The Grove Nursery School

Grove Nursery School

Reporting inspector: Ms Norma Empringham 1148

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Grove Nursery School

Dates of inspection: 9 – 10 November 1999

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Grove Nursery School

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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.

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Grove 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 Grove Nursery School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Grove Nursery Newent Close off Coleman Road London SE15 6EF

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Jeremy Brill

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1996 Grove Nursery School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Norma Empringham, RgI Language and Literacy Knowledge and Understanding Attainment and progress; Equal opportunities; English as a second language; Leadership and management; Teaching. Sarah McDermott, Lay Inspector Personal and Social Development Attendance; Attitudes, behaviour and personal development; Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development; Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare; Partnership with parents and the community Lynne Palmer Mathematics Physical Development Creative Development Curriculum and assessment; Staffing, accommodation and learning resources; Efficiency; Provision for pupils with special educational needs.

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Capital Inspections Chaucer Building Canterbury Road Morden Surrey SM4 6PX

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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:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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What the school does well

• .The school makes very good provision for children’s social, moral, spiritual, cultural and personal developmen • .The school is well managed and the headteacher provides clear leadership and direction. • . The partnership with parents is very good. • .The school provides a rich curriculum through a good range of resources. • .Children make good progress in mathematics. • . The school makes good provision for reading and knowledge and understanding of the world through a good range of resources and activities. • . Children enjoy the nursery activities and are keen to learn. • .The school encourages good attendance. • .The support, guidance and provision for the children’s welfare are good.

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What the school does well

I. Children’s speaking skills are lower than in other areas of language and literacy. II.Some older children, particularly boys, do not participate in the full range of activities. The systems for tracking these children are not satisfactory. III.Children’s learning in imaginative role-play, block play and some outside activities is restricted by the way in which the accommodation is organised. IV.There is no school guidance for creative development, physical development and writing to help the staff provide a consistent approach in their teaching.

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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all parents or

· How the school has improved since the last inspection

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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all parents or

Since the 1996 inspection the school has experienced some changes in teaching staff, nursery nurses and in the governing body. The school now has several new staff members in the team. Despite this change, the school has sustained many of the strengths found in the previous inspection and has made good progress with most of the weaknesses. The school is well placed to make further improvements. Provision for children’s spiritual, moral, social, cultural and personal development remains a strength. The very good partnership with parents has been sustained and this has had a significant impact on children’s learning. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) have improved, along with staff expertise and the school has a much better range of ICT resources for children to use. Standards in reading have improved. Planning is now in line with the goals for learning as set out in the ‘Desirable Outcomes for Children’s Learning on Entering Compulsory

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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all parents or

Education’. Assessment is used to inform planning for children in daily evaluation sessions but some objectives for learning in teachers’ short-term planning are still not specific enough. Attainment in speaking remains lower than in other aspects of language and literacy. Grove Nursery School - 8 · Standards

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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all parents or

There are national standards for children by five years of age. The oldest children are likely to reach these in mathematics and in most other areas of learning. They are making good progress in personal and social development, but not enough progress in conversation or music making.

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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all parents or

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

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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all parents or

The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. In 94% of lessons it was at least satisfactory and in 10% it was very good.

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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all parents or

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

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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all parents or

Behaviour Good. Most children are keen to take part in the activities and behave well. Sometimes incidents of anti-social behaviour prevent learning from being extended. Attendance Good. Full-time children have very good attendance rates. Ethos* Good. Relationships are good. There is a strong commitment to school improvement. The staff work hard to maintain a very positive atmosphere where all members of the school community are valued. Leadership and management Good. The headteacher and governors provide clear leadership in line with the aims of the school. Curriculum Broad and balanced providing a rich variety of activities based on the areas of learning. Some older children, particularly boys, need to take part for longer in activities which promote literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school has a very good spiritual policy. Children learn to

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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all parents or

share and help each other. They value themselves and each other and know what to do if things are wrong. Staffing, resources and accommodation Good resources, suitable staffing and adequate accommodation, apart from the office and the poor state of the children’s toilets. Value for money The school provides good value for money in terms of the budget provided and the progress made by the children. Grove Nursery School - 9 * Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

V. The way that parents are made welcome and encouraged to share in their children’s learning. VI. Children learn to feel good about themselves and how to behave. VII.The school provides helpful information and keeps parents well informed about their children’s progress. VIII. Children do well and make good progress. IX. Children like coming to school. X. The way children learn through play. XI. Staff are approachable and helpful when problems arise. XII.Some children find it difficult to concentrate in isual aids.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

Inspectors’ judgements support parents’ positive views about the school. In group times, inspectors found that staff use many props and visual aids, but there are some children who find it hard to concentrate in large groups and the sessions are sometimes interrupted by parents arriving to collect their children. Grove Nursery School - 10 · KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

In order to continue the improvements made since the last inspection staff and governors need to:

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XIII.Improve children’s speaking skills by providing opportunities for more children to talk about their learning through engaging in conversation with adults and each other. Ensure that there is more time for such talking, especially in group times; (see paragraphs 7, 9, 13, 23, 37, 74, 75, 78)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XIV.Ensure that all children, particularly the older boys, take part for a reasonable length of time in the whole range of curriculum activities; (see paragraphs 11, 13, 14, 23, 28, 34, 52, 85)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XV. Organise the accommodation so that children’s learning can be developed further through imaginative role-play, block play and outside activities; (see paragraphs 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 24, 60, 66, 75, 83, 86)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XVI.Work together to produce guidelines for creative and physical development and writing, to ensure consistency in teaching approaches and to raise standards in music. (see paragraphs 12, 29, 56, 77, 78, 92)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

In addition to the above key issues, the following, less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XVII. Simplify the long-term planning systems and ensure that all short-term planning includes clear learning objectives linked to activities; (see paragraphs 21, 31)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XVIII. improve the children’s toilets as soon as possible and review the office accommodation. (see paragraphs 59) Grove Nursery School - 11 · INTRODUCTION

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

1 Grove Nursery School is situated in an inner-city area where there is significant social deprivation and a high incidence of poor health and population mobility. The school serves two housing estates which are being gradually demolished as part of a long-term regeneration project. This has created some movement of families away from the nursery catchment area, but not as much as had been expected by the school, because parents are willing to travel some distance to bring their children to the nursery. There is, however, a slight increase in the number of children from families of asylum seekers and refugees who are temporarily housed in empty flats.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

2 There are 85 children on the nursery roll. There are 14 boys and 16 girls who attend for the whole day and 29 boys and 26 girls who attend either morning or afternoon sessions. Half the children who attend full- time are eligible for free school meals. Sixty children come from homes where they hear languages other than English. The most common of these languages are Yoruba, Twi, Turkish and Vietnamese. There are 16 different languages used by the children. Eight children are identified by the school as having special educational needs. The school reports that on entry, at age three, many children have limited social and speaking skills.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

