Ogley Hay Nursery School

OGLEY HAY NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 19 – 20 November 2001

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OGLEY HAY NURSERY SCHOOL

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.

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OGLEY HAY 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. Ogley Hay Nursery School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Brickiln Street Brownhills Walsall

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors / LEA responsible officer: Mr Chris Green

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 26 January 1998 Ogley Hay Nursery School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

22428 Val Farrow Registered inspector Communication, Language and Literacy Mathematical Development Personal, Social and Emotional Development Equal opportunities What sort of school is it? How high are standards? a) The school’s results and achievements How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further?

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Aspect responsibilities

11437 Anthony Anderson Lay inspector How high are standards? b) Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 31862 Julia Coop Team inspector Knowledge and Understanding of the World Physical Development Creative Development Special educational needs How well are pupils taught? How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Ogley Hay Nursery School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Ogley Hay Nursery School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Ogley Hay Nursery School is situated in the town centre of Brownhills. There are 7 children who attend the nursery full time, 4 boys and 3 girls. 18 boys and 19 girls attend on a part time basis. Most children live in the immediate area where there are significant levels of deprivation within the local community. Approximately one quarter of the children have special educational needs which is higher than average. There are no children from minority ethnic backgrounds. For a significant number of children attainment on entry is below average for their age and is well below in communication, language and literacy, mathematical and personal and social skills In September 2001 the school was re-designated as a nursery centre and now offers 30 full time equivalent places compared with 50 at the time of the last inspection. A range of additional provision is now offered including a pre-school group, health and family support services. 10 morning children are offered additional care provision

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

each afternoon. During the inspection cover was provided by a supply teacher during one half day.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Ogley Hay Nursery School provides a sound education and satisfactory value for money. The teaching is good and children make good progress so that they are on course to reach the standard expected by the end of their reception year in primary school. Leadership and management are satisfactory and staff work well as a team. Children like school and are well cared for. Their personal development is very good and they are very well behaved.

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What the school does well

 Teaching is good and this leads to good learning  Good assessments are made of children’s learning  Children have positive attitudes to school. Their behaviour and personal development are very good  Relationships are very good and staff take good care of children  Support for children with special educational needs is good  Communication and links with parents are good

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What could be improved

 Systems for checking how well the school is doing  Planning the curriculum for children who are full time or in nursery longer than one year  The time when children choose what they want to do is too long and adults are not clear about their role  Adults do not focus on the development of children’s physical skills in the outdoor area  Attendance is well below the national average The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in January 1998. Satisfactory progress has been made in addressing the main areas for improvement. Progress has been slower in aspects relating to the leadership and management of the school over the past year. One reason for this is that time has been spent on the re-designation of the nursery school as a nursery centre. A lot of work has been undertaken to improve the quality of planning. This is now much better and maps out what will be covered across the year. It shows in detail how topics are planned for each term. Daily activity plans cater well for children’s differing levels of ability. The headteacher’s teaching commitment still varies on a termly basis and suitable plans to develop children’s physical skills in the outdoor area have not been developed. Co-ordinators for each area of learning have been identified, better guidance has been developed and staff plan their work together. Systems for monitoring the quality of teaching and

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

learning are planned but not implemented. Teaching has improved and none is unsatisfactory. The school development plan is of better quality and significant emphasis has been placed on improving the outdoor area. Ogley Hay Nursery School - 8

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STANDARDS

Children are following the Foundation Stage curriculum that is recommended for both nursery and reception classes. They are working towards the Early Learning Goals that should be achieved by the end of their reception year and are likely to reach the expected standards. Children are making good progress in their personal, social and emotional development, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and in their physical and creative development. Standards are lower for a small number of children in their language, literacy and communication skills. This still represents good achievement because when they enter the school their skills in this area are well below average.

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STANDARDS

The progress made is similar for different groups of children compared with the standards they achieved on entry to the school. This is because staff know children well and adapt most activities to meet children’s particular needs. Those with special educational needs are well included and supported. As a result they make good progress. Higher attainers are identified early on and questioned by adults so that the work is harder and their thinking is challenged. This is not the case for those children who attend the nursery all day and are often expected to repeat the same activities in the afternoon. There are no marked differences between the achievements of boys and girls.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Children have good attitudes to learning and participate well in a wide range of activities.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. The children know what is expected of them and fit in well with nursery routines.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Children relate well to one another and to adults. They show confidence and are able to make choices.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is well below the national average, although this is not a statutory requirement for children of this age.

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Aspect Comment

Children make a positive start and their very good behaviour contributes well to their learning.

