun’.  The school successfully keeps parents informed about their children’s learning and progress. Parents said they look forward to the weekly newsletters with photographs of the children and the topics they are learning. There are plenty of opportunities for parents and children to eat together and go on trips and outings.  Leaders and governors understand their school and have realistic plans for future developments. They successfully deliver the Norwegian early years curriculum, which has many similarities to its English counterpart. Leaders ensure that children learn to speak both English and Norwegian fluently.  The curriculum is wide ranging. It prepares children well for learning literacy and numeracy skills. Children learn a range of exciting topics. For example, the inspector saw the children working on the topic of ‘fire’, including science activities and artwork stimulated by volcanoes.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The curriculum is enriched with a stimulating programme of outings and visits. During the inspection a group of children was taken to a mosque and another group to a Buddhist temple. In such ways the school instils in its children a strong sense of respect for other faiths and heritages, promoting their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  The school successfully promotes British values by fostering in children respect and tolerance for others, and an understanding of democracy. For example, children are trusted to vote for which trip they would like to see organised, and this teaches them to accept the wishes of the majority.  Children learn to respect British institutions, such as the police and fire services. Children and parents celebrated the recent royal wedding with a party at the school.  Leaders offer valuable advice to adults on how they can improve the quality of the

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

teaching. As a result, teaching is consistently good, leading to children making good progress in their learning. However, they do not routinely ensure that adults challenge children to make the strongest progress they can in the topics or activities they are engaged in.

p.3

Governance

 Governors provide effective support to leaders.  Governors know the school well. They visit it often to see its work for themselves and several are closely engaged with the school as parents.  Governors make useful suggestions, such as courses for staff to attend to improve their practice.  Governors are self-evaluative. Records of their meetings show that they reflect on the strengths of the school and how they can make it even better. For example, governors use information gained from parent surveys to press for improvements.  Governors are well trained and successful in keeping children safe.

p.4

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school publishes a comprehensive safeguarding policy on its website. The policy meets statutory requirements and provides clear guidance on keeping children safe and promoting their welfare.  The school has a strong culture of safeguarding. Adults know which leaders are responsible for keeping children safe. Leaders know which external agencies to contact if they have any concern about a child. There is always someone on site with responsibility for the safety of the children.  The school carefully checks the backgrounds of all those who come into contact with the children. All have checks made on their fitness to work, including police checks in Norway and England. Leaders make sure that they are confident about the right to work of all adults. Leaders check that no one on the staff has been banned from teaching.  The school complies fully with the early years statutory requirements for safeguarding

p.4

Safeguarding

and welfare. All staff are trained in first aid procedures for young children. Their training is kept up to date and certificates are displayed.  Adults are trained in recognising signs of neglect or abuse, including female genital mutilation. Adults are trained to spot signs of radicalisation or extremism.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Children learn well because adults engage well with them. Adults make sure that children have plenty of opportunities to speak and to listen to others. Children receive fully bilingual teaching, with English and Norwegian adults in each of the two main classrooms. As a result, children leave the school speaking both languages fluently, and have no difficulty in switching from one language to the other.  A particularly strong aspect of the teaching is the focus on outdoor learning. Children go out in all weathers, wearing suitable clothes and boots. The outdoors is as much of a classroom as the indoor spaces. Outdoors, children learn language and number skills, as well as developing physical prowess.  The adults use the outdoor play spaces well to encourage children to develop strong social skills. Children are ready to share activities with one another and to take turns when using the swings and slides.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Adults successfully promote children’s love of books. Adults read to the children, and this is a popular activity. Children are provided with comfortable spaces where they can settle on their own with a book.  Adults provide children with stimulating tasks, particularly outdoors, that enable them to learn a range of skills. Indoors, however, the play equipment is more limited and does not routinely lead to children making the strongest progress possible.  Some activities are challenging. The inspector attended a music lesson, in which the children sang a wide range of songs and acted out the story of ‘Sleeping beauty’. These tasks challenged the children to do their best work. The children rose to the challenge, singing well and tunefully. However, children are not routinely stimulated to learn as well as they could. As a result, they make good but not outstanding progress in their learning.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote children’s personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Children are looked after extremely well. Children feel secure and safe, right from the start. When they begin school, parents stay with them for as long as it takes to make the children feel secure. By the end of the first week, children settle confidently into school life.  Children are confident and ready to talk to visitors about their learning and which activities they most enjoy.  Parents who completed the online survey and who spoke to the inspector were unanimous in saying their children are safe and happy. The easy lines of communication at the start and end of every day ensure that any little concerns are quickly sorted out.  The care and support offered to children who have SEN and/or disabilities is exemplary. The school works in highly effective partnership with a range of external agencies to meet

