Bedworth Heath Nursery School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Mrs Nicola Burton Acting Executive Headteacher Bedworth Heath Nursery School Glebe Avenue Bedworth Warwickshire CV12 0DP

p.1

Short inspection of Bedworth Heath Nursery School

Following my visit to the school on 5 February 2019, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be outstanding in December 2014.

p.1

Short inspection of Bedworth Heath Nursery School

This school continues to be outstanding.

p.1

Short inspection of Bedworth Heath Nursery School

The leadership team has maintained the outstanding quality of education in the school since the last inspection. The passion you and your whole team have for early education, combined with hard work and commitment, has made sure that the outstanding provision and excellent outcomes recognised at the time of the last inspection have been sustained. In fact, the nursery has continued to evolve and offers outstanding provision that has been further enhanced so that every child, regardless of need, can benefit from the exceptional care and education you provide. The moral purpose shown by the whole staff team is second to none.

p.1

Short inspection of Bedworth Heath Nursery School

Since the last inspection, the executive headteacher has been seconded to work for two local authorities and you have taken on the role of acting executive headteacher. Working closely with the head of school, senior leaders and the whole staff team, you have ensured that this transition has been smooth for the children and their parents. Over time, the learning environment has been further developed to provide appropriate support and challenge for the very youngest children. As numbers of children with significant needs, such as sensory difficulties or global learning delay, increase so specialist learning stations and spaces for sensory stimulation have been created. The school has evolved into a centre of excellence for inclusion.

p.1

Short inspection of Bedworth Heath Nursery School

Leaders have an exceptionally well-developed understanding of every aspect of school performance. Your self-evaluation is honest and accurate, based on wide ranging evidence. You systematically check how well the children are achieving. Data analysis is meticulous, with every pupil group and trend scrutinised and challenged. Regular checks are carried out on the quality of teaching and learning. All adults share your high expectations. They have the best intentions for the children and want them to succeed. They take time to fully understand each child. Staff develop knowledge and skills through effective working partnerships with a range of external agencies. Professional development, support and training, for colleagues in school and beyond, are at the heart of your work. Workforce development has been an essential element of the school’s continuing success.

p.1

Short inspection of Bedworth Heath Nursery School

The development of the whole child is the ambition shared by all. It is the focus of every activity and decision taken. The learning environment continues to evolve to provide a stimulating, exciting place to learn. Not a single moment of learning is lost during the school day. Staff expertly and swiftly spot opportunities to take children’s learning further. Interactions between adults and children are of the highest quality. Consequently, children make outstanding progress from their very low starting points.

p.2

Short inspection of Bedworth Heath Nursery School

Alongside this runs the desire to work with families so that they are equal partners in supporting their children’s learning journeys. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. They were keen to talk to me at the start of the day. They told me how amazing the school is, how happy their children are and how quickly their children develop independence. Parents say that you and your staff help and support them. They recognise the progress their children are making. One comment summed up the views of many parents: ‘An absolutely exceptional school – I cannot put into words what they have done for me and my child. A very special place.’

p.2

Short inspection of Bedworth Heath Nursery School

Governors are very reflective and share the vision of striving to provide the best for every child. Highly skilled with a wealth of experience, much of it gleaned in educational settings, governors provide excellent support and challenge. They do not accept at face value anything they are told. They cross-reference data, reports, and discussions with first-hand visits to the nursery. Governors engage in constructive discussions, seeking to find solutions to issues raised. They are acutely aware of funding issues which impact on the sustainability of the nursery. Quality time is set aside for their meetings in order to facilitate a considered approach to every decision taken.

p.2

Short inspection of Bedworth Heath Nursery School

You have fully addressed the issues raised at the last inspection. Staff in both schools in the federation value the regular opportunities to work together. Expertise is shared and staff enjoy working at either nursery, feeling part of one team. The teaching school continues to provide excellent support for both maintained schools and the private, voluntary and independent sector. High-quality training is led by your staff and regular good practice visits are hosted. The nursery and its outreach work continues to go from strength to strength.

p.2

Short inspection of Bedworth Heath Nursery School

There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Children are very well cared for and safe. You have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. The care and concern you show children and families is second to none. Staff know children and their families extremely well. They are vigilant and know what to do if they have a concern about a child. Any changes in a child’s behaviour are quickly noted and, where appropriate, swift action is taken. The team of designated safeguarding leaders is highly effective in engaging early help for families. They provide exceptional support to parents. Valuable partnerships with social care, healthcare and educational professionals are in place. This ensures that children and families get the right support when they need it. Leaders are tenacious in following up any concerns or issues.

p.2

Short inspection of Bedworth Heath Nursery School

Robust systems and processes for keeping children safe are in place. An up to date safeguarding policy is available on the website. You complete detailed risk assessments and the school site is well maintained. Regular training for all staff ensures they know how to keep children safe. You ensure that comprehensive, detailed records are in place. The environment provides a suitable challenge for the children to develop independence. They learn to keep themselves safe. For example, the outdoor area provides the chance to run, climb and ride and children learn how to manage risks.

