Adderley Nursery School

ADDERLEY NURSERY CENTRE

Dates of inspection: 1 st – 3 rd May 2001

p.1

ADDERLEY NURSERY CENTRE

Full 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.

p.1

ADDERLEY NURSERY CENTRE

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. Adderley Nursery Centre - 1

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 1 St Saviour’s Road Saltley Birmingham

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1997 Adderley Nursery Centre - 2

p.3

responsibilities

20603 A Coyle Registered inspector Communication, language and literacy Creative development How high are the standards? How well are children taught? How well is the centre led and managed? 9343 D Harrop Lay inspector How well does the centre care for the children? How well does the centre work in partnership with parents and carers? 27324 D Crow Team inspector Mathematical development Knowledge and understanding of the world Special educational needs Equal opportunities How good are the curricular, and other opportunities, offered to children?

p.4

responsibilities

19861 K Trikha Team inspector Personal, social and emotional development Physical development English as an additional language

p.4

responsibilities

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

p.4

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:

p.4

responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.4

responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Adderley Nursery Centre - 3

p.4

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 6

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

p.5

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 7 - 8

The centre’s results and children’s achievements Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

Adderley Nursery Centre is situated in the Saltley area of Birmingham. It serves the surrounding catchment area, which mainly consists of families from local authority owned properties. The number of children on roll is similar to when it was last inspected in 1997; there are currently the full time equivalent of 104 girls and boys, all of whom are between the ages of two and four years. Children are admitted to the ‘Stepping Stones’ class on a part- time basis when they are two years old. A few transfer to the ‘Rainbow’ or ‘Sunshine’ class in the year of their fourth birthday. Attainment on entry varies, but it is well below average overall, because the majority learn English as an additional language. Ninety-four per cent of children are from ethnic minority backgrounds, including Pakistani, Bangladeshi, African, Caribbean and Indian. Apart from English, the main languages spoken at home are Mirpuri, Pushto, Bengali and Punjabi. Forty children are known to be eligible for free school meals

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

which is much higher than the national average and the centre has 15 children on the register of special educational needs, which is higher than the national figure, although none have statements for their needs.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE CENTRE IS

This is a good nursery in which the children make good progress overall. It provides a warm, welcoming and caring learning environment where children are taught well by a hard working team of dedicated staff. The centre is managed well by the headteacher and senior managers who promote a happy, stimulating environment and ensure that sound value for money is provided.

p.6

What the centre does well

• Good standards are achieved by children in listening, personal, social and emotional development and creative development. • Children have good attitudes to learning. They behave well and relate very well to each other. • The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. It is occasionally excellent and often very good because teachers manage children exceedingly well and they make excellent use of support staff, time and resources. • A good curriculum is provided. It includes very good provision for personal, health and social education, excellent provision for children’s emotional development and there are excellent links with the local community. • The centre provides very well for pupils’ moral, social and cultural development. Spiritual development is good. • The centre is well led and managed by the headteacher who ensures that the centre’s aims are met very well. • Children are cared for well. The procedures for promoting good behaviour are very good.

p.6

What the centre does well

• The partnership with parents and carers is very good indeed, with outstanding provision for parents and toddlers in the family unit. • Very good information is provided to parents and carers and they are well involved in the work of the centre.

p.6

What could be improved

• The oldest and most capable children would benefit from a few more planned opportunities to use their literacy and numeracy skills. • Not all of the part-time sessions are two-and-a-half hours long. The areas for improvement will form the basis of centre’s action plan.

p.6

HOW THE CENTRE HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The centre has made sound improvements since it was last inspected in November 1997. The management has been improved to a good level and staff now have clear job descriptions and conditions of employment, as well as opportunities for appraisal. The outdoor areas have been developed well and there are regular activities for physical development. Some improvements have been made to the levels of attendance, but this continues to be an area of concern for staff. The centre has made changes to the length of its sessions since the last inspection, but now returned to its original structure of one short part-time session on Wednesday mornings to facilitate staff weekly planning sessions.

p.6

STANDARDS

Adderley Nursery Centre - 5 The centre has maintained the standards reported at the last inspection. Children currently achieve appropriate standards in most areas of learning, although the majority do not reach the goals expected in communication, language, literacy and numeracy because many learn English as an additional language. 1 All children achieve well in listening skills, personal, social and emotional development, and in creative development.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the centre Good. Children are keen to do well and show good interest in their work. They have sensible attitudes to learning.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Children are well behaved in structured activities and at play.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Children relate very well to each other and are willing to take on responsibilities.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Children are keen to attend school and many arrive punctually, but the level of unauthorised absence has increased due to families taking holidays during term-time.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Children’s good attitudes, behaviour and relationships are a strength.

p.7

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years

Lessons seen overall 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 .

p.7

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years

The quality of teaching is good overall. It is occasionally excellent and often very good. In the activities observed, 100 per cent of teaching was satisfactory, or better; 4 per cent was excellent, 32 per cent was very good and 32 per cent was good. The quality of teaching in personal, social and emotional development, and in creative development, is notably strong. Communication, language, literacy and numeracy skills are taught effectively, although the oldest children and the potentially higher attainers would benefit from a few more structured, planned opportunities during daily activities to help them increase their understanding.