3 The school follows the Southwark admission’s policy which gives priority places to children with educational, medical or social needs. Children are admitted after they become three. All attend part-time for their first term and full-time for their last term; some attend full-time earlier. Children and parents whose first language is not English are invited to join a pre-school group before they start nursery.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

4 The nursery was inspected by Ofsted in September 1996 and has implemented an action plan to address the key issues raised at that time. The school’s current priorities are:

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XIX.To maintain a sense of community through a period of change in the local area ;

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XX. To raise levels of speaking and continue to develop reading and writing, involving parents as much as possible in their children’s learning;

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XXI.To rewrite the school’s equal opportunities policy;

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XXII.To develop a nursery garden which will become a valuable community resource.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

5 The nursery aims to work in partnership with parents so that all children have high self-esteem and become confident and independent learners. It aims to provide a caring supportive environment where all families feel valued and supported and where children with special needs are quickly identified and given access to work which matches their needs. It aims to liaise and work effectively with outside agencies and to value all children equally so that all can achieve their potential . Grove Nursery School - 12 · 6 Key indicators

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

age of half days (sessions) missed % h absence for the latest complete N/A ng year: N/A N/A N/A ·

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age of teaching observed which is: % Grove Nursery School - 13 · PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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· EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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7 At the time of the inspection, some children had been in the nursery for less than half a term, others for up to three terms and others were preparing to move on to primary school after at least four terms. The school reports that attainment on entry at three years old is below expectations in personal and social skills and in speaking. Since the last inspection the school has maintained the quality of provision in most areas and attainment and progress has improved in ICT. Overall, standards are in line with national expectations in all areas except in speaking, where attainment is below expectations, and in mathematics where some able children demonstrate higher standards than expected for their age.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

8 Good provision for personal and social development ensures that children make good progress in this area and are on track to meet expectations. Most are familiar with nursery routines and are confident in making choices about activities. They are learning to share and take turns. Some children find concentrating for long periods in group times difficult but many sit still and listen well. Many children are interested in the activities and generally settle and persevere. Outside, more children tend to flit about and do not settle at activities for long enough. Children are learning to be independent in dressing themselves through activities such as dressing dolls, and to use the bathroom independently. They show respect for one another and each other’s cultures and beliefs and are sensitive to each other’s needs. They care for the nursery pets, are gentle with insects such as worms, and care for their garden by

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

planting bulbs. Children’s attainment in personal and social development is good.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

9 Many children are on track to meet the national expectations for language and literacy by the age of five. However, there are variations in attainment across the area. Attainment and progress in reading, writing and listening are in line with expectations for the age of pupils but attainment in speaking is lower than might be expected. Many children listen well but find it difficult to engage in conversation and discussion, either in group times or in less formal situations with each other or with adults. More than half the children speak English as an additional language and although they are developing confidence and making satisfactory progress, many do not readily engage in conversation. Children know how to handle books well and there are many times when children choose to look at books independently. Younger children are learning to turn pages in order and that print and pictures carry meaning. Older children are familiar with the texts of frequently heard stories. However, they are less

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

confident in associating sounds with patterns in rhymes and words. In writing, younger children are confident in mark making and older children write their names using a mixture of letters and symbols. They use writing implements with good control; however, they miss opportunities to make progress through writing in role-play areas.

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10 In mathematics, children’s attainment is in line with expectations and some children are on course to attain above expectations. Children can recognise and make patterns, for example when making Diwali garlands. They can count by matching one to one; higher attaining children can count confidently to 12 and beyond and can recognise numbers from one to ten. They enjoy recording numbers and some can record larger numbers; for example, 32 and 100. The older children, overall, could identify two-dimensional shapes well and are beginning to explore simple addition and to record their work.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

11 Children’s attainment in knowledge and understanding of the world is on course to reach national expectations by age five. Most children are keen to use the computers, can select programmes, use the mouse, print and exit; their attainment is good. Children who remain at the activities long enough, show a lively interest in a wide range of scientific skills. They recognise change, explore materials and use equipment such as pipettes, batteries and tubes. They talk about where they live and the effects of weather. They are beginning to understand the concept of past time. They skilfully design, join, cut and build using a good range of construction materials and even the youngest show competence at the woodwork bench. Opportunities to develop skills through block play are missed because the layout of the nursery prevents appropriate adult intervention. Grove Nursery School - 14 12 Children’s attainment in physical development is on course to reach national expectations by the age of

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

five. Children have good co-ordination and use their hands to manipulate well. They are able to handle small sand-play equipment well to dig and fill containers. They are confident and growing in agility on the climbing frames. Most can control bikes and scooters and other wheeled toys. In creative development, children are likely to achieve expectations in most aspects apart from music. Children can distinguish colours and use different materials; they can retrieve resources independently and make choices. They know how to make music using percussion instruments appropriately but a lack of concentration in these activities limits achievement.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

13 Children make satisfactory progress overall. They have plenty of opportunities to practise and consolidate skills. However, some children make more progress in their learning than others. Progress often depends on when they come to the activity, as sometimes teaching is not repeated for newcomers. Systems for tracking children as they move between activities rely mainly on adult observation, and some older children, particularly boys, are missing opportunities for learning. Children with special educational needs receive effective support and make good progress. Those who speak English as an additional language make satisfactory progress, given their starting points. ICT is now well used to develop literacy skills. However, progress is limited by a lack of opportunities for children to talk about their learning, to develop an awareness of sounds and rhymes and to use literacy skills in imaginative

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

role-play situations. Children make good progress in mathematics. They demonstrate a clear range of skills related to the time children have spent in the nursery. Progress is developed through the many planned opportunities which give practice for counting and matching skills and consolidating and extending number recognition. Progress is satisfactory in physical education although outside, progress in learning is sometimes interrupted by children riding on bikes and scooters. Progress is good in artwork but unsatisfactory in music, where children do not focus on activities long enough to make progress. They have many opportunities to develop their painting skills; for example, using a good range of brushes of different sizes and learning how to prevent paint dripping. Good progress is made in understanding other cultures through activities such as creating a Diva lamp from clay linked to celebrating Diwali.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

· Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

14 Children’s attitudes to learning are good. Most children are keen and enthusiastic to learn. During the inspection, the response of the children was judged to be good or better in well over half the sessions observed. Many are really captivated by stories. In a group session hearing a story about the birth of a baby, children listened with rapt attention. A few children, some with special educational needs, are not able to concentrate on learning tasks for appropriate periods of time. On occasions children ask perceptive questions. When washing baby clothes with Victorian washboards, two girls were very interested to learn more about the methods used. However, some children, particularly older boys, do not extend their learning through enquiry or simple curiosity. Some good examples of collaboration were seen in constructional play and outside in the playground. A few children find it difficult to work

