Bordesley Green East Nursery School

BORDESLEY GREEN EAST NURSERY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs Lorna Brackstone

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BORDESLEY GREEN EAST NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 th – 15 th March 2000

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BORDESLEY GREEN EAST 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.

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BORDESLEY GREEN EAST NURSERY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, 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. Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 358 Bordesley Green East Birmingham

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs M McCarthy

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1996 Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 2

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Aspect responsibilities

Lorna Brackstone Registered inspector Mathematics Knowledge and understanding Personal and social development What sort of school is it? What should the school do to improve further? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well are the pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? Jill Moore Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school work in partnership with parents? How well does the school care for its pupils? Clive Whittington Team inspector Language and literacy Physical development Creative development Equal opportunities Special educational needs How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Aspect responsibilities

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 7

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 8 - 9

The school’s results and achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Bordesley Green East Nursery School is situated in the Yardley Ward of Birmingham and draws its children from the immediate area. In general, the socio-economic background of the children is well below the city average and the majority of the parents are unemployed. Housing includes council, privately owned and rented accommodation. These include both semi-detached and terraced housing as well as low rise flats. Children are admitted to the school at the beginning of the school year in which they will be four, except where the child has a statement of special educational needs and then placement is made at an earlier age. All places are on a full-time basis. Priority is given to children who may have special educational needs either physical, emotional, or language problems, those who are at risk through abuse, or who are accommodated in poor housing and those from single parent families. There are 52 children on roll, the majority of whom are of either white United

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Kingdom or European heritage. Other groups include children from Indian and Pakistani families. Nine children use English as an additional language. Sixteen children are eligible for free school meals and twelve children are registered with varying degrees of special educational needs.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The aims of the school are to value and respect each child as an individual, to develop all aspects of a child and to nurture the independent growth of individual characteristics. This is aimed through structured play, both indoors and outdoors and through the use of conversation, stories, poems and rhymes. The nursery also aims to assess and evaluate the development of each child and to use expert help where necessary. Healthy growth is promoted through fresh air and hygiene. Good relationships with parents, community workers, other educational establishments and the education service are encouraged for the mutual benefit of all who are involved with the children.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good nursery. The teaching is very good, overall, and children make very good progress from a starting point well below expected levels on entry. Their achievement is likely to exceed the recommended areas of learning in personal and social development and reach expected standards in all other areas of learning by the time that they are five. The planned curriculum is of the very highest quality and the excellent leadership and management make a significant contribution to the work and development of the nursery. The attitudes of the children are very good; they show very high levels of interest and involvement and behaviour is good. Parents hold it in high regard and greatly value its positive and welcoming ethos. The nursery provides very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The educational direction of the headteacher is excellent; her senior teacher supports her very well. • Overall teaching is very good and all children make very good progress in their learning. • Provision for children with special educational needs and those who use English as an additional language is very good. • The attitudes of the children are very good and their interest and involvement in activities are of a high standard. • Relationships within the nursery are very good. • The personal development of the children is of a very high standard. • The nursery provides an excellent curriculum and the involvement of the community has a very positive effect on the high quality of the learning opportunities. • Provision for social development is excellent; provision for spiritual, moral and cultural development is very good. • Procedures for ensuring children’s welfare are very good and staff monitor and promote good

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

behaviour very well. • The nursery has very effective links with parents who make a very positive impact on the work of the school. Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 5 What could be improved • Links with the schools that children transfer to. • More frequent recording of assessment procedures and ways to celebrate achievements with parents. • The cleanliness of the school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was previously inspected in November 1996. All key issues have been acted upon successfully and the nursery has made very good improvement since then. The length of all sessions is appropriate and complies with suggested timescales for under fives. Strategies to monitor and improve attendance have been carefully devised and this has had a good impact on levels of attendance. The outdoor play area is very much an integral part of the nursery day and the activities planned clearly target the development of specific skills. Schemes of work have been devised to cover all areas of learning and they ensure that children are gaining a wide range of experiences, which progressively develop their skills. All staff know the children very well and procedures have been improved to monitor achievement. The formal information provided for parents is satisfactory.

