Warwick Nursery School

WARWICK NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 26 th - 27 th March 2001

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WARWICK NURSERY SCHOOL

Short 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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WARWICK 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. Warwick Nursery School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Warwick Nursery School Coventry Road Warwick Postcode: CV34 4LJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: April 1997 Warwick Nursery School - 4

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Team members

20891 Sean O'Toole Registered inspector 14178 Patricia Willman Lay inspector

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Team members

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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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Warwick Nursery School is located close to the town centre and draws pupils from a wide area. There are 80 children (38 boys and 42 girls) on the roll and they attend part-time each day either in the morning or afternoon. Children are admitted to the school in the September of the academic year in which they are three. Almost all stay for a year before moving to the reception year of local primary schools. Overall their socio-economic backgrounds are average. Most children are from white ethnic backgrounds; only three, whose home languages are Punjabi and Bengali, have English as an additional language. The school has 19 children with special educational needs, which is above average, although none has a statement of special educational needs. Since the previous inspection one of the teachers has changed and the building has been extended. There is a recently appointed governing body. Attainment on admission to the school varies from year to year but is generally below that expected of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

three-year-olds in personal, social and communication skills.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school. The children make good progress and, by the time they leave the school at four plus, attain standards in almost all areas of learning appropriate for children at the end of the reception year. The teaching is good and the teachers and nursery nurses work together effectively. The headteacher has good leadership skills and successfully enables the school to fulfil its aims. The school makes effective use of the funds available and provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time they leave the school. • The quality of teaching is good. • The headteacher leads and manages the school well. • The school provides a stimulating and challenging curriculum.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The role of the governors in monitoring and evaluating the school’s work. • Information for parents about their children’s progress. 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 has made good improvement since the previous inspection in April 1997, has maintained its good standards and improved the quality of education provided. Most of the issues identified in the report have been tackled successfully and the school is well placed to build upon its strengths and has good capacity to improve. The school has done much to improve its approach to developing the children’s mathematical skills and the work is now sufficiently challenging for all children, including the more able. The school has appropriate documentation to support the teaching of the areas of learning and planning is more detailed and effective. Assessment procedures have been improved and the staff make good use of the information to plan work and to identify the needs of individual children. Financial planning is linked very well to the school’s educational objectives. Other improvements have been the provision for outdoor

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

play and an extension to the building. However, some parents still feel that they have insufficient information about their children’s progress during their first term at the school. Warwick Nursery School - 7

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STANDARDS

By the time they leave the school at four plus the children attain almost all of the early learning goals appropriate for children a year older. In view of their overall level of skill, knowledge and understanding on admission to the school, this represents good achievement. The children make good progress in the stepping stones of learning as the teaching is well focused and the effective use of assessment ensures that children of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, are challenged sufficiently. Those with English as an additional language make good progress and soon cope with all the activities in the nursery, benefiting from sensitive support. All children achieve the early learning goals in their personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development; and creative development. They achieve the early learning goals in most aspects of

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STANDARDS

communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. They achieve the early learning goals in reading and speaking and listening skills but their writing skills are not as well advanced. The children have a secure knowledge of shape and a good mathematical vocabulary but as yet lack confidence in addition and subtraction. The most able, about ten percent of the children, achieve all of the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. The school makes very good provision for outdoor and creative play and provides stimulating opportunities to develop the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world and, as a result, the children make very good progress in these aspects of their work.

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CHILDREN’S ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. The children are keen to learn and quickly settle to tasks and enjoy school. They work hard and maintain good levels of concentration. They particularly enjoy working together in outdoor play.

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CHILDREN’S ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour Good. The children act in a mature and sensible way. They understand how their behaviour may affect others and show tolerance and care for one another. They willingly share equipment and take turns with, for example, programmable toys.

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CHILDREN’S ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Good. The children understand and respond well to the routines of the nursery. They develop good friendships and form effective relationships with adults. They select and put away equipment after use and accept their responsibility of working and playing together.