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Teaching of pupils:

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

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Teaching of pupils:

Much of the teaching seen in small group activities was good and resulted in good learning. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. This is better than when the school was last inspected because lesson plans are now more detailed and more closely matched to the different ways in which children of differing abilities learn. During small group sessions staff question children at the right level of difficulty. They pay good attention to the development of skills that cross over the different areas of the nursery curriculum. Staff are quick to build positive relationships and have a good understanding of how young children learn. They plan practical activities that capture children’s interest well and build upon what they know. During children’s free choice time the teaching is not as successful because staff are less clear about what they need to do. The length of this session is too long and children lose interest in activities more quickly. There is no planning for physical development in the

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Teaching of pupils:

outdoor area so that children’s skills are progressively developed. On these occasions adults adopt more of a supervisory role. Good attention is given to children’s mathematical development, for example at registration and small group time, and as a result they make good progress. Although Ogley Hay Nursery School - 9 good attention is given by staff throughout the day to the development of children’s language skills, given their low starting points they would benefit from a greater focus during small group activities.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory overall. A relevant and interesting range of activities is provided, with a good contribution from the local community. Planning has improved since the last inspection but does not take account of children who are full time or in the nursery more than one year. The provision for personal, social and health education is good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good support is provided. Children’s individual learning needs are well met and they make good progress. They are fully included in all aspects of nursery provision.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Personal development is given a suitably high priority. Moral and social development are good. Children are taught to respect others, share and take turns. All adults are positive role models and reinforce high expectations of honesty and fairness. Children are supported well in developing their understanding of a wide range of cultures.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares for children well and pays good attention to their welfare. The procedures for checking children’s progress are good and this information is shared with parents and carers.

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Aspect Comment

The school maintains a constructive partnership with parents. Parents’ views of the school are positive and the school’s links with parents are good.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The headteacher and staff work well as a team and have created a positive environment for children’s learning. Monitoring of teaching and learning is not systematic enough so that the whole team is aware of which activities work best and those that are less successful.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory overall. The governance of the school has changed since the last inspection and many members of the current Management Committee are recently appointed. They have a good understanding of the school’s involvement in community initiatives but have been less involved in evaluating other aspects of the school’s work.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Systems for self-review are at an early stage of development. Good systems have been set up to gather information about the progress of individual children but this information is not used to check how well the school is doing and how it could improve.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. The school does not have a delegated budget but makes suitable use of the funding it controls. Good use is made of specific grants. Time is not always well used to further children’s learning.

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Aspect Comment

Staffing and accommodation are good. There is a satisfactory range of learning resources that are well organised and accessible to children. The school does not have a delegated budget but takes appropriate measures to apply the principles of best value. Ogley Hay Nursery School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

 The teaching is good and children make good progress.  The leadership and management of the school.  Their children like coming to school.  Staff are friendly and approachable.  The school works closely with parents.  The school helps children become mature and responsible.  A small number of parents would like more information about how their children are getting on.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspection findings support the positive views of parents and carers and confirm that good opportunities are provided for them to find out about children’s progress. Ogley Hay Nursery School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children enter the nursery with standards that are below average when compared to children of a similar age. The skills of most children in communication, language and literacy are well below average for many children, and for a significant number of children in relation to their mathematical development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. All children make good gains in all of the areas of learning. They are on course to achieve the Early Learning Goals, which are the standards expected for children by the end of the Foundation Stage when they finish their reception year at primary school. This is similar to the last inspection. In aspects of their physical development they are doing better than this. The provision for higher attaining children has improved. This is because the planning now identifies what these children might be expected to achieve and they are targeted by staff through effective questioning. Children who stay at the nursery all day do not always achieve as well as they might when they repeat the same activities in the afternoon.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. A high emphasis is placed on the development of children’s personal, social and emotional development. They work happily in small and large groups and co-operate well together. In small group time they show good levels of concentration and are confident in making choices about what they will do at other times in the nursery day. The nursery is arranged to enable the children to become independent and as a result children are willing to take responsibility for tasks such as taking the register or a message to the school office. They are well supported by good routines and know what they will need to do next.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Children are developing their communication, language and literacy skills across all activities in the nursery. They extend their vocabulary as a result of skilled questioning by staff. They listen well and respond appropriately to instructions from adults. In free choice activities children attempt different forms of writing such as lists and recipes. The more able children are beginning to write their name and recognise the different letters. Children enjoy looking at books and treat them properly. They understand that words and pictures are different and the more able children use pictures confidently to ‘read’ the story.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Children understand about different sizes, similarities and differences through their role-play activities in the shoe shop. For example they confidently select two shoes that are the same size to make a pair. They handle money with confidence and count out change as they assume the role of the shopkeeper. Children match by shape, colour and size. They recognise shapes such as squares, circles, triangles and rectangles. Children are soundly developing their counting skills but their mathematical language is less well developed.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Children learn about the natural world through direct experiences such as gardening and observing ducks in the nursery. They celebrate festivals such as Diwali and develop their understanding of other cultures by tasting a range of foods. Through visits to shops in the immediate area, children become aware of the local environment and learn about the different jobs that people do. They then reinforce this learning through imaginative role-play activities in the nursery. This makes the work more relevant and ensures that good progress is made.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. When using the improved outdoor area, children move confidently in pedalling and steering wheeled toys. They have a good awareness of space and suitably make way for each other. Inside the nursery they move imaginatively over the large soft foam blocks. Most can successfully create a simple sequence of movements. The use of the ‘splash pool’ similarly is very well planned and supports children well in confidently entering the water safely. Children use a range of resources such as pencils, scissors and paintbrushes with developing control appropriate to their age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Children’s creative development in the nursery is promoted well through art, music and role-play activities. They make good progress because of the encouragement they receive from adults to Ogley Hay Nursery School - 12 try out a wide range of activities. They use their senses well to explore the difference between wet and dry sand and are aware of the different textures of materials to make an imaginative collage.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Children with special educational needs achieve well in relation to their abilities. They are well supported and their individual learning needs are well met. As a result they make good progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Children’s attitudes to the school are good and their behaviour and personal development are very good. Their attendance is well below the national average.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Although there were several examples observed in the nursery where children displayed very good attitudes both to their work, their friends and adults, the overall attitudes of children during the inspection were good. Children were observed working in harmony with their friends as they engaged in a variety of activities. Where the teaching is good or very good, as is the case in many activities, children are quick to respond to the challenges set. During some of the longer working sessions, a significant number of children become a little restless at times and lose concentration.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. During the inspection there were many examples of children displaying very positive responses to adults’ instructions. For example in one small group activity that followed the current theme of exploring the difference between large and small, children were challenged to find a pair of shoes to fit the teacher’s feet. They were also asked to observe the difference in size between their own feet, the teacher’s feet and those of a doll in the nursery. Children constantly exhibit very good behaviour both in the nursery and in the playground where they were observed to play well in small groups and individually with a wide range of resources. Children also demonstrated very good behaviour in the splash pool when they showed very good relationships with each other and with adults as they collected a variety of sequins with large and small sieves.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The day-to-day relationships between children, their peers and adults are very good. Children work well both independently and collaboratively with their friends. In one work time activity they related well together in a small group as they examined shapes and practised folding a piece of paper to fit into an envelope. Good opportunities are provided for children to develop their personal and social skills through speaking, listening and taking responsibility for tasks such as helping to tidy up the nursery.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Children with special educational needs enjoy coming to the nursery and have developed positive relationships with the staff. They are well supported and this ensures that they are motivated and enjoy the learning activities on offer.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The overall attendance at the school is well below the national average and there is also evidence of a high level of unauthorised absence. However, attendance at nursery school is not statutory. School registers are correctly marked both morning and afternoon. There have been no exclusions from the school over the past few years.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. Teaching is good overall and this leads to good learning. One in five sessions observed were judged to be very good, just under half were good and the remaining third were satisfactory. This is a better picture than the last inspection when a small number of lessons was judged to be unsatisfactory. This is because lesson plans are now more detailed and more closely matched to assessments of children’s learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. Examples of good teaching are found in all areas of learning. This degree of consistency improves children’s learning opportunities and ensures that children achieve well. Staff manage children’s behaviour very effectively. This results in children having a very clear understanding of how they are expected to behave and has a positive impact on learning. The good and very Ogley Hay Nursery School - 13 good teaching, although seen in all areas, was confined to staff led small group activities. These were paced briskly and focussed on skill development. In these sessions, plans were very detailed and well matched to the different learning needs of children. Resources were used well and staff used questions skilfully to involve all children in the activities. This was seen in a physical development activity in the ‘splash pool’. The session was very well planned and managed, used resources well, encouraging children to collect items in their ‘big and little’