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STANDARDS

The table summarises inspectors’ judgements about the achievements of pupils in relation to the national early learning goals by the time they leave the school.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: Key Language and literacy C Well above average A Mathematics C Above average Average B C Personal and social development B Below average Well below average D E Other areas of the curriculum C

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STANDARDS

Children’s standards on entry to the nursery cover a broad range, but, overall, are well below average. A significant minority of children use English as an additional language and very little English is spoken or understood. Other children have special educational needs or have lacked appropriate experiences to develop their language and literacy skills to an expected level. Many children enter the nursery able to speak only single words or very short sentences. They have limited understanding of spoken language and short concentration. However, by the time they leave the nursery, children are on target to exceed the expected standards of the recommended desirable learning outcomes by the age of five in personal and social development. Children are likely to meet the expectations of the desirable learning outcomes in language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development. High standards are

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STANDARDS

attained in music. Children make excellent progress in their personal and social development. Very good progress is achieved in language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding, physical and creative development. Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 6

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Children are very eager to come to the nursery and are interested and involved in the various activities offered.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Children behave well during all sessions and are respectful of property in and around the nursery.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Their respect for each other is very clear and relationships are of a very high quality. The children have developed very well their abilities to use both initiative and responsibility.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance The nursery has satisfactory levels of attendance.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

During the inspection, 16 sessions or part sessions were observed. These included lessons that were led by both permanent and temporary teachers and nursery nurses. Of the teaching observed, all lessons were of satisfactory quality, 94 per cent were good and 25 per cent were very good. No teaching was of unsatisfactory quality. The parents appreciate the approachability of staff and have a high regard for their skills, particularly in dealing with children who have special educational needs. Clear evidence of highly skilled early years practitioners and consistently good quality teaching provides sufficient evidence to judge the teaching to be very good, overall.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum An excellent range of activities is provided and these meet the needs of all the children in the nursery. Provision for personal, social and health education is very good, as is the contribution made by the community to children’s learning. Links with local primary schools are limited. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Children with special educational needs make very good progress in relation to their prior learning. Individual educational plans are of a high standard and meet the children’s needs through appropriate targets. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Provision is excellent for children who use English as an additional language.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for children’s social development is excellent. Provision for children’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The nursery cares well for its children. The support for both educational and personal guidance is good. Procedures for ensuring their welfare are very good. Assessment is formally recorded termly.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has very effective links with the parents and this involvement has a very good impact on the work of the school. Parents contribute well to the children’s learning, both at home and school. Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 7

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher, ably supported by her senior teacher, provides clear educational direction which is of the highest quality. The aims of the nursery are very clearly reflected in its day-to-day work.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Although the governors are a non-statutory body, they provide effective support and are clearly aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance All nursery staff are committed to improvement. Appropriate priorities and targets are identified and progress reviewed.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Staff are well deployed and the excellent learning resources are efficiently used. Although the accommodation is barely satisfactory in size, it is very well used and the outdoor learning area is of good quality. In consultation with the local education authority, the nursery effectively applies the principles of best value.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Staff are barely adequate in number. The accommodation is just satisfactory, but it is dirty and is not cleaned sufficiently well.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The nursery helps the children become mature and responsible. • They feel that it is well managed and led. • The teaching is good. • The nursery works closely with parents. • They feel comfortable to approach the staff with questions or problems. • Behaviour is good. • The children like school. • They feel that the children make good progress at nursery. • They are well informed about progress. • Teachers have high expectations. • The range of activities outside lessons. • The right amount of homework.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team fully agree with all the positive views of the parents. Story books are taken home by the children to share with their parents and the inspection team feel that this is an appropriate amount of homework for nursery children. Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 8

