Fullbrook Nursery School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Fullbrook Nursery School West Bromwich Road, Walsall, West Midlands WS5 4NN

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Fullbrook Nursery School is an interesting, calm and happy place to be. Children enjoy their learning and find it fascinating. Children can hardly wait to start activities and quickly become absorbed in their play and learning. Staff have high expectations for every child. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who receive excellent support. The curriculum captures children’s interests. It encourages them to think creatively and develop independence. A wide range of activities, and most of the support that adults provide, help children to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know each child’s needs very well and provide a high level of care. Children form very secure relationships with staff. Children have such confidence in staff that they readily seek support from them when they need it. Children feel very safe. These strong relationships and consistent routines are why children’s behaviour is excellent. Children play kindly with one another and learn to share and cooperate. Bullying is not a problem.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff treat parents as partners. Parents like the way staff listen and guide them to help support their child. Parents speak highly of the school. As one parent said, ‘I could not be happier that my child comes here’.

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

Leaders have designed a well-planned and ambitious curriculum that is informed by the latest research. It takes account of the knowledge children should have by the time they leave the school. Leaders have identified clearly the steps each child must make to reach these ambitious end points. Staff use these steps well to provide appropriate and interesting sessions. When planning activities, staff take account of children’s different staring points. 8 February 2023

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Staff check on children’s progress. Referring to the steps of learning identified in the school’s curriculum, staff deliver activities that build children’s knowledge. In most curriculum areas, there are plenty of opportunities for children to go back, when needed, to earlier learning to help them gain a secure understanding. However, sometimes, staff do not share or explain ideas clearly, or pick up on misunderstandings. This can hold children’s progress back.

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Leaders have designed the curriculum to improve children’s understanding and use of spoken language. In all sessions, staff focus on developing children’s vocabulary. Staff carefully check children’s language development and provide tailored support when necessary. Staff read books to children regularly. Children enjoy these moments and are starting to choose and look at books for themselves.

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The curriculum to develop children’s personal, emotional and social skills is a strength. Staff help children to become increasingly independent and make choices about resources to use when playing. Children are encouraged to adopt healthy habits. This area of the curriculum strongly supports children’s excellent behaviour.

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The headteacher has ensured the support for children with SEND is of a high standard. Children’s needs are carefully identified, taking account of advice from external agencies. The support given to children with SEND is well tailored. Those with the greatest needs achieve well in parts of the school that provide more specialist provision, such as the nurture den. Children with SEND do very well.

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The curriculum provides many opportunities for children’s wider development. For example, they visit and meet with children from a hospice and members of the public at a care home.

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Leaders take the well-being of staff seriously. They provide a high level of care. Leaders have helped staff to manage their workload well. Leaders have created a united team focused on providing the best for the children.

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Governors are committed and informed. They know the school well. Governors keep a careful watch on financial matters, safeguarding and staff well-being. However, some of their other checks on the school’s work are not thorough enough.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have comprehensive policies and effective procedures in place. Staff are trained to spot signs of abuse or if a child is at risk of harm. Staff know how to report any concerns and who to report them to. Leaders keep records about concerns. They work well with external agencies to support families that need help. Leaders have an informed understanding of particular safeguarding concerns in the local community. They provide information about a range of safeguarding support agencies to all parents. Leaders make 8 February 2023

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checks when appointing staff to ensure everyone working at the school is suitable. Staff teach children about how to keep safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all staff, when explaining new ideas, present them clearly or well. This means that children find it hard to understand some new ideas and sometimes form misconceptions. Staff do not always notice this. Leaders should support staff to ensure their explanations are clear and focused on what children need to learn. Leaders should also ensure that staff check that children have understood correctly and not formed misconceptions.  Governors’ checks on the school’s work are not thorough enough. This means that they do not know enough about how well it is doing. Governors should review their procedures to ensure a more rigorous oversight.

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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 an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually, this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged Fullbrook Nursery School to be outstanding in June 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. 8 February 2023

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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. 8 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10205145 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 8 November 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school offers provision to children between the ages of two and four years old.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors spoke to the headteacher and other senior staff. Inspectors spoke with a representative from the local authority and members of the governing body. Inspectors also met with a range of staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: communication and language, personal, emotional and social development, and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with headteacher, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to staff, spoke to some children about their learning and looked at samples of children’s work. 8 February 2023

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 A range of documentation was also scrutinised, including leaders’ plans to improve the school, their self-evaluation document and information published on the school’s website. Inspectors also looked at records of governors’ meetings.  When inspecting safeguarding, inspectors considered the school’s safeguarding policy and spoke to staff about their understanding. The lead inspector spoke to leaders about how safeguarding concerns and incidents are reported.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of morning and afternoon Nursery sessions. Inspectors took account of parents’ comments and responses to Ofsted’s Parent View.

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Inspection team

Jonathan Moore, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Martina Abbott Ofsted Inspector 8 February 2023

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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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