Triangle Nursery School

Triangle Nursery School

Dates of inspection: 22 nd – 24 th November 1999

p.1

Triangle Nursery School

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Triangle Nursery School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

p.1

Triangle Nursery School

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Triangle Nursery School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Age range of pupils: 3 years to 4 years 11 months

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 25 William Bonney Estate Clapham London SW4 7JQ

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Lambeth Education Authority

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Lloyd Shepherd

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 25 th – 27 th June 1996 Triangle Nursery School - 4

p.3

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Anne Currie, Registered Inspector Language and literacy; English as an additional language; Knowledge and understanding of the world; Personal and social development Attainment and progress; Teaching; Leadership and management.

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Jane O’Keefe, Lay Inspector Equal opportunities; Attitudes, behaviour and personal development; Attendance; Support, guidance and il ’ lf Margaret Hart Mathematics; Creative development; Physical development. Special educational needs; Curriculum and assessment; Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development; Efficiency.

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Capital Inspections Chaucer Building Canterbury Road Morden Surrey SM4 6PX

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints which are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Triangle Nursery School - 5

p.4

MAIN FINDINGS

What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents’ views of the school

p.5

INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school 1 - 4 Key indicators 5

p.5

Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 6 - 12 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 13 - 15 Attendance 16 - 17

p.5

Quality of education provided

Teaching 18 - 26 The curriculum and assessment 27 – 29 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 30 - 33 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 34 - 39 Partnership with parents and the community 40 - Triangle Nursery School - 6

p.5

The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 44 - 51 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 52 - 55 The efficiency of the school 56 - 60

p.6

PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 61 - 86

p.6

PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Summary of inspection evidence 87 - 89 Data and indicators 90 Triangle Nursery School - 7

p.6

What the school does well

• . The ethos of the school is excellent. • . The leadership and management of the headteacher are excellent. • . There is a very skilled, committed and hardworking staff who work together as a team extremely well. • . The curriculum is very rich and all children have very good access to the range of opportunities offered. • . There is consistently good teaching. • . Procedures for assessing children’s attainment are excellent and staff use the information they obtain very well. • . There are outstanding opportunities for parents to become involved in their children’s learning, especially through the literacy lending library. • . All children make at least good progress. • . Excellent opportunities are provided to extend children’s personal and social development. Children become independent learners with very good attitudes to work.

p.7

What the school does well

I. The school has no significant weaknesses.

p.7

address but, in the context of its many strengths, there are some minor points for improvement, which

should be considered as the basis for an action plan.

p.7

address but, in the context of its many strengths, there are some minor points for improvement, which

· How the school has improved since the last inspection

p.7

address but, in the context of its many strengths, there are some minor points for improvement, which

The school has maintained the good standards reported in the previous inspection. It has fully addressed all the areas for improvement identified in the previous inspection report. The security has improved. Arrangements for monitoring children’s progress across all areas of the curriculum are now excellent and the information obtained is used very effectively to plan future work. Teachers’ planning clearly identifies what children are to learn.

p.7

address but, in the context of its many strengths, there are some minor points for improvement, which

The school is continually working to raise the standard of education provided and it has very good capacity to improve still further.

p.7

address but, in the context of its many strengths, there are some minor points for improvement, which

All children, including those with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs, make at least good progress. Most children are on course to reach the standards expected nationally, the Desirable Learning Outcomes, in all areas of learning by the term after their fifth birthday. A significant number are likely to exceed these expectations in literacy, numeracy and personal and social development. Standards are also high in art and information technology. Children are very well prepared for their next stage of education. They have extremely good attitudes to work and they concentrate for extended periods of time. Triangle Nursery School - 8

p.7

Quality of teaching

· Teaching in areas of learning Personal and social development Excellent Language and literacy Good Mathematics Very good Knowledge and understanding of the world Good Physical development Good Creative development Good

p.8

Quality of teaching

During the inspection the quality of education was judged to be excellent in 3 percent of lessons, very good in 10 percent, good in 69 percent and satisfactory in 18 percent. These statistics include sessions led by nursery nurses and learning support assistants as well as teachers.

p.8

Quality of teaching

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses

p.8

Aspect Comment

Behaviour Very good. Staff have high expectations and a very consistent approach to behaviour. Attendance Satisfactory. There are sound procedures in place to encourage regular attendance. Ethos* Excellent. Relationships are very good. There are high expectations. Children develop very good attitudes to work. The learning environment is of high quality. Leadership and management Excellent. The headteacher provides very strong and effective leadership and very clear educational direction for the work of the school. She is well supported by an extremely hardworking staff who work together as a professional team. Curriculum Very good. All children have access to a very wide range of interesting and stimulating activities. There is an appropriate emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills. There are excellent assessment procedures in place to record children’s progress. The information gained is used well to guide

p.8

Aspect Comment

individual children’s learning. Children with special educational needs Children make very good progress. They are well supported and work is carefully planned to meet their individual needs. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Provision for social development is a particular strength.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Staffing, resources and accommodation The accommodation is satisfactory. Staff make good use of the range of resources. There is a dedicated and well qualified staff. Value for money The school gives very good value for money.

p.8

Aspect Comment

*Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. ·

p.8

Wh t t t lik b t th h l Wh t t t h b t

II. The interesting range of activities provided. III. The way children’s inappropriate behaviour is managed. IV. Parents feel very welcome and encouraged to play an active part in the life of the school. V. The school is very easy to approach. VI. They have had no cause to complain. VII.Their children like school. VIII. The lack of formal parents’ meetings

p.9

Wh t t t lik b t th h l Wh t t t h b t

IX. The amount of formal work, for example the

p.9

Wh t t t lik b t th h l Wh t t t h b t

These views were gained from the parents’ meeting and the questionnaires, which were sent to all parents. Inspectors’ judgements support the parents’ positive views of the school. Although there is no formal consultation meeting mid-way through children’s time at the school, opportunities are taken for informal meetings and staff make time to talk to parents if there are concerns on either side. The school makes good provision for all children to extend their literacy skills.

p.9

Wh t t t lik b t th h l Wh t t t h b t

There are no key issues for the school to address but in the context of its many strengths, the following minor points for improvement should be considered as the basis for an action plan: X. Ensure that there is an adequate number of staff on site with up-to-date first aid training. ( See paragraph 37) XI. The school together with the local education authority needs to *. put in place appropriate computerised financial systems for managing and monitoring the budget *. provide appropriate staff training to operate the systems. ( See paragraph 56) • . Write a new school policy on the admission of children with special educational needs so that it reflects the actual practice in the school. ( See paragraphs 47, 51) • . Monitor the quality of teaching in large group sessions. ( See paragraphs 19, 73) Triangle Nursery School - 10 · INTRODUCTION

p.9

Wh t t t lik b t th h l Wh t t t h b t

1. Triangle Nursery School is in an inner city area in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated on the ground floor of a block of flats on a council estate. The estate has a stable population of long-term residents, but it is being used increasingly to re-house refugees. Children also come from neighbouring council estates and a small middle class enclave of much sought after private housing, which is nearby. There is a mixture of serious social and economic deprivation, with single, unemployed parents and inner city wealth. The school serves a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi- faith community. Twenty-nine children come from homes where English is not the first language. Seventeen languages other than English are spoken or heard at home. The most frequently used are Yoruba, French, Twi and Portuguese.