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Standards of attainment on entry to the nursery cover a broad range, but are, overall, well below average. A significant minority of children use English as an additional language and very little English is spoken or understood. Other children have special educational needs or have lacked appropriate experiences to develop their language and literacy skills to an expected level. Many children enter the nursery able to speak only single words or very short sentences. They have limited understanding of spoken language and short concentration. However, by the time they leave the nursery, children are on target to exceed the expected standards of the recommended desirable learning outcomes by the age of five in personal and social development. Children are on target to meet the expectations of the desirable learning outcomes in language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding, physical and creative development. High standards are achieved in music.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The nursery quite rightly gives the very highest priority to the development of personal and social skills and in this area of learning children make excellent progress. They work and play well together and concentrate for quite long periods of time for their age. They take turns and look after their personal needs very well. They are confident in their approach to activities and work with a sense of purpose. The staff are consistently very sensitive to the needs of the age group and this helps the children to develop confidence and good self- esteem.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Language and literacy skills are likely to reach the expected levels by five years of age. Progress in speaking skills is very good and by the time that they are four, most speak with a suitable fluency and confidence. They are happy to talk about their work and enjoy asking questions. The children develop a good interest in stories and really enjoy taking home books. They find their own name card at the start of every session and a small number already write their names independently. Most children attempt to “write” using a form of early script, which they confidently “read” to each other.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Numeracy skills are developing very well and the majority of children can count to five. They use mathematical language to make comparisons such as big and little and confidently name basic two-dimensional shapes. Children identify colours and recognise simple patterns. Many mathematical concepts such as different amounts are learnt and are naturally applied by children as they use sand, dough, construction blocks, puzzles and games.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. The children are developing a sound knowledge and understanding of the world and most are on line to attain the expected desirable learning outcomes by the age of five. They talk about their homes and families and discuss events, which have happened both in the past and present. They know how to nurture plants and care for small creatures, such as their pet gerbils and budgies. They have good access to computers and make very good progress using a roller ball to operate the pictures on the screen.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Attainment in physical development is on course to meet the desirable learning outcomes for five year olds. Children’s control of small equipment, such as pencils, crayons, scissors and glue brushes, is generally good. They move with appropriate co-ordination and a sound awareness of space and of others. They show confidence, imagination and enjoyment during indoor physical education lessons. Most children move confidently on climbing apparatus and wheeled toys outside and make very good progress when they learn to control balls in different ways.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Children make very good progress in all areas of creative development. They respond with great interest to all activities. They very much enjoy exploring colour and different materials within art and craft work and use the “imaginative” play areas well for creative play. They listen and respond to music through songs, dance, singing games and the use of percussion Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 9 instruments. By the age of five they are likely to have exceeded the recommended levels in these musical activities.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Children identified as having special educational needs and the children who use English as an additional language are well provided for and make very good progress. The high focus on personal and social skills within the nursery is a significant factor in this very good progress.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. Since the last inspection, the progress of children attending the nursery has improved significantly. This is mainly due to the change of all placements to full-time and the continual striving of the headteacher and staff to provide the best possible learning environment for all the children.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Attitudes and values shown around the school are very good; personal development is also very good. Children are very keen to come to the nursery, a fact supported by parents’ views. Going full-time since the last inspection has vastly improved attitudes, behaviour and personal development. There is now time in the nursery day to allow for both reflection and development. Children are encouraged to understand the consequences of their actions. The behaviour policy is used as a tool to enhance good attitudes and behaviour and expectations of the children are high. All staff expect both good manners and attitudes and this is what they receive in return.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Children are trusted with responsibilities, such as feeding their pets, and show an eagerness to be worthy of that trust. Parents are partners in the increased good behaviour and are encouraged through both the home/school agreement and all information from the school to understand their role in their children’s development.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Attendance has improved since the last inspection when it was an issue of concern. There is an effective attendance policy in place and this is working to increase the levels of attendance, which are now in line with national averages. The registers are marked, closed properly and monitored carefully. Welfare issues are followed up appropriately. The reward system has helped in encouraging the children to urge parents to get them to school on time so that they can get their attendance stickers. Children from all backgrounds mix well and are encouraged to appreciate each other’s beliefs and values.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. The quality of teaching is very good, overall. During the inspection, 16 sessions or part sessions were observed. This included lessons that were led by both permanent and temporary teachers and nursery nurses. Of the teaching observed, all lessons were of satisfactory quality, 94 per cent were good and 25 per cent were very good. No teaching was unsatisfactory. The parents appreciate the approachability of staff and have a high regard for their skills, particularly in dealing with children who have special educational needs. Clear evidence of highly skilled early years practitioners and consistently good quality teaching provides sufficient evidence to judge the teaching to be very good, overall. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection when it was judged to be satisfactory. In the previous report, session times were criticised and it was felt that the children’s interest was

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

not fully sustained by the teachers. This has now all been rectified and has improved considerably since the last inspection when it was judged to be satisfactory. Session times were very well handled and the children’s interest was fully sustained by the teachers.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. Teachers and nursery nurses have a very good understanding of the needs of the age group and how to help young children to learn. Their knowledge of the areas of learning for children under five is very good. The staff are inspired by their very high expectations for the children and work conscientiously to enable them to achieve all that is expected of the age group. They are particularly skilled at developing personal and social skills and teaching in these areas of learning forms part of every activity, enabling the excellent progress achieved and Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 10 providing an effective basis for further learning. These are key factors in the nursery’s success.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Teachers are gaining expertise through in-service training. This is especially evident in the teaching of literacy and numeracy when the teachers demonstrate very good subject knowledge through confident use of language. Lessons have very clear learning objectives and sensitive questioning is used to evaluate the children’s learning. For example, in numeracy sessions teachers clearly knew what numbers they were going to promote and this was delivered through a fun approach.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. A very good range of interesting and suitable learning opportunities is provided. Planning is good and a good balance is achieved between time allocated to focused teaching activities led by staff and opportunities for children to select their own activity, supported usually by timely teaching intervention. Staff track the children’s progress with care and teaching is well focused on specific needs or stages of development. This is a significant factor in the good levels of learning achieved.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers and nursery nurses manage the children well. Organisation is clear and discipline is friendly, positive and unobtrusive. The well-established, orderly routines mean that children know what is expected and enjoy the security and confidence that this brings. Staff allow the children sufficient independence to develop their ability to make decisions and choices, which fosters the development of self-esteem and personal skills. With the very good relationships that exist in the nursery, these are key factors in the very well developed personal and social skills of the children.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. All staff demonstrate a very good awareness of the children with special educational needs and make good provision to ensure their understanding. The children with English as an additional language benefit from the very good support given to all children for language development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The books chosen by both the children and their parents to take home are of good quality and suitably extend what is learned in the nursery. Parents who are learning to extend their own skills when helping their children appreciate the afternoon routine of sharing books to take home.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Standards in teaching have improved considerably since the last inspection when they were judged to be satisfactory, overall.

