Spencer Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Spencer Nursery School Spencer Road, Mitcham Junction, Surrey CR4 4JP

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Spencer Nursery School is a delightful place where children thrive. The calm atmosphere ensures that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), settle quickly and learn together harmoniously. Parents and carers have very positive views. Words such as ‘caring’, ‘safe’ and ‘happy’ featured strongly in the responses to Ofsted Parent View.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff help children learn the importance of being kind. Children quickly learn to manage friendships and play well with others. They are taught how to express their feelings and to say things such as ‘stop, I don’t like it’ if something concerns them. They are often successful at resolving simple conflicts themselves. For example, children use sand timers to take turns fairly when they use popular equipment. Strong, nurturing relationships mean that children trust adults to step in where needed. Staff use clear, well-established routines to ensure that the day runs smoothly. Children listen attentively at story time, tidy up efficiently and treat each other with respect. Their behaviour is exemplary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what all children can achieve both personally and academically. Staff are highly skilled at supporting children’s learning and development. As a result, children, including those with SEND, do very well. They are exceptionally well prepared to move on to the Reception Year.

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

The school has planned a highly ambitious curriculum. It sets out what children should learn as they progress through the school. This ensures that children flourish in every area of learning. There is a strong focus on communication and language. Adults know 5 March 2024

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children well and take every opportunity to extend children’s vocabulary. For example, in their topic on animals, children confidently use words like ‘sloth’ and ‘herd’. Adults are precise in their language use and they ensure that children do not develop misconceptions. For example, during activities adults explain the difference between sticking and attaching. Later, children use the word ‘attach’ rather than ‘stick’ accurately.

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Staff create opportunities for children to develop their own and each other’s language independently. Children revel in retelling their focus book through sequencing the pictures and adding their own narration. The focus on language development and vocabulary is ambitious for all children, including the very youngest and children with SEND.

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Routines and expectations are clearly communicated. Staff use gentle reminders where necessary, for example asking for ‘indoor voices’ when children get too excited. This ensures the learning environment stays calm. Children understand the expectations and rise to them. They show high levels of focus when listening to stories. This means everyone can get the most from their learning because there are no interruptions or distractions. Children with SEND get excellent support to meet the same high expectations. Consequently, children excel.

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The school’s provision for personal development is very well developed. Children have ample opportunities to extend their learning through trips and visits. For example, visitors such as dentists, nurses and firefighters come in to talk about their jobs. Children plant their own vegetables in the allotment and then harvest, cook and eat these as part of their learning on sustainability and where food comes from. There is a strong focus on promoting key personal characteristics such as resilience and kindness. In this way, children leave as well-rounded individuals.

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The school takes attendance very seriously. Staff promote the importance of regular attendance. They also make every day so enticing that children don’t want to stay away. Consequently, at the time of this inspection, no children were persistently absent.

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Staff are extremely complimentary about how well the school looks after their well-being. They feel that their workload is taken into account when any decisions are made. They say that they enjoy working at the school, describing it like one big, happy family. They also praise the training and professional development they receive.

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The governing body know the school well through their regular visits and the discussions at board meetings. They provide a compelling account of the school’s work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We 5 March 2024

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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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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 5 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is open 51 weeks per year from 8.00am to 6.00pm.  The school has provision for two-year-olds.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education 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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the senior leadership team and governors, including the chair of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these areas of learning: communication and language, personal, social and emotional development and expressive arts and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited each 5 March 2024

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classroom, spoke to teachers, spoke to children about their learning and looked at samples of children’s work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in other areas of learning.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors also reviewed replies to Ofsted Parent View and the online surveys for staff.

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Inspection team

Jeanie Jovanova, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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