p.7

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years

From September 2000, QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority), have introduced a set of ‘Early Learning Goals for children’s learning’. These goals are a set of skills, knowledge and understanding that children might be expected to achieve by the age of six in the areas of learning: language, literacy and communication; mathematics; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; physical development and personal, social and emotional development. Adderley Nursery Centre - 6

p.7

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum is suitably broad and balanced and includes all of the areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for children with special educational needs Good. Children are identified early and given specific targets relating to their needs. Individual education plans are written carefully.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for children who learn English as an additional language Good. Children are integrated well and guided well by the bi-lingual support staff.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for children’s personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The centre makes good provision overall for children’s personal development. Moral, social and cultural development are very well promoted and spiritual development is good.

p.8

Aspect Comment

How well the centre cares for its pupils Good. The centre provides a warm, welcoming and caring environment in which there are very good procedures for promoting good behaviour.

p.8

Aspect Comment

A well-balanced curriculum is offered that fully meets the requirements of the early learning goals. The centre has very good partnerships with parents and carers and excellent links with the community.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage-ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides good leadership to her colleagues and is well supported by the staff. The welcoming, friendly ethos is much appreciated by parents and carers.

p.8

Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities N/A

p.8

Aspect Comment

The centre’s evaluation of its performance The centre evaluates much of its work effectively and uses the information to identify further developments on a day-to-day basis.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The teaching and support staff are deployed effectively and the centre makes good use of its resources.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The centre is staffed by a good team of teachers, nursery nurses and support assistants who are dedicated to the education of the children. The accommodation and resources are used well, and the centre applies best value principles when purchasing new resources.

p.8

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Parents and carers particularly like the welcoming atmosphere of the school and the friendly approachable staff. • They expressed the view that their children enjoy coming to the centre. • A few parents would like their children to have more work to do at home and more full-time places. Adderley Nursery Centre - 7 Inspectors support most of the above views held by parents, but find that the amount of work provided for home activities is satisfactory for the age and ability of the children. The number of full- and part-time places is appropriate. Adderley Nursery Centre - 8

p.8

The children’s achievements

1. The centre’s good provision for children aged between two and five years in the Rainbow, Sunshine and Stepping Stones units enables them to make good progress. Entry assessments, conducted when the children first start, indicate that their competency and confidence with language are below that expected for their age because the majority learn English as an additional language, as 94 per cent of children are from ethnic minority backgrounds. The children are provided with a good start to their learning and they develop their skills well in all areas of learning. They make the best progress in personal, social and emotional development because the staff focus very well on this aspect of learning. The family room, known as ‘Treetops’, is used to provide excellent liaison with parents and carers, and this helps children to settle quickly when they first enter the nursery.

p.10

The children’s achievements

2. All children make good progress and achieve well in personal, social and emotional development because teachers and nursery nurses have very high expectations and place great emphasis on developing children’s skills. Since the previous inspection, the centre has made considerable improvements in promoting children’s physical development by introducing a wider range of well-planned outdoor activities that focus on helping children to increase their skills.

p.10

The children’s achievements

3. Standards in communication, language and literacy are below the expectations for age, because the majority of children learn English as an additional language. Many children enter the school with little understanding of English and several have no knowledge of the language. However, they all make rapid progress because the quality of teaching is so good and teachers focus very well on promoting this area. Children achieve good standards in listening. They pay good attention to adults and listen carefully when being given instructions and guidance in their activities. An area for development is in the planning for the oldest and most capable children to extend their skills further through structured activities in early-reading and writing tasks.

p.10

The children’s achievements

4. Children make satisfactory progress in mathematical development. However, by the time they leave the nursery, children still lack confidence and few attain the expectations for their age. The children enjoy the regular opportunities provided for learning number rhymes and songs, such as ‘Five Currant Buns’ , and they make sound progress in counting in sequence to five, and sometimes beyond. With help, they can construct a simple block graph, for example, depicting their favourite breakfast cereal. However, few children understand fully the value of numbers and the most capable are not achieving as well as they could in this aspect.

p.10

The children’s achievements

5. Overall, children achieve the standards expected for their age in knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development. They investigate objects and materials using all their senses and show delight in smelling, touching and tasting tomatoes and using a magnifying glass to explore a variety of natural materials. They find out and identify some features of tadpoles and frogs and are counting off the days with wonder and excitement until their ducks eggs hatch. Many opportunities are provided for them to build and construct models, use programmable toys, pedal tricycles and climb and slide on the outdoor play frame, with increasing control. They make very good progress in artistic activities and many exceed the standards expected. For example, they enjoy painting and three-dimensional work, and are able to mix primary colours together successfully, showing great

p.10

The children’s achievements

delight at their imaginative and highly colourful results.

p.10

The children’s achievements

6. Children with special educational needs, and those who learn English as an additional language, make good progress in all areas of learning and achieve appropriate standards for their capabilities. They make good progress in personal, social and emotional skills. Children are developing their ability to concentrate for reasonable periods of time.

p.10

Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

7. Children have good attitudes to learning. They are keen to start the day, arriving with optimism and showing good enthusiasm for activities they will undertake. They settle quickly and are interested, Adderley Nursery Centre - 9 becoming involved in their activities and enjoying them. The youngest children in the family support group are interested in the activities which have been prepared for them and are laying good foundations for positive attitudes to education. The children concentrate satisfactorily and were seen to persevere in activities which they found difficult, for example when they were asked to thread small items which challenged their dexterity and co-ordination.

p.10

Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

8. Children’s behaviour is good. They move around the centre quietly, treat each other and staff with courtesy and are sensible in group activities such as lunch time, showing good manners.

p.11

Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

9. Relationships are very good throughout the centre and are a particular strength. Children see and copy good social skills from their peers, as well as from members of staff. Good interaction between children, even where they work or play together without sharing a common language, makes for good racial harmony. The excellent relationships between staff, children and parents are constructive: some excellent examples were seen where children of different cultures worked and played well together. Children have sound understanding of the impact of their actions on others. They are very tolerant and show good respect for feelings, values and beliefs of those around them; oppressive behaviour by a child towards another is very rare.

