Brunswick Nursery School

BRUNSWICK NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 12-13 November 2001

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BRUNSWICK 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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BRUNSWICK 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. Brunswick Nursery School i

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Local Education Authority

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs. Ysanne Austin

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 1998 Brunswick Nursery School ii

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Aspect responsibilities

8203 Shelagh Halley Registered inspector Mathematical development; Knowledge and understanding of the world; Personal and social development. What sort of school is it? How well are children taught? How well is the school led and managed?

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Aspect responsibilities

9502 Rosalind Hall Lay inspector How well does the school care? Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and development; How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 21686 Diana Songer- Hudgell Team inspector Communication, language and literacy; Creative development; Physical development; Special educational needs; Equal opportunities. How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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Aspect responsibilities

Westminster Education Consultants Old Garden House The Lanterns Bridge Lane London SW11 3AD

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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 Brunswick Nursery School iii

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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? 5

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Brunswick Nursery is housed in a former Victorian Ragged School close to the centre of the city of Cambridge. It is part of an excellence centre bid being made jointly with another nursery school and is involved in a national initiative to expand the role of nursery schools. 78 children attend the school, in two part-time sessions. The numbers of girls and boys are roughly equal. There are no children from refugee or travelling families, and the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. Eight children are from homes where English is an additional language, but only two are at an early stage of acquiring the language. The main languages, other than English, spoken by pupils are Japanese, Hindi, Portuguese, French, Chinese and Korean. There are ten children on the school’s register of special educational needs, a proportion which is around the national

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

average. Two children have statements of special educational need, and this is slightly above the national average. Needs covered are: profound and multiple, visual impairment and speech and communication difficulties. Children start at the nursery after their third birthday and most stay for one year before moving to a variety of primary schools. They arrive with a broad range of abilities which are generally above the county average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Brunswick is an effective school and children of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, achieve well. The quality of teaching and learning are good. Leadership and management are very good, as is the curriculum, including provision for children with special educational needs. Children’s attitudes and behaviour are very good and the school provides particularly well for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Costs are relatively high, but this is not unusual in a nursery school. Accordingly, the school gives good value for money.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• Children of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, reach high standards of attainment and achieve well. • Provision for children with special educational needs is very good and ensures they make very good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. • Teachers, nursery nurses and support assistants work very well as a highly effective team to help children make good progress in all areas of learning. • Provision for children’s moral and social development is very good, and leads to very good behaviour and excellent relationships which make a significant contribution to the quality of children’s learning. • The school is very well led and managed and this has a significant impact on children’s well being and achievement. • There is very good parental support in helping teachers and children in the classroom, and the partnership between parents and school is excellent.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• Teachers make good use of display, both as a celebration of children’s achievements and as an attractive resource to create a highly effective learning environment. Brunswick Nursery School 2

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

• The use of assessment as an aid to helping teachers to plan work suited to the needs of individual pupils. • Short and medium term planning which does not always make the learning intention for particular activities very clear. 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 March, 1998, and all the weaknesses identified then were thoroughly addressed in the post-inspection action plan. Standards of attainment have been maintained. A great deal of work has been done in the development of a scheme of work for the Foundation Stage, the quality of which is so good that the local education authority has published it as a model for the county. Resources have been further developed and alterations have been made to the school prospectus in an effort to assist persistent latecomers. Long-term planning has been carefully revised to make meaningful links with medium and short term planning. The redistribution of nursery budgets in the county has ensured adequate resourcing to make the school development plan more relevant each year. With the reduction in the teaching commitment of the headteacher, the monitoring and evaluation of teaching has become more systematic and rigorous. Overall, there has been

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

good improvement since the previous inspection.

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STANDARDS

With their above average attainment on entry, children are well on course to meet, and many may exceed, the national early learning goals by the end of the Foundation Stage (Reception Year) in all six areas of learning. Children with special educational needs achieve very well and make very good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. Children with statements of special educational need achieve particularly well.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Children come to school willingly and tackle their tasks with great enthusiasm. Behaviour Very good. Children conduct themselves well in all areas of the school and on trips out. Personal development and relationships Very good. Children follow the very good example set by teachers and other adults in the school, and the quality of relationships is excellent. Attendance Very good. Parents make very good use of the places available.

