Knowle West Early Years Centre

Inspection of Knowle West Early Years Centre Leinster Avenue, Knowle, Bristol BS4 1NN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 19 and 20 April 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Knowle West is a nurturing and welcoming setting, which is at the centre of its community. Children love to play and learn here. They are happy and safe. Those new to the setting settle well. Children quickly form trusting and positive relationships with all adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of what all children can achieve. They provide a wealth of carefully considered activities for children to explore and engage in. Children understand clearly the expected routines and systems in place. They develop their knowledge well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children behave extremely well. Adults and children alike develop highly respectful relationships with one another. Children move around the setting with care. They take turns and show kindness, friendship and support towards one another. They play and interact with purpose and confidence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders develop exceptionally strong relationships with families from the moment children join the Nursery. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the care, guidance and support their children receive. One parent commented, ‘Staff at Nursery place all the children and families at the heart of what they do. The environment is calm, warm and beautiful.’

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better?

Leaders have created an ambitious and exciting curriculum linked to children’s interests. Central to this curriculum is the emotional well-being of children and families. Staff ensure that each child is treated as a unique individual. Effective partnerships with parents are integral to achieving happy and successful young children.

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better?

Leaders prioritise children’s communication and language. Staff use their interactions effectively to develop children’s language and vocabulary. They respond quickly when children show curiosity about something new. Staff take opportunities to reinforce language and consolidate children’s understanding of different experiences.

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better?

Children love listening to stories. Adults select high-quality texts to share with children. Staff provide creative opportunities for children to role play and develop their understanding of story. Children actively choose books they wish to share with others. Adults use careful questioning to enable children to predict what might happen next. Children, including those with SEND, can talk about their favourite books and characters. They enjoy reciting and joining in with a range of songs and rhymes to support their language development. 19 and 20 April 2023

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Staff are knowledgeable about the areas they teach. Leaders ensure that new ideas are taught in a playful way, showing a clear emphasis on language development across all areas of learning. However, some staff do not use assessment effectively to adapt learning precisely enough to deepen and challenge children’s thinking and understanding even further. This limits some children’s building of knowledge.

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Leaders work together to identify early those children with SEND. They work effectively with a range of professionals to ensure children and families swiftly receive the support they need.

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Staff have very high expectations of children’s behaviour. Adults quickly identify when a child is struggling with their behaviour or emotions. Staff support children to listen to and understand the views of others. They are extremely kind and caring to their peers and will comfort each other when upset.

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Leaders ensure that the school’s values are integral to the personal development of children. They provide a wide range of exciting and stimulating experiences. These opportunities include music and drama, cooking in the outdoor kitchen, dance and gardening. The inspirational outdoor area enables children to take risks safely. They enjoy climbing trees and learning how to use equipment in the outdoor kitchen safely. Children learn about celebrations and festivals to support their understanding of differences and community.

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Governors share the ambition of leaders for all children to succeed regardless of their starting points. They understand the key strengths of the provision. Leaders and governors are considerate of staff’s workload and well-being. Staff talk highly of the support they receive. They say they feel part of a ‘family team’. Staff appreciate bespoke training to support their professional needs.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure there is a vigilant safeguarding culture in order to keep children safe. Staff receive the relevant training and support to identify the signs that families and children may need extra help. They are effective advocates for children and are confident in recording and reporting concerns. Leaders carry out the necessary checks when new staff join the school.

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Safeguarding

Leaders engage well with external agencies to get timely support for their children and families. Children learn about different risks in a way that is appropriate for their age and developmental understanding, including when using implements safely when cooking.

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 Staff do not always use assessment strategies effectively enough. This prevents some children from deepening their knowledge and understanding as well as they could. Leaders need to ensure that staff understand how to extend and deepen children’s learning across the whole curriculum.

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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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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. 19 and 20 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10241300 Type of school Nursery

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.knowlewestchildrenscentre.bristol.s ch.uk Date of previous inspection 24 November 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Knowle West Early Years Centre serves a wide catchment area in the Filwood ward of South Bristol. The school includes provision for two-year olds.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the acting headteacher, other senior leaders, the designated safeguarding leads, groups of staff and members of the local governing body. The lead inspector held a telephone call with a representative of the local authority. 19 and 20 April 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these areas: communication and language, mathematics, personal, social and emotional development and physical development. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of nursery sessions, spoke to a range of staff and looked at examples of children’s learning.  Inspectors considered the documentation and processes around safeguarding, including the safeguarding checks made on staff. The lead inspector spoke to the designated safeguarding leads, staff and governors about how the school keeps everyone safe.  Inspectors considered the 29 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including 26 free-text responses and 21 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Heather Barraclough, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sandra Woodman Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 April 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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