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PUPILS?

21. The school meets all statutory requirements for children under the age of five. Very good use is made of resources within the community and a wide variety of different activities enrich the children’s learning. Provision for the children’s spiritual, moral and cultural development is very good and provision for their social development is excellent. The children here have a marvellously rich and stimulating start to their school life.

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PUPILS?

22. The overall quality and range of learning opportunities offered to the children is outstanding. The breadth, balance and relevance of the whole curriculum include a great many strengths. These combine to provide a superbly rich and stimulating environment within which the children make very good progress with their learning. Every part of the space available offers a rewarding experience; for example, the imaginative play area which is turned into a building site with sand, wheelbarrows, tools, water, lamps, cones and suitable ‘working gear’ to dress up in and the specialist music room with a very wide variety of different instruments. The children use all these areas well. All staff, whether teachers, nursery nurses, kitchen workers or lunchtime supervisors, make a very positive contribution to the curriculum, both within the classroom and outside. Although a great many activities are available, these are so

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PUPILS?

structured that, rather than being overwhelmed by what is offered, all children persevere with their individual tasks. Certainly no one ever has the opportunity to become bored. Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 11 23. Following the previous inspection, there were a number of key issues associated with the curriculum which included the length of the day and the lack of schemes of work. All have been addressed fully and the standards now seen within the nursery indicate that a very high level of improvement has taken place since then.

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PUPILS?

24. Children have very good equality of access and opportunity to the curriculum. Planned activities take very good account of the needs of young children to learn by exploring and experimenting with a wide range of different materials and equipment. Careful recording ensures that all children benefit from each activity, being guided by an adult towards those areas which they may have missed. Provision for children’s personal, social and health education is very good and results in high standards in this area of learning.

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PUPILS?

25. Although the attainment of the majority of children with special educational needs is below average, it is commensurate with their abilities. They receive very effective support and make very good progress towards their targets. This is a result of well-structured teaching and the high quality support that children with special educational needs receive. Need is identified early and all staff are aware of the procedures. Detailed individual education plans are drawn up, they are reviewed regularly and parents are fully involved. The curriculum meets the statutory requirements of the Code of Practice. Those with the potential for high attainment are also identified and given suitably targeted work. The curriculum is also adapted to meet the needs for children who use English as an additional language.

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PUPILS?

26. The community makes a very good contribution to children’s learning. The school has good links with the local police and other visitors to the school include a clown, ‘the animal man’, a dentist, a beekeeper, the ambulance and fire service, ‘Billy Beacon’, who teaches about road safety, and members of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The children have visited a local farm, the police and fire stations and a florist.

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PUPILS?

27. Links with other nurseries and nursery classes are good and, through a development forum, they meet together to improve and develop their work with young children. Links with the schools to which the children transfer are, however, less well developed.

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PUPILS?

28. Provision for children’s spiritual development is very good and this is an improvement since the last inspection. The nursery environment is a place where awe and wonder are a natural and continual feature of every day. During the inspection, children used face paints and stared at themselves in a mirror, mesmerised by what they saw. They marvelled when a sound beam translated their movements into sounds. There are a great many ‘hands on’ resources, which prove endlessly fascinating and one child was able to talk in depth about the recent burial of the school’s budgerigar.

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PUPILS?

29. Provision for children’s moral development is very good and has improved since the last inspection. The school teaches the principles which separate right from wrong and children are aware of what is acceptable behaviour, fostering positive values such as honesty and fairness. This is developed well during lessons. During a discussion following a short video, the children were asked, ‘How do you think he felt?’ The school’s motto, to ‘spread happiness with a smile’ amply illustrates their philosophy.

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PUPILS?