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Aspect Comment

Children are happy to say ‘goodbye’ to their parents, and settle well to the wide variety of interesting and purposeful tasks set for them. Their very good attitudes to learning and their very good behaviour make a significant contribution to the quality of learning. There are ample opportunities for children of all abilities to extend the use of their own initiative and personal responsibilities through free choice and independent learning. Brunswick Nursery School 3

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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:

The quality of teaching is good overall, and leads to children achieving well. Particular strengths lie in the teaching of personal and social development and knowledge and understanding of the world. The teaching of communication, language and literacy and mathematical development is also good and children achieve well. Teachers are particularly good at planning learning activities which suit the needs of children with special educational needs. They provide many planned opportunities for extending and challenging the most able children but there is scope for even more to improve the achievement of these children. In the lessons seen, teaching was good. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good, with many opportunities for enrichment through visitors into the school, and trips to places of interest in the local neighbourhood. Provision for children with special educational needs Very good. Their needs are identified early and very good support is given to them. Provision for children with statements of special educational needs is particularly good. Provision for children with English as an additional language Good. They are generally well supported by teachers and nursery nurses and achieve at the same rate as their classmates. Provision for children’s personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. Children’s spiritual needs are well addressed in lessons. The school’s provision for social and moral development is very good, and leads to the excellent quality of

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Aspect Comment

relationships. Children learn to appreciate their own cultural heritage and to understand that other cultures exist. How well the school cares for its children The school provides very good care for the children, and staff create a safe and secure learning environment.

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Aspect Comment

The school has an excellent partnership with parents to support children’s good learning. The curriculum provided is broad, balanced and very relevant to children’s needs. Teachers know their charges well and work hard to provide activities which ensure children’s good progress. Their ongoing observations and assessment of how children are achieving helps them to set work which is very well adapted to the needs of children with special educational needs. There is scope for further planned activities which extend the minority of the most able children so that they achieve their best. Brunswick Nursery School 4

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher, ably supported by her hardworking staff, knows what she wants the school to do next, and leads the drive to raise standards which are already high.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, and how to address the latter.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. Governors maintain good monitoring and evaluation of provision and teaching. The headteacher, governors and staff have correctly identified areas for development and have put in place good plans to improve them. The strategic use of resources Good. The school makes good use of all available financial resources and makes prudent financial decisions.

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Aspect Comment

The school has an adequate number of teachers, well supported by an able and well-qualified team of nursery nurses and support assistants. Accommodation is good, and the outdoor area is particularly well developed as a learning resource. However, the lack of a hall creates difficulties for activities like physical education and a classroom has to be converted daily to provide a dining-room. The school is well resourced for all areas of the curriculum. The management role of curriculum co-ordinators is well developed and makes a significant contribution to the effectiveness of the school. All adults, teaching and non-teaching, are involved in drawing up the comprehensively detailed school development plan which also takes into account the views of parents and carers. The management of the school applies the principles of best value satisfactorily when making large purchases or hiring expensive

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Aspect Comment

services. Governors prudently built up a generous surplus to cover the costs of building extensions to accommodation.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The school works closely with parents. • The teaching is good. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • Most parents agree that a year at Brunswick is not long enough.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors agree with the overwhelmingly positive views of parents. Brunswick Nursery School 5

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Most children start nursery with above average abilities and skills, particularly in communication, language and literacy, and in personal and social development. The school provides very good quality education that ensures children achieve very well. Most children are well on course to attain, and many may exceed, the expected early learning goals for their age in all areas of learning. Children make good progress during their time at Brunswick.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Personal and social development is a strength of the nursery. Most children quickly gain in confidence and establish very effective relationships with adults and other children. They demonstrate independence in putting on and taking off their shoes, and most remember to put on a painting apron before they start the activity. They collect their own pencils and books, and choose from a selection of resources when they are creating a collage or model. The school’s monitoring of children’s well being is a significant factor in supporting the development of individual children in this aspect of learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The development of children’s language and communication skills is central to the work of the nursery, and children achieve very well. They love looking at books and listening to stories, acting them out in the role play areas. Most children recognise their own names and know the initial letter and sound of their name. The more able read simple sentences and are beginning to write.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Children achieve well in mathematics which is often used by children as an integral part of activities inside and outside the classroom. Most children recognise and use numbers to ten, and many are familiar with larger numbers from their everyday lives. Many children use mathematical language such as circle, square, triangle, behind, in front of, bigger than and more to describe shape, position, size and quantity.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. In knowledge and understanding of the world, children achieve very well and most are well on course to attain standards which meet the expected goals. Most children talk confidently about where they live, their environment and their families. Several of the children are already well travelled and bring these experiences into their play and talk in the nursery. The school has very strong links with parents and carers of the children, and these are well used to support this area of learning. The nursery provides many opportunities for children to experience visits into the environment. These visits ensure that children explore and become familiar with living things, objects and events in the natural and man-made world. Most children are confident users of and the computer. They successfully operate a mouse on the computer, pointing to icons and clicking on them to play the games which support their