p.11

Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

10. Attendance is satisfactory; it was about 90 per cent in the month leading up to the inspection. It had been lower during an outbreak of chickenpox earlier in the year and there is still some casual absence when parents keep children away from school without clear reason. Most children arrive punctually, although a few are occasionally late in the mornings.

p.11

Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

11. Children's personal development is good. Their self-esteem is fostered by successes in their work, particularly by physical activities and circle time, and their acquired confidence extends to their work in other areas. There are satisfactory opportunities for pupils to show initiative and to take responsibility, although staff do not always give children as much scope as they could, for example, when they distribute small items of equipment or food to members of a group rather than encouraging children to do so.

p.11

HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

12. The quality of teaching is good overall, with a significant amount of very good teaching. In the lessons observed, 100 per cent of teaching was satisfactory, or better. Teaching was good in 32 per cent of lessons, very good in 32 per cent and excellent in 4 per cent. This finding shows that the centre has improved the quality of teaching since the previous inspection, because there is now much more very good teaching, with some outstanding features. In particular, teaching is notably very good in personal, social and emotional development. All members of staff take particular care to help children adjust emotionally and this is a strength of the teaching.

p.11

HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

13. Teachers and nursery nurses have secure knowledge of the six areas of learning. Their expectations are good for all children, including those with special educational needs and children who learn English as an additional language. Daily planning is sound and activities are organised effectively to promote children’s skills. This has a positive effect on the good progress made by children because learning is clearly targeted. A few more structured opportunities for children to use their literacy and numeracy skills would benefit the oldest and most capable children in preparation for their transfer to school. All teachers and nursery nurses provide excellent displays of children’s colourful artwork to stimulate the imagination on themes such as, self-portraits, mini-beasts and the four seasons. Classrooms are very clean, bright and cheerful places, with plenty of exciting photographs of children at work and at play. Colourful

p.11

HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

screens are used very well to divide work and quiet areas, as activities progress. Teachers also use the entrance lobby to offer a cheerful welcome to all, through displays of children’s art work and good quality notices for visitors, parents and carers. Welcome signs displayed in many languages add to the celebration of the rich ethnic mix of children and their families and send out the message that all who enter the school are highly valued.

p.11

HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

14. The management of children during activities is excellent. For example, a particular strength in teaching is that all adults are calm and quietly spoken. Activities are managed exceedingly well and conducted within a peaceful, happy ethos, with excellent use of resources and support staff. Every child is highly valued as an individual and members of staff are excellent role models for their children. This has a very noticeable Adderley Nursery Centre - 10 effect on children’s good behaviour and their good listening skills. Teachers make very good use of praise and they employ good questioning techniques. Practical activities are purposeful and firmly based on what children already know. For example, during snack times, teachers ask questions such as, ‘How many cups will we need?’ to help children think about adding and subtracting numbers. During lessons, teachers and nursery nurses split classes into small groups so that very focused attention can be given

p.11

HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

to individuals, including the children who need close bi-lingual support. Good questioning, such as ‘Can you remember what to do before we start?’, encourages children to think for themselves and plan ahead before embarking on a new activity.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

15. Day-to-day assessment procedures are sound. Teachers keep careful records of children’s successes, including details for children with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language. For example, they make good observations of individual children in order to help them plan their work and target specific support to those who require support for their language and social skills. In addition, the home-school literacy link is used very well to encourage parents to participate actively in their children’s education by sharing books, games and toys in the ‘ Story Sacks’.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

16. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language is good. All adults know the children well and they have high expectations of behaviour. Individual education plans are used well to help teachers and nursery nurses support children very closely and, as a result, children do well overall.

p.12

CHILDREN?

17. The quality and range of learning opportunities provided by the nursery is good and is in accordance with the framework for the foundation stage. Teachers plan appropriately to include all the areas of learning, personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development and creative development. Staff have received training for the introduction of the Early Learning Goals and policies and planning have been updated accordingly. There is particular emphasis placed on the development of children’s personal, social and emotional development and the provision for this overall is very good. The provision for their emotional development is excellent. The provision for the development of children’s knowledge and understanding of the world and physical and creative development is good. The provision for communication, language and literacy and mathematical

p.12

CHILDREN?

development is satisfactory. However, insufficient attention is given to the detailed or daily planning for the development of numeracy and literacy skills. Learning objectives are generally too broad. They do not always take account of assessments undertaken or identify specific outcomes for the activities. This sometimes results in the oldest, most capable children not achieving to their full potential.

p.12

CHILDREN?

18. Equality of opportunity is good overall and the nursery takes great care in seeking to provide for the needs of all children regardless of gender, race and background. There is a good number of bi-lingual staff who effectively cater for the needs of the high number of children whose first language is not English. The nursery successfully meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs. They are well supported by all the staff. Where appropriate, the nursery seeks the advice and support of outside agencies and there are clearly focused individual education plans in place. The nursery ensures that all children with special educational needs receive their full entitlement to the full curriculum and this has a positive effect on their learning. The special needs Code of Practice is fully implemented. Although the key issue from the last inspection was initially addressed, relating to ensuring all part-time sessions are

p.12

CHILDREN?

two and a half hours long so that all children can experience their full entitlement to nursery education, the nursery has reverted to its previous schedule. The centre uses a half-an-hour one day a week so that all staff can be involved in a planning meeting. However, this time is not always used to full effect for planning the curriculum, but often as focus time for discussing forthcoming activities and events.

p.12

CHILDREN?