30. Children’s social development is excellent and this has improved since the last inspection. They are encouraged to relate effectively to others. Most work happily in pairs and small groups, whether co-operatively on a computer or building outdoor structures to climb on. They listen well to each other, respecting what others have to say. Many help and support each other and most appreciate the efforts of others. Children treat all resources with great care and respect. 31. Provision for children’s cultural development is very good and this has improved since the last inspection. There is a wide range of musical instruments from other cultures, as well as books and other resources in the ‘shop’. Clothes for dressing up include saris. As well as a nativity play, there has been a party to celebrate Diwali.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 12 32. The school takes care of its children very well. The child protection procedures are very good. They are all in place and working well, are shared with all staff as part of induction training and updated whenever appropriate. There are no obvious health hazards around the school and site, which is safe and secure. The fire equipment is checked annually, as are all the electrical appliances. Fire drill is held at least once a term and all fire evacuation instructions and exit signs are visible and the correct colour. Risk assessments have all taken place; they are clear and tailor-made for the nursery. The staff have mobile first aid kits, which they carry whenever they are supervising the children outside the building. The accident book is kept up to date and all the correct forms are filled in and sent to parents after accidents. Health and safety have improved significantly since the last inspection

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. Personal, health and social education is built into daily nursery life and the children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own health. For example, they are not just told to wash their hands, brush their hair etc, but are made to understand the need for these procedures. In the last report it was suggested that milk should be provided, but the meal they receive is healthy and sustaining. Behaviour and attitudes have improved vastly since the children have gone full-time. They now have plenty of time to reflect and grow as individuals. They are encouraged to have time for quiet reflection and develop the understanding of the consequences of their actions, both for themselves and each other.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The children’s attitudes are very good and behaviour is good. There is a small group of children who have behavioural problems and short attention spans. These are very much in the minority and there are effective and consistent strategies in place for dealing with this disruptive behaviour. The children learn to listen well and show a willingness to take responsibility. They are given many opportunities to do so, for example at lunchtime, when they cut up their own food, pour out water and clear away. The school’s behaviour policy encourages them to be kind and considerate towards others and to show respect. It is a credit to the school that the behaviour of the children and their attitudes towards each other are so good. Behaviour management has improved since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The school’s provision for children with special educational needs is very good. They are monitored and their provision is altered as and when necessary. Weekly reviews are used to inform progress. Parents of these children are pleased with the school’s care of their children and are kept very well informed. Baseline assessments are used to inform the progress of all pupils. Even when, as this year, the entry levels are very low, high standards of behaviour and attitudes are expected and received. Attendance is monitored well after the measures put in after the last inspection. Levels of attendance have improved and lateness is no longer an issue. Parents are happy with the level of support they get from the school and are regarded as true partners in their children’s learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. Procedures for assessing attainment and progress are generally sound. These are informal and staff know the children very well. Although documentation is only updated termly, the use of informal assessment to guide curricular planning is good. All children are recognised as having separate needs and all are offered suitably challenging tasks. Staff are aware of those with special educational needs, including those with the potential for high attainment. Tasks for these children are well structured and this, too, has a positive impact on learning. Baseline assessments are carried out during the first term of entry and these are used to set suitable targets for the year.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Procedures for monitoring and supporting children’s academic progress are satisfactory. A key issue following the previous inspection was to improve assessment and recording procedures and provide more information for parents on their pupils’ attainment and progress. This has been fully addressed. Profiles are kept for all children and are updated regularly.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. The school has very good, effective links with parents. There is much parental involvement in school and the school does all it can to encourage parents to support and help with their children’s learning. It runs parent workshops on literacy and numeracy in which parents are Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 13 helped to look beneath the surface of learning activities to see their true value. Parents then work with the children and help them to create something special so that they can continue the learning at home. Parental involvement enhances learning and they are often surprised to see just how much difference their presence makes to their children.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. The school shares its resources with parents. The children take home ‘book bags’ for home reading and can change the books whenever they like. The school also runs a book club so that parents have access to cheap books of their own at home. Children and parents are encouraged to value their own abilities and imagination when exploring play and learning at home. It is clear that the school and parents see themselves as partners in their children’s learning. Learning is fun and all the wonderful, stimulating things to do and see around the school bear witness to this. It is hard to imagine what more the school could do to improve their display resources.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. Each term there is a partnership day when parents are invited to come into school to look at the children’s pupil profiles and discuss progress. This is in addition to time spent with parents at their request, should they have any concerns about the children during the year. Parents are very clear that the school is very approachable and listens well to their concerns. Pupil profiles accurately reflect the children’s skills and abilities, but are purely informative and lack the feel of “celebration”. There is a home/school agreement in place, which does not mention homework but emphasises the partnership with parents. The school does provide homework, but it is not described as such. The children take home work sheets with ideas for further learning at home. These are very popular and many parents take up this option. The inspection team judge these activities to be very appropriate for this age group