p.10

Wh t t t lik b t th h l Wh t t t h b t

1. There are 56 children, both boys and girls, who attend part-time. Thirty-two children attend full-time. Thirteen children are entitled to free school meals. There are nine children on the special educational needs register, with the predominant concern being speech and language delay. The school receives the support of a speech and language therapist who works with the children one day a week, every other term. The number of children arriving with language difficulties and related behavioural concerns is rising.

p.10

Wh t t t lik b t th h l Wh t t t h b t

3. There is a considerable range of ability on entry, but the majority has below average skills, especially in language and literacy, numeracy and social skills. Changes in the admissions policy of other local schools have had an effect on the school. An increase in the number of schools with a nursery has led to over-provision in this part of the borough. Other schools now have only one intake a year, so there is a large turnover of children and a reduction in the amount of time children spend at Triangle.

p.10

Wh t t t lik b t th h l Wh t t t h b t

4. The school aims to support children so that they become confident, self-motivated and independent learners.

p.10

Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 13 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0 2. Triangle Nursery School - 11

p.10

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

2. EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

p.11

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

1. Children come from a very wide range of backgrounds, which give them varied levels of skills and experiences before coming to school. As a group, their attainment on entry is below that which is normally expected. This is especially noticeable in language and literacy, mathematics and social skills. For many children it is the first time they have left their families. Over 33 percent of children come from homes where English is an additional language and some English speakers have limited vocabularies. By the time they are five, however, most children are likely to attain the standards expected nationally, the Desirable Learning Outcomes, in all areas of learning. A significant number are likely to exceed these expectations in literacy, mathematics and personal and social development. Standards are also high in art and information technology. There is no difference in the attainment of boys and girls. There is some initial difference in the attainment of children from various ethnic

p.11

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

groups, but this is closely linked to their understanding of English and becomes less noticeable as their English language skills improve.

p.11

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

2. The standards reached and the progress made are the result of the consistently good teaching and the well-planned curriculum with its wide range of interesting and stimulating activities, which are well matched to children’s needs. Staff have very high expectations. Opportunities to develop literacy and numeracy skills are introduced into various activities, such as role play in the home corner or outside. Staff help children to settle happily and gain confidence. Children become increasingly independent and make their own choices about what they are going to do. They are keen to take part in a variety of activities and they develop very good attitudes to work. With adult guidance, children learn to persevere and concentrate for extended periods of time. Staff give very consistent guidance and they help children learn to share and take turns, for example in role play and when using the computers.

p.11

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

3. Children enjoy looking at books and know that they can provide information. Children listen carefully to stories and begin to talk about them. They listen to instructions and they respond well. Children learn to recognise their own names and older and higher attaining children correctly name some letters and the sounds they make. Most children happily record their ideas on paper and they have a good awareness of different purposes of writing. They begin to form recognisable letters and symbols and write their own name. Many children become confident speakers and they express their ideas clearly. In mathematics, children learn to count to ten and they are aware of larger numbers. They are familiar with the concepts of more and less. Children gather information by using pictorial questionnaires and they construct simple graphs. One reason for the very good progress the children make in this area is

p.11

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

the way in which mathematics is included wherever possible in all activities.

p.11

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

4. The wide range of activities provided helps to foster children’s curiosity about the world around them and it also extends their knowledge. They become confident in using tape recorders. Children develop very good skills in using computers and they have a very good understanding of how information technology can be used. For example, they send messages to children in Italy and France using the Internet. They know that photographs taken with a digital camera can be loaded on to the computer and used to make new programs. Children co-operate with each other to record their own voices to go with their pictures. They explore a range of materials such as water and sand and investigate which materials are attracted to a magnet. Children extend their physical skills very well. They develop skills in using scissors, paint and malleable materials such as clay. Outside, they confidently use the

p.11

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

climbing frames and they practise their ball skills when they try to get the ball through the hoop. Children develop their creative skills very effectively through the wide range of activities on offer. For example, they paint, make clay models, play various musical instruments from different cultural groups and take part in a variety of opportunities for role play. Triangle Nursery School - 12 5. All children make at least good progress in all areas of learning and some make very good progress in relation to their prior attainment. This is an improvement since the last inspection when progress was judged to be satisfactory. Staff use assessment well to identify the next steps in learning for individual children and this helps to ensure that they all make significant progress. Progress is most marked in personal and social development where children become confident, independent learners with very

p.11

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

good attitudes to their work. In art, the wealth of opportunities provided, such as the visit to the Van Dyke exhibition and the encouragement given by all staff to develop good observational skills, contribute to the high standards achieved. The school is very well equipped with facilities to develop information technology skills and children make extremely good progress in this area. Computers are used well to support learning in other subjects, for example literacy and numeracy, but staff also develop children’s information technology skills.

p.12

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

6. Children with special educational needs make very good progress towards the targets, which are clearly identified in their individual education plans and these are frequently reviewed. Their progress is helped by the school’s ability to put in place intensive and early help and by accurate assessments. Help is also reduced or withdrawn appropriately, thus promoting independence.

p.12

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

7. Children with English as an additional language are well supported. They make at least good progress as a result of the curriculum provided, which is rich in opportunities to develop language and literacy skills and the confidence they gain through the very good support and encouragement they receive from staff.

p.12

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

8. The behaviour of children is very good. Their personal development and attitudes to learning continue to be strengths of the school. Children are enthusiastic learners who persevere with tasks for long periods. They make very good use of the opportunities to work on their own and they choose activities and resources with confidence. Children’s independence skills are continually enhanced through the wide choice of activities they are given in each session and personal skills, such as putting on coats and aprons, are encouraged daily. Children are happy and well behaved. With adult guidance they learn to share, take turns and relate to each other well. Parents expressed satisfaction at the behaviour they see in the school. Children are friendly and outgoing when talking to visitors. They treat resources, for example the computers, with care and they treat each other with respect. When one

p.12

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

child complained of not feeling well her peers treated her with kindness and concern. If a dispute occurs between children, staff encourage them to resolve issues through careful explanations and children respond very positively to this approach. Racial harmony is excellent.