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

sieves. Children responded eagerly to the task. Staff used a variety of questions very well related to the different areas of learning. As a result children developed counting skills and recognised simple concepts of size in addition to gaining confidence in the water.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Nearly all of the satisfactory teaching was observed within the children’s self initiated work sessions. In these sessions, children plan their own tasks. Staff interact appropriately with children and on occasions encourage language development. For example, when staff join children in their writing or at the modelling table, they engage them in talking about size and shape, or encourage children to hold pencils correctly. However, these sessions are over long and the children’s attention often wanders. Staff, especially in the outdoor area, tend to act as ‘supervisors’ and often do not fully develop the learning opportunities these sessions present. This is similar to the findings of the last inspection. Times for reflection at the end of these sessions, that are used to encourage children to evaluate their learning, are too short. They are often interrupted by parents arriving or children leaving for lunch and are hurried occasions. The

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

development of children’s learning is therefore often lost, because they do not provide a clear well-focussed end to the session. Opportunities to develop language through the reading of a story, or the singing of nursery rhymes are often missed on these occasions.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. The teachers, nursery nurses and classroom assistants work well together and form a strong team. They have a secure knowledge and understanding of the interests and learning needs of young children and are positive role models for developing children’s language. They use conversation well, for example to develop children’s knowledge and understanding of the current topic ‘Big and Little’ especially in the activities they have planned. Although staff engage children in conversation to develop language skills, the development of particular aspects such as early reading and writing skills would benefit from a more specific focus. Teaching in the area of mathematical development is consistently good. This is because teaching is based within children’s own direct experience. Games and activities are well focussed and support learning well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. The teaching of children who have special educational needs is good. Staff use questions effectively to engage children in learning. This support ensures that these children are fully included in all activities. Children with more specific needs have very relevant additional support. This is a positive aspect of the provision. Staff use the advice from other agencies well to plan relevant learning activities. One group of children attend nursery full time. Staff have considered carefully their particular needs, however, these children repeat the same activities during the afternoon sessions. Children, especially those who are more able, often recognise this. For example one child exclaimed in a physical development lesson ‘Oh we did this, this morning.’ This aspect of planning is not beneficial for the learning needs of these children.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Overall, the quality of teaching is underpinned by close, supportive relationships. The children are managed very well. Staff are encouraging and good-humoured in their conversations with children and where they need to, quietly reinforce the nursery rules. This approach prepares the children well for their move into statutory schooling.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

