Oxclose Nursery School

Oxclose Nursery School

Address: Brancepeth Road, Oxclose, Washington, Tyne and Wear, NE38 0LA Unique reference number (URN): 108751

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children typically learn age-appropriate knowledge and skills through the planned curriculum. For example, children who are ready to transition to primary school show increasing control over mark making tools to draw pictures with a purpose in mind. These children are starting to use key vocabulary related to mathematical learning and are securing early blending skills in preparation for reading. Staff use their observations and assessments of children, including the progress check for children aged two, to identify any gaps in learning. Specific interventions, for example to develop language, as well as adult interactions are focused on addressing these gaps. The fact that the staff know the children so well helps them to address these gaps promptly. Children with additional barriers, such as those relating to special educational needs and/or disabilities, are making their own small steps of progress from their starting points.

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Achievement Expected standard

The school is passionate in ensuring that children are school ready. The curriculum is designed with this in mind. Typically, children are ready for their next stage of education.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Staff are positive role models for the children. They help them to learn good manners and follow the nursery’s routines. These routines help to promote children’s independence. For example, pouring their own water then washing their cup. Even the youngest children learn how to follow simple instructions to help at tidy up times.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Expectations of children’s behaviour are clear. Children receive lots of praise for positive behaviour. This helps them to gain confidence in their own abilities. Staff have a thorough understanding of the importance of teaching children how to manage their own emotions. They respond sensitively when needed to remind children to share or take turns. There are no cases of bullying or discrimination, however, leaders remain vigilant to this. Children are taught how to be kind and to celebrate each other as individuals.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Children enjoy coming to their nursery school and generally attend well. Leaders work with parents and carers to establish positive habits in preparation for primary school. Where the school has concerns about attendance it works with families, at times providing bespoke support, to help children come to school more regularly. Procedures are in place to ensure children are safe if they are not in school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The sequence of the curriculum is carefully designed to ensure that all children’s stages of development are considered. There is a clear focus on securing the prime areas of learning to provide children with the foundations they need for the future.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school encourages all children to become confident communicators. Staff support children's language development by engaging them in conversations and listening to what they have to say. They speak slowly and clearly and give children plenty of time to respond. Within the provision, purposeful and quality interactions are seen between staff and children. Staff’s knowledge of the children allows them to prioritise the right focus for learning and make any necessary changes to the provision. For example, children make their own playdough, carefully following a pictorial sequence in order to promote their independence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff’s awareness and vigilance of children’s specific needs, including any special educational needs and/or disabilities, allows them to subtly support the most vulnerable children. This means that activities are inclusive for all. Adaptations to language, by reducing the words used and the use of communication aids are commonplace to support these children. Resources are purposeful and well considered to meet their developmental needs. For example, materials for children to explore tipping and pouring, as well as push button toys where appropriate. Staff supporting these children understand their needs and the importance of the small steps of progress that they are making.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school works closely and sensitively with parents and carers to identify children’s barriers to learning. This includes a vigilance from staff in identifying any special educational needs and/or disabilities. When appropriate, leaders work with external agencies to quickly put support in place. This helps to ensure that no child is left behind. Staff are kind and attentive to children’s individual needs. They ensure children’s best interests remain at the heart of all the decisions they make. For example, adjusting induction procedures for some children to support their needs when they first enter the setting, as well as use of the ‘meadow room’ which provides a quieter, calmer space for those who need this. Staff’s thorough knowledge of each child is seen through their day-to-day interactions with children, which include specific care routines and bespoke support for families.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The use of the early years pupil premium fund is well considered. It helps to provide wider opportunities for children who may otherwise not experience these. For example, weekly music sessions and early ball skills sessions to support language and physical development. The nursery has more recently seen a changing cohort, welcoming children from a range of different backgrounds, including children who speak English as an additional language. The school seeks advice on how best to support these children, while reflecting on how to develop their current practice. This work is at the early stage of implementation.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are extremely reflective. They regularly evaluate the education and care they provide for children. This helps them to identify areas for development, considering the views of staff, parents and carers and the changing needs of the children who attend. The recent appointment of a lead teacher has further strengthened the leadership team. There is a passion and commitment from leaders that decisions are made in the best interests of the children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors are aware of their statutory responsibilities. They recognise what the school does well and where improvements are being made. Visits to school help them to establish an oversight of any priorities that the school is working on. The school builds extremely positive relationships with parents and carers. They speak highly of the offer in place for their children and recognise the quality of the education they receive. Communication is timely. Parents feel well informed and are confident to approach staff should they need to.