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The standard of work in the area of physical development is above average. All children are well on course to attain the early learning goals in this area of learning by the end of the Reception Year, and many will exceed them. Children move confidently, they follow basic safety rules and generally avoid collisions when moving around and manoeuvring the wheeled vehicles in the outdoor area. They are well co-ordinated and use space very effectively. The variety of climbing apparatus enables children to work at their own level and provides the necessary challenge.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Children are very good at handling small tools such as scissors, pens, pencils and paintbrushes. They use malleable materials such as clay and plasticine. There are many Brunswick Nursery School 6 opportunities for using construction resources. They are able to join, build, balance and adapt, as they need. There are many other opportunities for children to develop hand-eye co- ordination skills through making jigsaws, in matching games and in fastening and unfastening their shoes.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Children’s achievement in art is of a good standard, and this is due to the very good teaching in this area of learning. In art work, children produce very good work in collages of autumn leaves and twigs. They are confident in using a range of materials and tools in their work. Children are quick to master the techniques and use them in their own work. Teachers are very effective in questioning children, to encourage them to look closely at their work and to make improvements if they feel it is appropriate. The opportunities for imaginative play are very good, and children respond very well by using their imagination and working together in pairs or small groups, for instance, when acting out the story of ‘The Three Bears.’

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Stories are an important part of the school day. Stories are always very well read and used very effectively to encourage children to listen, observe and use their imagination. Stories such as ‘The Three Bears’ are used in many different ways to stimulate children’s imagination; for example, acting out the story in the role-play corner.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Dance and musical activities are a regular feature of the school week. All classrooms have a variety of musical instruments and taped music available, and children are free to select these activities. Dance fosters their physical development, and story-time is often used for singing traditional and number rhymes to reinforce learning in language and mathematical development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Children with special educational needs make very good progress, based on their prior attainment, and take a full and successful part in the work planned for them. Children with statements of special educational need make particularly good progress, because extra efforts are made to ensure that they take part in all activities. There are no significant variations in the standards attained or the progress made by children of different gender or background, or of those children who are at an early stage of acquiring English.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Children show very positive attitudes to the nursery and happily part from their parents to become quickly immersed in the wide range of activities offered. They have settled well into the routines of a new environment. They are confident and talk openly with visitors about what they are doing. Children listen carefully and ask questions thoughtfully. They are enthusiastic and concentrate for long periods of time such as when they are role-playing the story of the three bears or building with sand.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Behaviour at all times is very good and there were no incidents of inappropriate behaviour. At lunchtime, no bad table manners were observed. The high standards reported at the time of the previous inspection have been maintained.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Children work very well together and relationships very well together and relationships with adults and with other children are very good. Children are polite to each other and wait patiently for their turn at the art activities. A very strong feature of the nursery is the high degree of independence shown by each of the children. They put on outdoor clothes competently and some of the more able children help the others buckle their shoes. They are able to choose activities well and are very responsible in getting resources such as aprons for painting. When they have finished their paintings, children put their own work on a Brunswick Nursery School 7 rack to dry and pin a fresh sheet of paper on the easel ready for the next child to start their painting. All participate well in tidying up and handle toys and equipment carefully.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Children with special needs are integrated well into the nursery and supported by the others for example a child with multiple handicaps was pushed around in her chair by another who later poured her a drink and sat with her while she drank it. Most of the other pupils are kind and tolerant and totally accepting of each child as an individual. Those with special needs play freely with all children, and others involve them naturally as friends in play despite the sometimes severe disabilities. For example, when they sat around a child lying down to hear a story, they took great care not to tread on her.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Attendance for this age group is non-statutory but it is clear from the registers that parents make good use of the places available.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall and children achieve very well, making good progress in all areas of learning. All lessons observed were good or better, and two out of ten were excellent. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. The nursery nurses and special needs learning support assistants make a significant contribution to the quality of teaching in the school. The nursery’s philosophy of infant education is centred on learning initiated by the children themselves. Direct teaching is done through effective questioning which is sensitive to the child’s individual needs and adapted to suit the child’s particular interest at the time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. All staff with a teaching responsibility have a very good understanding of how young children learn, and this knowledge is used well when planning activities. Most staff have very high expectations for the majority of the children, but they sometimes underestimate a few more able children. The teachers and nursery nurses keep very detailed records and photographic evidence of the children’s work and experiences at different stages of the school year. This information provides good quality documentation of the children’s experience and efforts, which is displayed around the school. This is used very effectively by teachers to re-visit experiences with children in order to clarify, deepen and strengthen understanding. Planning decisions are based on children’s response to previous work covered that the children have found interesting, stimulating, puzzling or challenging. This ensures that activities are meaningful and children are well motivated to take part in the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