22. The quality and range of learning opportunities are satisfactory overall but there are some areas for improvement. They reflect the aims of the nursery well. The school provides a relevant and interesting range of activities that addresses all aspects of the nursery curriculum well. Improvements have taken place since the last inspection. Curriculum planning in particular has improved. This is now linked to the Early Learning Goals with a long-term overview that better identifies the experiences to be covered over a year. This informs the termly plans well, which Ogley Hay Nursery School - 14 provide skills to be covered in more specific detail. The six areas of learning are planned in detail through daily activity plans. They identify what is to be learned by children with different abilities. The teacher with responsibility for this has worked hard to ensure that plans are well linked to assessments and to the national ‘Stepping Stones to Learning’ for each area.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23. The school provides suitable opportunities for activities that are adult led and those that are initiated by the children themselves. These are not always well balanced in that children’s free choice time is over long and the role of adults in developing children’s learning lacks focus during this time. Currently topics are planned to cover one year. Although these are monitored and evaluated so that some changes are made to individual topics, generally they are repeated year on year. Although these are particularly relevant to nursery aged children, a significant number attend the nursery for longer than three terms. Currently, these children repeat these same topics and activities. This means that they do not have access to a broader range of activities that would better challenge them to move their learning forward. In addition, a small but significant number of children attend the nursery full time. These children in effect not only

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

repeat the same activities during the afternoon sessions but also with minor alterations a year later. This does not ensure that they have suitable access to a broad and relevant range of curricular experiences

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. Each area of learning is well organised and activities are well grounded on detailed information about each child. Assessments are effectively used to ensure that the needs of all children including those with special educational needs are taken into account when specific adult led activities are planned. Although no particular homework is given, the ‘story sacks’ and library books sent home are beneficial to learning and parents greatly appreciate them.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. The good provision for children with special educational needs has been maintained since the last inspection. Good links have been developed with outside agencies to ensure that children’s specific needs are regularly monitored. The school takes due consideration of the advice given and takes this into account when planning activities. Adults know the children well and cause for concern is quickly identified so that support can be provided. Children’s individual education plans are relevant and their progress reviewed regularly. However the targets are not always written in a way that parents and children can easily understand. These would benefit from further consideration.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. Personal, social and emotional development is given a suitably high priority. There is a clear focus to ensure that individual needs are met and that each child gains in confidence. Health education is suitably prioritised. For example at ‘snack time’ the children are encouraged to wash their hands and to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. The school continues to make good links with the community, partner schools and colleges. For example, children visit the library and storytellers come to work with the children. A range of visits and visitors support learning well. Children have visited local shops, the fire station and a dentist to learn about ’people who help them’. The nursery has close links with other nurseries and schools in the area. Colleagues meet regularly to share ideas, to improve and develop their work with younger children. Former nursery parents, together with new parents meet regularly and support the nursery well through a range of fund raising activities. Good links exist with colleges and local comprehensive schools. Pupils and students attend the nursery on work placements and they make a positive contribution to the children’s learning.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. Provision for children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and has been maintained since the last inspection.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. There are many opportunities for children to wonder at the world around them, for example when they examine creatures found in the outdoor area or when ducks visit them in the classroom. Children listen attentively and quietly to weekly stories and poems told in a darkened room to a flickering candle. On these occasions they are able to reflect simply about ‘special people’ and express their feelings in simple terms in a calm and caring atmosphere.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. Moral and social development are good and effectively build upon positive principles within an atmosphere of mutual respect. All adults are positive role models and reinforce high expectations of honesty and fairness in all aspects of nursery life. Children are developing a Ogley Hay Nursery School - 15 good understanding of right and wrong. They are supported through daily gatherings to respect one another’s decisions, have good manners and take turns. They are encouraged to be kind to children with special educational needs. Through planning their own activities and selecting their own resources, they are developing self-confidence and respect for their environment.

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. Provision for cultural development is similarly good and well developed. Children celebrate different faith festivals such as Diwali when they make ‘Diva lamps.’ They make and taste different foods and enjoy looking at books and playing musical instruments from around the world. These activities help children to understand simply about a wide range of cultures. They look at a range of artists’ work for example Van Gough’s Sunflower picture and use this to explore painting in bold colours. Such activities enrich children’s experiences and introduce them to a wide and interesting range of cultural experiences that enhance their learning well.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. The procedures for child protection and children’s welfare are good. The monitoring of personal development is very good and children receive very good educational support and guidance.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. Effective child protection procedures are in place. The teaching staff are very well supported by the classroom assistants and nursery nurses. They know the children very well and work effectively as a team to provide good levels of welfare, support and guidance. Detailed records are maintained of all accidents and parents are kept informed as required. The school conducts regular fire drills and health and safety checks of the site..

