Hindpool Nursery School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Hindpool Nursery School Bath Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 5TS

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Outcome

Hindpool Nursery School continues to be an outstanding school. However, inspectors have some concerns that standards may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children receive a warm welcome at this happy school. They settle quickly when they arrive each morning, so parents and carers do not have to stay long. In school, children enjoy lots of interesting activities, both indoors and outside. Adults provide appropriate activities for two-year-olds in a safe and secure environment. Children particularly enjoy the exciting role-play dens. They also use the outdoor mathematics and reading dens well. There are opportunities to do quiet activities as well as more physical activities. Children concentrate on their play because adults usually make this interesting for them. This is not always the case, however, with reading and mathematics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are kind, nurturing and caring and they know the children well. Children behave well and get on with adults and each other. They are beginning to form firm friendships. When children fall out, adults quickly sort out any problems. Adults explain to children how they should behave. They expect a lot from children and encourage them to do their best. Children show from their behaviour that they feel safe. Parents are positive about the school. They say that they receive helpful information about their children.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Children achieve well at this school. The provision for two-year-olds caters for the needs of individual children well. Leaders and staff are clear about what the children should learn. Staff know the order in which they should teach things. They understand what individual children need to know before they move them on to more challenging work. However, not enough adults take a role in leading improvements in the school, particularly in reading and mathematics.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Adults give a lot of attention to reading. Children begin to learn phonics as soon as they start school. Adults keep an eye on the progress that children make. When children struggle, adults make sure that they get extra help to catch up. 1 October 2019

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Staff introduce children quickly to books. Adults have given a lot of thought to which books they want children to read. However, some children do not use books well. This is because leaders do not present them in a way that makes children want to read. We shared some books with children. Children could talk about their favourite books and are beginning to know some of these well. However, staff do not always make stories interesting when they are reading to children. Because of this, sometimes children lose interest.

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Leaders ensure that staff focus on teaching vocabulary. This is so that the children can use and understand an increasing number of words. Adults know what individual children need to do to improve their language and communication skills. Staff encourage children to speak in sentences. Adults model the correct use of language. They take every opportunity to develop children’s language and vocabulary.

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In mathematics, staff plan activities that encourage children to develop their awareness of numbers and problem solving. Adults know what children can do and what they need to help them with next. Children can recognise numbers to five and beyond. Sometimes, however, teachers do not give children work that encourages them to think hard about numbers.

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Children learn about different faiths and cultures. They celebrate cultural festivals and have access to a varied range of resources that help them find out about diversity. Children learn about same-sex families in a meaningful way that is suitable for their age.

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Leaders and staff help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to catch up quickly. Staff are skilled and work well with other agencies to make sure that children get the best possible start to their education.

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Staff expressed no concerns about their workload. They work well as a team and feel that leaders respect them for the work they do.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff know children and their families well. Staff are well trained and take timely action in working with other agencies to ensure that children are kept safe.

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Safeguarding

Adults teach children how to keep themselves safe. Children trust staff to help them when they are worried or upset. The school site is safe and a record of visitors to the school is maintained. 1 October 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some members of staff have taken on the role of developing aspects of Nursery provision. This is especially true of developments in writing and of mathematics outdoors. However, the headteacher takes on most roles of responsibility and leadership. This is hampering further developments, particularly in mathematics and reading. The school needs to make sure that there is more sharing of leadership and management responsibilities across the school to secure further improvements in mathematics and reading.  Although leaders have prioritised reading, in Nursery it lacks excitement. Leaders should ensure that reading areas are enticing to children and that reading times are interesting. This will help children develop a real love of books and reading, so that more children choose to look at books on their own or share books with friends. Similarly, leaders should ensure that there are lots of opportunities for children to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

experience numbers and counting as part of their daily activities, both indoors and out. This will improve children’s understanding of numbers and what they mean.

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Background

When we have judged a maintained nursery school to be outstanding we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Hindpool Nursery School to be outstanding on 21 October 2014.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 1 October 2019

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 1 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10046023 Type of school Nursery

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.schoolswire.co.uk/public/hindpool234. html Date of previous inspection 21 October 2014

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Information about this school

 There has been a change of headteacher since the previous inspection. At the time of the previous inspection, the current headteacher was the deputy headteacher.  The school has provision for two-year-olds.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the headteacher, staff and two members of the governing body. A telephone conversation was held with a representative of the local authority.  We looked closely at the provision for reading, mathematics, and communication and language. This involved discussion with leaders, visits to lessons, looking at examples of children’s work, discussions with teachers and discussion with children. We spoke to children, parents and staff about the school’s work to keep children safe. Records and documentation were considered, along with the school’s single central record. 1 October 2019

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Inspection team

Tanya Hughes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Cole Andrew Ofsted Inspector 1 October 2019

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