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

and are unable to justify the parental concerns highlighted in the questionnaires.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. Information is sent out to parents in English. Parents whose first language is not English prefer this. In addition the school gives them verbal feedback, which they find most helpful. The school has a partnership board, which is used to display copies of letters to parents, uniforms for sale, to display all the school’s policies and lost property. The policies can be read and even copied if parents wish. The parents’ good perceptions of the school were borne out in all the inspection evidence.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42. The headteacher provides educational direction of the highest quality. She shares with her staff a common sense of purpose and always puts the development of children first. This approach fully reflects the aims of the nursery, which focuses on the needs of each individual child. These needs are fully met through the provision of a very exciting, interesting and caring environment.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. Teamwork is well established and the headteacher, supported well by her senior teacher and all governors, continually takes steps to make their work more effective. There is very good delegation to the senior teacher and all staff are encouraged to improve their knowledge through regular training. The governors have a good sense of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and work positively with staff. They have good levels of expertise and are well organised. The governing body takes a keen interest in the achievement and welfare of the children and supports well the important place the nursery has in the local community. Governors have maintained their high quality involvement with the nursery since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. Both the headteacher and local authority advisor monitor teaching and evaluation of the school’s performance is carefully analysed for its effectiveness. The school has sound procedures for appraisal and new staff are inducted appropriately. Appropriate targets have been identified and the school is on line to achieve them successfully.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The nursery has only very recently become responsible for its finances but effective procedures have been put in place. The school secretary supports the school very well by working to aid its smooth running. The headteacher is shrewd and aware of best value principles. For example, a finance officer has been appointed to oversee the budget and Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 14 ensure that the transition from authority to school control takes place smoothly and all money is accounted for.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The school has a barely satisfactory number of teaching staff, but they are well deployed. All staff who work in the nursery are appropriately qualified and experienced to teach nursery- age children. The lunchtime support staff are highly valued and work in an effective partnership to provide an education of good quality for all children. The school uses a variety of specific grants very well and carefully ensures that good learning opportunities are provided with the funds.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The accommodation is satisfactory, overall, and is in good decorative order. This is an improvement since the last inspection. However, the inside of the nursery is dirty and is not sufficiently well cleaned by contract staff and this is unsatisfactory. There is a very good outdoor area, which has a good impact on the children’s learning.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The school has an excellent supply of resources for all areas of the curriculum and this provides very good support for teaching and learning. For example, the library and music room are very well resourced and attractive and this greatly supports children’s learning. Resources for special educational needs and pupils who use English as an additional language are also excellent and meet their needs well.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

49. There are no significant issues for action but, building on the good work of the school, the headteacher, staff and governing body should in conjunction with the local authority:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improve the arrangements for cleaning the nursery (paragraph 46);

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• continue to approach partner schools to seek constructive relationships (paragraph 26);

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• build on the good informal assessment of the children by recording what they can do on a more frequent basis and find ways to celebrate these achievements with the parents annually (paragraph 35, 39). Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 15

p.16

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 20

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 52

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 16

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 12

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 16

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff Financial year 1998 / 99

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26 £

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Total expenditure N/A

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32.5 Expenditure per pupil N/A

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year N/A

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 13 Balance carried forward to next year N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 17

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.19

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 67 33 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 72 28 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 23 15 38 15 8

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 63 37 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 79 21 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 61 39 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 79 21 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 84 16 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 84 16 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 78 11 6 0 6 Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 18

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Personal and social development

50. The personal and social development of the children is given a very high priority. Many start nursery with fewer skills than expected for their age and most have had no previous experience of play settings. All children, including those with special educational needs and those who use English as an additional language, make excellent progress and are likely to exceed the desirable outcomes of this area of learning by the time they are five. This is due to the very good support they receive from adults within the nursery. A wide variety of activities promotes both personal and social development and this makes a significant contribution to children’s learning and progress across the curriculum. This area of learning has improved significantly since the last inspection when criticisms were made of toilet routines and a lack of opportunities for independent decision-making.

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Personal and social development

51. Children work very well together, either in groups, such as when they work together matching shapes, or when in a much larger group for story or physical activities. Collaborative work is good. For example, when children play together outside, they take turns, wait patiently and enjoy sharing the equipment with their friends. Children enjoy social activities in the classroom, such as at lunch when they chat to their friends at appropriate times.

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Personal and social development

52. Children quickly learn to be independent. They put on aprons and help to tidy up. They are responsible for their own coats and belongings and very well established routines ensure that few need help with the toilet or to wash and dry their hands. Lunchtimes are also used very well to support the development of their independence: children set out their own cutlery properly and behave appropriately at the table. This is a measure of their maturity and good levels of personal development. Children enjoy the attention of staff and other adults and approach them easily to ask for help or to share an idea or a piece of work. Good organisation of resources promotes children’s independence very well. Helpful labels help children to know where equipment is stored and this promotes their literacy skills as well as encouraging responsibility and order.

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Personal and social development

53. Children’s personal development is good and they make very good progress. Relationships with each other are of a very high standard. Children enjoy each other’s company and happily move over to make room for their friends to join in activities. The nursery has made effective provision to ensure that children gain an understanding of the rich cultural diversity of today’s diversity, for example, in celebrating festivals such as Diwali and Eid and learning about food from different countries. Books, toys and other resources are carefully chosen to ensure that children are not restricted by cultural bias.

