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Strengths
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- As a consequence, children display extremely positive attitudes, relate very well with others and behaviour is consistently very good. p.12
- Children are managed very well and outstanding relationships have been established. p.8
- Outstanding relationships have been established and as a result children feel secure and are confident learners. p.13
- Scartho Nursery is a very good school with some excellent features. p.6
- Learning resources are very well selected and effectively used to stimulate the children and promote learning. p.8
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No strong criticism found.
Next steps
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- The outdoor play area as in the school improvement plan. p.6
- Information to parents about how well their children are getting on. p.6
- The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. p.6
- The school was last inspected in May 1998. p.6
- After this, the school was given just one key issue for action which was related to the use and safety of equipment in the indoor climbing area. p.6
- The school has improved its accommodation recently, which includes a new indoor physical play area, a second office and an imaginative play area. p.6
- Improvements continue as a classroom has very recently been refurbished. p.6
- The school has fully addressed the recommendation from the last inspection. p.6
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- Pages
- 20
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- 5,208
- longer than usual (typical 1049)
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- Fairly hard
- Flesch 52, typical 45
- Average sentence
- 13 words
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- 8
- typical 5
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- 3%
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Full report text
SCARTHO NURSERY SCHOOL
Dates of inspection: 11 th – 12 th March 2002
p.1
SCARTHO 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.
p.1
SCARTHO 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. Scartho Nursery School - 3
p.2
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: Pinfold Lane Scartho Grimsby North East Lincolnshire Postcode: DN33 2EW
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Appropriate authority: The governing body
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Name of chair of governors: Mrs P F Fisher
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: May 1998 Scartho Nursery School - 4
p.3
Team members
22092 Derek G Watts Registered inspector 13395 Joanna Illingworth Lay inspector
p.4
Team members
Serco QAA Ltd Herringston Barn Herringston DORCHESTER Dorset DT2 9PU
p.4
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:
p.4
Team members
The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division
p.4
Team members
Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Scartho Nursery School - 5
p.4
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
p.5
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Scartho Nursery School is situated in the village of Scartho. It shares a site with the Scartho Adult Education Centre. The school provides education solely for children aged three and four years old. There are 63 children (full time equivalent) on the school’s roll, 89 part time and 18 full time. The school offers full time provision for the last term before children move on to infant school. The school currently has no children identified as having Special Educational Needs. About three per cent of children are eligible for free school meals and this is below average. There are currently seven children with English as an additional language and five of these are at an early stage of English language acquisition. The other languages spoken by children include Arabic, Bengali, Russian and French. The children come from different parts of Grimsby and Cleethorpes as well as the village of Scartho. Most children who enter the
p.6
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Nursery have attended playgroups beforehand. Children’s attainment on entry to Scartho Nursery is just above average.
p.6
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Between 1996 and 1998, the school was under the threat of closure because of surplus places in the area. To the delight of parents, governors and the local community it was decided to retain the nursery provision at Scartho in July 1998.
p.6
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
The school is to be regarded as a ‘Centre of Good Nursery Practice’. The headteacher is involved in a Foundation Stage survey for the local education authority. One teacher is a leading practitioner for the Foundation Stage. Teachers and students visit the school to view school practice, undertake placements or carry out action research.
p.6
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
Scartho Nursery is a very good school with some excellent features. It is very well led and managed by the headteacher. Children attain above average standards in all areas of learning. One of the key factors of the school’s success is effective self evaluation procedures and a commitment to continuous improvement by all the staff and the governors. The learning opportunities provided are very well planned, interesting and stimulating. Children receive very good teaching in all areas of learning. Taking these factors into account, the school provides very good value for money.
p.6
What the school does well
• Children attain above average standards in all areas of learning. • The school has created a positive and stimulating environment and this has a positive effect on children’s attitudes and personal and social development. • Teaching is very good and this leads to very good learning. • The school is very well led and managed. Effective school self-evaluation, planning and professional development leads to continuous improvement.