p.12

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

9. Very good relationships exist between both staff and children and the children themselves. Staff are caring and supportive and they provide very good role models for children. Children were observed helping each other when working on the computer by explaining how a program works or selecting the item required. Humour is used well and a happy, purposeful atmosphere exists in the school. Lunchtimes are harmonious social occasions with children politely waiting their turn, choosing their food and interacting well with their key workers.

p.12

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

10. The school actively promotes an inclusive educational experience for children with special educational needs and the generally very good behaviour, caring relationships and positive attitudes are helpful in this.

p.12

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

11. Attendance is satisfactory for a school of this type where attendance is not a legal requirement. At the recommendation of the local authority, no annual figures are currently kept of the levels of authorised Triangle Nursery School - 13 and unauthorised absences. A number of authorised absences, however, are noted in the registers. These are mostly caused by illness and family holidays taken during term time.

p.12

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

12. Children are very keen to come to school with most of them arriving on time. At the beginning of each session all attendance is promptly and efficiently recorded in registers. All sessions start on time. Several children are often not collected promptly at the end of the session when their parents and carers are delayed.

p.13

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

13. The quality of teaching is a strength of the school. All teaching is at least satisfactory and it was good or better in 82 percent of the sessions observed. This includes sessions taught by nursery nurses and other support staff, as well as teachers, and it shows the depth of expertise available. All staff have a good understanding of the needs of young children, including those with English as an additional language. They also have a very secure understanding of the recommended areas of learning for children under five.

p.13

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

14. Both literacy and numeracy are taught well and opportunities to develop these aspects in other activities are well developed. For example, a session dedicated to making Christmas cakes gave the opportunity for children to explore the concept of more and less when they measured out the ingredients, and of shape when children lined the tins with greaseproof paper. Children are making a book about dinosaurs with each child drawing a picture and then writing about it. Children are encouraged to use pictures in books to help them make their pictures more accurate and to find additional information. One recent very beneficial innovation has been the introduction of literacy and numeracy group sessions aimed at the older children who are soon to transfer to primary school. These sessions are well planned and the pace is good. The aim of familiarising children with some of the features of literacy and numeracy hours in reception classes is being met. It also enables staff to

p.13

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

focus on the learning needs of a small group of children and this helps to account for the good progress made. Teaching in other large group sessions, although always satisfactory, sometimes misses opportunities to fully extend children’s learning.

p.13

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

15. Planning for day-to-day activities is excellent. There is a very wide range of stimulating activities. These are well matched to children’s interests and to the aim of extending their learning. Staff have very high expectations of the children and, through their assessments, they know the children and their needs well. Staff join in activities both inside and outside with enthusiasm, and they interact well with all children. They appropriately target those who need extra support and intervene to extend learning for others. This is especially noticeable in role play activities; for example, when staff join in a holiday adventure outside. Children ride on the climbing frame aeroplane to take a trip to a warm country where they sunbathe and swim! Staff ask open-ended questions to find out what children know, to extend their thinking and to encourage them to talk about what they are doing. Children’s responses

p.13

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

are treated with respect and this helps them to gain confidence when talking to adults. Staff also give appropriate explanations to raise awareness. For example, when children are working on the computer, staff demonstrate the programs and help them to improve their control of the mouse by showing them how to hold it. There is a good balance between activities that children choose for themselves and those that are directed. In this way children have good opportunities to learn to make their own choices. Staff also ensure that children experience a wide range of the opportunities on offer, as well as activities which are targeted on their clearly identified individual needs. This is an improvement since the last inspection when it was reported that some children did not experience a sufficiently broad range of activities. Triangle Nursery School - 14 16. Staff work together very well as a team. They create a calm, purposeful atmosphere for children to

p.13

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

work in and this helps them to develop good concentration skills. The separate areas are well organised and all staff are aware of their roles. Activities are well planned and there are clear learning objectives for each session. Staff change the areas they work in and expertise is shared and skills developed through the discussions they have at the end of the day. Here staff discuss how the sessions went and alternative approaches, or extensions and changes to various activities are made for the next day.

p.14

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

17. There is a very consistent approach to children’s behaviour and personal development by all staff. They manage children very well and they have high expectations of behaviour and of what children can do. Staff continually reinforce the need to share, take turns and respect one another. Children are taught to tell others if they do not like something they do. Very good organisation means that children know the routines and what is expected of them well and, as a result, they grow in confidence. All areas are designed to make children as independent as possible and to enable them to make their own choices. For example, there are outlines on the shelves in the home corner and in the construction area so that utensils and wooden building blocks can be replaced in the correct place.

p.14

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

18. Children learning English as an additional language are well integrated into all activities. They are given appropriate additional assistance and guidance. Opportunities to extend their language skills are taken well. An additional teacher is employed part-time using the Ethnic Minorities Achievement Grant. She meets regularly with key workers, to discuss children’s progress towards the targets set, and these are revised if necessary. She works alongside children in their self-selected activities and she targets small groups for additional well-focused support. There are so many children who would benefit from additional support that the school has taken the decision to target eight children a term and give them intensive support. Teaching methods are appropriate with a strong emphasis on practical activities and the use of visual aids such as cut-out characters and puppets. This is a

p.14

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

significant factor in the progress made. In addition staff who are bi-lingual, for example in French and Spanish, make a very valuable contribution as they communicate with children in their home language to give confidence and reinforce understanding.

p.14

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

19. Children with special educational needs are well supported. They have clear targets set and staff know their needs well. Support from outside agencies is used well to extend staff expertise. For example, a speech therapist working alongside staff illustrates a range of strategies for individual children, which can be reinforced regularly. The teaching of children with special educational needs is very good. The school’s high standards of observation and assessment are particularly beneficial to these children and they have a significant positive impact on the progress they make.

p.14

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

20. Staff use a wide range of resources effectively to reinforce learning. The environment is attractive and stimulating. Many of the resources for literacy, for example the cut-out pictures, have been made by parents and staff. Parents are actively involved in their children’s learning whenever possible. Library books are taken home regularly and the newly developed literacy lending library is especially valuable. Plans are now underway to extend the idea to mathematical resources. Some children already take home mathematical tasks to be completed with their parents or carers.