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Personal and social development

54. Teaching for personal and social development is very good. All staff have a very good understanding of how young children learn and are very good role models. There is a sound structure to the nursery’s work that underpins all the teaching. A stable pattern for the day, good planning, organisation and management all combine to give the children opportunities to develop social and personal skills. Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve and are always available to make positive interventions. Careful assessments successfully note the children’s personal and social development so that individual needs for support or more opportunities are not overlooked. This results in the nursery being a happy and secure environment with harmonious relationships. Parents are very happy with the values which are being taught. Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 19

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Language and literacy

55. Children enter the nursery with poorly developed language and literacy skills. During their time here they make very good progress and children are likely to meet the recommended areas of learning by five.

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Language and literacy

56. Speaking and listening skills are developed through a wide variety of stimuli. All staff, both inside and outside the classrooms, make a very positive contribution to the children’s language development. During one lesson, children were asked to guess the animal from clues provided. ‘I am a large animal with a very long neck. What am I?’ Most children relate very well to adults and enjoy engaging them in conversation. They are enthusiastic, responsive and very keen to get involved in discussion.

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Language and literacy

57. They enjoy books, handle them carefully, recognise that in English print is read from left to right and top to bottom and understand that print tells a story. Most are keen to look at books and talk about the pictures. They choose books to take home and two of these are shared each day with the whole group. The majority of children recognise their own names. Many recognise some letter sounds and can name some letters of the alphabet. Two children took great pleasure in discovering that an ‘m’ shape (“for mum”) was like a ‘w’ (“for witch”) when turned upside down and an ‘E’ (“for elephant”) when on its side. One noted that “V is for vampire”.

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Language and literacy

58. There are many examples of emergent writing, such as mark making. Many children are beginning to write individual letters. They recognise that writing conveys meaning and many are keen to experiment with this, ‘reading’ back what they have written. Each child is considered an individual and work is, therefore, suitably challenging for all, including those with special educational need and those who use English as an additional language. For example, one child was able to partly copy a sentence written by the teacher, while another was happy for the teacher to label her drawing while a third, without help, made marks to represent writing.

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Language and literacy

59. The quality of teaching, by both teachers and nursery nurses, is good and this is a significant improvement since the last inspection. Questions are very well focused to encourage thought and understanding and children respond very well to this approach. Resources are used very well to stimulate the children and the library is an inviting area with books very well displayed. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection. A workshop for parents by a visitor was very successful in alerting them to activities, such as bookmaking, that they can do with their children. All staff work very effectively as a team to plan for a wide variety of activities and provide a safe environment within which the children develop and learn according to their abilities.

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Mathematics

60. In mathematics, children are likely to meet the recommended desirable learning outcomes by the age of five. Progress in learning is very good for the majority of children during their time in nursery, including those with special educational needs and those who use English as an additional language. Most children count to five and higher attainers count up to ten. They regularly sing a good range of number rhymes and their ability to recognise and trace numbers is developing well. The majority of children know the names of the basic shapes, can describe triangles as having three corners and sides and are able to continue patterns of squares and circles.

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Mathematics

61. The children develop their mathematical skills in all areas of the curriculum; for example, they use money when playing, they sort and classify objects and enjoy filling and emptying containers in the water and the sand.

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Mathematics

62. Children have good attitudes to their work in mathematics and are eager to succeed. They join in well with naming and matching shapes. They co-operate well in matching and counting games and wait their turn for interactive computer games. Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 20 63. The quality of teaching is, overall, of good quality and this is an improvement since the last inspection when most teaching was considered incidental. There is a useful policy document for mathematics, which helps teachers plan a good range of interesting activities to motivate children and develop understanding. All opportunities are taken to count, match and compare and tasks are varied, showing a good understanding of the age group. Teachers use questions skilfully to challenge children to think. They observe children whilst they are working and progress is assessed termly. Resources are used very well to enable the

p.21

Mathematics

curriculum to be taught effectively and the computer is used well to support learning in mathematics.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

64. The majority of children are likely to attain the desirable learning outcomes by the time that they are five and very good progress is made by all, including those with special needs and those who use English as an additional language. This is the result of the excellent range of appropriate experiences that are provided. The activities stimulate interest well and extend children’s knowledge and understanding of the environment. Children investigate everyday materials, using their senses. They grow a range of plants and know that water is required to make them grow. Children observe their pet animals in the nursery and understand that all living creatures die. They learn that books are a good source of information and staff use pictures and slides well to extend children’s learning.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

