Pen Green Centre for Children and Their Families

Inspection of an outstanding school: Pen Green Centre for Children and Their Families Pen Green Lane, Corby, Northamptonshire NN17 1BJ

p.1

Outcome

Pen Green Centre for Children and Their Families continues to be an outstanding school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Children are thriving at this friendly, welcoming school. Staff show great care for children because they want the best for them. Children say that they feel safe and happy. They know that staff will quickly sort out any problems.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have the highest expectations for all children. They expertly plan activities which promote children’s learning and development. Children are excited and interested in the activities. Staff know how to maximise the children’s learning. They tailor every interaction so that the children flourish.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Children’s behaviour is exemplary. Staff have created a calm and purposeful learning environment. They use their knowledge of the children to keep them focused on their learning, both inside and outside the building. Staff never miss an opportunity to model good manners.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders value the strong partnerships they have built with families. Staff ensure that they know the children well. Parents and carers value the strength of relationships between school and home. One parent, typical of many, said: ‘My children have come on leaps and bounds since starting here. The staff are amazing, and you can tell they are there because they love what they do.’ Parents like that their children are safe and have so many learning opportunities.

p.1

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

Leaders have an unwavering determination to provide the best experiences for all children. The curriculum is ambitious and highly personalised to meet children’s needs. Leaders have integrated the statutory requirements for children in the early years with a rich and aspirational curriculum. Communication and language development are at the 14 March 2023

p.1

2

heart of the school’s curriculum along with a sharp focus on children’s broader development.

p.2

2

Staff are highly skilled in developing children’s communication and language. Their interactions with children are of the highest quality. Staff identify key vocabulary and then use it repeatedly to reinforce it. Staff promote a love of books. They tell stories and nursery rhymes with great gusto. Children readily join in with stories and rhymes. For example, children act out the events in ‘The Three Billy-Goats Gruff’ story. They use positional language such as ‘over’ and ‘under’. Other children compare toy goats and describe them as ‘Little Billy-Goat’ or ‘Medium Billy-Goat’.

p.2

2

Leaders have a deep understanding of how children acquire mathematical knowledge. Number and pattern feature significantly throughout the learning environment. For example, children independently line up cans in order from 1 to 10. Some children recognise the total number of play dough shapes without counting them. Others count forwards and backwards as they wait to eat lunch.

p.2

2

Staff have an incisive knowledge of each child’s needs. They use this knowledge to plan activities linked to children’s development. For example, some children work on tasks specifically designed to develop physical control and core body strength. Others develop confidence using bikes in the outdoor provision.

p.2

2

Leaders and staff build strong relationships with families before a child joins the school. They quickly identify what children need to thrive at school. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Staff sensitively provide close care and support. They are alert to children’s engagement and when appropriate, change activities to ensure that no learning time is lost.

p.2

2

Classrooms are calm and purposeful across the school. Staff establish routines from the moment children join the school. They model the expected behaviour themselves. Children know what is expected of them and how to behave. Established routines and nurturing relationships make for a settled learning environment. Children have positive attitudes. They are respectful to staff and each other. Staff make sure that the learning environment is very engaging.

p.2

2

Governors and representatives of the local authority know the school well. They understand the school’s strengths and promote an ethos of continuous improvement. Leaders work very well with staff. They provide excellent training. They consider staff’s well-being and workload. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the leaders and the professional support they receive. Staff are proud to work at this school.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders provide regular training for staff and governors. Staff know how to spot children who may be at risk. They pass on concerns 14 March 2023

p.2

3

promptly. Leaders support children’s welfare. They work well with external agencies to provide additional help when needed. Record-keeping is comprehensive. Governors regularly check the school’s safeguarding procedures.

p.3

3

Leaders build strong relationships with families. They know the children and their families well. Parents say that they feel well supported and know where to seek help. Leaders make sure that vulnerable children and their families receive the help that they need.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in November 2012.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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 March 2023

p.3

School details

Inspection number 10254967 Type of school Nursery

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Joint Headteachers Angela Prodger and Tracy Gallagher

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 10 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

p.4

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 headteachers, the assistant headteacher, curriculum leaders, the leader with responsibility for the provision for pupils with SEND and teaching and support staff.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these areas of learning: communication and language; personal, social and emotional development; and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders and spent time observing in the classrooms. This included observing the quality of the interactions between staff and children, and the daily routines that staff have established. Inspectors also talked to staff and children and observed activities to determine the impact of the curriculum

p.4

Information about this inspection

and teaching methods on children’s learning, development and well-being. 14 March 2023

p.4

5

 One inspector spoke with parents. An inspector met with governors. A meeting took place with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans and documentation relating to attendance and behaviour.  One inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. He considered the safeguarding policy, training records and examples of safeguarding concerns.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the responses to Ofsted’s free-text service. They also considered the responses to the staff survey and the pupil survey.

p.5

Inspection team

Damien Turrell, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.5

Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain His Majesty’s Inspector 14 March 2023

p.5

6

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.

p.6

6

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

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

p.6