19. The nursery has developed excellent links with the community. The nursery makes space available for the provision of a family support unit. This provides a superb opportunity for parents and very young children to become familiar with the nursery and the staff. The very relaxed atmosphere encourages friendly, approachable relationships between parents of various cultural backgrounds. Good account is taken of cultural and language differences and very good resources and activities are provided for the children to experience. This has a beneficial impact on the young children settling in quickly to the Adderley Nursery Centre - 11 nursery at a later stage. The annual carnival that takes place in the grounds of the nursery provides a very good opportunity for the community to come together, participate and enjoy. For example, a group of pupils from the local secondary school come and play violins and sitars and there is a food tasting of

p.12

CHILDREN?

various foods representing a variety of cultures. The nursery has sound links with other nurseries in the area and with the local primary schools which children transfer to in the academic year in which they become five years old.

p.13

CHILDREN?

20. Since the last inspection, the centre has developed its provision for children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, which is now very good overall and has a positive impact on learning. Good account is taken of children’s spiritual development. Children learn respect for their own faith and the faith of others and good opportunities are provided for children to develop a sense of awe and wonder at the natural world. Family group time at the end of the day gives children an opportunity to reflect upon their day in nursery and the nursery is currently developing a ‘quiet area’ within its grounds where children can experience a sense of peace and stillness. Provision for children’s moral development is very good. Children are taught to have a clear understanding of the differences between right and wrong and how to behave accordingly in all aspects of nursery life. Staff are very good role models and treat

p.13

CHILDREN?

children with courtesy and respect. Provision for children’s social development is good. The secure environment and sensitivity of staff to children’s diverse needs provides an excellent atmosphere, which effectively fosters children’s emotional development. Children of all ages are encouraged to relate well to each other, both during activities and play. Staff emphasise the importance of sharing and respecting the needs and rights of others. However, children, particularly the older ones, are not given sufficient opportunities to take responsibility or to show initiative in their own learning. Provision for children’s cultural development is very good. Children are provided with rich cultural experiences. They listen to music and look at art from a variety of cultures and work in this area is enhanced by visits to places of interest such as museums and art galleries. Parents are appropriately encouraged to participate in these

p.13

CHILDREN?

visits as well. During the week of the inspection, the family support unit arranged a visit to a textile exhibition to see ‘Shamiana’, the Mughal tent. Children have good opportunities to develop an understanding of a variety of cultures and faiths through experiencing a range of different cultural and religious festivals, for example Chinese New Year, Eid, Diwali and Christmas.

p.13

HOW WELL DOES THE CENTRE CARE FOR THE CHILDREN?

21. The centre makes good provision for children’s welfare and protection. The procedures to ensure the health and safety of children and staff are well prepared and follow the guidelines issued by the City Council; they are reviewed annually. Staff promote safety in their working areas in school, for example by thoughtful control of the children where there are scissors and sewing needles. Routine checks of the premises and equipment are frequent and any remedial action found to be necessary is timely and effective. Emergency drills are practised frequently and their effectiveness, too, is reviewed. The safety arrangements for trips away from the centre are thorough; students visiting the centre are well briefed on safety requirements. Children are taught the need for personal safety at a level appropriate to their age and experience; examples have included healthy eating and advice on the dangers of thin ice. A staff

p.13

HOW WELL DOES THE CENTRE CARE FOR THE CHILDREN?

member is assigned to take care of any child who is injured or becomes ill and good records are kept. The centre’s role in child protection is comprehensively documented; staff training is frequent and there are good links to child protection agencies outside the centre.

p.13

HOW WELL DOES THE CENTRE CARE FOR THE CHILDREN?

22. The procedures for monitoring children's academic progress are satisfactory. A key worker is appointed for each child. The key workers observe children at work and record the details of the children's academic progress. The information gathered is shared with other staff at team meetings. Work samples of achievements kept in children’s scrapbooks show the progress they have made. The educational support and guidance for children is satisfactory overall.

p.13

HOW WELL DOES THE CENTRE CARE FOR THE CHILDREN?

23. Staff monitor the children's personal development very well, starting in the pre-nursery family support group. Particular care is taken to help each child to settle in securely. The key worker scheme promotes very good understanding of each child, enabling staff to target individual children's needs. Children receive very good personal support and guidance, with particular emphasis given to building children's confidence and emotional development. Children for whom English is an additional language are well supported. There are sound links to the primary schools which the children will attend; records are passed on and there is effective, personal contact between teachers of this and the receiving schools. Adderley Nursery Centre - 12 24. The centre’s procedures for monitoring and improving attendance have improved since the last inspection and are satisfactory. Registers are kept satisfactorily and attendance is carefully analysed.

p.13

HOW WELL DOES THE CENTRE CARE FOR THE CHILDREN?

Children's absences are followed up effectively using standard, multi-lingual letters to parents and telephone calls in the families’ home languages. However, the need for punctuality is not sufficiently stressed by staff.

p.14

HOW WELL DOES THE CENTRE CARE FOR THE CHILDREN?