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

together and squabbling develops in some activities. Children persevered for a long time matching and threading coloured discs in a mathematics session. Many children are able to select their own equipment. They know their way around the nursery and where different resources are kept.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

15 The behaviour of children is good. Most children behave very well, but in each session there are some children who are noisy and disruptive. Many children are sensible and ignore anti-social behaviour, but sometimes the behaviour of others disrupts their quiet concentration and learning. The majority of children are appropriately courteous for their age. They say “hello” confidently to visitors and speak respectfully to adults. Most children know the nursery’s rules and conventions well, but there are a few who need regular reminding when outside in the playground.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

16 The relationships in the nursery are satisfactory. Children have a good rapport with the staff. They respond to adults by listening well to their advice and instructions. Many children are happy, chatting and confiding to adults in the school. The relationships between children themselves are satisfactory. Most play and work well together. However, outside, there are sometimes arguments or disputes over equipment, particularly the scooters and tricycles. Most children show respect for property, but some Grove Nursery School - 15 damage is done when children lose their temper. There is no racial tension. Children come from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds and get on very well together.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

17 The personal development of children is good. Many respect the feelings and views of others. They listen well to each other. When a child is hurt or crying, often others will let a member of staff know and comfort their fellow in the meantime. During sessions in the garden, looking at autumn leaves falling from the trees, children had a real feel for the wonder of the nature. A very good circle time showed that children are very mature in sitting quietly listening to music and attempting to grasp the abstract meaning of stillness and deeper thoughts. Many children are good at taking the initiative and finding the right tools for what they are planning to do. When children are given small jobs, such as returning the registers, clearing up leaves and putting away equipment, they do so willingly. Sometimes, children who are given dinner monitor responsibilities need to be reminded of their duties. Children

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

enjoy being involved in the daily routines of the nursery.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

18 The attendance of children is good. The children with full-time places have particularly good rates of attendance. Part-time children have satisfactory attendance, although there are a few whose regular attendance is severely affected by family problems. The attendance rate is maintained at the high levels noted at the last inspection.

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19 Registers are routinely completed at the beginning of the morning and afternoon sessions. Class teachers and the school administration officer carefully note when children are absent and consistently record the reasons in the register. Children are given the responsible job of returning the registers to the office.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

20 The punctuality of children is satisfactory. Many parents are ready and waiting outside the door at 9.15 am. Children are happy and confident when arriving. They are greeted cheerily by the premises officer and other members of staff. However, a significant number of families deliver children after the front door has been closed at 9.30 am. Punctuality is carefully monitored in the register of one class, but is not consistently marked in the other class to help support those families with lateness problems. The good attendance of most children makes a positive contribution to attainment and progress. ·

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

21 In the last inspection, 83% of lessons observed were judged to be satisfactory or better and 16% of lessons to be unsatisfactory. Although there have been several changes in staff, since the previous inspection, the strengths still remain. Teachers’ expertise in ICT has improved significantly and the resources available for teaching the subject are good. The teaching and support for children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are good. Many of the weaknesses identified in planning have been addressed. However, learning objectives in short-term planning are not specific enough.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

22 The quality of teaching by the teachers and the nursery nurses is satisfactory. Overall, 94% of the teaching seen was satisfactory or better, and 10% of that seen was very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

23 Teachers have good subject knowledge and use appropriate vocabulary when talking to the children. They use a number of effective strategies in their teaching and encourage children to participate by good use of praise. They use a wide range of good quality resources. There was effective teaching in every area of the curriculum, although some children, especially the older boys, did not benefit from this teaching because they did not choose the activities or lost interest and moved away, sometimes when the adult was dealing with an incidence of poor behaviour. Adults made story sessions interesting for children at all stages in their learning through the use of good books and props. In some sessions, adults asked too many questions which required only one-word answers or gestures and children were not encouraged to respond more fully. The quality of teaching was very good when the adults described the

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

purpose of the activities, demonstrated and modelled learning for the children and gave a running Grove Nursery School - 16 narrative of what they or the children were doing. For example, when children were recording the number of plastic bears that could fit into a tin. At other times, teaching was less effective because there was a limited level of conversation about the learning and adults directed the children too much, using over-loud voices.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

24 All staff have a good understanding of the personal, social and emotional needs of the children. They organise the nursery so that there is a wide range of activities covering all areas of learning. Staff encourage children to make independent choices in their learning by providing well-labelled resources and good areas, with many interesting activities. This works better indoors than outside. Children playing outside are livelier, and there are times when they disrupt others and prevent learning. For example, bikes were ridden through children’s chalk drawing and through those reading quietly with a parent in the sunshine. Indoors, teachers use the areas well, often teaching effectively in story corners, the home corner, at the computers and in the literacy areas. Parents collecting their children sometimes interrupt the teaching in group time. Opportunities for effective teaching in the block play area are missed because it is not easy to supervise this area and there are

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

not enough areas to encourage imaginative role-play.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

· 25 All staff take part in daily meetings when they discuss observations of the children. This information is used in planning the next day’s activities. The observations are recorded by the children’s key workers and are later transferred to very comprehensive records of achievement. Teachers and nursery nurses use these records well in regular meetings with parents. They involve parents in the children’s learning effectively and value work done at home with reading and maths games.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

26 The nursery provides a broad and balanced curriculum covering all aspects of the Desirable Learning Outcomes. It is relevant to the children’s needs, providing a firm foundation in learning, preparing them well for the National Curriculum and fulfilling the curriculum aims of the nursery. The curriculum helps pupils develop independence; for example, children can select and retrieve their own resources independently. The nursery is particularly good in developing mathematical language, relating it to everyday life and improving understanding and skills related to knowledge and understanding of the world. Parents and children make good use of the ‘books to read at home scheme’ and this has a good impact on children’s learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

27 The curriculum makes good provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development with a strong focus on spiritual, moral and cultural awareness. Provision for physical and creative development is satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

28 A wide variety of good learning activities is provided. The organisation of the nursery allows for children to move freely between activities and gives opportunities for children to experience a wide curriculum. However, a significant number of the older children could do more if they engaged more fully in the breadth of activities provided. Improvement is needed in monitoring their access to the curriculum.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

29 Staff have worked together to produce some curriculum guidance. This has had a positive impact on the quality of teaching. Guidelines are needed to ensure a consistency of approach in creative and physical development. A review of the writing guidance is planned to take place in the spring term.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