p.6
What could be improved
• The outdoor play area as in the school improvement plan. • Information to parents about how well their children are getting on. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.
p.6
HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
The school was last inspected in May 1998. After this, the school was given just one key issue for action which was related to the use and safety of equipment in the indoor climbing area. The school has improved its accommodation recently, which includes a new indoor physical play area, a second office and an imaginative play area. Improvements continue as a classroom has very recently been refurbished. The school has fully addressed the recommendation from the last inspection. In addition to Scartho Nursery School - 7 this, it has fully revised its curricular planning in accordance with the Foundation Curriculum 1999 and has fully incorporated the Early Learning Goals. The school has maintained the above average standards identified last time. The quality of teaching has improved from good to very good. Overall, the school has made good improvements since the last inspection .
p.6
STANDARDS
Children at Scartho Nursery are taught the Foundation Curriculum which covers six areas of learning. These are personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development.
p.7
STANDARDS
In personal, social and emotional development, standards are well above average. Children are achieving very well in this area. Standards are above average in all other areas of learning. Most children are on course to meet the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Reception Year and a significant number will exceed them. Most children including those with English as an additional language are achieving well. In all areas of learning, there is no significant difference between the achievement of boys and girls.
p.7
STANDARDS
A very well planned curriculum, a positive and stimulating climate for learning and very good teaching contribute to the standards children achieve.
p.7
Aspect Comment
Attitudes to the school Very good. Children like coming to school and they are enthusiastic and excited about learning.
p.7
Aspect Comment
Behaviour Very good. Children behave extremely well in class, at lunchtime and in the playground.
p.7
Aspect Comment
Personal development and relationships Children work well together. Relationships between peers and adults are very good. Children show considerable independence and responsibility in their learning.
p.7
Aspect Comment
Attendance Very good. A few children arrive late but the school has taken effective action to ensure that this does not disrupt learning.
p.7
Teaching of pupils:
Quality of teaching Very Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.
p.7
Teaching of pupils:
During the inspection, twelve lessons or part lessons were seen. In addition to this, a number of small group activities were seen. Of these twelve lessons, ten were very good and two were good. The quality of teaching is consistently very good in all areas of learning. This high quality teaching has a positive effect on the standards children attain and their rate of learning. Since the last inspection, teaching has improved from good to very good.
p.7
Teaching of pupils:
Teachers and nursery nurses have a very good knowledge of the Foundation Curriculum and how children of this age learn. Lessons are very well planned and teachers provide a range of interesting and stimulating activities. These challenge, inspire and motivate the children. Learning objectives are Scartho Nursery School - 8 effectively identified and so the purpose of lessons is clear. Activities are well matched to children’s ages and stages of development. Teachers and nursery nurses use all activities to develop language, literacy and numeracy skills. The teaching of literacy and numeracy skills is very good. As a result, children are confident speakers, recognise many words and are competent with simple number.
p.7
Teaching of pupils:
Teachers’ instructions and explanations are clear and informative. Very good questioning challenges the children and encourages them to speak and share their experiences. Teachers’ very good explanation and questioning results in children making very good gains in knowledge and understanding. Nursery nurses are very well deployed, well trained and of a high calibre. They contribute considerably to children’s learning. Children with English as an additional language are given very good support and so they make very good progress. Children are given responsibility in choosing activities and they show considerable initiative and independence in doing this. Teachers and nursery nurses use an effective blend of guidance and allowing children to discover and explore. Children are managed very well and outstanding relationships have been established. Children feel secure, are confident learners and behave
p.8
Teaching of pupils:
Learning resources are very well selected and effectively used to stimulate the children and promote learning. ICT is effectively used to support teaching and learning in a range of activities.
p.8
Aspect Comment
The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The curriculum is very well planned and children are offered a very good range of interesting and stimulating learning opportunities. All areas of learning and the Early Learning Goals are very well considered.