p.14

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

21. Very good, detailed and accurate assessments of children are made during targeted activities as well as general observations at other times. Key workers use these assessments to build up a detailed record of what each child knows, understands and can do. They are aware of areas that need improvement or tasks which children rarely undertake. This information is used to inform the planning of activities for individuals and groups of children. Staff meet regularly to discuss various children and to decide how to take their learning forward. Triangle Nursery School - 15 26. The curriculum and assessment

p.14

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

22. The school offers a very good curriculum, which is extremely broad, well balanced and relevant to the children’s needs. It is also a really challenging curriculum, which promotes children’s development extremely well. The curriculum includes all the appropriate areas of learning for children under five and within these are many areas of excellence. In the area of physical development, children dismantle old electronic equipment, using real tools, developing manual dexterity, hand-eye co- ordination and spatial awareness. In the area of creative development, they use the experience of a visit to the Van Dyke exhibition to develop their observation skills and knowledge of colour and composition. In mathematics, they collect data, tallying pictures of dinosaurs and representing children’s preferences in the form of pictograms and computer-generated charts. In the area of knowledge and understanding of the world, their skill with information technology helps them keep in

p.15

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

touch with children in other countries via the Internet. Children are taught concentration, independence and responsibility in the area of personal development. This helps them to take full advantage of the curriculum offered. Curriculum opportunities are offered both inside the school and in the outdoor space. The availability of art, woodwork, an office corner and imaginative play equipment in the playground, in addition to climbing, ball play and garden areas, ensure that children have ample opportunities for playing outside. The balance between free choice and directed activities is very good. There is excellent practice in ensuring that work on mathematics, language and literacy and information technology is extended to all other areas of the curriculum. The school also offers an unusually rich programme, which involves both parents and children in activities beyond the usual scope of a nursery school, including the family literacy project. Access to the curriculum, for children

p.15

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

with special educational needs and children who are learning English as an additional language, is very good.

p.15

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

23. The curriculum is extremely well planned and there has been a very significant improvement since the inspection in 1996. The Early Years curriculum statement is clearly used by teachers, nursery nurses and learning support assistants to provide a very good range of activities and to ensure that children build systematically on their knowledge and skills. The curriculum aims are displayed prominently in classrooms and are thus immediately accessible to parents, staff and visitors. Since the last inspection the school has also positively addressed the need to monitor each child’s experience of the curriculum to ensure an appropriate balance. While children are still able to choose which activities they wish to do, staff ensure, through structured parts of the day, such as literacy sessions and group time, and through monitoring observations, that they guide children to take up the full range of opportunities

p.15

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

available. Short term planning is very good with clear learning objectives and structured evaluation procedures.

p.15

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

24. Excellent assessment is now in place. The development of assessment procedures, which had begun before the last inspection, has now been completed to a very high standard. All staff make and share accurate and detailed observations of children on a day-to-day basis. These are collated and added to regular structured assessment of children’s skills and knowledge to create a comprehensive record of a child’s attainment and progress. Many activities also have their own pro forma for recording individual responses. Full and appropriate information is gathered on children as they enter the nursery and accurate and useful assessment is made of their skills when they move on to primary school. All children have targets and their progress towards them is regularly updated. The needs of children who have difficulty settling in, or who may have a special educational need, are identified accurately and quickly. Effective action is taken to help them. Most children soon achieve the targets

p.15

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

set for them and support can be withdrawn. The importance of record keeping is recognised through the allocation of regular non-contact time for teachers and nursery nurses, which is structured and monitored. There are excellent individual portfolios for all children, which contain samples of work and really good photographic evidence of their experiences and development. Excellent use is made of assessment in deciding how to take children’s learning forward. Staff evaluate the success of every teaching session and they modify, repeat or reinforce lessons in response to children’s needs. This is a major improvement since the last inspection. Triangle Nursery School - 16 29. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

p.15

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

25. Provision for children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall for all children, including those with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language. Provision for children’s spiritual development is very good. The school celebrates festivals from many different religions and cultures. For example, Muslim parents come in to school to prepare food for Eid and there are visits to local places of worship. Children experience wonder as they discover the effects of magnetism on everyday objects, watch beans grow in pots in classrooms and dig up potatoes in the school vegetable patch. They share moments of sadness and joy as they learn pieces of news about each others’ families.

p.16

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

26. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ moral development. Staff provide extremely good models of fairness and concern for others. There is consistent implicit and explicit teaching of how children should behave in different contexts. For example, children are reminded that “when we are in our group we sit quietly and we listen to each other”. Children respond very well to these clear expectations. All staff are patient, consistent and non-confrontational in their requests for appropriate behaviour. Children very quickly understand the difference between right and wrong and are kind to one another. For example, they sing and clap more softly so as not to wake a child who has fallen asleep at the end of the day.

p.16

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

27. Children’s social development is excellent. The school has a particular strength in teaching children to engage in activities with interest and enjoyment, whether working alone, in pairs or in larger groups. Those who initially find it difficult to mix are supported and drawn gently into activities or groups, but children who choose to work alone for a period are respected and left to do so. Children are helped to develop a responsible attitude and can be trusted to work with computers or real carpentry tools without direct supervision. Children reflect the courtesy with which they are treated by staff and can be heard spontaneously apologising after bumping in to each other in the playground. They form very good relationships with staff and with their peers and staff actively promote this through targets concerned with social behaviour. Group time also promotes good social development, as do games in which children choose others to join in an activity such as pretending to walk a

p.16

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

28. Provision for cultural development is very good. Children have excellent links with Europe through the Internet, through exchange visits by staff and through the exchange of books, drawings and photographs with their friends in Italy and France. The school values and draws on the diverse cultural backgrounds of its pupils. Children have unusually rich experience of art, with visits to art galleries, visits from sculptors and illustrators and the opportunity to work with a wide variety of media. Musical instruments from other cultures, such as African drums, steel pans, Asian stringed instruments and South American percussion instruments, are displayed and used. The literacy area is decorated with fabrics and artefacts from the Indian sub-continent. There is respect for children’s mother tongues and some staff are particularly skilled in using several languages.

p.16

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

33. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

p.16

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

29. The school monitors the academic progress of its children extremely well. This is achieved through the key worker files, which are comprehensive and contain very accurate assessments. All staff contribute to these files which are shared with parents and used in planning future activities.

p.16

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

30. Staff promote good behaviour well by example and clear expectations which are continually reinforced. There is a clear policy that all staff follow. The calm and firm approach of staff is especially valuable. Useful records are kept of any behaviour causing concern. Staff promptly and effectively deal with incidents of bullying or other unacceptable behaviour if they occur. Triangle Nursery School - 17 31. The school has very appropriate systems for promoting good attendance and punctuality. The importance of good attendance is stressed to parents during home visits and when they sign the home- school agreement. Through the key worker system, staff get to know families well. Any pattern of absences is noted and followed up.

p.16

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

32. The school follows the local guidelines for child protection with the headteacher being the person designated to deal with problems. Two members of staff are first aiders, although their training needs updating. There is a thorough health and safety policy and regular risk assessments take place. The suitability of the outside gate, and systems for recording children’s attendance, were highlighted as areas for concern in the last inspection. Both of these have now been successfully dealt with.