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The present system of monitoring the individual levels of children’s absence is satisfactory. The entries made in the respective school registers are consistently applied across the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The school has developed a good range of strategies for the management of children’s behaviour. This is very much a team effort and all members of staff play a very effective role. Good opportunities are provided for children to enhance their personal development by taking responsibility for various tasks around the school that are relevant to their age.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The school acknowledges children’s individual achievements through the praise given to them. The day-to-day assessment procedures are very good across all six areas of learning but there is a weakness in the way in which the assessment data is used to inform curriculum planning. It is not well used in making the curriculum more relevant to full time children and to those who are now on their second year in the nursery.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Children on the register for special educational needs receive a high level of support as exampled by one hearing impaired child who is provided with a significant amount of additional help and guidance. Individual education plans are relevant working documents. They are reviewed regularly to ensure that children are making the necessary gains in learning. Targets are specific and measurable although on some occasions the language used is not easily shared with parents and carers at review meetings. Good links have been developed with a range of agencies that provide additional advice and support.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school is aware of two minor health and safety issues which were noted during the inspection and proactive action is being taken by the headteacher to address them.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. Parents’ and carers views of the school are positive and the school’s links with them are good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. The parents’ meeting with the inspectors was not well attended but parental questionnaires were returned by a high percentage of parents. Based on this high return, almost all parents are very supportive of the school and of its aims and objectives. Parents feel that their children like school and that they are making good progress. Parents also consider that the teaching is good. Ogley Hay Nursery School - 16 41. The information provided by the school through the prospectus, annual report to parents and regular newsletters is of a high and consistent standard. Children’s annual school reports relate well to the topics and areas of learning that have been covered.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. The impact of parental involvement in the nursery is satisfactory, as are parents’ contributions to children’s learning at home and at school. The school operates an open door policy and the headteacher and other staff are available to discuss any particular concerns parents may have in relation to their child’s development. Some former parents who are currently taking NVQ courses have arranged to use the school as part of their training in child welfare and supervision. The parental support for special events such as Christmas concerts and open evenings is usually good. There are good transitional arrangements with the local primary school to which most of the nursery children will eventually transfer.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. The school is part of a Walsall LEA initiative that focuses on family learning and support. The school also has a policy on Parental Involvement and parents are encouraged to work with their children to develop early reading skills through the use of library books and story sacks that are regularly sent home.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The school’s links with parents makes a good contribution to children’s learning and personal development.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Staff work effectively as a team and nursery nurses and classroom assistants play a valuable role in the work of the school. The headteacher is very well supported by the nursery teacher who has worked hard to improve the quality of school planning since the last inspection. This now needs to take account of children who attend the nursery full time or stay longer than one year.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. Since the last inspection the school’s aims and mission statement have been reviewed so that they suitably take account of the recent re-designation as a nursery centre, which now provides extended services to children and their families. The principles are clearly reflected in the good partnership that has been established with the local community and the recognition that everybody is different, but special. The changing role of the nursery has however slowed the rate of progress made in other important areas.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The governance of the school has undergone several changes since the last inspection. A new Management Committee was established just over a year ago and several members are recently appointed. The Management Committee has a good knowledge of the recent community initiatives that have helped to shape the work of the school, but many members are less secure in their understanding of the school’s educational priorities. The local education authority has overall legal responsibility for the school and fulfils its statutory role.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The headteacher has improved the school development plan since the last inspection. It now identifies the action to be taken in meeting the specified targets and how success will be measured. However work further work is still required so that curriculum priorities are not just considered on the basis of a rolling programme, but are identified in response to a systematic analysis of what the school is doing well and how it could do better.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection when some unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Whilst some progress has been made by the headteacher in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning, this has remained on an informal basis. The information has not been used to provide an overview to the staff team in respect of which activities have been more, or less successful and why. As a result the role of adults in children’s free choice activities is not clear and they continue to act in a supervisory role during physical development time in the outdoor area, whilst in small group time the teaching is consistently good and as a result children learn at a faster pace in these sessions. The school has very recently adopted a useful policy in relation to teaching and learning. Ogley Hay Nursery School - 17 50. There are good systems for delegation that utilise the strengths of the different team members

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

well. Since the last inspection co-ordinators have been identified for each area of learning. The nursery teacher, who is the school’s special educational needs co-ordinator, has maintained the good quality provision. She has developed policy and practice well and ensured that lesson plans clearly identify tasks that match the learning needs of different groups of children. She very effectively supports other staff in the nursery to ensure that there is a consistent approach. There are clear job descriptions for all adults and arrangements for staff development are good. The school has an agreed policy for performance management. The teaching role of the headteacher is not clearly defined and does not sufficiently support other staff members in helping to move school priorities forward, for example in providing release time for planning or monitoring activities.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The school operates efficiently with responsibility for administration shared between the headteacher and school secretary. The local authority allocates and adjusts financial resources and the most recent reports indicate that systems in the school are secure overall. Good use is made of specific grant funding to further children’s literacy skills in the home.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. There are generous numbers of suitably qualified and experienced staff to meet the range of extended services. Staff working with different groups of children focused accurately on their specific needs and made sure they were working towards the targets set for them.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. There are satisfactory resources for each area of learning, which are usefully organised so that children have the opportunity to choose some for themselves. The ‘jump room’ and ‘splash pool’ provide well for children’s physical development indoors. Significant improvements have been made to develop the outdoor environment since the last inspection so that it is a safe and attractive area where children can play and learn. The accommodation is generous for the number of children on roll, but less spacious when being used to provide the additional care facilities.

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the processes for reviewing the work of the nursery by:

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 implementing systematic procedures for checking the quality of teaching and learning so that staff have a better overview of the more successful activities;  analysing what the school does well and how it could improve;  working with the Management Committee to use this information to identify priorities within the school development plan.

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 establishing a curriculum programme which effectively caters for those children who attend full time or spend more than one year in the nursery;  making better use of time and adult focus so that children learn at a faster pace in the activities they choose for themselves;  identifying how adults can interact with children to focus on the development of identified skills in the outdoor area. Ogley Hay Nursery School - 18

p.17

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

p.18

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.18

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 0 20 47 33 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. [When the total number is substantially less than 100, add] Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one [two, three, etc] percentage point[s]. [Where the total is close to or greater than 100, use only the first sentence.]