p.8
Aspect Comment
Provision for children with special educational needs At present there are no children with special educational needs in the school. However, the school has appropriate policies and procedures in place for effective special needs provision.
p.8
Aspect Comment
Provision for children with English as an additional language Very good. The high quality teaching and very good support helps to ensure children make very good progress.
p.8
Aspect Comment
Provision for children’s personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall. Moral and social development is excellent. Spiritual development is very good and cultural is good.
p.8
Aspect Comment
How well the school cares for its children Very well. The school knows its children and their parents well. There are very good procedures in place to ensure children’s welfare and safety. Assessment procedures are good.
p.8
Aspect Comment
The nursery has established a very good partnership with its parents and this benefits children’s learning.
p.8
Aspect Comment
Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very good leadership. With a strong team of staff, she has created a positive and stimulating learning environment. All staff are committed to children’s learning and continuous professional development.
p.8
Aspect Comment
How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very well. The governors are effective, committed and well informed. They have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and have been Scartho Nursery School - 9 actively involved in improvements.
p.8
Aspect Comment
The school’s evaluation of its performance Self evaluation procedures are very good and these guide further improvement.
p.9
Aspect Comment
The strategic use of resources The school makes very effective use of specific grants in order to improve provision. Principles of best value are applied well.
p.9
Aspect Comment
The school is well staffed with a committed team of teachers, nursery nurses and support staff. The accommodation and learning resources are good. The staff room is small for the number of adults who work in the school.
p.9
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
• Children like school. • The progress their child makes. • The school is approachable. • Children are expected to work hard and achieve their best. • The school develops mature and responsible children well. • Teaching is very good. • Behaviour is very good. • The school is well led and managed. • Information on how well their child is getting on.
p.9
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
The inspection team fully supports the very positive views identified by parents. The school has a Record of Achievement system where children take home a folder of work each weekend. There is also on going discussion between staff and parents about how well their child is progressing. However, a significant number of parents would welcome a written report of their children’s progress before they move on to infant school. The inspection team believe that this would be very useful to parents. Scartho Nursery School - 10
p.9
Children attain above average standards in all areas of learning
1. In personal, social and emotional development, standards are well above average. Standards are above average in all other areas of learning. The school has maintained the above average standards that were reported during the last inspection. Children are on course to reach the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Reception Year and a significant number will exceed them. Children attain above average standards because of the very good range of planned learning opportunities provided and the very good teaching they receive. There is no significant difference between the achievement of boys and girls.
p.10
Personal, social and emotional development
2. Standards are well above average and children are achieving very well in this area of learning. Children at Scartho Nursery are keenly interested and excited about learning. They respond positively to teachers’ instructions and questions. They show considerable initiative and independence when choosing tasks. Developing independent learners is one of the school’s main intentions. This is effectively promoted and achieved by providing opportunities for children to choose from a range of interesting activities. In pursuing tasks they show sustained concentration.
p.10
Personal, social and emotional development
3. Good health and hygiene routines are well established. Most children can dress themselves without adult help.
p.10
Communication, language and literacy
4. In this area of learning children are attaining above average standards and are achieving well. A significant number of children are attaining well above average standards. When looking at large texts with the teacher or nursery nurse, children watch and listen with interest. Teachers are enthusiastic and animated when reading to the children. This motivates them and captures their interest. Effective explanation and questioning promotes learning well. Children show a clear understanding of the text. In one lesson a group was looking at a book about frogs and frogspawn. Children were confident in describing the life cycle of a frog. One higher attaining child remarked that birds look after their eggs better than frogs. Children show a great deal of interest and enjoyment in books. Many go straight to the bookstand when they first arrive in school.
p.10
Communication, language and literacy
5. Older children use a pencil and hold it correctly. Letters are correctly formed and children write words to label diagrams. Most can write their names. Some higher attaining children are beginning to write sentences. For example, one child wrote: ‘ A dog called poor Pete.’ with good letter formation.
