Ellergreen Nursery School and Childcare Centre

Inspection Report Ellergreen Early Years Centre

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104506 Unique Reference Number Liverpool Local Authority 286964 Inspection number 25 September 2006 Inspection date Delia Hiscock Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Ellergreen Road School address Nursery Type of school Norris Green, Liverpool Community School category Merseyside L11 2RY 3 °5 Age range of pupils 0151 2334594 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0151 2334594 Fax number 29 Number on roll (school) Mrs Helen Restorick Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Carless Headteacher 6 November 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 286964 25 September 2006 3 °5 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This Early Years Centre serves an urban population with significant disadvantage and family need. Nearly all the children are of White British heritage. From time to time, there are a few children from minority ethnic backgrounds. At present, there are no children who speak English as an additional language. The centre is central to the extended services of the newly established Children's Centre. The number of pupils on roll is declining because of extensive regeneration in the area. Children start school at the Centre after their third birthday. Attainment on entry is low.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Ellergreen Early Years Centre, 25 September 2006

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Grade: 2

This effective Nursery school provides good value for money. This is because leadership has built on the strengths and successes of the school's high quality care and support. As a result, all the children achieve well whatever their needs or difficulties. The effective leadership, vision and knowledge of the headteacher, and her determination to provide the best quality provision for children and their families, have helped to steer a smooth pathway during a period of radical change in the Childcare provision locally. Effective communication with everyone, really good relationships and an undeterred attention to the needs of all the children ensures that their personal development and well-being are well developed. Even the youngest three year olds, who have recently started, are happy to come to school. Older children too say that they enjoy playing. The headteacher, whose role has widened, has made

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Grade: 2

much headway in developing the integrated services of the newly established Children's Centre. Perceptive management and diligent governance have deployed staff effectively and meant that strategies for improvement continue to be rigorous. The result of this work is seen in the good progress children make in all the areas of learning, from low levels of attainment, particularly in their personal and social development and skills for communication. By the time the children leave to start in their Reception Year, standards attained are below those expected of children of their age. The breadth of experience and skills they gain stand them in good stead for their future learning. The reason for this good progress is that the quality of teaching and learning is good. All the staff and voluntary helpers strive to help the children to become more independent in their learning. Equally, the quality of care, guidance and support

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Grade: 2

provided is good so the children settle and gain the vital skills which help them to become good learners. Nevertheless, leadership is not complacent as it works hard to bring about further improvements. The school recognises the need to improve the measures of children's progress in the area of communication, language and literacy. This is a result of effective monitoring and determination to ensure that children reach their highest potential. The school provides a good curriculum which awakens curiosity, equips children with a good range of early skills and a growing awareness of what it is to be healthy and keep safe. The children enjoy their school, learn to take on a range of responsibilities, such as tidying up after themselves, and say what they think would make things even better for them. Equally, the views of parents, grandparents and carers are welcomed. The school's commitment to develop its links with those families who find it hard to

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Grade: 2

work with institutions is an indication of the determination to do the best it can for all its children.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Further develop the use of information about children's attainment to raise achievement in communication, language and literacy. 2 Inspection Report: Ellergreen Early Years Centre, 25 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Children achieve well. They make good progress in all areas of their learning. Some children's skills of communication improve rapidly, and in their personal and social development they settle quickly into the routines and enjoyments of each day. The school records and children's work show that the emphasis on developing children's communication skills makes a difference to children's attainment in lots of ways and in all the areas of learning. It is the close match of activities to children's individual needs that brings success to all children. By the time they leave Nursery, standards are below the level expected of children of their age.

