Rockwood Nursery School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Rockwood Nursery School Kingsland Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 3PU

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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. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children are happy at Rockwood Nursery School. They receive a warm welcome. Children confidently say goodbye to their parents and carers at the beginning of sessions. They quickly become immersed in the many engaging activities on offer. They know that caring staff will help them to play and explore.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all children’s achievements. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most children achieve well. However, in some areas of learning, the school has not specified the key knowledge that children should learn. This means that, sometimes, children do not have the opportunity to learn all that they should.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children understand simple rules and follow the routines of the school. Staff skilfully provide support for children who forget to follow the rules and be kind to their friends. Two-year-olds play happily alongside each other. They learn to share and take turns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children access a variety of educational experiences that enrich their wider development. They take part in outdoor activities, such as painting and planting vegetables in the school grounds. Children learn to care for living things, for example chicks and caterpillars. These rich opportunities help children to learn more about the natural world and to develop new interests.

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

The school has created a broad and exciting curriculum for children, covering all areas of the early years foundation stage.

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

In most areas of the curriculum, children learn well. However, in some areas of learning, the school has not ensured that the knowledge that children should learn is made clear 19 March 2024

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enough for staff. This makes it tricky for staff to know what they should prioritise when designing learning activities. This means, on occasions, children do not gain the building blocks of knowledge that are crucial to their later learning.

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Typically, staff deliver the curriculum well. However, at times, some staff miss opportunities to revisit and reinforce important learning. This means that some children do not deepen their knowledge as well as they could.

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The school makes sure that staff carefully review children’s learning. For instance, staff use the two-year-old progress check of children’s development to identify any early signs of concerns about individual children. This helps staff to know what to teach next.

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The school places a sharp focus on developing children’s communication and language. Singing can be heard everywhere. Children take part in singing and rhymes with gusto. In the main, staff make story time interesting, such as by reading books with enthusiasm and enjoyment. Staff regularly check how well children are developing in their communication and language. They provide focused support for children who may be at risk of not keeping up.

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The school quickly identifies any potential barriers to learning, including SEND, that children may face. The school ensures that children who need extra help benefit from a wide range of support, including support from professionals outside of the school. This ensures that they can access the same curriculum as their peers.

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Children behave sensibly. This is because staff help children to understand what adults expect of them. Children take part in learning activities with little distraction or disruption. Children talk about how they feel because staff teach them the words to use to express their emotions.

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The school has thought carefully about children’s wider development. Children benefit from educational trips and visits, for example walks in the park, visiting a farm and live theatre performances. Children learn to respect the differences between people and communities. They learn that school rules are there to keep them safe. These experiences prepare children well for life in modern Britain.

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Governors provide effective support and challenge to the school. They are committed to the success of every child and check on the school’s work to achieve this. Staff appreciate the steps that the school takes to support their well-being. When making decisions, the school is considerate of the impact on staff’s workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not finalised its thinking on the important knowledge that children should learn in some areas of learning. This hinders staff in knowing what they should 19 March 2024

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prioritise when designing learning activities. As a result, some children have gaps in their knowledge. The school should finalise their curricular thinking in these few remaining areas of learning.  In some areas of the curriculum, staff miss opportunities to reinforce and deepen important learning. This hinders some children from learning as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff receive appropriate training and support so that they deliver the curriculum consistently well.

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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 the school to be outstanding in October 2014.

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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). 19 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Victoria Bradshaw

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  Since the previous inspection, several staff have been newly appointed to the school.  The school offers provision for two-year-olds.  The school operates wraparound care.

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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 met with the headteacher. The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of governors.  An inspector spoke to a representative of the local authority. 19 March 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these areas of learning: communication and language and early reading, mathematics, and personal, social and emotional development. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with curriculum leaders, visited a sample of classroom activities and spoke to staff.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and children; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children’s interests first.  Inspectors spoke with children and observed their behaviour as they played in the nursery.  Inspectors reviewed documentation, which included leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement and documentation relating to children’s behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text

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responses. Inspectors also spoke with some parents during the inspection.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Victoria Burnside, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

David Robinson His Majesty’s Inspector 19 March 2024

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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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