p.10
Communication, language and literacy
6. In another group, children were exploring the ‘th’ sound. They identified and recognised this sound in words such as thin, thick, thrush, thimble and thermometer. With skilful questioning and prompting by the teacher, the children explained the meaning of the words. One child explained that a thimble could be made of plastic or metal and it stopped you pricking your finger when you sew.
p.10
Mathematical development
7. Children attain above average standards in mathematical development and are achieving well. A significant number of pupils are attaining well above average standards in mathematical development. Teachers and nursery nurses take every opportunity to develop children’s numeracy skills. For example, counting was used at snack time for sharing an apple. Most children count confidently to ten. Songs are also effectively used and children sing ‘Five Scartho Nursery School - 11 speckled frogs’. A number of activities were provided to develop children’s positional language. In one activity children were hunting for cardboard Easter eggs in the physical activity room. Children described the positions of their hidden eggs. For example, they said: “beside the radiator”, “on top of the box” and “inside the box”. In another activity, a nursery nurse used a puppet frog and a model lily pad to show the position of the frog. Children acquired language and
p.10
Mathematical development
used it correctly. For example, they described the frog beside the lily or underneath it.
p.11
Mathematical development
8. Children recognise and name a number of two-dimensional shapes including circles, rectangles, squares and octagons. ICT is used very well to support teaching and learning in mathematical development. For example, children drag items such as apples in different boxes to help their counting skills.
p.11
Knowledge and understanding of the world
9. Standards are above average in this area of learning. Achievement is good. Children show a clear knowledge and understanding of animal life cycles. For example, they describe the life cycle of a butterfly using scientific vocabulary such as eggs, caterpillar and cocoon.
p.11
Knowledge and understanding of the world
10. Children use a range of construction kits competently. They built robots from reclaimed boxes. These were carefully assembled, glued and painted. The finished products were impressive. Children develop knowledge of different materials by producing attractive collages of metal tops, wood, straw, string and feathers.
p.11
Knowledge and understanding of the world
11. Most children use ICT well to support their learning. ICT was seen being used to develop number and counting, letter sounds, spelling and vocabulary. Most have competent skills in using a mouse and can print their work. Younger children are given effective support in helping them to acquire essential skills. The school has a good range of computers and software to support learning that is effectively used.
p.11
Physical development
12. Children attain above average standards in physical development and achieve well in this area of learning. In outdoor play children have regular opportunities to develop physical skills. Most are confident on climbing apparatus and beams. They move with good coordination and control when climbing and travelling over or under equipment. Spatial awareness is generally well developed. Children ride a variety of cycles and other vehicles with confidence and control. Provision for physical development has improved since the last inspection with the addition of the physical play room.
p.11
Creative development
13. Standards in creative development are above average and children’s achievement is good. Children recognise different musical sounds. They demonstrate imagination and creativity as they respond to sounds created by the teacher. In dance, they match their body movements to music and demonstrate stillness or brisk action.
p.11
Creative development
14. Children are given opportunities to paint and explore with colours. Children produced attractive and striking paintings of alder twigs with catkins by observing actual specimens. They chose a brown for the branches and a deep yellow for the hanging catkins. Another group had painted hyacinths. These were equally striking with deep green leaves and different shades of pink for the flowers.
p.11
Creative development
15. Children are provided with plenty of opportunities for creative and imaginative play. The adventure box was a popular activity. Children explored large cardboard boxes and drapes. They built castles, large boats or became ‘Jack in the box’. Scartho Nursery School - 12 16. Children produce attractive collages using different textiles, pasta and paper. Using an ICT paint program, children create colourful line patterns. They show good mouse control as they change the colour and size of the lines.
p.11
The school has created a positive and stimulating environment and this has a positive effect on
children’s attitudes and their personal and social development.