activities provided. Sometimes, however, planning does not always make clear what the learning intention is, or what the children will know, do and understand as a result of the activity. The very good quality displays convey to the children that their efforts, intentions and ideas are taken seriously. This has a significant impact on the children’s attitudes to school and their work, and almost all of them are confident enough to ask questions of their own. They are very keen to do their best.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers and nursery nurses listen very carefully to children. They take time with them and, through good planning and careful intervention, encourage children to take part and learn very effectively. Skills such as cutting and folding are taught well. Children who struggle initially in learning such skills are sensitively coached so that they are eventually able to manage for themselves. Activities are very well structured, and classrooms very well organised to make the resources accessible to children and to encourage them to be independent. Staff promote a secure and very positive ethos in classrooms which ensures children’s good progress. Brunswick Nursery School 8 20. The teaching of language and literacy and mathematics is good overall. Activities set in these areas of learning are always purposeful. Staff are very good role models and make very good use of all day-to-day activities to promote language and number. Children listen

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

carefully to the adults they work with, and try to copy the language they use. Stories are used very well to stimulate the children’s imagination, and to develop aspects of learning. Staff model spoken language very well and take every opportunity for extending children’s vocabulary and understanding.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. The teaching of personal and social development is very good. A particular strength is the use of the assessment information on children’s well being to support a structured approach to achieving the successful social and emotional development of all children. The very positive approach to behaviour ensures that children are developing a very effective understanding of the difference between right and wrong.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. Dance and musical activities are well-structured and encourage children to appreciate their own culture and to recognise that others exist. Children are encouraged to express their own feelings through dance and the small compositions they make. This is a good contribution to their spiritual and cultural development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. Although the overall quality of teaching and learning is good, there are minor weaknesses, which need to be addressed in order to further improve the quality of provision. Although planning is appropriately referenced to the early learning goals, learning intentions in the medium and short term planning are not always clear, and not all activities available to children clearly identify specific learning outcomes. As a result, interactions with children are not always sufficiently focused and sometimes teachers’ intervention stops short of what the children need. For example, a group of children worked with the pumps in the water tray for quite a long time without any adult supporting them by helping them explore the language and extend their vocabulary.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. Children with special educational needs are well taught, both in the classroom and in the withdrawal sessions devoted to improving their language. Some of their withdrawal time is spent with specialist teachers whose qualifications are in the teaching of hearing and visually impaired children. These children receive skilful support from all staff, but particularly the co-ordinator for special educational needs (SENCO), and the identified learning support assistants. Teachers’ planning includes giving access to the curriculum for children rather than for children to the curriculum. Good records are kept to record work and specific skills developed in lessons. Their methods are very skilful and totally appropriate for the needs of those children with statements of special educational needs. Specialist teaching is incorporated into the statements and staff are constantly reinforcing skills. Teachers