30 Provision for children with special educational needs and English as an additional language is good. The targets in Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are good and are met through the nursery activities, some of which are planned with specific children in view. For example, the bubble blowing activity for all children was specifically aimed at one child to practise blowing. The IEPs are displayed in the staffroom to ensure all staff are aware of children’s specific targets.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

31 The quality of planning has improved since the previous inspection which identified this area as an issue for improvement. The whole staff plan together and the headteacher and deputy headteacher monitor for continuity and progression. The long-term plans identify the topic focus for each term. The termly planning, which is displayed for parents, identifies the learning objectives linked to the theme and to each of the areas of learning. The long-term planning system is complicated and needs refining. Some weekly planning describes activities rather than specifying learning objectives. Objectives need to be sharper indicating the purpose of the activity with more focused intended learning outcomes. Planning for the outside area takes place at the start of Grove Nursery School - 17 the day to take into account weather conditions. This planning needs to link more closely with the activities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

32 There are effective daily planning and evaluation meetings which involve all staff in successfully using observations to assess each child’s needs and to inform further planning. Very detailed observations are shared; for example, one member of staff fed back on the achievement of two children who were extending their mathematical experiences. The evaluations are informative and provide opportunities for sharing examples of progress such as feeding back on how the children who went swimming were gaining confidence in the water.

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33 The Southwark Records of Achievement are used well by all members of staff. They contain detailed observations of individual children’s progress in each area of learning, supported by samples of work and photographs. The transfer record gives very useful information on what children know, understand and can do, to both parents and receiving schools.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

34 The procedures for assessment are satisfactory. The systems for tracking each child as they take part in the curriculum need reviewing. The headteacher monitors the recording of observations and assessments for consistency of approach. There are no systems in place for children to be involved in self-assessment or individual target setting.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

· Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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35 As in the last inspection, the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the children remains a strength of the school. The school has a very good spiritual policy. A difficult area to comprehend has been put into meaningful words. In practice, the children have many opportunities to wonder at nature and the beauty of life. The display around the school includes plenty of the children’s own paintings and designs, demonstrating enthusiasm and pride in good work. Out in the garden, children are encouraged to explore nature, by digging for worms or observing the leaves falling. Children enjoyed a very good group session under the trees, learning to hear the wind in the trees and to feel the breeze on their faces. Circle time gives children the chance to begin to comprehend the joys of peacefully listening to music.

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36 The promotion of moral development is very good. Children are encouraged to learn right from wrong at every opportunity. All adults are good role models. Most staff deal with poor behaviour quietly and firmly, explaining simply to the child in question why what they did was wrong. On a few occasions, reprimands are too loud with insufficient quiet reinforcement. One member of staff dealt with the moral dilemma of boys making toy guns from small construction equipment very effectively and sensitively. The school is working well to develop in children a sense of responsibility for their actions. The children are regularly reminded of the values of fairness and honesty.

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37 The school promotes social development well. Children are encouraged to work together and help each other both inside and outside. If they want to have a turn on the scooter, they write their name on the garage door, so that they learn to share and wait patiently. A well-written meals policy ensures that lunch times contribute to their social development. However, there are differences in the way staff encourage good table manners and interesting conversations to promote language development. All staff make sure pupils say sorry if they have hurt another pupil. There are a good number of little jobs and chores given to children to build up their sense of responsibility and duty to the school community. Children help in the clearing up at the end of sessions, return registers to the office and take on the role of dinner monitor. Children who are about to move on to primary school have been given a good number

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of opportunities to learn how to relate to others and develop appropriate social awareness.

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38 The promotion of cultural development is very good. Children and staff come from many different ethnic backgrounds and their cultures are celebrated well throughout the school. Displays include pictures of the Hindu Rama and Sita and the children were given the chance to take part in activities celebrating Diwali. Cooking pots from other cultures can be found in the home corner and children have the opportunity to braid hair in different cultural ways. The many home languages of the children are shared well in the school. “Welcome” is written in a wide variety of languages and families have contributed by writing numbers in their own language. Drama and art are promoted well. Books about and pictures by great artists are used well to encourage artistic development. Children participate in a Grove Nursery School - 18 local theatre group and enjoy being part of the borough’s Black History month.

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· Grove Nursery School - 19 · Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

39 The school is good at looking after the children in their care and supporting their families. The key worker system ensures that individual children are given a very good level of personal support and guidance. All other staff know the children very well and can give informed support to each one. The school gives satisfactory academic support to each child.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

40 Children are settled into school very effectively. Groups of six new children arrive weekly over a period of half a term, ensuring that they all have a good amount of special attention on arrival. Parents can stay as long as necessary. The school makes good use of outside agencies to support learning, particularly for those children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. There are insufficient links with the speech and language service to provide needed support for some children. Children who are curious and raise questions about sex or drugs are given sensitive and appropriate reassurance. Pupils are prepared well for their move on to primary school. They are taught well about how to cope with school life away from home. Older children spoken to during the inspection were excited and looking forward to transferring to their new primary schools after Christmas.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

41 The school is successful in promoting good behaviour through the use of appropriate praise and encouragement. All teaching and non-teaching staff have had extensive training in behaviour management over the last 18 months. Staff are very good role models. They are mainly calm, consistent and patient when dealing with poor behaviour. Reprimands are mostly carried out in a private and personal way with the child in question. The school ensures that any child with behaviour difficulties is known to all the staff and is supported firmly and consistently. Any incidents of bullying are dealt with swiftly and effectively.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

42 The monitoring of attendance is good. The school supports the whole family should a problem of persistent absence occur. There is no educational welfare support, but the headteacher carries out home visits if necessary. The attendance registers are monitored carefully.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

43 Child protection procedures are good. All staff are trained every three years and staff new to the school are given guidance on child protection as part of their induction course. Staff are sensitive and aware of each child’s welfare and know what to do should they become suspicious of a potential child abuse incident.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

44 The school has good procedures for health and safety. It has a well written policy which is specific to the school’s location and environment. Risk assessments are carried out regularly by the premises officer and members of the governors’ premises committee. The school has three members of staff with first-aid certificates. The accident book is well monitored. Some members of staff are not sufficiently vigilant when children have access to potentially hazardous tools, such as saws, hammers and spades. Rakes used for sweeping up leaves were too big and dangerous for small children to handle safely. Otherwise, the school does all it can to protect its children. It is a safe haven in a deprived area of the inner city.