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CHILDREN’S ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance is not a statutory requirement. Most absence is due to childhood ailments. Most children arrive on time.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

Teaching is good and contributes effectively to the good rate of progress made by all children, including those with special educational needs. The good quality of teaching has been maintained since the previous inspection. All of the teaching is satisfactory or better with 25 per cent being very good, 59 per cent good and 17 per cent satisfactory. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. The staff concentrate effectively on promoting personal, social and emotional skills which equip the children as keen and interested learners. Communication, language and literacy and mathematics are taught well as there is Warwick Nursery School - 8 a good emphasis on using the stepping stones of learning to promote the children’s understanding and knowledge. There are stimulating opportunities to promote the children’s love of stories and much encouragement of effective speaking and listening through role play, in which the staff play a key part. In

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

mathematics, the staff make very good use of practical experiences to promote the children’s knowledge of numbers and shapes. They also teach mathematical vocabulary very well. The teaching of physical development through outdoor play is very good as is the provision made for developing the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world. Strengths in the teaching include the good use of assessment to plan work so that the needs of all pupils are met. Children with special educational needs receive effective support and make good gains towards the targets in their individual education plans. Those with English as an additional language receive some specialist teaching, and the school plans well for their needs and where possible provides bi-lingual teaching. The staff have a secure understanding of how young children learn and combine well-matched activities with good intervention to ensure that learning moves on at a good pace. The staff inspire confidence in the children through their

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

positive and affirming manner and are always on hand to support those who lack confidence. The staff work together as a team and monitor each other’s work. The children are good learners who tackle activities with enthusiasm. They maintain good levels of concentration, often working on a task, such as using a programmable toy, for extended periods. They work hard and are proud of their achievements. The children work independently and also collaborate well as a result of the effective teaching of social skills.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school provides a rich and stimulating curriculum that offers challenge for all children. All statutory requirements are met. Strengths in the curriculum include the provision for outdoor play, the use of visits and effective planning to ensure consistency in developing the children’s skills, knowledge and understanding.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for children with special educational needs Very good. The staff quickly identify any children with learning or other difficulties and plan work that is matched to their needs. The individual education plans are well focused. Excellent support is given to those with physical difficulties.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for children with English as an additional language Good. The children receive good bi-lingual support. The school has good resources to support the children and uses its own resources to buy in additional support as required.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for children’s personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The staff actively encourage the children to become caring and thoughtful. There are very good opportunities to learn about the cultural diversity of Britain through the celebration of a variety of festivals. There is good emphasis given to extending the children’s social skills through co-operative play. The staff insist on good behaviour and help the children to resolve disagreements amicably. They expect the children to take responsibility for their own learning and prepare them well for their next school.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its children Excellently. The staff show much care for the children and monitor their progress very effectively. They use this information very well to plan the next stage in learning. The staff have a high level of awareness of child protection. Warwick Nursery School - 9

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The staff are an effective team and the headteacher successfully balances full-time teaching with managing the school. Delegation of responsibilities works well.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactorily. The governors are enthusiastic and very active in supporting the school although they have limited experience and training.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school has tackled most of the issues raised in the previous inspection report and is always looking for ways to improve. The headteacher has begun to analyse the children’s performance and use the information to raise standards. There are appropriate systems for setting targets for the headteacher and staff.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The school uses its funds well to improve resources. The governors apply the principles of best value well to purchasing supplies and services, for example, the contract for grounds maintenance. The staff are suitably qualified and experienced.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Children make good progress and enjoy coming to school. • The children’s good behaviour. • The quality of teaching. • The care that the staff take of their children and the way that they encourage personal and social development. • The school’s leadership and management. • The approachability of the staff. • Some parents would like an earlier indication of how their children are making progress.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team endorses parents’ positive views. The school provides good information about the children’s progress at the end of their time in school and staff are always available to parents. However, insufficient information is provided for parents about their children’s progress during the first term. Warwick Nursery School - 10

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

1. On admission to the school most children have had some previous educational experience, usually in a playgroup. However, their personal, social and communication skills are generally below those expected for three-year-olds. The children quickly settle into the nursery’s routines and become well-established and confident learners. They make at least good progress in all of the areas of learning and, by the time they leave the school, they attain the early learning goals in almost all areas of their development. This represents good success for the school and is the result of the dedication, commitment and hard work of the staff.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

2. Children of all abilities make good progress. Those with English as an additional language quickly adjust to school life and the school’s good support of these children has a beneficial impact on their progress and attainment. By the time they leave the school children with English as an additional language cope satisfactorily with basic English. Children with special educational needs are given good support through well- focused teaching and much care is taken in identifying their specific learning difficulties. The school provides additional funds to provide extra help for the children and also involves outside agencies very well in assessment and support. Children with limited speaking and listening skills benefit from regular specialist input and make good progress. Others, who have underdeveloped personal, social and emotional skills, are given much help in learning how to co-operate and work independently.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