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

question very patiently; for instance, to get children to choose an activity for themselves. Teachers make very good use of praise and encouragement to raise the children’s self- esteem and build confidence.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. The curriculum is rich, imaginative and stimulating. All children are offered a very good range of quality learning experiences throughout the six of the areas of learning recommended for the age group. Brunswick Nursery School 9 26. The classrooms and outdoor areas are very well organised and carefully thought is given to where activities are placed to enable children to become increasingly independent. The classrooms and garden provide endless opportunities for children to choose and explore a wide range of very good resources and attractively presented activities. This gives children choice and decision making opportunities which develop their thinking, listening, speaking and enquiry skills both as individuals and as members of friendship groups. The activities provided promote children to take initiative and responsibility for their actions.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. The outdoor garden is a particularly stimulating environment. Its organisation into different areas contributes to children’s' learning with a wealth of sensory, imaginary and physical experiences which enable children to grow and develop at their own rate.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. All children have good access to all areas of the curriculum and equal opportunity to chose their activities freely. Very good attention is paid to children with special educational needs. They are very well supported to access the curriculum by careful planning for their needs. Children with English as an additional language are carefully targeted by the staff and given individual attention to ensure they participate fully and successfully in the whole curriculum.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The curriculum is planned around a series of themes each designed to promote specific areas of learning. This term the emphasis is on children’s’ personal and social development. The themes link with the recognised stepping stones and learning intentions of the recommended Early Years Curriculum. These themes are reviewed on a weekly basis to follow and build on the interests of the children both individually and for groups. The school integrates satisfactory strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy throughout all the planned activities.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. All staff are involved in planning the curriculum. They have a clear purpose for what the children are expected to experience and achieve in the areas of learning. Whilst staff know this from their regular discussions it is less well articulated in a written form. A person joining the staff team such as a supply teacher would not easily understand the specific development of the learning objectives for the activities that happen on a daily basis.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. A good range of visitors and extra curricular activities enhance the planned curriculum. For example, community music activities, hatching chicks, visits from a chiropodist, doctor, the fire engine, theatre groups, musicians and a sculptress add to the richness of the experiences children receive. Festivals and celebrations such as the Chinese New Year raise children’s' awareness of the wider world and its diversity.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. A particular strength is the excellent provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development throughout the curriculum. This supports the children in quickly becoming confident, sociable and independent. The school is very successful in creating a safe, caring environment and atmosphere where each child is well supported and valued through praise and encouragement. Children rapidly develop a sense of right and wrong and become sensitive to the needs of others. Parents express their appreciation for the wide range of activities offered to the children, and the values and attitudes the nursery promotes. Very high priority is given to this in all areas of learning. Children are valued by both adults and other children for their ideas, the contributions they make to questions and for their individual and group interactions. The ethos of the nursery strongly promotes children to

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

become confident, independent and have enquiring minds as learners. All Brunswick Nursery School 10 activities in and out of the classrooms are planned carefully to promote the maximum opportunities for children to use their initiative. As a result, children show a developing independence and good levels of maturity. The adults provide very good role model for children and demonstrate respect, courtesy and co-operation with others in all their work.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. Children’s moral, spiritual and cultural development is very well promoted. Children are encouraged to respond to significant experiences such as birthdays, the festivals of different faiths and the changing aspects of nature in the seasons. They particular enjoy dancing round the Maypole in the spring, and sharing a multicultural evening with parents in the summer. At the latter occasions, parents provide food and drink from their own cultures and share experiences and customs with the children. Children are encouraged to take turns at activities, share the resources and be aware of the feelings of others. The planned activities for creative development, role-play, music and dance provide rich opportunities for children to express their thoughts and feelings.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. Good links with other educational establishments and the community contribute a great deal to the quality of education provided. Parents and friends readily support the nursery in many practical ways. For example, parents spring-clean the garden and site and fundraise for the school and charity. The considerable donations they make throughout the year in time, money and gifts demonstrate how much they value the school. Regular parental help in the classrooms and good support for the school’s activities at home ensure the children get the best possible opportunities to learn. The school’s partnership with other pre-school providers, nurseries and link primary schools are good. These partnerships ensure continuity for the children when they join and leave the school.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. The school has maintained its very good curriculum since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. Overall, the school takes very good care of children. Procedures to ensure the health, safety and well being of children are very good. Health and safety inspections are carried out by governors each term and action is taken promptly to address any issues all staff are mindful of health and safety matters and supervise children very well. The nursery follows the local guidelines for child protection and the headteacher and staff have undertaken training. There is good coverage for first aid and records are kept of any incidents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Although attendance is non-statutory at this stage in a child’s education, registers are kept accurately and are monitored regularly.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The procedures to promote good behaviour are very good and are implemented consistently by all staff. All staff provide excellent role models for children and pupils respond positively to instructions and to praise. All staff know each child as an individual and the respect they show to children is echoed in the children’s responses and in the way children talk to each other. Care is taken to ensure that from the start of their time at the nursery pupils understand the high expectations that all staff have of their behaviour. The good informal communication that takes place between staff and with parents supports this positive approach.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. A small number of pupils attend the nursery at lunchtime. This is well organised and relaxed and provides opportunities for social development. Brunswick Nursery School 11 40. Assessment in the area of personal and social development is effective and thorough and gives staff a clear picture what each child has achieved. In all other areas, however, such procedures are under developed and so staff’s views of progress are less secure. Here, observations are anecdotal and inconsistent in quality and at present are not linked to learning objectives. As there are no baseline assessments, a precise view of each child’s progress during their time at the nursery cannot be made. The end-of-year reports to parents highlight particular interests or aptitudes but do not suggest areas that could be developed further. Apart from personal and social development, there are no links between planning and assessment and written assessments do not influence the planning of activities although