25. The centre has very good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and for eliminating oppressive behaviour. The behaviour management policy is comprehensive and well set out and it is used consistently by all members of the staff team. Where a child’s behaviour becomes a problem, the strategies to be used in response are set out by team co-ordinators and discussed with all members of staff. Staff are good role models for parents in the management of children's behaviour and provide support to parents who seek guidance in handling their children's misbehaviour.

p.14

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

26. Parents expressed very good views of the centre in the pre-inspection questionnaire and meeting, as well as during the inspection. Staff work very hard to help parents to develop positive attitudes to the nursery and the links with parents and carers are very effective. The home visits, which staff make before a child starts at the centre, help to clarify what the staff and the parents expect from the partnership and teachers are very well aware of families’ needs. Staff understanding of the cultures and languages of the community gives parents confidence to work in partnership them and staff show very clear respect for families’ cultural practices. As a result, the relationships between staff and parents are very friendly. Staff thoughtfully include parents in the induction of their children.

p.14

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

27. The family support group gives excellent opportunities for parents and very young children to familiarise themselves with the centre. Mothers help to supervise children and staff show great tact in dealing with them. The toy and book lending service, which includes a good selection of bi-lingual books, promotes the link between the nursery and homes and staff give good guidance to parents in its use. The service encourages parents to take an active interest in their children's learning, and has a good effect on parents’ involvement on the work of the nursery. A small number of parents are, at times, casual about their children's attendance and some parents give little support to children's learning at home, but overall the contribution which parents make to their children's learning at home is satisfactory.

p.14

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

28. The nursery’s responsibilities in protecting children are described to parents. Staff work well with parents where a child shows behaviour problems and where children have special educational needs. The targets which teachers set for children are agreed with parents. Parents are invited to workshops which are used to explain the work that the children will be doing during activities.

p.14

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

29. The information which the centre provides for parents is very good, particularly where teachers describe the progress which children are making. Children's half-yearly reports cover all areas of learning; they are optimistic, comprehensive and accessible and they show clear targets for the children to aim for in the coming half year. Teachers discuss the reports with parents. There is a very good range of translated documents describing the work of the centre. Parents and carers are kept well informed where a child is injured or becomes ill; the notes sent home are available in the several languages of the community.

p.14

HOW WELL IS THE CENTRE LED AND MANAGED?

30. The quality of leadership shown by the headteacher is good. She provides clear educational direction and leadership to her colleagues and is highly committed. The centre is well managed and there is a clear system for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in classes. The strong sense of purpose and very good pastoral support of children and their parents has been maintained since the previous inspection. The centre’s aims, to create a safe, secure, stimulating community in which children are encouraged to show care and concern for others and attain their full potential, are fulfilled well. 31. The roles of the senior staff have been improved since the previous inspection and are now good. All teachers, nursery nurses and support staff are dedicated to the education of the children and have clear responsibilities in the running of the centre, which they carry out efficiently. They give good help and

p.14

HOW WELL IS THE CENTRE LED AND MANAGED?

guidance to colleagues and monitor provision carefully. The excellent teamwork and relationships between staff, and the substantial amount of very good teaching, help to ensure that the centre is a happy, stimulating environment. Adderley Nursery Centre - 13 32. A good centre development plan is in place. It consists of a detailed plan, which has clearly prioritised targets, with financial implications, short-term goals and success criteria all well defined. Appropriate future targets have been identified, together with monitoring arrangements and management procedures.

p.14

HOW WELL IS THE CENTRE LED AND MANAGED?

33. The management of the provision for children with special educational needs is good. The headteacher oversees provision and provides very good support for colleagues by making sure that detailed records are kept of children’s needs and the guidance they require. Children who learn English as an additional language are well supported by the bi-lingual support staff who give very close guidance to individual children.

p.15

HOW WELL IS THE CENTRE LED AND MANAGED?

34. There is sufficient number of teachers for the size of the centre and their qualifications match the demands of the curriculum for the foundation stage. The number of support staff in each of the three classes is very good. Their knowledge of the home language of the child helps to provide very good support for children with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs. General assistants, administrative staff, lunchtime supervisors, kitchen and cleaning staff make a significant contribution to the good quality of the learning environment and to children’s wellbeing. All teaching and non-teaching staff are very well deployed. The quality of teamwork amongst staff is strength of the centre. For example, the support assistants funded through the Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Grant receive professional support from a qualified teacher. Arrangements for the

p.15

HOW WELL IS THE CENTRE LED AND MANAGED?

induction of new staff are good and a mentor is assigned to familiarise them with the centre and the systems in place for supporting children. Staff work well in partnership with specialists, such as speech therapists, who come into the centre. They foster good home links by making visits to prospective parents and by working closely with them in the family support unit.

p.15

HOW WELL IS THE CENTRE LED AND MANAGED?

35. All members of staff are very committed and hard working. The procedures for their appraisal and performance management are fully in place and all of them now have job descriptions. Arrangements for covering absence have been established, which is an improvement since the last inspection. Documentation about staff development is clear and directly linked to the priorities for training identified in the centre development plan.

p.15

HOW WELL IS THE CENTRE LED AND MANAGED?

36. The centre makes good use of available space and resources. The use of outdoor space, to support children’s learning, is a definite improvement since the last inspection. Impressive use is made of the garden for creative and physical development and for raising children’s awareness of life and growth cycles of plants, flowers and insects. The addition of a climbing frame and the new safety surfacing has had a positive effect on the physical development of children. The approved plan, for a separate family support unit, will enable the staff to use the hall more often for children. However, the children in the Sunshine unit do not have any toilet facilities adjoining their room; children have to either go through the main foyer, where the parents and carers attending the family support sessions leave their babies’ pushchairs, or be escorted through the playground by an adult. This wastes a lot of valuable time and

p.15

HOW WELL IS THE CENTRE LED AND MANAGED?

makes children dependent on adults. This was the situation during the last inspection and no improvements have been made in this area.

p.15

HOW WELL IS THE CENTRE LED AND MANAGED?