Children with physical disabilities are cared for very well and given appropriate challenges which are linked to the targets in their individual education plans. Children with special educational needs make good progress towards their targets and achieve at least as well as expected, making the most progress in communication, language and literacy and personal, social and emotional development. The school has responded well to criticism in the previous inspection report about challenge for the more able. These children are identified by the staff and sufficiently demanding work is provided for them. They make good progress and, by the time they leave the nursery, attain the early learning goals in almost all of the areas of learning.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

3. By the time they leave the school, most children achieve the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development. They understand and follow the nursery’s routines and become confident in choosing activities and resources. They love listening to stories in small groups and grow in confidence in joining in rhymes and songs. The children readily share equipment and allow others to take their place at an activity for example, pretending to be a doctor in the “Baby Clinic” or using a programmable toy. The children form effective relationships and many have established firm friendships. The school’s exciting provision for outdoor play stimulates the children’s interest and thirst to explore. The children dress and undress themselves for these activities and know how to care for their own bodies by washing their hands after playing outside. They show much interest in the feelings and beliefs

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

of others and talk excitedly about celebrations such as Christmas, Diwali and the Chinese New Year.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

4. By the end of their time in the nursery, most children achieve the learning goals in speaking and listening and reading. Their skills in writing are appropriate for their age but very few write simple words using the sounds that letters make to spell them. Warwick Nursery School - 11 About half of the children write their own names legibly and all understand that the marks they make can convey meaning. The more able are beginning to form recognisable letters. The staff encourage correct speech and through carefully framed questions promote well structured responses from the children. Most children will engage an adult in conversation and enter into imaginative play in the “shop”, pretending to be a customer or cashier. They use a good range of vocabulary and often add interesting and humorous phrases. The children listen very well and show good understanding of what they have heard by following instructions, taking

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

messages and joining in with stories at appropriate times. They usually speak clearly and pay attention to conventions, using “please” and “thank you” appropriately. The children enjoy books and often select their favourite story and retell it with accuracy and expression, sequencing events correctly. The school’s system of self-registration promotes the children’s awareness of their own and others’ names and many recognise the names of many of the children in their group.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

5. There has been good improvement in the teaching of mathematics since the previous inspection and by the time the children leave the nursery they are well on course to attain the early learning goals. Progress in the mathematical area of learning is good. The children have a wide knowledge of mathematical vocabulary; they understand “more” or “less” and compare shapes by size using words such as “longer” and “shorter.” The more able know the meaning of add and take away and can calculate simple sums. The children recognise and take much pleasure from making patterns. They comments about sequencing colours and about half of them count to 20 using objects to help them. Almost all count to 10 unaided with a few children able to match five objects to the correct numeral. The children particularly enjoy using the computer to play matching games. Through the many practical opportunities the staff promote

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

the children’s good understanding of the names of shapes such as triangles, squares and circles.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

6. The children make very good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development and by the time they leave the nursery they attain the early learning goals in these areas of learning. This success is due to very effective teaching, excellent resources and the wide range of visits used to stimulate the children’s interest. The children take a keen interest in the world around them and are fascinated by the natural world. They carefully observe growing things and talk knowledgeably about the changes in the seasons. They compare light with dark and comment about how many of the things in their homes require electricity. They also make good use of computers. The children talk about their families and giggle with excitement when looking at photographs of themselves as babies, noting how they have changed. In some very good work about the locality the children made recognisable models of buildings in historic Warwick and “wrote” about their

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

7. Children are adventurous and confident in their physical activity. They use a wide range of large and small equipment effectively and this promotes their dexterity very well. There are very good opportunities to play with malleable materials and to construct models using a wide variety of techniques and skills. The children move with confidence and control, applying much physical effort to climbing, running, jumping and skipping. Children make very good progress in this area of learning and attain the early learning goals by the time they leave.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

8. The children make very good progress in their creative development and, by the time they leave the school, they achieve the early learning goals in this area of learning. The staff provide a wealth of experiences for the children to explore the senses; they particularly enjoyed eating the fruit! In their creative play the children pretend to be Warwick Nursery School - 12 different characters and use appropriate voices and actions. This imaginative play promotes effective speaking and listening skills and is a particularly good feature of the nursery’s work. The children enjoy listening to stories and learning rhymes which they sometimes sing spontaneously. The children respond well to music and listen carefully to recorded music. They enjoy playing musical instruments and are reasonably successfully in keeping together. The children sing with enthusiasm and the more able hold a tune and do actions to songs at the same time.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