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

verbal communication between staff about the capabilities of a group of children may do so.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school has overall satisfactory systems for assessing children’s' standards of attainment. However, the school does not identify systematically what the children know, understand and can do when they enter the school. Therefore it has no measures to establish how much progress children make in their time in the nursery, compared from when they start at the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. All staff regularly write anecdotal observations about individual children on ‘post-it notes’. This information is then collated by teachers into individual profiles for the six areas of learning. At the time of the inspection, the first half term profiles for each child had been written as a “settling in report” and shared with parents. Whilst this is satisfactory practice and the reports of satisfactory quality, the emphasis is on children’s personal and social skills and the reporting on the other areas of learning is less well developed. There is also some inconsistency in the quality of the staff anecdotal observations with some more helpful than others in establishing children’s’ progress and identifying where children have experienced new learning or developed a new skill. The staff regularly discuss each individual child to identify the perceived gaps in their learning. However, there appear to be no written links

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

between their assessments of children’s attainment and progress and its effect on lesson planning. Much of the staff work in this area is currently by discussion and intuitive rather than systematic and recorded. The record keeping system is under review and is currently part of the school’s development plan. The headteacher recognises that the use of assessment information to inform planning can be incorporated into this process involving partnership schools as part of the project.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Parents receive a satisfactory end of year report and have the opportunity to regularly discuss children’s' work and achievements.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school makes outstanding provision for children with special educational needs, especially those with statements of special educational need. The nursery nurses and classroom assistants have their roles clearly identified and they are sensitive and sympathetic in their approach, ensuring that all children have equal access to all the activities offered. Statements are clear and targets in children’s individual education plans are well matched. They have focused objectives with clear teaching strategies and resources identified. Letters to parents make painstakingly clear the concerns raised by the school and the support provided, and review dates are clearly indicated. Progress of children with special educational needs is well recorded and very good records are kept to indicate the next steps for pupils with special educational need. All staff are well trained to meet the varied medical needs of individual children, and the school works well with external agencies

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

for the benefit of the children. For example, the specialist teachers of the hearing and visually impaired children consult with the SENCO between visits and suggest learning activities to be carried out in their absence. Brunswick Nursery School 12

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Parents’ views of the school are very positive and are backed by the positive judgements, made by the inspection team. From the results of the questionnaire, there was overwhelming agreement with the statements about their child liking school, that teaching is good, that parents feel comfortable in approaching the school and that the school expects child to word hard and make good progress. At the meeting and during the inspection parents spoke highly of the approachability of all staff and the very good levels of self-esteem, confidence and independence that the nursery has encouraged in the children.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The nursery has made very effective links with parents, which ensures that all parents are given the opportunity to become involved in the education of their child. The quality of information they receive is good. The prospectus and termly newsletters are detailed and useful and the ‘all about me’ booklet provides a useful introduction to nursery. As well as a careful induction programme parents are invited to a ‘hands on ‘ curriculum evening, which enables them to experience a flavour of the nursery session. From the start relationships are very positive and parents appreciative the daily communication about their child. Progress is discussed formally at a meeting in the spring term. In the autumn term parents are given a written sheet on how their child has settled in. In the summer term parents receive a report of the progress their child has made during their time at Brunswick and there are

