Chelsea Open Air Nursery School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Chelsea Open Air Nursery School 51 Glebe Place, Chelsea, London SW3 5JE

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Outcome

Chelsea Open Air Nursery School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children are very happy here. They explore the wonderful outdoor area, which is at the centre of the leaders’ vision. Children climb, make models, and paint and play with their friends with confidence. The well-planned education puts children’s development at its centre. It is clear why children grow in confidence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children concentrate and actively engage with their play and learning. They do so because staff’s expectations of what children should learn are so high. Staff are excellent role models for children. They are highly supportive of all children’s needs. In particular, staff provide excellent support to those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children know the routines exceptionally well and this helps them to thrive. For example, during lunchtimes, children eat using knives and forks independently. They sit calmly and interact with their friends and members of staff. For such young children, this is an impressive feat.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff provide new children with immense care and guidance. They are always on hand to help these children. The staff’s use of positive praise helps to provide a calm learning environment. This helps children to settle very quickly. Parents are highly supportive of the school.

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

School leaders, governors and staff all want to provide the very best education. The school’s values, to make children into lifelong independent learners, shine through.

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

Leaders’ focus on building children’s communication and language skills is striking. Staff use rhymes, songs and activities to engage and inspire children. For example, children used magnifying glasses to look for frogs in the garden. Adults’ questioning helped children to use the word ‘camouflage’ with accuracy. 12 September 2019

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Staff inspire children’s imagination. For example, in the outside area staff lit a fire. This helped children, particularly reluctant speakers, to discuss what they could observe.

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Staff excite children and communicate clearly. They encourage children to use keywords, which has a profound impact on their language. Staff do this in all activities that they lead. For example, children playing in the water area said words such as ‘experimenting’. They did so because of staff’s high-quality discussions.

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Leaders prioritise literacy across the school. Leaders focus on developing children’s understanding of stories. For example, listening to traditional tales plays a key part in helping children to love books. Children learn these books in a well-planned and logical way. This helps children to develop a deep understanding of a range of books. In addition, the staff read to the children with enthusiasm. Children concentrate for long periods. Staff’s use of resources to help children’s understanding of stories is exemplary.

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Staff are well trained to understand the needs of children with SEND. They know exactly what each child needs to learn next, and they make sure that each child achieves well. External specialists guide staff to support children with specific needs.

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The school’s provision for children’s personal development is impressive. There are many opportunities for children to develop their experiences beyond the classroom. The school’s focus on outdoor learning is an integral part of children’s learning. Children go on expeditions, visit farms and learn about the importance of guide dogs, for example.

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Staff value leaders’ investment in their professional development. There have been many changes to the school structure. For example, the school now takes children from age two. Staff said leaders have managed this well. They said that leaders are considerate of their work-life balance. Staff are very complimentary of the leaders’ open door policy.

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Governors are very effective. They set a clear strategic direction for the quality of education. They support leaders very well in implementing plans. Governors have an insightful understanding of the views of staff and parents and carers. They take the future direction and sustainability of the school very seriously.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children’s welfare is a top priority. Leaders ensure that staff take their duty of care seriously. Staff and leaders act quickly when they have any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are well informed about children’s circumstances and about any known risks in the local area. They work closely with external bodies. This helps them to have a strong understanding of the correct procedures to follow.

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Safeguarding

Leaders continually explain to children how to stay safe. For example, children learn how to keep safe from fire and water. Children learn from a very young age about the 12 September 2019

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importance of recognising signage that warns them of potential hazards.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged Chelsea Open Air Nursery School to be outstanding on 10–11 October 2012.

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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.

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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. 12 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110439 Type of school Nursery

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 November 2015

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Information about this school

 The school is similar in size to other nurseries.  The proportion of children with English as an additional language is above the national average.  Children come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. The school has recently inducted younger children as part of its ‘rising three’ provision.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with leaders to evaluate the quality of education throughout the school.  We considered the school’s effectiveness in developing children’s communication and language, their literacy, and their knowledge and understanding of the world.  Meetings were held with school leaders and members of the governing body. We held a telephone conversation with the local authority adviser.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including those relating to safeguarding.  We observed children in lessons, around the school and during lunchtime. 12 September 2019

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 We held meetings with a range of staff to gather their views.

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Inspection team

Noeman Anwar, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kanwaljit Singh Ofsted Inspector 12 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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 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.

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