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 14

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

p.18

Attendance

School data 80 School data 4.8 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Ogley Hay Nursery School - 19

p.18

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.19

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year -£2001

p.19

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2 Balance carried forward to next year -£1930

p.19

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 13

p.19

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

p.19

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 124

p.19

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 6 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.19

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years

p.19

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years

p.19

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE)

p.19

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE)

p.19

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Ogley Hay Nursery School - 20

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.20

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 79 16 0 0 5

p.20

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 79 16 0 0 5

p.20

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 26 16 5 5 48

p.20

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 68 21 11 0 0

p.20

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 90 5 0 0 5

p.20

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 69 5 0 0 26

p.20

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 84 16 0 0 0

p.20

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 95 5 0 0 0

p.20

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 90 5 5 0 0

p.20

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 52 37 0 0 11 Ogley Hay Nursery School - 21

p.20

Personal, social and emotional development

54. Children’s personal, social and emotional development is given a high priority because many start with fewer skills than expected for their age. They make good progress and are on course to reach the nationally expected standards by the end of their reception year. This is because children receive good support from staff, are very well behaved and enjoy good relationships with adults and with each other.

p.21

Personal, social and emotional development

55. Staff provide a relevant range of interesting activities that appeal to young children. As a result children have positive attitudes to learning. They co-operate well with each other, take turns and share resources; for example in selling and trying on shoes in the shoe shop. In the outdoor area they patiently queue up on their bikes when the marked track becomes congested. In small group time they concentrate well on the activities and all children, including those with special educational needs, are confident in responding to the questions of adults. This is because staff know children well, are quietly encouraging and value the contribution made by each child.

p.21

Personal, social and emotional development

56. Children have the confidence to make choices through regular opportunities at planning time to select what they want to do from a range of worthwhile learning activities provided by staff. They do not always concentrate as well during this part of the day because time because the role of adults is less clear. The session goes on for too long and the pace of their learning is slower.

p.21

Personal, social and emotional development

57. The nursery is arranged to enable the children to become independent. For example resources are organised at child height so they can get what they need without asking for adult help. They willingly help to tidy up at the end of each session. The daily routine is well organised so that children know what to do and where to go. There are good opportunities for children to take responsibility, for example making sure the register or a message is safely delivered to the school office.

p.21

Personal, social and emotional development

58. Teaching in this area is good and careful note is made of children’s progress. Adults act as positive role models and children are encouraged to be kind and thoughtful to those who have special educational needs. As a result this group of children make good progress in relating to others. All staff are consistent in their approach and encourage children to look after themselves and each other. This successfully promotes the school ethos that everyone is different but special and the two school rules which state ‘ be kind and friendly to each other’ and ‘go safely and carefully at nursery.’

p.21

Personal, social and emotional development

59. Children’s personal, social and emotional development regularly provides an appropriate focus for small group activities, for example in using the splash pool, and at large group time when children are encouraged to think about special people. It is also meaningfully integrated into other activities throughout the day.

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

60. When children enter the nursery the skills of many children in communication, language and literacy are well below average. They make good progress and the majority are on line to meet the national age related expectations by the end of their reception year. A significant number are not able to express themselves well and do not use a wide range of vocabulary. This is similar to the previous inspection.

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

61. Children listen carefully and show interest in what is discussed. They follow instructions well and during story time answer questions with confidence. They are able to express their ideas, for example ‘I’m going to make a cake’ when playing with dough. Children whose hearing is Ogley Hay Nursery School - 22 impaired make good progress in learning to communicate. They respond well to sign language and lip reading. They receive good quality support and are able to join in all of the activities with confidence.

p.21

Communication, language and literacy

62. Children are developing their communication skills in activities such as role-play in the shoe shop. They pretend to be the shopkeeper, selecting shoes for the customer, recording the prices and handling money. They play co-operatively alongside each other but do not readily engage in extended dialogue other than when prompted by adults.

p.22

Communication, language and literacy

63. In free choice activities children enjoy using the writing table and benefit from the provision of a good range of resources. They attempt writing for different purposes such as lists and recipes. The more able children make good attempts at writing their name and identify the different letters. They make meaningful marks using up and down movements in their chalking and painting but most do not hold pencils or brushes correctly. Children do show better pencil control when they choose to draw round shape templates such as circles.

p.22

Communication, language and literacy

64. With encouragement children enjoy reading and sharing books with adults. They know how books work and model their reading on stories they have heard in large group time. Children understand that words and pictures are different and combine together to make a story. The more able children use pictures to ‘tell’ a familiar story with confidence and intonation. They know who the main characters are and give the story a sensible ending, for example ‘then they all went to bed.’ Not many children were observed selecting books as a self-chosen activity.

p.22

Communication, language and literacy

65. Teaching is good. Staff act as good role models and skilfully extend children’s language development throughout the course of the day across all the areas of learning. For example in the shoe shop the teacher assumed the role of the customer well saying ‘ Does it fit? Does it look right? It’s only a number 5 and I need an 8.’ Similarly in outdoor activities questions are asked such as ‘Where are you going with the baby? What are you going to buy?’ This effectively develops children’s language skills. Good use is made of gesture to support children whose hearing is impaired which enhances their progress. Given the children’s low starting point this area of learning does not feature regularly enough in small group activities to consolidate what children have learned before or specifically target the development of new skills.