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· Partnership with parents and the community

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

45 The school has very good partnerships with parents. They provide strong mutual support for each other. The good number of parents who returned the questionnaires and attended the parents’ meeting are indicative of the way parents support the school. They particularly like the caring attitude and the fact that they are kept well informed about their children’s progress. Parents are always welcomed into the school and are provided with their own room to meet over coffee and for parent-teaching sessions.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

46 The quality of information provided to parents is very good. The prospectus is informative and gives many suggestions as to how parents can help learning at home. Parents are invited to a shared conference each term to learn how their children are progressing. There are plenty of notices about the school which give parents a good insight into how the school is run and what the children are learning. Parents with English as an additional language are given good support. Translation is always available, either from the borough translation service or using the services of other parents or by consulting the range of dictionaries available outside the headteacher’s office. Parents receive a comprehensive written report just before their children move on to primary school. The families of children with special Grove Nursery School - 20 educational needs are closely involved in sharing the targets in their children’s individual education

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

plans. The school meets statutory requirements for children with statements of special educational needs and appropriate use of guidance in the Code of Practice.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

47 Parents are very well involved in the life of the school and their children’s work. There is no parent teacher association, but parents are enthusiastic about attending events to raise funds for the school. The attendance at the last annual report of governors was very good. Parents were encouraged to attend by bringing food from their own country to share with others. Attendance at the termly curriculum meetings, to explain the teaching for the coming term, has proved disappointing. However, classes to teach parents how to be better involved in supporting mathematics learning at home have proved to be very successful. The bookshop for parents, tied to a regular savings scheme, is successful in involving families more in reading together and enjoying books. Parents often help with group sessions, preparing resources or accompanying outings.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

48 The school’s links with the community are good. The children have had visits from the fire and police services to support their personal development. They regularly swim at the Peckham Pulse Leisure Centre. Their knowledge and understanding of the world has been increased by visiting the local church and Southwark Cathedral. Visits to Burgess Park for the Art in the Park event add to the creative curriculum, as do the trips to the local theatre. The school has yet sufficiently to involve the children in giving back to their local community and supporting those less fortunate. Grove Nursery School is at the centre of a very rich multi-cultural area and is greatly valued by the community as a local resource. Grove Nursery School - 21 · THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

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49 The 1996 inspection found the leadership and management of the school to be good. Since then, the headteacher has been seconded to work away from the nursery for three days a week and there have been several changes in staff and governors. The headteacher has now returned full-time to the nursery and is providing clear leadership through example. Her commitment to valuing, respecting and supporting each individual is evident throughout the school and in the work of the staff. Since returning full-time to the nursery, one of the priorities has been to bring the staff team together through establishing a shared commitment to the aims of the school and through working in close partnership with the families who send their children there. The staff work well together through joint planning and in daily meetings when they share evidence of children’s progress and needs and plan activities for the next day.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

50 The governors are fully supportive and involve themselves in the life of the school in many ways; for example; in using their skills to work with the staff, in fundraising, running the bookshop and taking part in visits and events. They fulfil their responsibilities for strategic planning and for maintaining the quality of education well and ensure that statutory requirements are met. The chair of governors has a clear sense of purpose and knows the school well. Governors act as critical friends to the school and monitor the progress of school development through visiting the school often and through establishing a school development plan. Most of the governors’ committees are in place, although there are vacancies on the governing body and there is currently no finance sub-committee.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

51 Senior staff have established a satisfactory system for monitoring the curriculum. The headteacher monitors teaching regularly through observing all staff and giving some feedback. Monitoring also takes place in the joint planning sessions and in informal interactions. The deputy headteacher has been involved in occasional monitoring; for example, when developing a particular curriculum area such as speaking.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

52 The school’s aims are reflected in its policies and in the warm, welcoming and caring ethos which is highly valued by the whole school community. The curriculum matches the school aims and is offered through a rich range of self-chosen and directed activities. This helps many children develop and learn to their full potential. However some of the older children, particularly boys, do not always take advantage of the full range of activities on offer. The school is currently revising its equal opportunities policy and considering the issue of equal access to the curriculum for all.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

· Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

53 There are sufficient staff with appropriate qualifications and experience to teach the age range in the nursery and sufficient support staff for children with special educational needs. The staff meet the demands of the curriculum well and deal effectively with the needs of young children. The school has given high priority to the induction of new staff over the past two years. This, in turn, has slowed the development of the whole staff team.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

54 The nursery has an effective key worker system. Each teacher is responsible for 21 children and each nursery nurse for 12 children. The key worker is responsible for settling new children, dealing with daily concerns and making written observations of individual children which are subsequently recorded in the Record of Achievement.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

55 The administration officer ensures that efficient procedures are implemented well. The premises officer is very committed and fully involved in the life of the school.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

56 The three teachers, including the headteacher, share responsibility for co-ordinating areas of the curriculum. Not all areas are covered. Creative and physical development do not have specific co-ordinators and this has some impact on the delivery of those aspects resulting in a variation in the approach to teaching and planning. Grove Nursery School - 22 57 All staff are involved in producing the school development plan and are encouraged to seek further professional development linked with the plan or with personal priorities. There are comprehensive records of staff attendance at courses. Good use is made of staff training days; for example, when developing the mathematics policy and improving ICT skills, an issue from the previous inspection. There are good arrangements for those who are new to teaching to receive appropriate induction and support.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

58 The appraisal system has slipped due to industrial action. A staff development programme is in place and staff prepare work plans which include target setting. The headteacher has been appraised recently.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

59 The nursery’s accommodation is bright, attractive, welcoming and, overall, well maintained. The premises governor and the premises officer are vigilant in identifying areas for improvement. These are referred to the chair of governors who applies to the Borough Property Office for funding. Funding from the DfEE has been used for some improvements. The aesthetic appearance of the nursery is given a high priority. There have been several improvements following the previous inspection and all issues raised have been completed. The toilet areas are in a poor state of repair, some have no doors and they are difficult to keep fresh and odour free. There is an appropriate room for parents. However, the administration officer and headteacher share the same room which prevents the room being used as a space for both adults and children.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

60 Teaching areas are a suitable size to allow a range of activities to take place at the same time. The organisation of the inside accommodation could be improved; for example, by reviewing the provision for role- play as there is insufficient space for imaginative play to take place effectively.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

61 The outside provision is good, but the way in which the accommodation is organised has some negative impacts on learning. For example, children riding wheeled toys interrupt activities such as bubble blowing and digging.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

62 The staff and governors have a good clear vision for the accommodation and plan to extend the outside area to include a community garden in partnership with parents and the Art in the Park scheme.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

63 There are good resources for all curriculum areas. They are stored well to enable both staff and pupils to access them easily. Equipment and resources are well maintained and children overall take care of them. Some spades, brooms and rakes are large and difficult for children to handle. Resources are bought in line with the priorities in the school development plan. Governors monitor the impact of resources on learning; for example, use of the new ICT equipment was monitored well by governors and the borough and these resources support the progress of pupils’ ICT skills well. Parents are kept well informed about the new resources brought into the nursery at the annual governors meeting.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

