Kenilworth Nursery School & Early Years Training Centre

Inspection of an outstanding school: Kenilworth Nursery School & Early Years Training Centre Bertie Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 1JP

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Outcome

Kenilworth Nursery School & Early Years Training Centre continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kenilworth Nursery School is a superb place for children to learn. They have an enjoyable and meaningful experience in all areas of learning, led by expert staff. A particular strength is the imaginative way in which staff develop children’s communication from the outset. All staff have high expectations of what all children can achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff prioritise children’s well-being. They do all they can to ensure that children feel safe and happy. Staff are alert to signs of bullying. They will intervene quickly if they think this might be happening, but this is rarely needed. Children are kind to each other and learn how to share and take turns as soon as they start.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The learning environment is exceptionally well organised so that children can access the tools, books, materials and toys that they need. Children particularly enjoy exploring the natural world in the beautiful outdoor area where they can hunt for bugs, climb trees and work as a team to build a den.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, staff and parents work closely together to guide and enhance children’s learning. Parents are full of praise for the school and say that their children are very well prepared for the move to primary school.

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

Leaders are highly effective. They have used their expert knowledge of how children learn and develop to maintain high standards. The carefully planned and sequenced curriculum is centred around the school’s core value of recognising the uniqueness of every child. Staff develop children’s communication skills exceptionally well. They place great emphasis on talking and listening to children and encouraging them to explain what they are doing and how they are feeling. For example, children use their imagination and 2 December 2021

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growing vocabulary to build and tell stories together. They express themselves using an impressive and appropriate range of words.

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Staff are passionate about reading and ensure it is an important part of the curriculum. Children love to listen to familiar stories and were glued to the side of an adult who read Nick Sharrat’s ‘Shark in the park’ with great enthusiasm, pausing at just the right moment for them to excitedly complete the sentences. Other children were engrossed in retelling ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ by Michael Rosen, through movement and dance.

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The provision for two-year-olds is carefully organised so that children settle and become familiar with routines quickly. Although prime areas are prioritised, children develop their knowledge and skills in all areas of learning. For example, there are opportunities to learn about numbers and shapes every day. Staff build children’s understanding of mathematical vocabulary by weaving this into all areas of the curriculum. For example, children confidently sing songs and perform routines linked to positional language.

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Leaders know that some children’s starting points have been affected by the pandemic. This includes a delay in physical development because children spent so much time indoors. Leaders have skilfully adapted the curriculum to ensure that those at risk of falling behind have been supported to catch up.

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Children’s learning is enriched throughout the curriculum. Children enjoy visits from people with a variety of roles in the community. This includes police officers, a farmer and a builder. The school involves families to help children learn about different countries and cultures in their local area and around the world. Staff ensure that children become more confident to make choices and to manage appropriate risks, for example when climbing a tree.

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Relationships between staff and children are warm. Staff care deeply about the welfare of the children and have created an environment that is friendly and calm. Children play very well with each other; they share readily and take turns without complaint. Children’s behaviour is exemplary, and many demonstrate great concentration on the task they have chosen.

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Staff really enjoy working at the school. They know that leaders take their well-being seriously and they appreciate the decisions that have been taken to improve their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all staff are trained to spot any risks to a child’s welfare. There are frequent opportunities for staff to talk about how each child is getting on. This means that any concerns can be identified at an early stage. Staff are confident that leaders take any concerns seriously and do all they can to ensure that children get the help they might need. 2 December 2021

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Leaders ensure that children begin learning how to keep themselves safe as soon as they start at the school. This includes learning about what to do when something makes them feel uncomfortable and early work on consent.

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Background

When we have judged a 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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in February 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 2 December 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200007 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 14 September 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Kenilworth Nursery School is in a federation with another maintained nursery school in the local authority. The headteacher leads both schools. She is supported at Kenilworth Nursery School by an assistant headteacher.  The school includes provision for two-year-old children.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the assistant headteacher and two members of the governing body. Inspectors spoke with staff responsible for special educational needs and/or disabilities and the designated safeguarding lead.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these areas of learning: communication and language, including reading; personal, social and emotional development; and physical development. For each deep dive, inspectors met with curriculum leaders, considered 2 December 2021

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curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to children about their learning and met with teachers and support staff.  Inspectors considered information related to safeguarding. They checked the school’s single central record of staff suitability and discussed safeguarding with leaders, staff and governors.  Inspectors met with parents as they dropped their children to school. They also took account of the 22 free-text comments to Ofsted Parent view.  Inspectors met with staff. There were no staff survey responses for inspectors to consider.

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Inspection team

Jo Evans, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen O'Keefe Ofsted Inspector 2 December 2021

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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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