9. The quality of teaching varies between satisfactory and very good and is good overall. The staff have a good understanding of how young children learn and they create a stimulating environment which promotes progress effectively. In the lessons seen the teaching was very good in 25 per cent of lessons, good in 58 per cent and satisfactory in the remainder. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. One of the main successes of the teaching is the way in which the staff meet the needs of all the children. They find interesting ways of engaging the children’s interest, making very good use of the resources available. This is seen particularly in work in mathematics. The staff introduce the children to new ideas such as making sequences of patterns and guide them effectively so that, by the end of the session, the children are able to make patterns using three alternate colours. The teaching of the mathematical area of

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

learning has improved since the previous inspection and is now good. The staff also focus strongly on improving the children’s mathematical vocabulary and the children show much interest and enthusiasm for new words. Communication, language and literacy receive much attention from the staff. There are opportunities throughout each session for the children to look at books, listen to stories and engage in role-play. A strength in the role-play is the way in which the staff join in. By doing this they are able to assess how well the children are learning and to intervene with well-focused questions which move learning on. Criticisms in the last report about improving children’s writing skills have been tackled well and there is a wide range of opportunities for the children to make lists, talk about their pictures and “write” about what they have been doing. The staff listen patiently to the children and inspire

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

confidence in them. Their good story telling techniques encourage a love of books and the children respond very well to imaginative story telling by re-telling stories using expressive voices and correctly sequencing events

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

10. At the heart of the teaching lies the staff’s desire to promote the children’s personal, social and emotional development and to equip them well for the next stage of education. By organising sessions in which the children may work independently or in small groups, the staff promote good relationships, co-operation and independence. The staff are always on hand to support the less confident children, often guiding them through an activity such as using the computer to paint pictures. Teaching in the outdoor area is of a very good standard. The excellent resources are used very effectively and, combined with well-timed intervention by the staff, result in very good progress. Teachers make good use of language to encourage children in their physical responses. On the climbing frame they suggest different ways of moving using a good range of vocabulary and the children respond to this prompting enthusiastically. Because the teaching is well focused and planning is thorough the

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

tasks set are well matched to the needs of the children. The staff are good at checking on how well the children are doing and record their progress regularly. They use this to plan work.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

11. The school places much importance on identifying the needs of the individual. It is particularly successful in identifying children with special educational needs and in Warwick Nursery School - 13 setting targets for the children in well-focused individual education plans. The progress of these children is monitored very well and additional support is provided as necessary. There is excellent support for children with physical disabilities and staff treat these children with sensitivity and care. Children with English as an additional language benefit much from the wide variety of experiences provided by the school and the additional support of a bi-lingual assistant. The teaching of these children is good as it focuses on using both Punjabi and English to develop the children’s understanding.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

12. The staff establish good routines and the children understand them well. By creating a secure and caring atmosphere, the staff promote learning effectively. The children respond by exploring everything that the nursery has to offer with enthusiasm. They quickly settle to tasks and are able to maintain concentration for extended periods. They work hard, applying themselves with keen interest, for example, in building models, extending their physical skills and in imaginative role-play. The children collaborate well and in the “Baby Clinic” they show much responsibility and care for the “patients”.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

The headteacher leads and manages the school well.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

13. The leadership and management of the school are good and ensure that the school runs smoothly and in the best interests of the children. The headteacher provides firm and positive leadership and has built a successful team who work together well. Issues raised in the previous inspection report have been dealt with, although some parents would like an earlier indication of the progress made by their children. Issues regarding the curriculum and challenge for the more able in mathematics have been dealt with effectively. Planning is better than it was and is supported through good schemes of work and policies.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

14. Financial planning and control are good. The school has made very good use of the funds available to improve resources, particularly in the outdoor area. The headteacher and governors take good account of providing best value in purchasing supplies and services. Contracts are subject to tender and no money is wasted. The school secretary contributes much to the smooth running of the school and is efficient and effective. The school has built a healthy surplus through prudent spending. Plans to use this surplus are well advanced and include the provision of additional support for children with special educational needs and further development of the building and resources. The school makes effective good use of additional funding and specific grants and provides good value for money.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

15. The success of leadership and management is due to the rigour employed in looking for new ways of improving the quality of education at this school. This is achieved through careful monitoring of the staff at work by the headteacher and a co-operative and collegiate style of management which involves everyone in decision-making. This has resulted in an effective school development plan which is a useful tool to guide the school forward. The plan includes costs, timescales and responsibilities and is regularly reviewed to ensure that the school’s aims and objectives are met. The teachers and nursery nurses share responsibility for organising and managing the curriculum. The teacher with responsibility for the curriculum monitors the planning effectively and makes useful suggestions to other staff to ensure consistency in developing skills, knowledge and understanding in all of the areas of learning.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