64 Financial planning is good. The nursery has delegated funding for resources and utilities. The budget is preset by the Early Years Business Unit, but the school can vire between headings, except for the utilities. Good financial procedures are in place which link effectively to the priorities of the school development plan. Good monitoring procedures, such as checking off deliveries, are effective and lead to efficient financial management. The very recent audit has identified several minor issues and contains recommendations for improvement. These have yet to be followed up. Training on the new Borough accounting system has taken place but the system has not yet been introduced and this limits work on financial management; for example, the management of petty cash. The governors’ finance sub-committee has not been re-established. The headteacher regularly updates the governors on the financial situation and they monitor the spending on

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

resources rigorously. Success criteria in the school development plan are used well to measure and evaluate value for money.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

65 Staff are well deployed. Support staff accept responsibility for leading activities, observing children and reporting and recording their observations. All staff are aware of children with special educational needs and work collaboratively to support their needs. Children with special educational needs receive appropriate support. The support for children with English as an additional language is good. The nursery nurse responsible for this area works well with nursery staff and provides good support. Grove Nursery School - 23 66 The nursery makes satisfactory use of its accommodation and good use of its resources. Teaching areas are well organised to support most aspects of learning described in the Desirable Learning Outcomes, with the exception of provision for imaginative role-play and for teaching in the block play area. The outside accommodation is good and its use could be improved if areas for activities were defined more clearly. There is

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

no covered area to enable children to take advantage of outside activities in poor weather conditions. Class-based resources are well stored, easily retrievable and, overall, good care is taken of them by the children. This supports progress in independence skills and helps children to learn to take care of their environment. The good use of specific resources improves children’s understanding and progress; for example, displays such as number lines and number posters give pupils opportunities to count and develop mathematical language.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

67 The school is successful in meeting its aims and provides a good start to the children’s education. It encourages positive attitudes to learning, promotes good behaviour, and provides children with the skills to become independent learners. The nursery gives good value for money in terms of the budget provided and the progress children make. Grove Nursery School - 24 · PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

· AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

68 The good standards of personal and social development reported in the previous inspection have been maintained. Most children are likely to achieve the expected outcomes by the age of five. Children are mostly well behaved, settled, happy and secure.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

69 Children are familiar with the daily routines and move about the nursery with confidence. Many children can make decisions about tasks. At group times, most children sit still and listen attentively. Some find concentrating for long periods difficult and are removed for their own group time. Children are interested in their activities and generally settle and persevere. A group of children worked well to make prints from the soles of boots and shoes. However, when outside, some children tend to flit about and do not settle at activities for long enough. Children are learning to share. Some find sharing difficult, but most are learning to wait their turn. Many are able to make a mark of their name on the list on the garage door so that they will have a turn on the scooters or bikes in due course. Some children are good at collaborating in groups. They helped each other bathe the doll and worked well together

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

doing the washing and hanging it on the line. Others prefer to be independent. Two children concentrated well in making their own individual Diwali garlands. Sometimes there is enjoyable large group work, as with children playing happily together as passengers on their imaginary bus.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

70 Particular resources are used well to develop children’s personal skills. Some of the tricycles are made for two, encouraging team work in manoeuvring and controlling. The home corners, though cramped for teaching large groups, are well resourced for learning about caring and looking after each other. Most children are careful with the equipment and help to tidy away at the end of sessions. Several children need reminders about taking part in the clearing up. A few children do not show sufficient respect for equipment and property.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

71 Children make good progress in developing independence and social skills. Progress is promoted throughout the school day in teaching sessions, at lunchtime and on arrival and departure. When they start nursery, children are assessed for their personal and social skills and these are built on as they progress through the school. The consistent, positive and patient approach of the staff contributes well to progress.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

72 Relationships between children are satisfactory. There is no racial tension. Children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are welcomed into the nursery community. Some children look after others well. A few are prone to squabbling and arguing over favourite equipment. However, overall, children respond well to learning and are developing good personal and social skills.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

73 The quality of teaching personal and social development is good. Staff have a consistent approach and a commitment to developing positive attitudes. They have a good rapport with the children and give clear instructions. There are high expectations of children’s involvement and behaviour. Some staff are very good at adding a spiritual dimension to personal development, as with the lesson sharing the peace and quiet of sitting together around a candle. Planning includes activities which focus on aspects of personal and social development, for example sharing resources and taking turns. Teachers constantly reinforce what is acceptable and deal with inappropriate behaviour discreetly. Parents are very appreciative of the support given to personal and social development and the preparation children receive for moving on to primary school.

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Language and Literacy

74 At the time of the last inspection, children attained standards in line with expectations and made satisfactory progress in language and literacy. Attainment was lower in speaking and reading than in writing and listening. Overall, attainment and progress in this area remain satisfactory with many children on line to Grove Nursery School - 25 meet national expectations by the age of five. However, there remain variations in attainment across the area. Attainment in reading, writing and listening is in line with expectations for the age of pupils but attainment in speaking is lower than expected.

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Language and Literacy

75 Many children listen well but some do not engage readily in conversation and discussion, either in group times or in less formal interactions with each other and with adults. During the inspection, role-play areas were often used for group activities such as cooking and bathing babies. These activities were led by adults, giving little time for children to interact freely. Stories were read in group times using appropriate props such as clothes and dolls. The timing of these sessions meant that they were less effective than they could have been; younger children were very tired and when parents arrived to collect children, opportunities for responding to questions and speaking about their learning were cut short.

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Language and Literacy

76 Children make satisfactory progress in reading. All know how to handle books well. There are many times when children choose to look at books independently, both indoors in the quiet comfortable book corners and outdoors when sitting in prams and on carpets in the sunshine. The younger children share group reading with older children and are learning to turn pages in order and that print and pictures carry meaning. All children take books home to read with their parents. The school has a very good range of resources for literacy which includes core reading books and big books, and a good range of dual language books and dictionaries, which can be borrowed. There is also a good selection of taped stories, made for the school by parents and friends, in other languages. A small group of self-selected children enjoyed Thomas the Tank Engine in French and English, with a support assistant. ICT is now well used to develop literacy skills.

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Language and Literacy

77 Progress in writing is satisfactory. The younger children are confident in mark making and enjoy the good range of resources and activities available to them. For example, when forming patterns and letters in soft materials like sand and cornflour. Older children write their names using a mixture of letters and symbols; they find their name cards and use writing implements with good control. However, they are not given enough opportunities to write for a purpose in role-play situations and some older children are unable to associate sounds with patterns in rhymes and words. The children are developing a positive attitude to language and literacy; they respect each other’s work and value the many languages that are evident in the nursery. The children with English as an additional language are well supported and are encouraged to speak to friends and to their key workers. Children with special needs make satisfactory progress. They have close bonds with

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Language and Literacy

their key workers who work with them and provide focused teaching in some activities.