p.22

Communication, language and literacy

66. Since the last inspection a co-ordinator has been identified for this area of learning and the planning has been improved. Good emphasis is given to books which are used to identify the week’s particular theme, for example ‘big and little.’ Specific grants are well used to develop reading skills such as the introduction of story sacks that are shared in the home with parents. Children are also encouraged to take a library book home.

p.22

Mathematical development

67. When children enter the school their mathematical skills are below what is expected of children of this age and well below for a significant number of children. During their time in nursery they make good progress so that when they leave they are on course to meet the nationally expected standards by the end of their reception year. This is as a result of the good teaching, which is better than during the previous inspection. Staff know children well and good emphasis is given to their mathematical development, for example at registration sessions when they count how many children are present or absent.

p.22

Mathematical development

68. Through the use of storybooks such as ‘Big Brother, Little Brother’ children understand the difference between big and little. In the shoe shop they select small or large shoes in response to the teacher’s question ‘are there any shoes in here big enough to fit me?’ Children understand about similarities and differences and choose two shoes that are the same to make a pair. In their role-play activities they handle money with confidence and count out change. When using large floor tiles children match by shape, colour and size and identify, for example, the large red circle. They recognise squares, circles, triangles and rectangles. They are soundly developing their counting skills through the use of a number line and most recognise numbers to 9. Children’s mathematical language is less well developed because of their low starting point. Ogley Hay Nursery School - 23 69. Children work well co-operatively and share resources together. They take turns and are

p.22

Mathematical development

sensitive to each other including those with sensory impairments. Children recognise the achievements of others, for example applauding when activities are successfully completed. When playing with the new ‘Fun Flowers’ game they show excitement and curiosity as they investigate and explore the different ways they can use the shapes to make flowers.

p.23

Mathematical development

70. The quality of teaching is good in small group time. These activities are well planned and identify how the learning needs of children from different ability groups can be met. Questions are well used to check on children’s understanding and to make sure they can answer at their own level. Children learn well because they enjoy activities that relate to their own experience such as buying shoes. Good links are made with other areas of learning, for example knowledge and understanding of the world. Children do not learn as quickly in their chosen activities. They lose concentration because the session is too long and the role of adults is less focussed.

p.23

Mathematical development

71. A co-ordinator for this area of learning has been identified and has worked hard in developing a new planning format. Clear procedures for the day-to-day assessment of children’s learning are in place. These changes have meant that the quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection. There are still no proper systems in place to check on how successful the teaching has been or why some activities are more successful than others.

p.23

Knowledge and understanding of the world

72. Children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is in line with that expected of children of this age. The majority are on course to attain the Early Learning Goals at the end of their reception year. This is similar to the findings of the last inspection. Children are provided with many good planned activities within the nursery, as well as good opportunities to extend their knowledge and understanding through visits in the local area. They respond positively to these activities, and make good progress during their time in the nursery.

p.23

Knowledge and understanding of the world

73. Activities that encourage children to use all their senses introduce them to a world of meaningful experiences that they enjoy immensely and from which they learn well. For instance through gardening activities, watching ducks and examining a snake’s skin, children in the nursery become aware of their environment. They show curiosity about living creatures as they join in these experiences. By celebrating the festival of Diwali, for example making candles and tasting different foods, children are developing a growing awareness of the beliefs of other people. All staff are readily involved in these well planned experiences and this ensures that children are interested, motivated and challenged.

p.23

Knowledge and understanding of the world

74. In children’s own planned time, many confidently use the computer, controlling the mouse to interact with a story. During this activity children co-operate well with each other and respond excitedly when familiar pictures appear. One child exclaimed in delight ‘me like cakes too’ while a more able child, who could control the mouse, delighted in showing visitors how to make the ‘flowers squirt water’ on the screen.

p.23

Knowledge and understanding of the world

75. Visits to the local shops and businesses enable children to become increasingly aware of their local environment and the people who work there and help them, for example firemen, dentists and nurses. These experiences are well planned by staff and support children’s learning well. Through role-play activities such as the in the ‘shoe shop’ children reinforce their learning when engaging in supported imaginative play.

p.23

Knowledge and understanding of the world

76. Children with special educational needs also enjoy these activities and because they are well supported, make the same good progress as other children in the nursery. All children respond well to the activities planned by the staff, maintain their interest and listen carefully. However, many children often lose interest and begin to wander between different activities without sustaining their concentration during their own planned time.

p.23

Knowledge and understanding of the world

77. All direct teaching observed within this area of learning was at least satisfactory. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Evidence from photographs, teachers’ planning and children’s work indicates that planned activities are good and provide the children with a wide Ogley Hay Nursery School - 24 range of interesting learning experiences. Staff use resources and conversation well to develop learning when they interact with children. This not only develops children’s understanding in this area of learning but also helps promote their language skills.

p.23

Knowledge and understanding of the world

78. Planning has improved since the last inspection. It is now well-developed and linked to individual assessments relating to the national ‘Stepping Stones to Learning’. This ensures that activities are well matched to the different abilities of children. The co-ordinator has worked hard to develop this area of learning and supports staff well to ensure that there is an effective team approach.