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Grade: 2

The personal development and well-being of children are good and very well supported by the good relationships which exist between teachers, nursery nurses and voluntary help. As a result, the children are well behaved and eager to learn. Activities set out for children each day entice them. Their parents, grandparents and carers like what is on offer too and are encouraged to join in an activity when they bring the children to school. The many smiley faces that children colour with their parents show how much they like their school and also what they think would make it better. The children get off to a good start in understanding what it is to be healthy through lots of healthy snacks and cooking activities. Because they feel the Centre is a safe, familiar and happy place to be, they grow in confidence. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. There are lots of opportunities for children to explore

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Grade: 2

the festivals of other cultures and faiths. Equally, they learn what is expected of them and how important it is to behave well, share and to be kind towards others. The skills they develop equip them well for the future.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good and enables children to make good progress. Effective planning, really good relationships, accurate assessment and a calm, orderly atmosphere all help the children to play purposefully with others and enjoy the times they learn with adults. Plenty of interesting activities help the children to take steps towards independence. These include well designed and effective lessons to develop children's skills in communication and the children benefit in lots of ways as they explore, make, build and imagine with their classmates. It is here also that nursery nurses and voluntary helpers make a good contribution to learning. They check what children understand, 3 Inspection Report: Ellergreen Early Years Centre, 25 September 2006 guide them with questions, support those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and help those who are vulnerable. These features help the children to enjoy gaining

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and is well tailored to serve all the children's needs to ensure that they develop well and make good progress. It is enriched by an imaginative range of activities, visitors and thoughtful use of the local area, such as Farmer Ted's farm yard. The children benefit from plenty of props and equipment for play, talk and exploration. They learn what it is to be healthy and the important features of keeping safe through the school's programme of personal, social and health education. Outdoor provision is effective but, at times, there is limited access because the area is shared with the Children's Centre and cr ßche services, and after school club.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support provided are good. The school takes very good pastoral care of the children, is vigilant and very supportive of those who are facing difficulties. All the requirements for the care, safety and protection of children are in place, including those for risk assessment. There is good support provided for those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. A huge amount of effective background provision and links support a smooth transition to the children's next school. Guidance for children's progress is effective and ensures that children gain the early skills they need as learners. The school plans to improve the way it measures children's attainment and progress to further raise achievement.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher has led the recent developments really well during a period of substantial change. As a result, good headway has been made in managing the integration of the well established nursery provision with the extended services of the Children's Centre, which is newly opened. At the heart of this work is a caring ethos that puts the children first. The school wants all its children to succeed whatever their circumstances. Any barriers that hamper a child's start to their education are sensitively put aside through extensive inter-agency work and effective deployment of staff. It is here that leadership demonstrates perceptive understanding of how to ensure that children's needs are well met. The school's evaluation of its work is accurate. Performance management is effective. It includes all the staff team and links astutely to improvement planning. The school's

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Grade: 2

strengths are maintained and future needs are tackled. Rigorous monitoring has identified that a more incisive use of assessment is now needed to raise standards 4 Inspection Report: Ellergreen Early Years Centre, 25 September 2006 further in communication, language and literacy, so that children attain their highest potential. The school has a good capacity to undertake this work. Governance is competent and uses its expertise well. 5 Inspection Report: Ellergreen Early Years Centre, 25 September 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Ellergreen Early Years Centre, 25 September 2006

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Ellergreen Early Years Centre, 25 September 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Ellergreen Early Years Centre, 25 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Hello again. How are you all? I really enjoyed my visit to your school. Do you remember seeing me in your classroom? I had a great time. I listened to all the bits about Sid the Skeleton and I saw you playing outside on the bikes and slides. What a lovely time you had! I came to see if you like your school and what helps you the most. Guess what? I found your Nursery to be a good one, just like you and your mums, dads, grans, and helpers think. All the grown-ups work hard for you. They try to make lessons lots of fun. You are lucky to be in a place where you get looked after so well. This is one of the things that help you to learn. I can see that you love playing with the toys, bricks, paints and making things. You behave nicely in school and I can see that you are learning to tidy up after yourself too. Well done. I've asked Mrs Carless and your teachers to help you do even better with your language and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

literacy. Good luck for the future. 9 Inspection Report: Ellergreen Early Years Centre, 25 September 2006

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