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

opportunities to discuss this with staff. The report itself focuses on what the children can do and emphasises particular interests and aptitudes; it does not suggest areas for development, which some parents may find useful.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The school listens carefully to the concerns of parents, sends out regular questionnaires and asks for suggestions for improvements.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents are fully involved at the time their child transfers to one of the 15 or so schools the nursery serves. A ‘school transfer picnic ‘ is held each summer when previous parents return with their children to meet the new intake, both children and parents, with the reception staff of their receiving schools.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Parents help regularly in the nursery sessions and others undertake gardening and other tasks such as the video club and story sacks. There is an annual spring clean day, which is well supported by parents, and parents raise considerable funds for the nursery through cake sales and other events.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Despite the wide catchment that it serves the nursery has created within it a real sense of community. Many co-opted governors have previously had children at the school and have returned in order ‘to give something back’. Parents feel that their children are fortunate to have such a positive start to their educational life and the quality of the relationship forged between home and the nursery has a very positive impact on the quality of their learning.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The nursery and its work is highly valued by parents of children with special educational needs. All have regular meetings with teachers, particularly the SENCO. They are fully involved in all decision-making for special needs issues, and attend the regular reviews of the individual education plans drawn up for their children. Brunswick Nursery School 13

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher and governors give strong educational direction to the school. They are very effective leaders and lead by example to promote very good standards in all aspects of school life. Teachers and nursery nurses work very well together to promote the school’s aims and values, and to provide very good quality experiences for the children. All staff have realistic expectations for the majority of children although these are on rare occasions, too low for a few of the most able. The strong teamwork encourages staff to work together and to evaluate what is effective teaching and learning in their school. Staff are constantly striving to improve on the existing good achievement, especially in personal and social development.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. All teachers have a responsibility for an area of learning or aspect of learning. They are clear about their responsibilities and the expectations of their roles. Staff work well to support each other in the planning and delivery of the curriculum. All staff, including nursery nurses, have a good understanding of the strengths within their area of responsibility and what needs to be done in order to improve standards. All staff are highly motivated and are very effective in influencing their colleagues. Very good use has been made of good quality professional training. The school’s involvement in the bid for a combined Early Excellence Centre has made a significant impact on the way in which teachers plan and teach the curriculum.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The co-ordinator for special educational needs is very knowledgeable and experienced and manages this area of provision very well. She is supported in this by the very good leadership and management of the ‘hands on’ headteacher. This results in a totally inclusive nursery with no equal opportunities issues. Staff attend training with teachers from special schools and outside specialists. Resources for special educational needs are good, and the co-ordinator makes special efforts to ensure that the variety of resources loaned to parents are of a suitable kind.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Procedures for monitoring and evaluation are very good. The headteacher leads this aspect of work, but all staff are involved in carrying out their own monitoring of the provision within their classroom areas. Teachers and nursery nurses monitor the effectiveness of their classroom management and organisation on a regular basis. This information is evaluated and shared with the whole staff and adjustments are made as appropriate. As the staff have a very clear understanding as to what constitutes effective teaching and learning, the monitoring and subsequent evaluation carried out by the headteacher is swell understood and valued by staff. Areas for improvement are planned for thoroughly and effective action is taken. This work has maintained the quality of teaching since the previous inspection, despite staff changes.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The headteacher receives good quality support and advice from the governors and from the local education authority. Governors fulfil their responsibilities very well and play a full part in the monitoring and evaluation of the school, acting as ‘critical friends’. Their financial arrangements are good and they make great efforts to link their spending with the objectives in the school improvement plan. They have a clear understanding of the principles of ‘best value’ and apply them carefully when making large purchases such as the equipment for the outdoor area or the provision of the indoor soft-play area. They have prudently built up a generous contingency fund to offset the costs of the extension to be built very soon. Brunswick Nursery School 14 57. The school makes good use of its resources, which are good for all areas of learning. The accommodation lacks a hall area. The staff have given careful consideration to the use

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

of space, and all areas are used to the best effect in order to ensure that the curriculum is taught effectively. The school garden has been developed further since the previous inspection, and provides an outstanding resource for education.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The school has benefited from the reorganisation of nursery budgets in Cambridgeshire and its curriculum planning has been used as a model for good nursery practice in the area. As a result, there are many visitors from other schools and Brunswick is part of a two-tier bid to create an Early Excellence Centre in the next few years.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The headteacher and governors have been very successful in developing the school improvement plan since the last inspection. Parents are also consulted and their views taken into account. Appropriate priorities are identified, planned and costed and the document is now a useful working tool to fulfil the school’s educational objectives. Brunswick Nursery School 15

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

60. In order to improve further the quality of education offered, the headteacher, key staff and governors should:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Increase the consistency, rigour and use of recorded assessments so that teachers plan more effectively to meet the needs of individual pupils. (Paragraphs. 41-43, 76, 90, 100)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure that teachers clearly identify the learning intentions of what children will know, understand and be able to do as a result of the planned activities. (Paragraphs. 23, 30, 79, 83) Brunswick Nursery School 16

p.20

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of sessions observed 13 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

p.21

Poor

Number 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 Percentage 0 0 100 0 0 0 0 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 7 percentage points.