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are dedicated to the children of Oxclose Nursery School. They access regular and purposeful training opportunities. Recent professional development, including developing their role in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, is having a positive impact on the provision for children. Staff value these opportunities and feel they are well supported. They hold leaders in high regard, recognising any changes made will benefit the children. Staff feel their workload and wellbeing is always considered. The wellbeing offer includes a balance of events to promote team working, alongside the care and support they receive from leaders and each other. Leaders, staff, parents and governors are rightly proud of their school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Personal, social and health education is taught at an age-appropriate level. Books and stories are carefully chosen to help children understand feelings, emotions and relationships. The school’s priority of developing language helps children to learn how to communicate socially with others. Supported by adults, they develop early friendships and learn how to play cooperatively. For example, children play together using sand and water to make their own ‘food’ and ‘drinks’ for their barbeque.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school works with families to support children’s self-help skills in preparation for primary school. Families attend sessions and receive information about positive sleeping habits, toilet training and removing dummies. Children learn about healthy eating, often connected to the regular baking opportunities they receive. They also develop wider independence skills through chopping fruit or adding ingredients.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Children quickly recognise the needs and backgrounds of some children may not be the same as their own. They learn to be patient with their younger friends, helping them to pour a drink or access equipment. Children explore different foods, music and cultures which are important to their friends. This helps them to gain an early understanding of the wider world. Right from the start, the youngest children develop an appreciation of special events. For example, two-year-olds delight in sharing the celebration of a friend’s birthday. They happily join in with the birthday song, recognising the importance and significance of this special time.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Wider opportunities such as visits out are carefully planned to enhance learning opportunities. Seasonal walks in the local area allow children to reflect on changes in the environment, while also promoting important messages about road safety. The school makes considered adaptations to ensure they can take part and benefit from them.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Children arrive happily and excited to learn each day. They confidently wave goodbye to their parents and carers as staff welcome them in. Staff are nurturing, they build extremely positive relationships with the children. This ensures that children feel safe and have a trusted adult while at school. Staff sensitively and subtly support children, both in their learning and with their wider needs. This includes children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They ensure children make progress from their starting points. Children are well prepared for their next steps at primary school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Children learn how to respect and show kindness to one another. Older children are keen to help their two-year-old friends during a transition visit. Children behave well. Guided by skilled staff, they learn the importance of sharing and taking turns.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Children demonstrate good levels of engagement throughout their time at the setting. They enjoy learning and having fun with their friends. Children particularly show an interest in sharing books and stories. This helps them to learn more about themselves and the world around them. They join in with stories and familiar songs which reinforces their learning. Wider opportunities and routines, for example voting for their choice of story book, helps children to develop an age-appropriate awareness of democracy and making choices.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Visits out and visitors to the setting enhance the offer for the children. For example, outings to the forest school build confidence and resilience, allowing children to start to manage risk in a safe environment. Visits from local police officers help children to learn more about people in their community.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The close partnership between nursery and home is valued by parents. Parents speak highly of the setting and of the care and quality of education that staff provide for their children.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to enhance the strategies, opportunities and experiences for their most vulnerable children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to reflect the changing needs of the cohorts who attend. Leaders should build on the success of their recent work to strengthen curriculum and teaching, so that this is consistently of a high quality across the school.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Philip Cox.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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What does this mean?

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, lead teacher and staff during the inspection. The lead inspector also met with representatives from the governing body, including the chair of governors, and spoke with a representative from the local authority.

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What does this mean?

The school includes provision, funded by the local authority, for children with physical needs who have an education, health and care plan. This provision has places for 2 children. There are currently no children on roll in these resourced provision places.

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What does this mean?

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

The school offers a before- and after-school wraparound offer. This is managed by the school.

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What does this mean?

At the time of the inspection there were 94 pupils on roll.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Ruth Brown The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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