p.5

Personal development and welfare

the needs of children. Classroom care and practice in meeting the needs of such children is thoughtful and tailored highly effectively to their needs.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of children is good. Children behave considerately towards others. They play together harmoniously. For example, two children cooperated in hammering shapes into a pin board, with one handing pins to the other. When children are outside, they are mindful of others when running about and climbing on the equipment.  Children keep the school environment orderly. They willingly tidy up when asked to do so. They cut up fruit carefully, under adult supervision, in order to share it out at snack time.  Children enjoy coming to school. School registers show that children attend regularly and are punctual.  Children are generally attentive when completing tasks. However, occasionally they lose concentration when the level of challenge does not stimulate them to try their very hardest.

p.5

Outcomes for pupils Good

 Overall, children make good but not exceptional progress in their learning. Children make particularly strong progress in acquiring fluency in speaking and understanding two languages.  The teaching prepares children well for Year 1. Children gain useful basic skills that prepare them for the next stage. For example, children were able to count scoopfuls of sand up to 28, with minimal help from their teacher.  Transition arrangements into the Norwegian School are effective and enjoyable for children and adults alike. Children visit their next class and are introduced by older pupils to some of the activities they will be doing next year. There is a welcoming ceremony where the children sign their names, watched by proud parents, to mark the start of the new phase in their lives.  A scrutiny of children’s work shows that they make good progress in acquiring skills in reading, writing and mathematics during their stay at the school.

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

 The school checks children’s baseline skills on entry, using Norwegian attainment measures. The school then regularly checks the children’s progress as they go up the school. These records show that the children make good progress in acquiring a range of skills. Adults keep careful records of children’s progress and share these regularly with parents.  Children learn science topics with particular enthusiasm and produce work that attests to their good learning. For example, children learned well how easy it is for unwashed hands to harbour harmful bacteria. Children make good progress in understanding what constitutes a healthy life and what they can do to eat well and live healthily.  Children make particularly strong progress in developing good coordination and strong physical skills. This is largely because of the high premium the school places on outdoor learning.  Children’s outcomes are not outstanding overall because the level of challenge does not

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

routinely stimulate children to make the most substantial progress they could. In art, for example, children are not always encouraged to experiment for themselves. As a result, children sometimes accomplish work which, though neatly presented, does not fully challenge them to do their best work.

p.6

School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

p.7

School details

Proprietor The Norwegian Kindergarten in London Ltd

p.7

School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £8,950 to £12,250

p.7

School details

Website www.norwegiankindergarten.org.uk

p.7

School details

Email address mail@norwegiankindergarten.org.uk

p.7

School details

Date of previous inspection 14 April 2015

p.7

Information about this school

 The Norwegian Kindergarten in London has been in existence since 1982. It shares its premises with the Norwegian School in London. In 2014, the kindergarten registered as a separate school.  The school is registered for children from two to six years of age. Currently there are no two-year-olds and no children who began the school year aged six.  The school aims to treat the children ‘with trust and respect and acknowledge the intrinsic value of childhood’.  No child currently has a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  No child is eligible for support from the early years pupil premium.  The school was last inspected by Ofsted in April 2015, when it was judged to be outstanding in all areas of its work.

p.7

Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out with one day’s notice.  The inspector watched the children learn and play on each of the three days of her visit. She observed all the adults teach. She was accompanied by the headteacher on several of her observations.  The inspector held discussions with senior leaders. She spoke to the chair of the governing body by telephone. The inspector held a meeting with two governors. Both governors attended the final feedback meeting.  The inspector was invited by the Norwegian School to observe transition arrangements from the kindergarten into the senior school.  The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection. There were 15 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, including six written comments. The inspector scrutinised the school’s own recent survey of parents’ views. The inspector took all responses and comments into consideration.  The inspector took account of five responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire for

p.9

Information about this inspection

members of staff.  The inspector reviewed a wide range of documents and policies, including minutes of governing body meetings.  The inspector also looked at many documents relating to safeguarding and children’s welfare in order to check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards and with the early years statutory requirements .

p.9

Inspection team

Natalia Power, lead inspector 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 .

p.9

Inspection team

Parent View 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.

p.10

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 .

p.10

Inspection team

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.10

Inspection team

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 .

p.10

Inspection team

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

p.10

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspection team

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

p.10