37. There is a very good range of resources which supports learning in all curriculum areas. They are well distributed in classes where they can be readily used. Resources, such as computers, have updated programs to make language and mathematical learning fun for children. The toy and book lending library has a good range of small musical instruments. Dual language books, and equipment such as weighing scales to develop mathematical understanding, are used regularly by parents. A few resources are available for use by children to reflect the language and home background in areas such as the book corner and the home corner. The centre makes good use of outside resources. For example, children are taken to the local garden centre to increase their understanding of the outdoor environment

p.15

HOW WELL IS THE CENTRE LED AND MANAGED?

38. Overall, the nursery manages its budget well and provides sound value for money. Education priorities are appropriately supported through careful financial planning. The recent auditors’ report found the nursery’s management of its budget to be effective and efficient. Financial systems are adequate. Minor areas identified, such as the need for more accurate costing of the centre’s development plan, are to be addressed. Designated funds within the overall budget, such as the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant, are properly managed and used effectively throughout the nursery. The nursery has a small and appropriate surplus in its budget. The headteacher takes satisfactory account of best value when Adderley Nursery Centre - 14 purchasing supplies and services. Issues from the previous inspection report have been addressed. The nursery receives good support from the local education authority in managing its budget. It has updated

p.15

HOW WELL IS THE CENTRE LED AND MANAGED?

the computer system and the nursery secretary is receiving appropriate training to update her skills.

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) plan more structured curricular opportunities for children to use their literacy and numeracy skills in daily activities (paragraphs 11 and 15); and

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) ensure that all children have full entitlement by making sure that all sessions are two-and-a-half hours long (paragraph 16).

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

There are a few minor areas for improvement indicated in paragraphs 8, 9 and 18. They refer to improving attendance and increasing the opportunities for children to take initiative, Adderley Nursery Centre - 15

p.16

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 21

p.17

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.17

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.

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 104

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 40

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 15

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 139

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 25

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 17

p.17

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Adderley Nursery Centre - 16

p.17

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff Financial year 1999/2000

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20 £

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 14 Total expenditure 292,623

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 64 Expenditure per pupil 2,956

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 7,334

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 5 Balance carried forward to next year 14,998

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Adderley Nursery Centre - 17

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 70 23 1 0 0

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 71 24 1 0 0

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 30 18 3 5 13

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 74 19 0 0 2

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 79 16 1 0 4

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 57 22 1 0 5

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 74 20 3 0 1

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 75 22 2 0 1

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 70 20 0 0 3

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 63 21 3 0 8

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

NB: Totals may not add up to 100 because not all parents responded to all questions.

p.19

Other issues raised by parents and carers

Thirty parents and carers attended a meeting held at the centre and eight wrote to the Registered Inspector. The majority of comments were positive and many parents expressed their satisfaction with the education provided for their children. They particularly like the patient and kindly staff who take good care of the children, the welcoming, friendly ethos and the toddler group meetings. Many parents say that their children enjoy coming to the centre. Adderley Nursery Centre - 18

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

40. The centre makes good provision for children aged between two and five years in the Rainbow, Sunshine and Stepping Stones units. The family room, known as ‘Treetops’, is used to provide excellent liaison with parents and carers. Since the last inspection, the good quality teaching has been improved even further and now includes much very good teaching. Entry assessments, conducted when the children first start, indicate that children’s competency and confidence with language are below that expected for their age because the majority learn English as an additional language. However, the children are provided with a good start to their learning and they develop their skills well in all areas of learning. They make the best progress in personal, social and emotional development because the staff focus very well on this aspect of learning.

p.20

Personal, social and emotional development

41. The personal, social and emotional development of children is very good. Children who are in the unit for three-year-olds separate from their parent or carer happily and feel settled in the nursery. They show a sense of curiosity in their learning environment. They play and interact very well with children and adults. Children over three show a great sense of belonging in the nursery. As noted in the previous report, the four-year-olds settle well. They are confident and secure in their environment and build very good relationships with adults and other children. They develop their social skills well by co-operating with other children and by sharing equipment.

p.20

Personal, social and emotional development

42. Teaching of personal, social and emotional skills is very good. Teachers and support assistants model good examples of behaviour by welcoming children as they come in and by working very well as a team. Monolingual as well as bilingual staff use words from the child’s home language and this helps children to understand the routines and settle down in the nursery. A member of staff acts as a key worker to a child to build a full profile of the child and record the progress made in the nursery. This enables children to receive individual attention and feel valued. Staff emphasise the personal aspects of development throughout the daily routine of the nursery. For example in a group activity for four year olds, the teacher asked the children to wash their hands before making sandwiches and use polite words like ‘ Thank you’ when they were being served, thus giving opportunities for children to develop good habits of personal

p.20

Personal, social and emotional development

hygiene and positive behaviour. Good use of bilingual support staff ensures all children can access the activities and hence show enjoyment in their learning by applying themselves to their activities. For example, during a group activity, four-year-olds sang the nursery rhyme ‘ Wind the Bobbin Up ’ in English as well as in Urdu, Bengali and Punjabi. Teachers and support staff are always in close contact with the children and stress the importance of turn-taking. As a result, there are very few incidents of conflict and children as young as three are enabled to understand the difference between right and wrong behaviour. In free play children show a high level of independence in choosing their own activities. Some children use their initiative well. For example, some three-year-olds, during outside play, developed imaginative play by taking dolls for a walk. However, while working with the children, not much emphasis was placed

p.20

Personal, social and emotional development

by staff on extending the children’s oral responses. Thus, limited instances of children initiating conversation were observed.