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Language and Literacy

78 Teaching in this area is satisfactory with many good features. The teachers have good subject knowledge, which they share with other staff at planning meetings. The teaching is good when adults encourage children to sustain involvement and to use rich language. For example, when sharing the story of ‘Titch’. Teaching is less effective when staff ask too many direct questions, which require only one-word answers. Some adults model writing and talk aloud about the children’s learning but this approach is not used enough. Teachers’ planning includes clear objectives for literacy and staff keep good records of children’s progress. The school does not have up-to-date guidelines for writing, although much of the practice is in line with the national objectives in the framework for literacy. The school development plan shows writing as being a priority for the spring term 2000. Some of the current inconsistencies in teaching should be addressed

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Language and Literacy

through developing the guidelines together.

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Mathematics

79 In the mathematics area of learning, children achieve in line with national expectations. Some children are attaining above these expectations. Children have a good understanding, they can count by matching one to one; for example, counting candles on a cake. Some can count confidently to 12 and beyond and can match from one to ten. They enjoy recording numbers; some could make and record larger numbers for example, 32 and 100. The older children could identify two-dimensional shapes well. For example, when using small building blocks to talk about circles, squares and triangles. They can also use position phrases such as ‘next to’ appropriately. Higher attaining older children are beginning to explore simple addition using equipment such as plastic bears and enjoy attempting to record their work. Children are good at matching and making pairs. For example, they can sort pairs of socks with similar colours. During a maths activity with parents, children could set out a clock, some

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Mathematics

could count to 12 and use appropriate vocabulary such as round and straight numbers. Grove Nursery School - 26 80 Progress in mathematics is good. There is a clear progression in the skills children develop which is related to the time they have spent in the nursery; for example, the older, higher attaining children are beginning to explore addition and subtraction and the younger pupils gain experience of matching one to one through structured play activities such as matching pairs of socks. There are many opportunities planned into the activities to give practice for counting and matching skills and consolidating and extending number recognition. Children working with parents acting as role models in the ‘Helping your Child with Maths’ scheme consolidated knowledge of the clock face very well.

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Mathematics

81 Children respond well to mathematics. They concentrate well and are involved in activities. They display good independence skills and complete tasks. They co-operate well; for example, by making room for a child to join a group. They enjoy the activities and are keen to participate. They have good relationships with adults and listen and respond appropriately.

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Mathematics

82 The quality of teaching is good and sometimes very good. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. The planning now identifies learning objectives. The collaborative development of the good policy and the learning objectives checklist, under the leadership of the headteacher, has had a positive impact on the good quality of teaching. Activities are well planned and staff have good subject knowledge. Good questioning skills and the promotion, extending and reinforcing of mathematical language at every opportunity, supports children’s learning well. Staff have good relationships with the children and use praise effectively. Assessment and recording of children’s achievement and progress are good.

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Mathematics

83 Number recognition, counting and the development of mathematical language are given a high profile in the nursery. The ‘Helping your child with Maths’ scheme is successfully supporting parents to teach their children at home. This has a positive impact on children’s attitudes to learning at school. The good quality interactive displays and posters, for example, of number rhymes, support learning well. Numbers are displayed in several languages; for example, Twi, Luo, Turkish and French reflecting the diversity of languages in the community. The newly-introduced counting sheet is not being used consistently. The centrally stored mathematics resources are carefully coded to match strands of the curriculum and to promote problem-solving. Training, led by the headteacher, has had a good impact on developing staff awareness of mathematical language, and staff use mathematical vocabulary at every opportunity. For example, staff sing number songs

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Mathematics

during other activities. Some opportunities are missed to develop children’s skills in shape, space and measure through block play.

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

84 The previous inspection reported children’s standards of attainment and progress in this area of learning as being sound. There were strengths in aspects of science, in design and technology and in humanities but there were weaknesses in ICT. The school has improved in this area since then, making significant progress in the provision for ICT. The majority of children are now on course to reach national expectations by age five. In ICT, children are keen to use the computer and are able to select programmes, use the mouse to click and drag, select from options menus and print out their work. They are also familiar with the use of story tapes and videos. Children participate, with lively interest, in a wide range of scientific activities. They recognise change as they explore bubbles and cornflour in water and in their cookery; they care for the school guinea pig; observe the fish and plant bulbs in the garden. They have many opportunities to

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

explore materials and use equipment such as pipettes, batteries and tubes. They talk about where they live; can direct adults to their homes and represent their knowledge through drawings, maps and models. They talk about the effects of weather on their outside play, such as wind and change in temperature. They enjoy playing with artefacts such as mangles and washboards and are beginning to understand the concept of past time. They skilfully design, join, cut and build using a good range of construction materials and even the youngest show competence at the woodwork bench. There was a good display of wooden window frames made by the children.

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

85 Overall, children make satisfactory progress in knowledge and understanding of the world. Some make good progress but others move too quickly away from activities and are less able to articulate and demonstrate their knowledge. Systems for tracking children as they move between activities rely mainly on adult observation and some older children, particularly boys, are missing opportunities for learning. Grove Nursery School - 27 86 Many children enjoy knowledge and understanding of the world and respond well to activities such as bathing dolls, digging in the garden; cooking and using the computer. They frequently sustain more involvement in those activities which are managed by an adult. There are occasions, for example in large block play, when opportunities to extend learning are missed because the layout of the nursery prevents adult intervention.

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

87 The teaching in this area is good. Staff plan well and provide a wide range of stimulating activities. The teachers’ subject knowledge is good and they use appropriate language such as melt, drip and dissolve. They encourage children to look carefully and use their senses when taking part in cooking, raking leaves and dressing dolls. Nursery nurses are involved with the teachers in recording evidence of progress and in daily evaluations and planning, so they too are clear about the objectives for the activities. They observe the children who take part in the adult-led activities well and use the children’s interest to initiate other activities.

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Physical Development

88 Standards of attainment and progress in physical development are satisfactory, as they were in the last inspection. They are supported through a satisfactory range of indoor and outdoor provision. Attainment is in line with expectations for children of this age. The children have good co-ordination and use their hands to manipulate well; for example, when feeling powder in a tray or making sweets. They are able to handle small sand play equipment well to dig and fill containers. Most are confident and growing in agility on the climbing frames. They can control bikes and scooters and other wheeled toys.