16. The school sets itself good targets for improvement. The governors and headteacher have been involved in establishing a system of performance management and are well prepared for this initiative. The staff are enthusiastic and hard working, giving Warwick Nursery School - 14 freely of their time. They regularly attend training courses and are up-to-date on new national initiatives. The school is also successful as a training provider for nursery nurses and works closely with other education establishments. The school benefits much from involvement with outside agencies in its work and the headteacher manages these different groups very well.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

The school provides a stimulating and challenging curriculum.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

17. The school has a rich and interesting curriculum which has been improved since the previous inspection and promotes the children’s learning effectively. The school has good policies and guidance to support the teaching of the areas of learning. Much care is taken to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, have good opportunities to experience all of the activities in the nursery. The organisation of the children into groups supported by an adult works well and ensures that all children are known very well by at least one member of staff. The planning is good and is linked to national guidance using the stepping stones of learning. One of the teachers oversees the planning and provides good guidance to her colleagues on the consistent development of skills, knowledge and understanding.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

18. The school places much emphasis on developing the children’s personal, social and emotional skills and, by providing a wide range of challenging and stimulating activities, ensures that progress in this area of learning is good. A strong emphasis is given to promoting communication, language and literacy skills and the children benefit much from the good resources and opportunities to read, write and take part in role-play. Much of the mathematics curriculum is taught through practical activities and, by building upon what children already know, the staff plan sufficiently challenging tasks to engage the children's interest. The most impressive aspect of the school’s curriculum is the use of the excellent outdoor area to provide creative opportunities for learning. This area is used well to promote physical and creative skills. The school has used its funds well to provide a new sensory area and its

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

different textures and levels fascinate the children. Another strength in the curriculum is the use of a good number of visits in and around the locality. The children discover much about the world around them through these visits and, for example, produce interesting models of buildings in and around Warwick. On their walks in the park they explore the living world and gain a good appreciation of the wonders of creation.

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Children of all abilities make good progress and attain high standards by the time

19. The school provides very well for the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Many opportunities are provided to find out about the variety of faiths and cultures which are part of Britain today through celebrating festivals such as Christmas, Chinese New Year and Diwali. The school’s focus on encouraging very good social and moral behaviour underpins its work. The staff provide good role models for the children and through their sensitive approach help to create a caring and purposeful place where every individual is valued.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The role of the governors in monitoring and evaluating the school’s work.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

20. Since November 2000, the school has had a new governing body. Governors are enthusiastic and very interested in the work of the school. The chair leads the governors well and some governors have been involved in training in their new role. There is a willingness to improve and to develop expertise, and this is a priority in the school’s plans. The governors are involved in ratifying the school’s development plans Warwick Nursery School - 15 and monitor spending. However, their role in shaping the direction of the school and of monitoring its performance is still underdeveloped.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Information for parents about their children’s progress.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

21. Most parents are satisfied with the information given by the school about their children’s progress. However, some parents feel that insufficient information is provided during the children’s first term in the school. The school keeps good records of the children’s progress and monitors their performance but this information is not shared with parents until the start of the children’s second term.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

22. In order to build upon the good quality of education provided by the school, the headteacher, staff and governors should: (1) Improve the governors’ expertise in monitoring and evaluating the

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school’s performance by:

• Providing suitable training: • Involving governors more in developing the school’s long-term plans: • Increasing opportunities for the governors to observe the staff and children at work. (Paragraph 20) (2) Improve the information provided for parents about the progress made by their children during their first term in school. (Paragraph 21) Warwick Nursery School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 9

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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) 40

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 30

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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 3

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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 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 0

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Warwick Nursery School - 17

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20 £

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Total expenditure 120,527

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 90 Expenditure per pupil 1,526

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 14,518

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 6.7 Balance carried forward to next year 22,064

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Warwick Nursery School - 18

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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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. 65 35 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 47 44 0 0 9

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 12 12 3 3 71

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 44 38 12 3 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. 56 44 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. 35 47 0 0 18

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 44 38 12 3 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 65 35 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. 50 41 0 0 9

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 29 18 0 0 53

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Other issues raised by parents

All parents agreed that if they have another child they would want him/her to come to Warwick Nursery. Parents are happy overall with the progress their children are making, although some feel that some time at the beginning and end of sessions is wasted. Parents would like to know what their children ought to be able to achieve at their age and would like more information about what is taught and how successful their children have been during their first term at the school.

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