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

33. The staff’s very caring approach ensures all children’s general well being and parents are rightly confident that their children are sensitively cared for. Very good links have been established with outside agencies, such as speech therapists and the educational psychologist, ensuring a high level of support for children needing particular help. The speech therapist works alongside staff in school and this means that she can demonstrate appropriate strategies to use for individual children and also offer invaluable help and advice.

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

34. The monitoring and support of children with special educational needs is very good. Targets in individual education plans are clear and children’s progress is regularly monitored. Children with English as an additional language are well supported by all staff and through the extra support they receive. The supportive atmosphere in the school is especially beneficial in helping these children gain confidence and staff take good advantage of opportunities to extend language skills.

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

39. Partnership with parents and the community

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

35. The school has impressive links with both its parents and the local community and this represents an improvement since the last inspection. Good information is provided for parents in the form of letters, newsletters and consultation meetings. Useful information is given to parents on starting school for the first time. Parents are fully involved in the termly target setting for their child throughout their time in school. As well as the formal arrangements for providing parents with information, there are very good informal relationships between parents and staff.

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

36. There are excellent opportunities for parental involvement. A Family Literacy project has started, which currently involves ten parents. These parents, some of whom have English as an additional language, meet weekly to increase their own and their children’s literacy skills. This scheme has been financed by the school’s single regeneration budget. The literacy co-ordinator has initiated an excellent literacy lending library. Parents helped to make the materials and they also run it on two days a week. The loan packs contain books and games for parents and children to share at home. This facility is in addition to another library where children can choose books to take home and a library with books for toddlers. Workshops have been held to show parents how to use the school’s computers. There was a very successful and well-attended barbecue on the premises last summer. Parents provided food from a

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

range of cultures and they all appreciated the opportunity to mix socially with other parents. Regular fundraising, such as sponsored events and raffles, are well supported by the parents.

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

37. Very good community links have been established. The school works hard to secure funds from a variety of sources. The impressive Comenius project, which links the school with similar schools in France and Italy has been used very well to enhance the curriculum. Staff have the opportunity for exchange trips so that they can develop links and share examples of good practice in similar schools in other countries. During the inspection children were observed corresponding with their partners in Triangle Nursery School - 18 Europe via the Internet. Local commerce provides raffle prizes for use at fund-raising events and food for some of the school events. A recent trip to the Van Dyke exhibition effectively enhanced both children’s awareness of art and their drawing skills. A range of visitors comes into school to share their skills, such as an illustrator and sculptor who recently worked with children on their dinosaur

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

38. There are very good arrangements for liaison with parents of children who may have special educational needs and the school’s normally high standards of working with parents are fully reflected in their work with these children. The good practice in the school reflects appropriate regard for national guidance in the Code of Practice for children with special educational needs.

p.18

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

43. 43. THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

p.18

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

39. The leadership and management of the school are two of its greatest strengths. The positive qualities reported in the previous inspection have been maintained and strengthened. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and a clear educational direction for the work of the school. She has high expectations and a very firm commitment to raising the quality of education and the standards attained. For example, she monitored attainment in some areas of English and mathematics when children left the school and she has set targets for the attainment of the current cohort. The headteacher works alongside other staff around the school and monitors the work they do, as well as providing a very good role model for teaching and relationships with children. She is very well supported by the deputy head.

p.18

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

40. The key issues raised in the previous report have all been successfully addressed and they have resulted in significant improvement. All staff, under the guidance of the headteacher, are continually looking to extend their skills and improve provision, which means that the school has very good capacity to improve. There are very good relationships among all staff and they work together well as a team. Most staff have management roles, which they all carry out very successfully. They are all actively involved in developing the school’s links with nurseries in Italy and France and several staff have been on or have firm dates for exchange visits. The key worker system is very effective, especially for building up relationships with children and their parents or carers, and for tracking the progress of individual children.

p.18

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

41. The literacy co-ordinator has made an excellent contribution towards raising the standards in literacy and in involving parents in their children’s learning by the setting up of the very successful literacy lending library. Plans are in place for her to monitor literacy work by colleagues. The numeracy co- ordinator is making a significant impact on the quality of mathematical experiences and the standards have risen since the last inspection.

p.18

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

42. The management of the provision for special educational needs is very good. The policy on the admission of children with special educational needs suggests that the school limits the number of children it takes in. This does not reflect its practice, which is very good. The policy needs to be reviewed in line with current good practice.

p.18

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

43. The provision for children with English as an additional language is very effective. Staff know the needs of these children well and their needs are considered when work is planned. All staff are aware of strategies to raise their confidence and to extend their language skills. Members of staff, who speak some of the home languages, use their skills well to relate to individual children. The part-time member of staff employed to work with different target groups provides appropriate additional support. Triangle Nursery School - 19 44. The development plan sets clear targets for the near future and it is a very useful planning document for refining and extending the school’s work. Its long-term usefulness is limited by the fact that the school is likely to close, at least on its present site, within the next two years, because of a re- organisation of nursery provision within the borough.

p.18

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

45. The role of the governing body is non-statutory, but governors play a valuable part in managing the school. Some governors visit the school and they take part in various activities, such as the appointment of staff. Governors have undertaken relevant training provided by the local authority and they are aware of their roles and responsibilities. Triangle Nursery School - 20 46. The ethos of the school is excellent. All staff have a shared sense of purpose and the school’s aims and policies, with the exception of that for special educational needs, are reflected in all its work. All children are treated as individuals and the school’s aims, of helping them to become confident and independent with very positive attitudes to learning, are clearly met. All parents are very supportive of the values the school promotes and they appreciate the work the school does. Relationships within the school are very good and there is a clear commitment to equality of opportunity.

p.19

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

47. The school has an appropriate number of teaching staff who, overall, are well qualified and experienced for their roles. Support staff are all well trained and they have a wide range of experience. The induction of new staff is appropriately handled with a useful information pack issued to all new members. All staff have attended a wide range of training courses, with topics carefully linked to government initiatives and the school development plan.

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

48. The accommodation is clean and well maintained. Displays are attractive and they are used effectively to stimulate interest and to value children’s work. There is adequate space for the curriculum to be taught, but there is no room for additional facilities such as a room for parents. The Family Literacy Project has to take place in two empty classrooms in a nearby school. The outside area is of appropriate size and this enables a full range of activities to be presented there.

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

49. The school has a wide range of equipment and resources to cover the entire curriculum. It is in generally good condition and is well stored to provide independent access and replacement by children when appropriate. The range of multi-cultural musical instruments, books for literacy, the information technology suite and the mathematics resources are particular strengths.