p.12
The school has created a positive and stimulating environment and this has a positive effect on
17. Together, the headteacher and all staff have created a positive and stimulating climate for all children to learn. This has an extremely positive effect on children’s attitudes, personal and social development.
p.12
The school has created a positive and stimulating environment and this has a positive effect on
18. All adults in the school are very good role models to children. Children are encouraged to be kind and to use kind words, be helpful, cooperate with others, listen, take turns, be fair, share and be polite. These qualities along with independence are promoted very well in all activities. The provision for children’s social and moral development is excellent. As a consequence, children display extremely positive attitudes, relate very well with others and behaviour is consistently very good.
p.12
The school has created a positive and stimulating environment and this has a positive effect on
19. Children are given opportunities to take responsibilities. Teachers nominate a helper for the day and all children have chances to choose different learning activities. Children take turns in taking home the school’s guinea pig, ‘Hardy,’ for the weekend.
p.12
The school has created a positive and stimulating environment and this has a positive effect on
20. The quality of display in the classrooms is consistently high and is most effective in recognising children’s achievements and providing stimuli and motivation for current work. For example, to support work on changes and life cycles, one classroom contained an impressive three- dimensional display on pond life. This display included colourful reeds and other plants, which had been cut out from coloured paper. Clear ‘bubble wrap’ and black circles from a hole punch were used to great effect to create model frogspawn. Besides the pond was a cherry tree with blossom made from pink tissue paper. Photographs of spring scenes further enhanced this wonderful display. Tanks of frogspawn were displayed along with spring flowers such as daffodils, snowdrops, primulas, forsythia and bergenia. A range of attractive books were also on display and children had full access to these. The display was extremely inspiring and
p.12
The school has created a positive and stimulating environment and this has a positive effect on
21. Lunchtime is an extremely pleasant occasion and all the staff use this as a golden opportunity to develop the children’s personal and social skills. The full time children are provided with lunch on the premises. During the inspection, 17 children sat at two large tables with teachers and nursery nurses. The children enjoyed a healthy meal of soup, sandwiches and fresh fruit. The promotion of social skills by the teachers and nursery nurses was excellent. As a result, children were courteous and polite. They waited patiently, shared and took responsibility in passing the plate of food around. Opportunities are used very well for the children to talk about their work, families and interests. Opportunities for prayer and reflection were also effectively explored.
p.12
Teaching is very good and this leads to very good learning
22. During the inspection, twelve lessons were seen plus a number of small group activities. Of these lessons, ten were very good and two were good. The quality of teaching is consistently very good in all areas of learning and this has a positive effect on the standards attained and children’s rate of learning. At the last inspection, teaching was judged to be good and a strength of the school. The school has built further on this key strength as teaching has improved from good to very good.
p.12
Teaching is very good and this leads to very good learning
23. Teachers and nursery nurses have a very good knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Curriculum and how children of this age learn. Lessons are very well planned and interesting and stimulating learning opportunities are provided. These motivate, inspire and challenge the children. Learning activities effectively cover the six areas of learning and take full account of the Early Learning Goals. Clear learning objectives are identified for lessons and this provides a Scartho Nursery School - 13 clear purpose to activities and children know what they are to learn. Activities and tasks are well matched to the children’s age and stage of development. This helps to ensure that all children are appropriately challenged.
p.12
Teaching is very good and this leads to very good learning
24. Teachers’ and nursery nurses’ instructions are very clear and informative. Children listen with interest and enthusiasm and follow these well. Effective questioning is used to challenge the children’s thinking and encourage them to speak and share their knowledge and experiences. Children make very good gains in acquiring new knowledge and understanding through effective explanations and questioning. Teachers and nursery nurses use all activities to develop language, literacy and numeracy skills. As a result, children are confident speakers, recognise many words and are competent with simple number.