65. Children develop information technology skills and gradually learn to operate the computer confidently, using the roller ball competently. Computers are used well to support learning in other areas of learning, for example, matching and counting numbers, pattern making, developing listening skills and gaining an understanding of positional language. Children begin to learn that some items are powered by electricity, which is provided by a wire and a plug, whilst others use batteries. For example, they see how the remote control vehicles work with batteries and can be controlled from a distance. They have a developing knowledge of the application of technology in the world through telephones and tape recorders.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

66. Through a rich supplement to the curriculum of visitors to the school, such as the local police officers, children develop a good awareness of their local area and its community. Through gaining knowledge of their own lives in the past and those of other adults whom they know, they gain a sense of the past and chronological change. Children develop a sound foundation for early learning in history and geography.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

67. Children have very positive attitudes to their learning and are clearly excited at the world around them. They enjoy sharing what they find out and work well together in paired and group situations with good concentration, especially on investigations. They share resources well and nearly all wait their turn. They handle equipment and living things, such as gerbils, very carefully. They have an appropriate concern for the environment and their responsibility for it.

p.22

Knowledge and understanding of the world

68. The quality of teaching is good and in science it is very good. This is an improvement since the last inspection when the quality of teaching and curriculum provision were judged to be variable. Teachers have very good knowledge and understanding of this area of learning and this, together with their enthusiasm, allows children to make very good progress. Activities are well planned, prepared and resourced, with high expectations of what children can achieve. Effective questioning helps children to investigate well and clarify their understanding. Activities are always well monitored and children are encouraged to take part. Teachers are skilled at using opportunities which occur through observation or discussion to move learning on. There is continuous ongoing informal assessment and formal recording is undertaken termly. Records ensure that all pupils experience the focused activities.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

69. The curriculum is very well planned and is consistent across the school. Particularly in their scientific learning, children are given good opportunities to express wonder at both the natural and man-made world. The environment resources in the school grounds are used very well to support learning. There is a very good range of books, posters and pictures to support the planned activities and they are used effectively. Bordesley Green East Nursery School - 21

p.22

Physical development

70. All children, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, make very good progress and are likely to attain the desirable learning outcomes by the time that they are five. The previous report referred to concerns about insufficient opportunities for outdoor play, but, now, all children have daily access to a rich environment, which encourages independence, imagination and physical development. When playing outside on trikes and cars, they are generally aware of space and others. They play following and chasing games and most wait patiently for their turn. Many throw and kick balls with increasing accuracy. Using the equipment provided, they climb and balance with increasing skill. Many co-operate, for example helping others to climb onto a construction they had built outside. In all these activities they display a growing confidence, dexterity and,

p.23

Physical development

above all, enjoyment. Children understand a variety of ‘movement’ words, such as ‘rolling, ‘twisting’ and ‘bouncing’.

p.23

Physical development

71. They are independent and all change for physical education sessions quickly and efficiently. At the woodwork bench they begin to use tools carefully, sawing and hammering nails with some success. When using the computers, they manipulate the mouse and move the cursor with accuracy.

p.23

Physical development

72. The quality of teaching is good, with adults supporting, suggesting, discussing activities with the children and often joining in. Many sessions have a brisk pace which keeps the children motivated. These activities have a positive effect on children’s development of co-ordination and mobility. Awareness of the importance of physical development is evident in work in all the areas of learning. Tasks and resources for writing, creative development, technology, role-play and social development all emphasise the growth of physical skills.

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Creative development

73. All children, including those with special educational needs and those who use English as an additional language, make very good progress in developing their imaginative and creative skills and are likely to meet the desired learning outcomes by the time that they are five. A wonderful variety of opportunities is provided for the children to paint and print, exploring different media, styles and colours. They begin to appreciate different textures, whether through clay, sand or paint. Children experiment successfully with a wide range of percussion instruments and a piano. They enjoy singing, adjusting the volume when appropriate. Many talk enthusiastically and demonstrate their feelings about a situation. During a more formal music lesson, children were introduced to music, were showed what it looks like when written (noting “the busy black notes” for the faster passages) and, using a sound beam, made their

p.23

Creative development

own music from their movements. This represents high standards in music.

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Creative development

74. Role-play is encouraged, whether in the imaginative play area, using face paints, clearing away after a ‘meal’, dressing up or playing in the shop. Children talk about what they are doing and act out stories. Many are very independent, not needing to rely on adult intervention for help. However, staff are always at hand to intervene positively in the role- play if it is required. This is an improvement on the last inspection when it was reported that adults did not intervene at crucial times.

p.23

Creative development

75. The overall quality of teaching is good and often very good. Activities which provide different learning opportunities are prepared, managed and supervised well. Praise is used effectively to encourage and support the children and the skilful use of questions ensures learning. A wide and interesting range of work is provided to ensure that the children are prepared very well for work in the National Curriculum. Work covered in this area of learning makes a very strong contribution to children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.23