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

50. The school is well resourced for children with special educational needs.

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

51. The efficiency of the school is good overall. Financial planning is sound and the recent foci of the school development plan, literacy, numeracy and information technology, have been effectively supported. The school is constrained in its planning by not having responsibility for the school building and by uncertainties as to the direction of its future development. However, while the headteacher and governing body monitor the school’s finances regularly this task is rendered laborious by the absence of an appropriate computerised financial package capable of generating regular reports and analysis. Manual calculation of budget monitoring reports is not an efficient use of administrative staff.

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

52. The school’s financial systems, controls and day-to-day procedures for handling money, ordering stock and paying invoices are efficiently carried out. The recommendations of the last audit have been implemented and internal procedures are clearly set out in a document which is made available to staff.

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

53. Staff are deployed and used very effectively. Particularly good use is made of qualified nursery nurses who take a full part in teaching and curriculum development, including taking the lead in major curriculum areas. Because of the school’s success in promoting responsibility and independence in the children, staff can be deployed to give intensive or individual support where needed; for example, to children with special educational needs, or they can be freed for particular assessment or recording tasks. Triangle Nursery School - 21 54. Very good use is made of the rather unpromising building and the small playground and garden areas, as well as the facilities around the school, including the local supermarket. Very good use is also made of parental input whether in school time, in workshops after school or in school holidays. Parents take part alongside school staff in training courses, which will benefit their children, for example in

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

learning to use computers. The school has made a number of successful bids for funding from outside sources, such as the European Comenius Fund, which supports the Italian and French links and the Millennium Fund. The money received from outside agencies is used very effectively to enhance children’s experiences and extend their learning. Excellent use is made of information technology resources, of off-cuts of wood and of defunct electrical goods, the latter used most imaginatively as a teaching and learning aid.

p.21

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

55. The school’s costs per pupil are relatively high; nevertheless, taking into consideration the high standards achieved by the children, the very good attitudes, behaviour, relationships and teaching and the richness of the children’s experience during their time in the nursery, the school gives very good value for money. Triangle Nursery School - 22 60. PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

56. The personal and social development of children is very good and this is a strength of the school as it has a very positive effect on all the other work of the school. Most children are likely to exceed the standards expected by the age of five. Many children are shy when they start school, as it is the first time that many have left their families. Those with English as an additional language are sometimes very withdrawn and spend time watching others. All children gradually gain confidence and their self-esteem grows as a result of the calm and supportive atmosphere created and the very good relationships they build up with staff and other children. They learn to respect the ideas and views of others; for example, when listening to what others have to say at story times and co-operating with them in role play in the home corner. In group time, children are encouraged to ask for help from

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

their peers if they cannot answer a question. The school joins in the celebrations of various ethnic groups and, in this way, children learn to respect other cultures. Books, story tapes and signs in different languages also give value to the children’s own diverse backgrounds.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

57. Children are helped to concentrate on each activity for appropriate periods of time and their attitudes to learning are extremely good. Initially, children watch others but gradually they begin to explore items for themselves. For example, they use magnets and find out which materials are attracted to them and which are not. A group of children concentrated for over 20 minutes and showed great perseverance and curiosity when they used screwdrivers, wire cutters and pliers to dismantle an old stereo system. They learn to make their own choices about what they are going to do from the wide range of activities on offer. They also make their own choices when carrying out a task, such as deciding which dinosaur they are going to make out of clay and what materials they are going to use for a collage picture. When asked, they also take part willingly in adult-directed activities. Children become increasingly independent. They take care of their personal needs and are beginning to know

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

how to find out things for themselves. For example, they put on aprons for painting or water play and they look after their outside clothes by hanging them on their pegs. They know that books are a valuable source of information and a few suggested looking in a book about dinosaurs when they wanted to find out what a stegosaurus ate.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

58. With guidance, children learn to take turns and share. For example, they amicably take turns on the computers. Most behave very well and have a good understanding of what is expected. They treat school property with respect and willingly take part in tidying up, which most do very conscientiously. They grow plants from seeds in the garden and inside and they carefully water them and watch them grow.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

59. The main reason for the very good progress is the excellent teaching. Developing self-esteem and confidence are both seen as extremely important aims and all adults play a very valuable part in promoting them on a daily basis. Staff have very high expectations of children’s behaviour. They have a consistent approach to what is acceptable behaviour and what is not and in the way they deal with incidents. All staff are very good role models for the children. They help children learn how to work and play with others and to take part in group activities, often by joining in themselves or by talking through situations with children. Careful records are kept of children’s responses to the various activities provided and these build up a clear picture of the progress made. Targets are set for individual children to help them develop appropriate personal skills and all adults are aware of their

p.22

Language and literacy

60. The school gives an appropriately high priority to developing children’s language and communication skills. By the time they are five, most children are likely to achieve the outcomes expected for their age in reading, writing, speaking and listening. The higher attaining children are likely to exceed them. Children make good and often very good progress in this area of learning

p.23

Language and literacy

61. There is an extremely rich and stimulating curriculum, which offers many opportunities for children to develop their language and literacy skills. Activities are practically based and this has a significant impact on children’s progress, especially those learning English as an additional language. Much of the writing is developed from children’s own interests; for example, the book they are making about dinosaurs detailing what they ate and showing what they looked like. Children draw pictures and label them. They use the computer to send messages to children in France and Italy by e-mail and some are learning simple greetings like ‘bonjour’. In the role play area they take written orders for food. Older children are forming recognisable letters and symbols and some are using their knowledge of letter sounds to attempt their own spellings. Children write their own names on their work and they all have

p.23

Language and literacy

the confidence to express their thoughts and ideas in written form. Staff value the work children do and they offer good role models when they are seen making assessments of various activities and discussing what they are doing with the children.

p.23

Language and literacy

62. Children are developing good early reading skills. They handle books carefully and enjoy looking at them. Some older and higher attaining children naturally turn to books to find out information; for example, about insects and dinosaurs. Group work has been arranged specifically for some older and more able children when staff successfully use some of the techniques from the National Literacy Strategy. This is also good preparation for primary school. These children make very good progress and most are likely to exceed national expectations by age five. Children learn to recognise their own names and those of some of the other children in their group. They learn letter names and sounds. Some begin to use this knowledge to recognise and make up rhyming words and to blend letter sounds together to help them read simple words, such as ‘pen’ and ‘hen’. In the larger group sessions children enjoy books, but there is scope for the development of more opportunities to extend their

p.23

Language and literacy

learning at these times. Good use is made of labels and signs around the school to increase children’s awareness of print in various situations.

