Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Jaqi Stevenson Executive Headteacher Selhurst Nursery School and Children’s Centre 23 Dagnall Park South Norwood London SE25 5PL

p.1

School and Children’s Centre

Following my visit to your school on 20 May 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the monitoring inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

p.1

School and Children’s Centre

The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and has taken place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous section 5 inspections.

p.1

School and Children’s Centre

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. I discussed the impact of the pandemic with you and have taken that into account in my evaluation.

p.1

School and Children’s Centre

Having considered the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time:

p.1

Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

in order for the school to become a good school.

p.1

Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

The school should take further action to:

p.1

Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 ensure that the curriculum makes clear the essential knowledge that children are expected to gain over time  prioritise developing the curriculum for early reading so that staff understand how to support children’s development as readers  ensure that staff are supported in implementing the curriculum so that children are given the opportunities they need to make progress by knowing, doing and remembering more.

p.1

Context

There have been no significant changes to the school since the additional, remote monitoring inspection was conducted in March 2021.

p.2

Main findings

Since the last inspection, the priority has been to develop a clear and ambitious intent for the curriculum. Children’s needs have been considered, both when they join the nursery and in developing their readiness for moving to their next school. You have aligned this work with the requirements of the early years foundation stage framework. You have also taken account of the forthcoming changes to the early years framework.

p.2

Main findings

You planned to introduce the revised curriculum earlier in the year. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, this introduction has been delayed until June 2021. Plans are in place to begin implementing these changes. These plans also include suitable consideration for the training and support needs of staff.

p.2

Main findings

Your analysis of the school’s current strengths and weaknesses is accurate. Governors have worked with school leaders on improving the curriculum. They have undertaken additional training to support them in their role. This enables them to challenge and support you and your team.

p.2

Main findings

Plans for improving the school are appropriate. Several priorities have been identified. The most important of these is to ensure that the planned, ambitious curriculum programme is successfully implemented.

p.2

Main findings

An improved range of information is now shared with parents and carers. Parents who responded to the Ofsted survey, Parent View, stated that they felt well informed about their children’s education and how to help them at home.

p.2

Main findings

All children access a broad and balanced curriculum. Children are confident and motivated. They engage well, maintaining their focus and concentration. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported because staff understand their needs.

p.2

Main findings

However, the curriculum does not identify all of the knowledge leaders expect children to secure in different areas of learning. This does not support staff to ensure children’s progression. Consequently, some children are not supported effectively because teaching is not fully focused on developing the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need.

p.2

Main findings

Leaders ensure that children experience and share books often. Children enjoy reading. They join in with familiar stories, songs and rhymes and can recall key parts of a story. Parents are well supported in helping their children read at home, with access to online stories and songs and books in a variety of languages.

p.2

Main findings

However, the early reading curriculum is not precise enough. Leaders have also not addressed staff’s training needs in this area. As a result, staff do not always model sounds correctly. This limits children’s development in early reading.

p.3

Additional support

The local authority provides useful challenge and support to you and the leadership team through regular meetings and reviews. Local authority officers have linked the school with other nursery settings and provided training for staff and governors. This has supported leaders in their work.

p.3

Additional support

The local authority also has plans in place to support leaders to develop early reading and to train staff on implementing the school’s revised curriculum.

p.3

Additional support

Leaders have ensured that staff’s expertise is shared between the two nursery schools in the federation. This has added leadership capacity to develop the curriculum and to support staff to develop their practice.

p.3

Evidence

During the inspection, I held meetings with you, other senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, a group of staff, representatives of those responsible for governance and a representative of the local authority to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection.

p.3

Evidence

I visited lessons with leaders, scrutinised leaders’ self-evaluation and the school development plan. I considered the views of parents and staff through Ofsted’s surveys.

p.3

Evidence

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

p.3