p.24

Physical development

79. Children make good overall progress in this aspect of development and their attainment in some aspects is above those expected for children of this age. The majority are in line to exceed the standards expected in this area of learning by the end of their reception year. This is because planning has been improved especially in relation to the use of the indoor environment to support the development of physical skills.

p.24

Physical development

80. When using the improved outdoor area, children move confidently and avoid collisions appropriately through good body control. They show a good awareness of space and control and steer wheeled toys effectively. However as found at the last inspection, planning for the use of this area is not sufficiently developed. Activities lack sufficient challenge and staff remain generally in a supervisory role. They do not sufficiently interact with children to move learning forward by challenging or engaging children in activities .On these occasions progress is not as good as it might be, as staff do not target specific skills consistently.

p.24

Physical development

81. Within the indoor environment planning is much improved. The use of the ‘jump’ room for example has been effectively developed since the last inspection. Activities are now more focussed and better matched to children’s differing ability levels. In this room children become confident to explore moving in a variety of imaginative ways over the large soft foam blocks. Children listen carefully to instructions and enjoy the challenge, for example ‘to move like a snake.’ One girl exclaimed happily ‘look, I can roll over onto my tummy and back again.’ Other children responded very well to this activity and all then tried to move in different ways. Most succeeded in creating a simple sequence of movements. The use of the ‘splash pool’ similarly is very well planned and children gain confidence to enter the water safely.

p.24

Physical development

82. Construction kits, and varied activities such as cutting and painting, help develop children’s hand co-ordination. Attainment in this aspect of physical development is not as high, but is in line with that expected for children of this age. Children for example find it difficult to control a pencil to make marks, but because of sensitive support are making good progress.

p.24

Physical development

83. Children with special educational needs are fully involved in all physical activities and respond positively. They achieve well especially in planned activities because they are clearly linked to good quality assessments of children’s abilities in this area. As a result children grow in confidence and this has a positive effect on other areas of development.

p.24

Physical development

84. Teaching as indicated, is much better within the indoor area. Here teaching within focussed small group activities, is consistently good and sometimes very good. It is better when staff are secure in their knowledge of this area of learning and encourage children through modelling movement. On these occasions they invite children to look carefully and to evaluate in simple terms how other children move. In this way, children are eager to learn, have a good example to follow and make very good progress. At other times limited interaction with children does not move learning forward. In addition the use of the outdoor area is not planned sufficiently to provide children with a wide range of activities, from which they can choose. This results in children merely riding around and around on bikes for example, when they choose to be outside.

p.24

Physical development

85. Planning for the indoor environment has improved and there is now a co-ordinator for this area of learning. There has been insufficient monitoring of teaching especially of the outdoor environment. As a result teaching in this area remains under developed. Ogley Hay Nursery School - 25

p.24

Creative development

86. Provision is good in this area of learning and children make good progress. As a result, the majority of children are attaining standards in line with those expected for children of this age and are in line to achieve the learning goals in this area by the end of their reception year.

p.25

Creative development

87. Children’s creative development in the nursery is promoted well through art, music and role-play activities. Sensitive encouragement by adults increases children’s confidence in exploring a wide variety of creative media. Children who initially were reluctant to explore painting with large and small paintbrushes for example, become increasingly bold and once started are reluctant to stop. They showing sheer pleasure in exploring the different textures and patterns made.

p.25

Creative development

88. Music effectively stimulates children’s imagination. A number for example, were heard singing quietly to themselves when painting or drawing. In well planned activities, children explore making a range of sounds using a variety of different instruments. Responding to signals from the teacher, they stop and start playing, listening carefully to each other’s sounds. However, opportunities to enjoy learning new songs, or to merely enjoy singing together are often missed when the end of sessions are hurried occasions.

p.25

Creative development

89. Effective use is made of learning through using the senses when children explore wet and dry sand, knead dough, and when they use textured items such as beads, feathers and different materials to make pictures. Staff interact well with children in these activities and in this way, develop the correct use of colour names.

p.25

Creative development

90. Role-play plays a significant part in developing children’s imagination. The shoe shop provides an interesting activity in this respect. This is situated within a home bay and although this is used well by staff in planned activities children were not observed using this area in their own planned time. On these occasions, many children choose to engage in more solitary play. Adults appropriately support children in their chosen activities, but because the area is not actively promoted as a choice by staff, an opportunity is lost to enhance children’s language and creative development.

p.25

Creative development

91. The quality of teaching is consistently good with some very good teaching seen. Adults are caring and have developed positive and supportive relationships with children. This ensures the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs are well met. Activities are well prepared and enable children to learn from direct experience. This successfully reinforces their understanding, especially in small group time. Staff are secure in their knowledge of this area of learning and plan interesting activities that engage children’s attention well. As a result children enjoy the activities and become increasingly independent. This was seen when children painted and printed using different materials. Once the task had been explained and they had explored the activity with staff support, children confidently made different patterns without adult supervision.

p.25

Creative development

92. Planning and assessment in this area of learning has improved since the last inspection. Adults follow the plans well and these are well matched to ongoing assessments. However, currently the staff follow a yearly topic plan, Although relevant to the learning needs of children of this age, a significant number of children remain in the nursery for longer than three terms. As a result, they repeat the activities. This requires further consideration to ensure that they have suitable opportunities to develop and extend their learning during their time in the nursery.

p.25