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Physical Development

89 Children make satisfactory progress overall. They have plenty of opportunities to consolidate skills; for example, balancing on stilts and on the climbing frames. They apply previously learned skills well, such as cutting with scissors, to a wide variety of activities. Progress in learning is interrupted sometimes by children riding on bikes and scooters disrupting the outside activities. Some make more progress than others, depending on when they join a group, as sometimes teaching is not reiterated for newcomers. Children with special educational needs make satisfactory progress and are well supported; for example, in climbing and are given good opportunities to develop skills through specially designed activities, such as bubble blowing.

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Physical Development

90 Children have a good, positive attitude to this area of the curriculum. They concentrate and persist in developing skills; for example, balancing on stilts for long periods of time. They co-operate well overall, for example pushing each other in wheeled toys. The majority of children are clear about turn- taking and know how to use the turn-taking list for wheeled toys. They care for each other; for example, dusting sand off others’ clothing. They respond with enthusiasm and participate eagerly in activities.

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Physical Development

91 Teaching is satisfactory overall. Staff demonstrate activities well and make links effectively to other areas of the curriculum; for example, good links were made with autumn and seasons when children were raking leaves. Teachers are good at encouraging children to take turns and to apologise to each other when necessary. Staff are generally vigilant but miss some inappropriate behaviour through not always monitoring activities carefully enough. A planned activity with small apparatus was cancelled due to poor behaviour so that no small ball skills were observed during the inspection. The weekly plans for outside learning do not always identify learning objectives. Staff have good relationships with children and support them well; for example, helping a child on the stilts. Activities are planned to match the needs of the children and questioning is used to extend knowledge; for example, ‘ What does

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Physical Development

this feel like?’ and ‘I wonder what this is?’ Cross-curricular links are made; for example, during the digging for worms session information books were used to identify creatures. Some staff draw attention to safety issues when using the spades but rakes were sometimes an unchecked hazard. Staff promote spiritual awareness well through physical activities; for example, the children were enchanted when they were spinning the sycamore leaves and blowing bubbles.

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Physical Development

92 There is no co-ordinator, nor policy for this area of learning. Staff have taken part in training in small apparatus skills but no sessions were observed during the inspection. Some assessments are made by all staff through direct observation and shared in the evaluation meetings. Resources are good and used well. The use of the outside area for learning could be improved through a review of the organisation. Grove Nursery School - 28

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Creative Development

93 A wide range of opportunities for creative development is provided. These are reflected in the good quality displays of children’s work, posters and three-dimensional models. The children achieve satisfactory standards in line with national expectations. They are able to experience a variety of media, including paint, collage materials and clay. The children learn songs and have opportunities to explore the use of percussion instruments and dance linked to topics, for example Diwali. Children can distinguish colours and use different materials; for example, using chalk for the Rangoli patterns. They can retrieve resources independently and make choices; for example, choosing colour and resources to make garlands and wool to represent hair in collage work. Children know how to make music using instruments appropriately but attainment is lower than in other areas of creative development. Access to the role-play areas is restricted when they are used for

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Creative Development

teaching, limiting opportunities for developing imaginative play.

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Creative Development

94 Overall, progress is satisfactory. Progress is good in artwork but unsatisfactory in music. Children understand how to make patterns; for example, in the bubble blowing activities. They learn skills in painting; for example, how to prevent paint dripping. Good progress is made in understanding other cultures through activities such as creating a Diva lamp from clay linked to celebrating Diwali. Skills such as using scissors and glue and selecting appropriate materials are consolidated well through collage work. Progress in singing and games and using musical instruments is limited by children wandering off before any positive increase in knowledge or consolidation of skills can take place.

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Creative Development

95 Children respond well to creative activities. They concentrate and become engrossed, work independently and use resources well. They persist in activities and complete work. They are eager to participate and experiment; for example, in collage work, using a brush to ‘splosh’. In music and singing activities children wander off and at times find sharing difficult; for example, there are too many squabbles when using musical instruments.

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Creative Development

96 Teaching overall is satisfactory. Staff have good relationships with the children and use praise appropriately, encouraging them to complete tasks. Where teaching is less effective, there is too much adult direction and not enough demonstration of skills. In some instances, too much time is spent dealing with individual pupils with the result that others lose interest and wander off. Good use is made of resources, for example the texture chart, but there are not enough opportunities to develop imaginative skills or extend skills in using musical instruments and in singing in some sessions.

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Creative Development

97 No member of staff is responsible for creative development. The music policy is in place but not all the aims are being met; for example, there was little evidence of children developing a sensitive response to music. The actions described in the response to the action plan, to improve the quality of music, are partially met through the daily session. There is no policy for art but the evidence in the good quality of display and the participation and achievement in the activities provided, demonstrates that children are developing successfully. Grove Nursery School - 29 · PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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Creative Development

98 Three inspectors spent a total of six days in the school. Before the inspection, the Registered Inspector and another inspector visited the school on two occasions to meet staff, interview the headteacher and chair of governors, and meet children and parents and some governors. School documentation, budget figures and registers were scrutinised and checked. The team spent 17 hours making 49 lesson observations, and 4 hours 45 minutes talking to children and staff about their work and examining records of achievement. They attended staff planning and evaluation meetings and observed parents and children taking part in a community maths project. They took lunch on both days with the children and observed them being delivered and collected. The views of 28 parents who attended a meeting prior to the inspection and 61 responses to the parents’ questionnaire were taken into account when making

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Creative Development

judgements. Grove Nursery School - 30 · 99. DATA AND

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INDICATORS

· 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 85 1 8 15

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INDICATORS

· Qualified teachers (Nursery school, classes or unit) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 3 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 29

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INDICATORS

· Education support staff (Nursery school, classes or unit) Total number of education support staff: 8 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 179

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INDICATORS

£ Total Income 17209 Total Expenditure (not salaries) 17686 Expenditure per pupil (excluding salaries) 286.80 Balance brought forward from previous year 477 Balance carried forward to next year 0 Grove Nursery School - 31 · PARENTAL SURVEY

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INDICATORS

Number of questionnaires sent out: 86 Number of questionnaires returned: 61

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INDICATORS

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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INDICATORS

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an a part in the life of the school 56 44 0 0 0

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INDICATORS

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 56 44 0 0 0

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INDICATORS

The school handles complaints from parents we 43 48 5 3 0 The school gives me a clear understanding of w taught 54 41 2 2 0

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INDICATORS

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 64 34 2 0 0

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INDICATORS

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a g standard of work 52 39 7 0 0

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INDICATORS

The school encourages children to get involved more than just their daily lessons 44 49 7 0 0

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INDICATORS

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) expected to do at home 31 49 10 2 0

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INDICATORS

The school’s values and attitudes have a positiv on my child(ren) 49 46 3 0 0

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INDICATORS

The school achieves high standards of good beh 46 49 3 2 0

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INDICATORS

My child(ren) like(s) school 77 23 0 0 0

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