p.20

Personal, social and emotional development

43. Photographic evidence shows that the teachers celebrate the diversity of cultures and faiths through the celebrations of Carnival, Christmas and Eid, resulting in children from all social, religious and ethnic backgrounds working well together with a positive acceptance of all, including those with special educational needs. The care taken by staff of the nursery makes a positive contribution to the way three- and four-year-olds settle in and develop good relationships with adults and peers.

p.20

Communication, language and literacy

44. Standards in English language and literacy are below the expected outcomes for age because the majority of children learn English as an additional language. Many children enter the school with little understanding of English. Several children have no knowledge of English and a few have special educational needs. Children who are four years old have good listening skills and can understand more than they can say. This is similar to the findings of the last inspection report. Children can also Adderley Nursery Centre - 19 understand complex questions that need an evaluative response from them. For instance, in the answer to the teacher’s question, ‘What would happen if the plants were not watered?’ , the children answered ‘ die’ . They can name an ‘ incubator’ and use words like ‘ hatch’ in the correct context when talking about baby ducklings. However, they lack the initiative to answer questions in complete sentences. They pay

p.20

Communication, language and literacy

good attention to adults and listen carefully when being given instructions and guidance in their activities. They enjoy listening to stories and are able to sit still and listen attentively. Children are beginning to experiment with making their own marks on paper and many make successful attempts to recognise their own names on their cards in the morning. Children respond well to questions and comments from adults.

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

45. Children who are two and three years old make satisfactory progress in spoken language. They feel settled and secure in the environment in which their home language is used as a tool to facilitate understanding of instructions and routines with the result that the majority of children under the age of four can understand simple questions and answer them using actions, words or phrases. They show a good concentration span while listening to dual-language stories. They listen carefully and participate in the singing of nursery rhymes like ‘Wind the Bobbin Up’ . They also begin to make marks to represent their name. All language learners, including those with special educational needs, enjoy their activities and understand what is going on.

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

46. All of the teachers work very hard to equip the children with the necessary language and listening skills. Teaching is good. The teachers are clear and precise, intervene carefully with perceptive questioning to make teaching points and use expressive story telling skills. They encourage the children to reason and to predict. Provision is very good, with book corners spacious and well displayed with a very good range of high quality books accessible to the children. Writing materials are readily available and give a very good choice of papers and writing tools. The nursery centre has sufficient provision through the Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Grant for children who are at various stages of learning English. As reported during the last inspection, bilingual classroom assistants make a very important contribution in raising the achievement of children. Since the time of the last inspection, improvements have been made

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

in providing bilingual support to Pushto and Bengali speaking children and their parents through the recruitment of support assistants who are fluent speakers of these languages.

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

47. The teaching of English as an additional language is good. Teachers and support assistants use visual stimuli, such as tools for digging, to introduce children to new words and concepts. They make very effective use of the child’s home language to ensure that all children can have equal access to the curriculum All members of staff have access to key words in the child’s home language as they are displayed on the wall. For example, instructions like ‘ sit down ’ are translated into Punjabi and the Punjabi version is written in English for monolingual staff to use

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

48. Through practical activities and games such as ‘ Kim’s game ’ staff check the children’s understanding of the newly learnt words. The majority of teaching supports children in completing the planned activities, but sometimes involves too little talk or discussion on the work being done, with the result that children’s progress in spoken English is limited to using words or phrases.

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

49. There are effective procedures in place for assessing the language of new arrivals in the nursery. Teachers and bilingual staff identify the language needs of an individual child by using a list of words translated from English into the child’s home language. The child is asked to recognise or name objects in the pictures in his or her preferred language. However, a structured, planned approach to extend the speaking, reading and writing skills of the oldest and most capable children, based on the use of assessment, is not fully developed.

p.21

Mathematical development

50. Assessment of children is understanding of mathematics on entry to the classes for children over three years old shows that it is below average for their age. The provision for mathematical development is sound and children, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, make satisfactory progress. However, by the time they leave the nursery, children still lack confidence in some aspects of their mathematical development and few attain the expected standard for their age. Many of the children, because English is not their first language, have difficulty with mathematical terms such as ‘more’ , ‘less’ or ‘fewer’ . Incidental opportunities are used well by staff to Adderley Nursery Centre - 20 encourage children to develop counting skills and simple mathematical ideas. For example, at snack time they count the number of children present and match the correct number of drinks to those present. The

p.21

Mathematical development

children enjoy the regular opportunities provided for learning number rhymes and songs such as ‘Five Currant Buns’ and they make sound progress in counting in sequence to five and sometimes beyond. However, few children understand the value of numbers and insufficient opportunities and guidance is provided for them in this respect. There are suitable resources available and the children enjoy sorting, matching and measuring activities. They concentrate well when playing with water and, through their play, are developing an early understanding of capacity. Children are provided with many opportunities to develop an understanding of shape and space. They are able to complete simple jigsaws and match appropriate sizes and shapes into the correct spaces. Some children know the names of common two- dimensional shapes such as circle, triangle and square. With help, they can construct a simple block graph, for example, depicting which is their favourite breakfast cereal.

p.22

Mathematical development

51. The teaching of mathematics is satisfactory and leads to satisfactory learning taking place. Long-term planning is sound and identifies appropriate opportunities for children to experience the various aspects of mathematical development. However, the learning objectives in the short-term planning of daily activities are generally too broad. They do not always take account of assessments undertaken or identify specific outcomes for the activity, which sometimes results in children not achieving to their full potential. Work in mathematics is often appropriately linked to other areas of learning. For example, the sharing of the story ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ gave children a good opportunity to help to develop their understanding of positional language such as ‘over’ and ‘ under’ . The mathematics co-ordinator, recognising the need to raise children’s attainment, particularly in numeracy, arranges an appropriate

p.22

Mathematical development

workshop for parents to inform and encourage their involvement in their child’s learning.