p.23

Language and literacy

63. Books are evident in all areas and there is a comfortable quiet area where children can sit and enjoy them. Parents are very involved in their children’s learning because of the excellent facilities provided. The library is well stocked with a good range of attractive books and many children change their books twice a week. The recent addition of the literacy library is extremely valuable. Parents and children borrow various well devised packs. Some have two copies of the same book, some have story tapes and others have games to accompany the books. The packs are very well organised and much appreciated by parents.

p.23

Language and literacy

64. Children learn to follow instructions carefully. They listen to and respond to stories well. They operate the tape recorder independently to listen to story tapes. There is a good collection of story props, which are used well to help children re-tell stories and sequence events. All staff place strong emphasis on developing children’s confidence in speaking and extending their vocabulary. Good opportunities are provided for role play and staff join in these activities to extend children’s imagination and the range of language used. For example, during the inspection there was a table with an extensive range of dinosaurs set on an imaginatively created landscape. Staff used this as a focus activity and worked alongside children very well to help them develop their story telling skills, extend their vocabulary and develop their imagination.

p.23

Language and literacy

65. Children with special educational needs are well supported. They make good and often very good progress as they develop confidence in speaking in front of a group or trying out writing. With adult Triangle Nursery School - 24 support their listening skills and their attention spans are extended. Triangle Nursery School - 25 66. All children are treated as individuals and this is especially beneficial for children with English as an additional language. These children are well supported and, as they gain confidence, they make satisfactory and often good progress in extending their vocabularies and their abilities to express themselves verbally to individuals and in a group. Staff who speak some of the home languages, such as Spanish, use their skills well to communicate with children. They give value to children’s own languages as well as extending understanding of the English language. Eight children are selected

p.23

Language and literacy

each term after consultation with key workers. They receive satisfactory additional help in their chosen activities. In addition, they attend well-organised sessions for more intensive teaching as a group.

p.25

Language and literacy

67. Children have very good attitudes to the work that they do. Staff are good role models and they use praise and encouragement appropriately to develop a pride in the work done. Children’s work is neatly displayed and some is made into books, which are kept and valued.

p.25

Language and literacy

68. Teaching is good overall, with some very good. The best teaching was seen in the group work for the older children and in the discussions which surrounded the making of Christmas cakes. On occasions, opportunities to extend children’s skills in other large group sessions are missed, although the standard of teaching is always satisfactory. Teaching and non-teaching staff are experienced and knowledgeable about the needs of children of this age, and basic language and literacy skills are taught well. The good relationships staff have with the children are also extremely beneficial in developing children’s confidence in speaking. They also enthusiastically join in all activities, such as role play. This encourages children to develop their ideas and to be more adventurous, as well as modelling appropriate language. Staff reinforce language skills with children by introducing new vocabulary and

p.25

Language and literacy

by reinforcing it in conversation. The after-school staff discussions are particularly useful in building up a complete picture of individual children and ensuring that all staff are aware of their needs.

p.25

Mathematics

69. The attainment in maths of the oldest children is well above the standards expected by the age of five. This shows a very good improvement since the last inspection when attainment was judged to be ‘sound’. The school has studied the National Numeracy Strategy and has drawn from it appropriate strategies and activities for nursery age children, while making sure that the presentation is accessible and stimulating for them. Children quickly learn to count and recognise numbers up to ten but they also have meaningful experience of larger numbers and fractions; they recognise the ‘500 grams’ on a packet of sultanas while making Christmas cakes and understand about using half a packet. They have developed concepts such as “more than” and “bigger than”. They record different kinds of dinosaur pictures, using tally marks and they assemble them into pictorial charts. They understand in simple terms what the charts tell them about children liking some dinosaurs more than others. Work with

p.25

Mathematics

numbers, shape and measurement is reinforced throughout the school in all areas of learning. For example, in the playground children are encouraged to record their scores, while in the home corner they match plates, knives and forks to the number of people at a pretend meal.

p.25

Mathematics

70. Children really enjoy their maths work and this ensures that they persevere with tasks and build rapidly on what they know. Progress is very good because the activities planned move forward step by step and are well matched to the children’s developmental stage so that learning is very secure.

p.25

Mathematics

71. Teaching in maths is very good. Expectations are very high. Methods and strategies are well chosen and new activities are carefully evaluated and refined through observation and staff discussion. Resources have been carefully chosen or made and are of very high quality. They are very well used. Particularly good use is made of the digital camera to produce number lotto games using pictures of groups of children of different sizes and numbers, which are relevant to the children’s experience. There are excellent procedures for assessment. The quality of observation and day-to-day assessment, and the use of these in further planning, are outstandingly good. This area of learning is extremely Triangle Nursery School - 26 well led and there is very good monitoring of its development. Triangle Nursery School - 27

p.25

Knowledge and understanding of the world

72. Most children are likely to attain the desirable learning outcomes by the term after their fifth birthday. Some are likely to exceed the expectations in aspects of this area of learning. Many are on course to exceed them in information and communication technology. This is the result of the very broad range of appropriate experiences that are provided to stimulate interest and extend children’s knowledge and understanding of the environment and the very good resources for information technology. Children investigate everyday materials, such as water and sand, using their senses. They also use magnets to find out which materials are attracted to them and which are not. They begin to use their knowledge to make predictions, for example, ‘that won’t stick because it is plastic’. Children regularly take part in cooking activities, such as making Christmas cakes and pumpkin soup and they know that changes

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

take place when things are cooked. They grow flowers and vegetables in the garden and know what plants need to help them grow.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

73. Children develop extremely good skills in, and knowledge of, the use of information and communication technology. They learn to operate computers and the tape recorder very confidently and they are aware of how a digital camera works. Children use a mouse competently to select and operate programs. Staff use programs well to reinforce learning in other areas, such as counting and number recognition, and knowledge of letter names and sounds. One of the strengths of the provision is the way in which staff teach children the necessary skills and give very clear demonstrations and explanations to extend children’s knowledge. They train them to become very independent, letting them do as much as possible, whilst still overseeing and giving technical help when needed. For example, when children compose messages to their pen pals in Italy and France for transmission through the Internet, they type in their own messages. They also learn how to retrieve messages that

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

have been sent to them. Children help to make a new mathematics program, using photographs taken with the digital camera, and they add their own voices to go with the pictures. The children co-operate with each other very well. One child operates the controls using the mouse, whilst another speaks into the microphone. They play the voice back and discuss whether they can hear it well enough. If not, the process is repeated until they are satisfied.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

74. Through visits to local places of interest, such as the shops, children gain an understanding of their immediate environment. The current topic of dinosaurs is giving children a very good understanding of what these creatures looked like, what they ate and where they lived. Children learn that books can provide a good source of information to find out about things in the past.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

