Cippenham Village Nursery School

Inspection of Cippenham Nursery School St Andrew’s Way, Cippenham, Slough, Berkshire SL1 5NL

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Inspection dates: 16 and 17 November 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 16 and 17 November 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ vision for children to be ‘happy to be here, to play, learn, care, share and be themselves’ is realised in day-to-day life in the nursery. Every day begins with a smile and a warm welcome. Everyone here wants the best for every child. They know children and their families well and form strong relationships with them. Parents and carers are very positive about their children’s experiences in nursery. Many describe how their children come home full of what they have been learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff foster warm and nurturing relationships with children. This helps children to feel safe and ‘at home’ in the nursery. Children enjoy learning and are curious about what is happening all around them. They were particularly curious about what the inspectors were doing in the nursery! Children also like being active in the outdoor areas, such as the forest school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff support children to be kind, caring and respectful of each other. They model this in the way that they respond to children. Children play happily with their friends and any minor disagreements are quickly sorted out. Staff are always on hand to help resolve any upsets and support children to share and take turns.

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better?

Leaders have planned a broad curriculum that helps children to make good progress and be ready for school. They are currently adjusting their curriculum to reflect changes in statutory guidance. Plans do not yet identify the detailed, small learning steps that build over time. As a result, sometimes staff do not focus activities sharply enough on the specific knowledge that children need to learn.

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better?

Staff give emphasis to developing children’s speaking and listening skills. They model language and engage children well in conversations. They take time to listen to children and help them to express their views. Story times feature daily. Staff use these times well to introduce children to new vocabulary and texts. Children delight in joining in with familiar phrases and enjoy the anticipation of what comes next. Staff use puppets and other props to help children understand the sequence of events in stories.

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better?

Staff have a good understanding of how well children are doing. They use this knowledge to plan interesting activities. Staff adapt activities, such as role play, to take account of children’s interests. This helps to sustain children’s attention. During the inspection, some children were completely immersed in ‘preparing smoothies’ in their busy café. Staff also take every opportunity to develop children’s understanding of number and shape.

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better?

Staff’s good understanding of children enables them to identify any potential needs. Staff cater well for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children who are at an early stage of learning English benefit from extra group and individual support. However, during independent learning times, staff are 16 and 17 November 2021

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occasionally not responsive enough to the needs of a few children. As a result, some do not always engage fully with all that there is on offer.

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Most children behave well and play harmoniously. Staff provide patient, kind care to the very few children who need extra help to manage their emotions. They support all children well to understand, manage and express their feelings.

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Through stories, and celebrations such as Diwali and Eid, children learn about other cultures. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the school organised visits to places further afield, including Burnham Beeches. These are currently on hold because of the pandemic. Leaders plan to get these going again as soon as they can.

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Staff enjoy working at the nursery and feel a strong connection to the children and families. Despite this, some staff have been unsettled by recent changes. Some do not feel that leaders consider their workload or views.

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Governors understand and fulfil their statutory responsibilities. They have a clear understanding and oversight of safeguarding procedures. Nevertheless, governors are not as knowledgeable about the quality of education. This limits their capacity to hold leaders to account.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders manage recruitment processes well and records are clear and well organised. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. They know children well and are quick to refer on concerns if they spot anything that is troublesome. Leaders hold regular discussions with the local authority’s safeguarding team. When needed, they pass on their concerns and ensure that families get timely support. Leaders and staff place great emphasis on children’s well-being and safety. They encourage and support children to ‘have a voice’ and share their feelings and any worries.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum plans do not show how knowledge builds sequentially towards the school’s curriculum goals. Consequently, staff sometimes plan activities that are not focused precisely enough on the component knowledge children need to learn. Leaders need to ensure that their plans show how knowledge builds cumulatively towards the school’s curriculum goals. Leaders are currently reviewing their plans. For this reason, the transitional statement has been applied.  During independent learning times, sometimes staff are not quick to notice when a few children are not engaging in activities. As a result, some children are not 16 and 17 November 2021

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benefiting fully from what is on offer during these times. Leaders need to ensure that staff are more alert and responsive to all children during these times.  Governors do not have an incisive understanding of the quality of education. Consequently, they do not have the knowledge they need to fully hold leaders to account. Governors need to strengthen this aspect of their work.  Some staff are unsettled by recent changes and feel that leaders do not consider their views or workload. Leaders need to improve their engagement with staff and take steps to address these concerns.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 16 and 17 November 2021

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.cippenhamnurseryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The nursery caters for three- to four-year-old children. Most children attend part time. Approximately a third of children attend full time. The majority of children join the nursery in the term following their third birthday.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The current headteacher joined the school in January 2021.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: personal, social and emotional development, communication and language, physical development and 16 and 17 November 2021

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mathematics. Inspectors met with leaders, visited classrooms and outdoor learning areas and talked with children and staff.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders, including the leader with responsibility for SEND.  The lead inspector met with two members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector reviewed the school’s record of recruitment checks and met with the headteacher and deputy headteacher to discuss and review safeguarding arrangements. Inspectors spoke with staff and children. They also reviewed safeguarding procedures, polices and other documents.  An inspector spoke with parents at the start of the morning and afternoon nursery sessions on the first and second day of the inspection respectively. Inspectors also considered the six responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and parents’ written comments.  Inspectors took into account the views of staff during meetings with them and

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from the 19 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  The lead inspector met with a representative from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Sue Cox, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Simon Francis Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 November 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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