p.22

Knowledge and understanding of the world

52. Children start in the nursery with very limited general knowledge. They make good progress through the wide range of activities provided and, by the time they leave, most children, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, have begun to develop a sound knowledge and understanding of the world. However, limited vocabulary and lack of confidence in expressing themselves inhibits many of the children’s’ progress. They investigate objects and materials using all their senses. For example, during the inspection week, they showed delight in smelling, touching and tasting a tomato and using a magnifying glass to explore a variety of natural materials. They find out and identify some features of tadpoles and frogs and are counting off the days, with wonder and excitement until their ducks eggs hatch. Many opportunities are provided for them to build and construct models

p.22

Knowledge and understanding of the world

and they cut and stick materials with confidence. They learn how to use programmable toys and they have regular access to information technology to support their learning. Skills such as controlling the ‘mouse’ are well developed. Time in ‘family groups’ provides them with appropriate opportunities to talk about past and present events in their lives. Children’s knowledge and understanding is enhanced by visits to local places of interest such as museums and art galleries. They have a good understanding of their own cultures and are beginning to develop an understanding of those of other cultures and beliefs through experience of other cultural festivals such as Chinese New Year and Afro-Caribbean carnival.

p.22

Knowledge and understanding of the world

53. Overall teaching is good and sometimes very good in classes for the under and over three year olds and this results in good learning taking place. Staff plan a good variety of well thought out topics to effectively develop children’s’ knowledge and understanding of the world. Through the current topic ‘ Growing’ , children are busy planting and tending seeds in order to observe and record their growth. They understand that they have to have the right conditions in order to grow. Children are provided with many worthwhile first hand experiences which stimulates their interest and curiosity and effective use is made of questioning which encourages them to think about how things work and why they happen. Adderley Nursery Centre - 21

p.22

Physical development

54. Children’s physical development is good and they are likely to achieve standards in line with the national expectations by the end of the foundation stage. Standards of achievement have been maintained since the previous inspection. Three-year old children can run, pedal tricycles, climb and slide without assistance. They can join pieces of logo to construct models and hold pencils and crayons with increasing control. They are also beginning to undo their coat buttons and zips without help. Four-year olds can use pencils, brushes and crayons accurately. They can use scissors for cutting and can thread beads with perseverance and participate fully in the outdoor activities.

p.23

Physical development

55. Teaching of physical education is good. Staff put a lot of emphasis on cleanliness and good hygiene and ensure that children wash their hands and understand the importance of keeping clean. All adults work hard to ensure that the outdoor area is used imaginatively and encourage learning. The good ratio of adults in the outdoor play area and the range of good quality apparatus results in the three and four year old children developing good skills of co-ordination and control. They move backwards and forwards on the model horse and spring, jump, slide and balance on equipment. Children move imaginatively in, through and over the apparatus. Small apparatus, such as different textured balls, are provided by staff indoors and outdoors and are used well to develop skills of throwing and catching. The improvements in the outdoor space since the last inspection have enabled children access to herbs and plants to touch,

p.23

Physical development

smell and feel to obtain a wide variety of sensory experiences. New initiatives, such as the ‘Top Start’ project, have increased the confidence and skills of staff in using apparatus such as hoops, cones, quoits and bean bags and children, including those with special educational needs, approach the activities with confidence and enthusiasm for learning through play. Moreover, teachers use other areas of learning, such as creative development, to promote good physical education. For example children move sensitively to accompany their singing and use finger movements as they sing ‘Incy, Wincy Spider’ during the group singing time.

p.23

Physical development

56. The centre uses visiting artists to promote physical development to good effect. There are many photographs that record previous physical activities that have taken place using specialist dancers. Children are shown participating in an Indian dance by controlling finger movements to perform the imaginary actions of playing the trumpet and the violin. Some children are standing on one leg with great ease to express a particular mood in the dance. Overall the daily routine of the Centre provides good opportunities for all children to enhance their physical development.

p.23

Creative development

57. All children make good progress, building on their social skills through practice and interaction with teachers and other adults. By the time they are four years old, they achieve good standards in artistic activities. Children find enjoyment in expressing their feelings and ideas through a range of experiences in artistic, musical and imaginative play . For example, they enjoy painting at the easels and making prints, showing great excitement and wonder at the end product, especially when mixing primary colours together with their hands and when using mirrors to study their own reflections. They know the primary colours well and also know a few secondary colours like orange and green. The youngest two- and three- year-olds enjoy the discovery of playdough shapes when using the cutters. They work happily with a wide range of media. Children enjoy singing and making music and do so tunefully, using actions

p.23

Creative development

enthusiastically in their rhymes and songs. They use the resources well to aid their imaginative play in the home corner and are beginning to show confident social skills when playing with each other. Resources are very good and the role-play areas are easily adaptable to a variety of themes during the year.

p.23

Creative development

58. The quality of teaching is good. All adults support children in their learning and ensure that they gain from the activities through discussion, as they work. There is a good sense of fun encouraged in practical tasks, such as threading dried pasta shapes onto wool and hand printing. Activities are organised very well and always suitably matched to the children’s needs. There is always a well-planned choice of materials in artistic activities and the children make good progress in developing their imaginative skills. Excellent displays of children’s work help to create a vibrant and colourful environment in which all children are highly valued as individuals.

p.23