Sir James Knott Memorial Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Sir James Knott Memorial Nursery School Percy Square, River View, Tynemouth, North Shields NE30 4AG

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Outcome

Sir James Knott Memorial Nursery School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Sir James Knott Memorial Nursery School is a welcoming place to learn. Parents and carers value this school. It is a caring and safe place where staff commit to children’s learning and well-being. All staff focus on helping every child to flourish and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children settle into school quickly because they are well supported by adults. They enjoy spending time in the exciting outdoor area, where they make potions with eucalyptus leaves and climb in their boat and sing. They make tea together in china cups in the home corner. Children have regular opportunities to develop and explore new things. Each activity that teachers set up for children has a reason for being there.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children are safe and happy. They behave very well and know they should treat each other well. If children are unkind, adults help them to see how they can make things right. Leaders recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has made some children more anxious. Leaders have introduced new approaches to address this. Children grasp the hand of an adult if they want to talk, or sing ‘Incy wincy spider’ if they are worried.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs met well. With additional teaching support, they access the same learning opportunities as their friends. Parents praise how much staff keep in touch with them and involve them in everything they do for their children.

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

The headteacher has a strong understanding of what the school’s strengths are and what needs to improve. Along with governors, he has high aspirations for all groups of children and their families. By the time children leave the school, they are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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

Leaders have made sure the curriculum is ambitious. It encourages curiosity and widens children’s experiences and understanding of the world around them. The curriculum 14 June 2022

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encourages children to enjoy and learn new things. It helps them to learn and practise skills for communication and language, early reading, writing and mathematics.

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Reading is important at this school. Staff are very skilled at involving children in reading. They use stories and songs with lots of rhyme and encourage children to use beat and rhythm. This helps children to begin to learn how letters and words sound. Teachers use stories and rhymes to encourage the youngest children to talk about their ideas. In one activity, teachers used a cordoned off crime scene to encourage children to talk about ‘who pushed Humpty Dumpty over the wall?’

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Promoting children’s communication skills is a strength of the school’s work. Staff know the language they want children to learn through their activities. School leaders recognise that COVID-19 has had a negative impact on the language development of some of the youngest children. Consequently, leaders use every opportunity to develop children’s language skills. Most staff are effective in developing children’s language skills. However, school leaders know that some staff require further training to help the youngest children to build their vocabulary.

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Adults develop children’s personal development well. The school’s motto of being ‘resilient, reflective, respectful’ is seen through the everyday things the children do. Children enjoy the drums in the ‘music moves’ project. It gives them confidence to express themselves.

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Leaders provide many opportunities to develop children’s understanding of the world around them. Children learn about different faiths and cultures. They celebrate festivals and family events. Teachers use resources that build children’s familiarity with the world around them. Children enjoy visits to local parks and the beach to explore or litter pick.

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Staff say leaders are very supportive about their workload and well-being. Leaders are currently reviewing assessment. This is in line with changes to the early years foundation stage framework. It will allow staff more time to work with the children. Staff value leaders’ thoughtfulness and consideration of their well-being.

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Children, including children with SEND, achieve well across the curriculum. Staff plan children’s learning effectively and link it to their interests. Staff know what to teach children and the order in which it should be taught. They understand what children need to know before they move them on to more complex learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders have made sure that the safety of children is a priority. All staff know that it is their responsibility to keep children safe. Staff know children and their families. They are well trained and know what signs to look for if they have concerns about a child. 14 June 2022

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Leaders are vigilant and work well with other agencies. They act quickly if they have concerns and to make sure that children and their families receive the support they need. Parents say that their children are safe and happy.

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Leaders carry thorough checks on the suitability of adults working at the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some adults are less effective than others at developing children’s language skills. This means that some children do not get the help that they need. Leaders should ensure that all adults are effectively trained in how best to develop children’s language skills. This will help children to build their vocabulary better over time.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. 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 good in December 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 . 14 June 2022

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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. 14 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211521 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 1 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Sir James Knott Memorial nursery school provides morning education for two-year-old children. All three- and four-year-old children have a 15-hour funded place. Where parents are entitled, the school offers a 30-hour place. The school provides wraparound care and a holiday club.  The school has appointed a new lead teacher since the last inspection.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and lead teacher, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. Inspectors spoke with parents, staff, the special educational needs coordinator, school administrator and the designated safeguarding lead.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, communication and language, and personal, social and emotional development. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum plans with subject leaders, visited a sample of 14 June 2022

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lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some children about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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Inspection team

Ann Muxworthy, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lucie Stephenson Ofsted Inspector 14 June 2022

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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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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