p.13
Teaching is very good and this leads to very good learning
25. Nursery nurses are very well deployed, well trained and of a high calibre. They make a considerable contribution to children’s very good learning. The teamwork among the staff in planning and providing high quality learning opportunities for the children is a strength of the school. Students and parent helpers are also effective in promoting and supporting children’s learning. Children with English as an additional language receive very good support and this enables them to make very good progress.
p.13
Teaching is very good and this leads to very good learning
26. Children are given responsibility in choosing activities to undertake and this helps to promote independent learners. They show initiative and independence in doing this. The tasks that children chose are very carefully monitored by staff to ensure that they experience a good balance of learning opportunities. Teachers and nursery nurses use an effective blend of guidance and allowing children to explore and investigate. This also contributes to the successful development of independent learning. This is a strength of the teaching and learning at Scartho.
p.13
Teaching is very good and this leads to very good learning
27. The management of children is another strength of the school. Outstanding relationships have been established and as a result children feel secure and are confident learners. Behaviour and relationships are very good. Learning resources are very well selected and used to promote learning. They are often attractive and stimulating and this inspires the children. ICT is used frequently to support children’s learning in a full range of activities. Homework activities are used effectively to enhance children’s learning.
p.13
Teaching is very good and this leads to very good learning
28. In one of the very good lessons seen, the teacher was sharing a big book, ‘Pig in the Pond’ with the children on the carpet. The teacher read the book with enthusiasm and expression. The children were excited by the book and listened attentively. They followed the story very well and demonstrated concentration and effort. They developed a clear understanding of the story and learned new words through very good questioning by the teacher. The children listened well to questions and took turns in speaking. The younger children developed more self confidence in speaking to others. The teacher managed the children very well and mutual trust and respect were clearly evident.
p.13
Teaching is very good and this leads to very good learning
29. In another very good lesson, the teacher and group were looking at the life cycle of a butterfly. The teacher used colourful illustrations, flash cards and plastic models of eggs, a caterpillar and an adult butterfly to explain the stages of development. The children were keenly interested. They responded very well to the teacher’s questions and were eager to show their knowledge. They explained the different stages of the cycle using correct vocabulary and interesting adjectives such as ‘a beautiful butterfly’. The children then produced drawings of what they had learned. The teacher used effective modelling to help the children form their letters correctly when labelling their drawings. The children were on task and highly productive during the main activity. A nursery nurse provided valuable support to children. The plenary of the lesson was used well by the teacher to share and celebrate their work. The teacher used praise very well in
p.13
Teaching is very good and this leads to very good learning
feeding back on the children’s work and gave useful comments on how they could improve. Scartho Nursery School - 14
p.13
professional development leads to continuous improvement
30. The school is very well led by an experienced and enthusiastic headteacher who demonstrates a strong commitment to nursery education. She has vision and provides clear educational direction for the school. The headteacher has successfully built a strong team of staff who are fully committed to continuous improvement and providing high quality learning opportunities for all children in their care. Different areas of learning and other responsibilities have been effectively delegated to staff and teachers lead and develop their areas effectively.
p.14
professional development leads to continuous improvement
• Providing a happy, caring and secure environment for children and parents • Building on each child’s unique learning experience • Providing a challenging environment and to maximise learning • To build teamwork among the staff and to provide personal and professional development • To strengthen the partnership with the local community.
p.14
professional development leads to continuous improvement
32. These aims and values along with high quality leadership and very good teaching pervade the day to day life of the school. The successful accomplishment of these aims significantly contributes to the standards children achieve and the school’s success.
p.14
professional development leads to continuous improvement
33. The school has effective systems for monitoring and evaluating its performance. The findings of these activities inform the school improvement plan. The headteacher and teachers monitor and evaluate curricular planning. Planning is modified and improved in the light of review. The headteacher maintains a very good overview of teaching and learning. There are also opportunities for staff to observe teaching and so very good practice and ideas are shared. The school improvement plan is clear and sets out appropriate priorities.