75. All children make at least good progress and many make very good progress. They make significant gains in knowledge and also extend their vocabularies. Equally importantly children develop great curiosity and interest across a very wide range of subjects, which is a very good basis for future learning. For example, a group of children enthusiastically looked in books to find out what different dinosaurs ate. Children respond very well to the activities planned and they concentrate for extended periods. They learn to co-operate well with each other and willingly share equipment and tools with very little fuss. They treat resources, especially the computers, with care.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

76. Teaching is good. All staff interact extremely well with children to extend their ideas and stimulate interest. The planned curriculum is very broad and offers many good first-hand experiences that are very appropriate for all the children and especially for the children learning a second language. Sessions are carefully planned. Staff use open-ended questions well to extend children’s thinking and ability to express their ideas clearly and assess their understanding. Children are encouraged to make choices and think for themselves. Resources are generally good, and for information technology, they are extremely good. Detailed records, often in the form of annotated photographs or notes kept on post-its, are kept of children’s responses to the various activities provided. Care is taken to ensure that all children have access to a wide range of experiences, which are well suited to their stage of

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

development. Triangle Nursery School - 28

p.27

Creative development

77. The attainment of children in the area of creative development is good and the children are on course to reach, and in some areas exceed, national expectations by the age of five. Art is a particular area of strength. Children draw pictures of themselves to send to their friends in Europe, they model clay dinosaurs and they make pictures that involve painting, gluing, collage and printing techniques. Children study pictures by Van Dyke and work in his style, making careful observations of colour and composition and using them in their own pictures. Children play rhythms and tunes on percussion, wind and stringed instruments from many countries. They sing together in their group time and some are confident to sing alone in front of their group with good pitch and rhythm. They listen to stories and they make up their own stories as they play in the home corner or on the climbing frame, which

p.28

Creative development

can become a ship or a castle as needed. They pretend to be mother or father and play at office work using a computer keyboard and telephone. Progress in this area of learning is good, and very good in art. Children develop confidence in using tools and instruments and their imaginative play develops with their experience of stories. The strength of the school’s art work has developed significantly since the inspection of 1996.

p.28

Creative development

78. Teaching is good overall and occasionally inspired; for example, when children were taken to see the Van Dyke exhibition. Staff have good subject knowledge and their expectations are particularly high in art. Methods and strategies are well chosen and children are allowed time to develop their work and sustain their interest. The range of materials and equipment available is very good and sound use is made of visitors to the school to encourage development of painting, modelling and music. Indoor and outdoor areas are well equipped to support imaginative play. There is very good assessment and recording of children’s progress. The school is well resourced for this area of learning.

p.28

Physical development

79. Children’s attainment in physical development is well on course to meet national expectations by the age of five. In some respects, such as their manipulation of tools and their hand-eye co-ordination, children clearly exceed the expected standards. The oldest children run, climb up steep slopes with the aid of a rope, hang by their arms and jump down confidently from climbing frames. They aim a large ball at a basketball hoop and often score a goal. They kick a ball into a goal or, as goalkeeper, try to make a save. They balance on narrow bridges or along lines on the floor and they move about the school, both indoors and out, with confidence, ease and good awareness of space. They draw, paint, cut with scissors and saws and build with a variety of types of bricks.

p.28

Physical development

80. Children make good progress in physical development. When they first enter the nursery, children need support in using climbing apparatus and they hold on to an adult’s hand when crossing bridges or standing up on apparatus above ground level. They quickly develop confidence and balance and begin to use equipment independently. Their ball skills improve, and their kicking and throwing increases in both power and accuracy. They learn to imitate adults and older children in physical education exercises and dance movements.

p.28

Physical development

81. Teaching in this area is good overall with areas of strength, such as ball control work and the opportunities provided for fine manipulation. Staff have secure subject knowledge and plan taught sessions well, making good assessments and giving children useful feedback on their performance. In less structured activities staff work well alongside children, supporting them when they are trying something new and offering guidance when they get into difficulties. The activities set out for children to choose are well thought out and often extremely inventive, such as the dismantling of old machinery. Good relationships and well-focused use of praise ensures that children’s motivation is high. Photographic and written records effectively track children’s progress over time. Resources in this area of learning are satisfactory and used well. Staff make every effort within a rather small playground to provide suitable challenge and variety by re-planning and rearranging movable

p.28

Physical development

Triangle Nursery School - 29 equipment. Triangle Nursery School - 30 86. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

p.29

Physical development

82. A team of three inspectors spent a total of six and a half inspection days in the school gathering first- hand evidence. During the inspection 32 teaching sessions were observed (by both qualified and unqualified staff). Work in all areas of learning was inspected including samples of children’s work, pictures of recent activities and records showing individual children’s development. Inspectors talked to and played with children to assess their responses to various activities and the level of their understanding. Discussions were held with the headteacher, members of the teaching staff, nursery nurses and support staff. Discussions covered their roles and responsibilities, including their input into the management of the school and curriculum planning.

p.30

Physical development

83. A questionnaire was sent to all parents with children in the school and 42 percent were returned. The registered inspector held a meeting during the week prior to the inspection so that parents could express their views on the education provided by the school and other aspects of school life. Nine parents attended. Documentation, including the school development plan, policies for the areas of learning and other aspects of the school’s work, children’s records and teachers’ plans, was studied.

p.30

Physical development

84. In addition, a discussion was held with the chair of governors. Triangle Nursery School - 31 1. DATA AND INDICATORS

p.30

Pupil data

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals Nursery 61 0 9 13

p.31

Pupil data

90. Qualified teachers Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 2 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 32:1

p.31

Pupil data

90. Education support staff Total number of education support staff: 8 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 194

p.31

Pupil data

Financial year: 1998 - 1999 Total Income £256,589 Total Expenditure £249,816 Expenditure per pupil £2775 Balance brought forward from previous year * Balance carried forward to next year £6,773

p.31

Pupil data

*. Budget 1997-8 not delegated therefore no carry forward. Triangle Nursery School - 32 * PARENTAL SURVEY Number of questionnaires sent out: 88 Number of questionnaires returned: 37

p.31

Pupil data

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

p.32

Pupil data

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 70 30 0 0 0

p.32

Pupil data

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 73 24 3 0 0

p.32

Pupil data

The school handles complaints from parents well 22 46 19 0 0

p.32

Pupil data

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 41 57 0 0 3

p.32

Pupil data

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 35 57 3 3 0

p.32

Pupil data

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 51 41 3 3 0

p.32

Pupil data

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 54 41 3 0 0

p.32

Pupil data

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 41 35 14 0 3

p.32

Pupil data

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 62 30 3 3 0

p.32

Pupil data

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 62 32 5 0 0

p.32

Pupil data

My child(ren) like(s) school 81 19 0 0 0

p.32