p.3

Inspection findings

 Using children’s interests as a starting point, staff carefully plan a curriculum rich with experiences to build on what children already know and can do. Regular planning meetings consider all aspects of the provision from the environment to the resources to the interactions adults have with children. There is a strong culture of observe, assess, review and plan in place.  Children are given time to explore their learning. They show an exceptional ability to concentrate and focus because learning is exciting and engages them from the outset. For example, children carefully and precisely cleaned the giant land snails with tiny brushes, talking about how gentle they should be.  Provision for the two-year-olds is exceptionally well matched to their physical and emotional needs and abilities. Leaders tailor the learning environment inside and out to ensure a sense of security in which the youngest children flourish. Familiar

p.3

Inspection findings

resources and experiences become the starting points. In the home corner, for example, children enjoy making cakes and rocking a baby. They share books with adults, listening intently to the story. In other areas, interests identified during visits to the children’s homes are used to develop their thinking. Communication is exceptionally well developed by every member of staff. Adults provide a commentary on the learning taking place and model the vocabulary for children to copy and practise. Children quickly begin to develop secure language and communication skills. They are soon able to make their needs and feelings known. Children make rapid progress in all areas of learning.  Entry into the school is carefully planned. Meetings for parents, followed by home visits for every child, allow strong relationships to be established from the start. Children develop the confidence to leave their parents through a gradual settling-

p.3

Inspection findings

in process. They become familiar with their surroundings and build secure relationships with their key workers. Staff create a calm working atmosphere in all areas of the nursery. Simple routines are well established and transition into other activities such as lunchtime or family group time are seamless. Children know what is expected of them. Transition arrangements are highly effective, with sufficient flexibility to respond to children’s different needs.  Transition to primary school is just as carefully planned. Comprehensive information is exchanged, so that the new school is fully aware of each child’s individual needs. Vulnerable children are prepared exceptionally well before they leave, and supported, as necessary, in the first few days in their new school. Leaders take a coordinated approach, ensuring the full involvement of parents, the new school and any external agencies involved with the child.

p.3

Inspection findings

 Leaders are keen for every child to become a reader. Regular opportunities are provided for children to share stories. Staff leave a school library book during initial home visits for children and families to share. Stories are read throughout the day and linked to areas of learning or interest. Adults model so children understand the conventions of reading a book. Children handle books carefully, pointing to pictures and talking about what they can see. They happily share books with each other.  Early reading skills are developed effectively through specific phonic sessions. The teaching of phonics is carefully planned and developed according to children’s abilities. Leaders check the provision to ensure that it is of the highest quality. Staff pronunciation is accurate and clear. Listening to sounds and linking them with familiar objects enables children to develop a secure understanding of letters and the sounds they make. They begin to recognise them in familiar

p.4

Inspection findings

words such as their name or in the labels around school. Rapid progress is evident, particularly for the most able children.  Meeting the needs of individual children is at the heart of the school. Since the last inspection, the school has admitted many more children with complex needs. Many parents comment on the highly skilled staff and exceptional support for pupils with significant individual needs, saying that they school is their ‘life saver’. Leaders are clear about children’s starting points and set appropriate targets for them. Staff keep comprehensive records and leaders check progress every six weeks. Adults balance the levels of support needed for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) while ensuring that they provide sufficient challenge to stretch the most able. Outstanding teaching enables all children to make very good progress.  All staff work exceptionally hard to meet the complex needs of individual

p.4

Inspection findings

children. Staff are well trained, highly skilled and take great delight in seeing children make progress, no matter how tiny the steps. Specialist training ensures that adults can successfully and expertly support children with significant sensory needs. Staff are committed to including every child, whatever their needs. They help all children develop empathy towards those whose needs are different from their own. Staff and children are highly inclusive. A mantra of ‘no barriers here only solutions, not what we can’t do but what we can do’ is deeply embedded in this school.

p.4

Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

p.5

Next steps for the school

 the exemplary practice continues to be shared with schools and settings to further develop system leadership across the early years sector  the work with external partners both locally and nationally continues in order to maintain this as a centre and a beacon of excellence.

p.5

Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Warwickshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.5

Information about the inspection

I held discussions with you and other leaders about the significant changes to the school since the last inspection, the school’s self-evaluation and plans for the future. We discussed information about children’s current progress and attainment. I met with three governors, including the chair of the governing body. I met with a group of staff and considered the 23 responses to the staff questionnaire. I carried out learning walks with senior leaders. During these learning walks, I spoke with children and discussed what they were doing. I met with parents before school started and considered the 20 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View text service. I held a telephone conversation with the school’s local authority learning improvement partner. I reviewed a range of documents, including: the school’s self-evaluation and development plan; minutes of governing body meetings; local authority notes of visits; safeguarding policies and procedures; and attendance monitoring data.

p.5