p.14
professional development leads to continuous improvement
34. In-service training and professional development is an integral part of the school’s aims and ethos. Many opportunities are available and all staff receive regular in-service training in order to keep abreast of current developments and initiatives. The school is an effective training organisation for its own staff and for adults from other organisations. One teacher is a leading practioner for the Foundation Years and teachers frequently visit the school to observe the very good practice. A number of students visit or undertake work experience placements. The headteacher is currently involved in a Foundation Stage survey for the local education authority. In doing this she is sharing her own expertise and gaining insight of practice in other settings.
p.14
professional development leads to continuous improvement
35. The governing body are effective, committed and well-informed. They have a very good knowledge and understanding of the school’s many strengths and have been actively involved in improvements. The governing body are very well led by a chair who has maintained her positive input into the school long after her own children left the nursery. The governing body were particularly supportive and proactive when the nursery was under the threat of closure between 1996 and 1998. While extremely supportive, the governors also provide appropriate levels of challenge in the quest for continuous improvement. Statutory duties and requirements are fully met and the governing body are appropriately involved in policy and decision making.
p.14
The outdoor play area as in the school improvement plan
36. The school has a play area at the rear. This has a good range of climbing and outdoor equipment and much of this is set on a safety surface. Large tubs with shrubs and plants and wall baskets containing spring flowers enhance the outdoor play area. In the middle of this area is an old kitchen and storage building. The school plans to remove this building in order to produce more space and scope for outdoor play. This would be an improvement to the outdoor facilities. Scartho Nursery School - 15
p.14
Information to parents about how well their children are getting on
37. The school has an established Record of Achievement system. This is where samples of individuals work are kept in a folder. Children take this folder home every weekend and discuss their work with parents and carers. There is also on going discussion between staff and parents about how well their child is progressing. The school has effective procedures for assessing and recording children’s attainment. This information is used to guide future curricular planning and is reported to the child’s infant school but at present, the school does not provide a written report to parents. A significant number of parents would welcome a report of their children’s achievements giving information about what their children can do and the progress they make in each area of learning. The inspection team believes that this would be very useful to parents. Scartho Nursery School - 16
p.15
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
In order to improve this very good school even further, the headteacher, governors and staff should:
p.16
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
1) Improve the outdoor play area as indicated on the school improvement plan. (Paragraph 36)
p.16
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
2) Provide a written report for parents giving information about how well their child is getting on in each area of learning. (Paragraph 37) Scartho Nursery School - 17
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 9
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
The table gives the number and percentage of sessions observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each session represents more than eight percentage points.
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 63
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 2
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
English as an additional language No of pupils
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils with English as an additional language 7
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 4
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Scartho Nursery School - 18 Children’s attendance at nursery is not a statutory requirement. Children like coming to school and attendance levels are very good. The school promotes regular attendance successfully. Scartho Nursery School - 19 Teachers and classes Financial information
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Qualified teachers and support staff Financial year 2000
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 3
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21 £
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Total number of education support staff 3 Total expenditure 196,054
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Total aggregate hours worked per week 98 Expenditure per pupil 3,017
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Balance brought forward from previous year 0
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils per FTE adult 10.5 Balance carried forward to next year - 926
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0
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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
FTE means full-time equivalent. Scartho Nursery School - 20
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Percentage of responses in each category
Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
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Percentage of responses in each category
My child is making good progress in school. 79 18 0 0 1
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Percentage of responses in each category
Behaviour in the school is good. 75 21 1 0 1
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Percentage of responses in each category
My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 57 27 4 0 3
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Percentage of responses in each category
I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 58 29 10 1 0
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Percentage of responses in each category
I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 86 10 0 0 0
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Percentage of responses in each category
The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 40 1 0 3
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Percentage of responses in each category
The school works closely with parents. 61 26 7 1 3
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Percentage of responses in each category
The school is well led and managed. 82 13 0 0 1
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Percentage of responses in each category
The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 79 16 1 0 0
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Percentage of responses in each category
The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 52 14 3 1 14
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