Goodway Nursery School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Goodway Nursery School 5 Goodway Road, Great Barr, West Midlands B44 8RL

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Outcome

Goodway Nursery School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children at Goodway Nursery School get off to an excellent start and receive a wonderful early years education. They settle quickly in a nurturing environment where they soon thrive. Children arrive happily in the morning. They have the confidence to leave their parents before they reach the classroom door in the provision for three- and four-year- olds. It is a wonderful indicator of how safe they feel in school. Staff have high expectations and provide a great level of care, attention and support that successfully meets each child’s specific needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children understand that they have rights. They learn to say, ‘you are not respecting me’ if another child treats them in a way that does not show kindness or care. They have a great sense of pride when they are chosen to be ‘leader for the day’, an ‘eco-warrior’ or ‘rights champion’. They can confidently explain to adults what these responsibilities mean.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s focus on supporting pupils of all ages to become independent is a praiseworthy aspect of their work. Children successfully access resources of their choosing as well as putting on their outdoor clothing. If they do need a little extra help, there is always a willing friend nearby to offer a helping hand.

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

Children take delight in investigating, exploring and solving problems together. They are confident and inquisitive. Children are interested in learning. They develop well across all areas. Staff intervene expertly to probe, prompt and question in a way that deepens understanding. Importantly, staff are equally as skilled at knowing when the time is right 3 June 2025

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to simply stand back and observe. Each of these approaches support staff in knowing precisely what children can and should do next to continue on their pathway of learning, one step at a time.

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Staff are skilled at identifying and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They meet children’s needs by supporting their learning in small groups, understanding how to make the learning accessible for each child based on their stage of development.

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The high priority on developing children’s communication and language is evident in every aspect of the school’s work. Staff teach language linked to concepts such as longer and shorter. The activities planned and conversations that follow strengthen and reinforce this understanding. Staff model language well, extending sentences, modelling corrections and probing for answers. Staff make the most of opportunities to develop this crucial aspect of children’s learning.

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The school is a calm and purposeful environment. There are times when some children find it more difficult to regulate their behaviour and emotions. The school deals with these rare instances with sensitivity and care. However, the way this information is shared and analysed is not as effective as it could be in enabling the school to identify triggers or reasons. The school recognises that some other approaches they use to analyse the impact of their actions, such as for attendance, could also be further enhanced to ensure children are supported by the most effective strategies.

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The school keeps parents informed about what their children are learning through a variety of meetings and online technology. Parents appreciate this. They feel confident and happy to leave their children in what they recognise as a nurturing, child-centred environment.

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The school never stops thinking about its ultimate aim: to ensure children are ready for their transition to primary school when the time comes. Despite their young age, children show an understanding, through their everyday behaviours, of being tolerant and respectful. They show respect to their friends, their key workers and all staff. This respect also extends to Dixon, the much-loved guide dog, who is very much a part of the Goodway family.

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The school is very well led. The passion for each child’s individual development and care is infectious. All staff follow this example. Governors complement the work of leaders by gathering first-hand evidence. They know what the school does very well and where slight improvements can be made. This helps ensure that Goodway continues to provide an excellent start to children’s educational journey.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 June 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some of the approaches that the school takes to evaluate its provision do not always provide the necessary information to identify possible causes or reasons. Examples of this include behaviour incidents and children’s absences. This means that they cannot understand as fully as they might if their actions and policies are having the intended impact on supporting children who have additional difficulties. The school should collect all necessary information so it can assess the impact of their policies and practice to bring about further improvements.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in December 2019.

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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. 3 June 2025

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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 special educational needs and/or disabilities (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). 3 June 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 December 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of a federation of two schools that share the same headteacher and the same governing body.  The school provides before-school care for its pupils.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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 and senior leaders.  The lead inspector spoke with four governors, including the chair of governors. 3 June 2025

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 The lead inspector spoke on the telephone with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work, including photographs of activities they had taken part in.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons at different times of the day and at breaktimes and lunchtimes.  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 reviewed a wide range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans and information on the school’s website.  Inspectors talked informally with pupils and staff to gather general information about

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school life. In addition, they took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff’s, pupils’ and parents’ views.

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Inspection team

Keri Baylis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rebecca Cox Ofsted Inspector 3 June 2025

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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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