p.21

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 39 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 2 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.21

Special educational needs Nursery

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 6 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 17

p.21

pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 14

p.21

pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

p.21

% %

School data N/A School data N/A Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Brunswick Nursery School 17

p.21

support staff

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.3

p.22

support staff

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 15 £

p.22

support staff

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 180477.00

p.22

support staff

Total aggregate hours worked per week 146 Expenditure per pupil 4627.00

p.22

support staff

Balance brought forward from previous year 44256.00

p.22

support staff

Number of pupils per FTE adult 4.5 Balance carried forward to next year 55328.00

p.22

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

p.22

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0.6

p.22

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.22

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Brunswick Nursery School 18

p.22

Questionnaire return rate

Number of questionnaires sent out 78 Number of questionnaires returned 49

p.23

know

My child is making good progress in school. 74 19 0 0 6

p.23

know

Behaviour in the school is good. 85 10 0 0 4

p.23

know

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 59 27 3 3 8

p.23

know

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 54 26 13 2 4

p.23

know

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 80 20 0 0 0

p.23

know

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 42 34 0 0 24

p.23

know

The school works closely with parents. 69 23 4 0 4

p.23

know

The school is well led and managed. 90 23 4 0 4

p.23

know

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 79 19 2 0 0

p.23

know

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 62 12 7 2 17 Brunswick Nursery School 19

p.23

Personal, social and emotional development

61. The provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development is given a high priority in the nursery and, in the first term of the school year when the inspection took place, it is the principal focus of teaching and learning. Most children make very good progress and are well on target to exceed the standards expected by the end of the Foundation Stage. Personal and social development was the current focus in learning during the inspection, with many activities organised to support the development of independence and confidence. Many children had quickly learned the school routines, such as listening quietly to the teacher, and as a result, children make very good progress in developing their personal and social skills. Very positive relationships have developed between children and adults that effectively promote a happy and secure environment. Children are happy and confident and part easily from their parents and carers at the beginning of sessions. Children

p.24

Personal, social and emotional development

respond positively to the experiences offered to them and show an eagerness to explore new learning situations. For example, they show particularly good concentration and persistence when they try to make close observational paintings of teddy bears. Most willingly share resources when playing together, taking turns when using the large wheeled toys and showing independence when they find their own drinks. They treat school property carefully, help to clear away at the end of sessions and are beginning to develop an appropriate understanding of right and wrong.

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Personal, social and emotional development

62. Teaching is very good in this area and, as a result, children learn quickly. The warm, welcoming and caring way staff respond to children is a strength, and positive relationships have developed between children and adults that effectively promote a happy and secure environment. Adults provide good role models, particularly when they talk to and listen to the children. All value each child’s contribution. Lunchtime is a pleasant social occasion and is used well by staff to model appropriate table manners, and also for encouraging children to clear away after themselves. Staff have high expectations of behaviour and explain to children the reason why some behaviour is acceptable and some is not. Partnership with parents is good and makes an important contribution to the children’s personal and social development. Nursery staff maintain a good day-to-day dialogue with parents and carers as

p.24

Personal, social and emotional development

they come to bring and collect their children.

p.24

Personal, social and emotional development

63. Staff at the school have put in a great deal of thought to providing resources which encourage personal and social development, at the same time ensuring social inclusion for all, including those with special educational needs. For example, the school deliberately bought tandem bicycles and two-seater carts to encourage sharing, and the new soft-play area ensures that even the severely disabled are included in exercise and fun.

p.24

Communication, language and literacy

64. Children’s standards of attainment are good. The majority of children enter the nursery with standards above those expected for their age. They make good progress particularly in speaking and listening, and are on target to exceed the nationally recognised early learning goals by the end of the Reception Year. These standards have been satisfactorily maintained since the last inspection. Brunswick Nursery School 20 65. Children’s speaking and listening skills are very good. They are developed well through all areas of the curriculum. Although children have not been in school long, the majority listen carefully to each other and to the teachers and follow instructions well. They speak clearly and usually confidently about their experiences at home, and what they are doing, thinking and feeling in school. Children readily talk to visitors about anything that occurs to them, with only a few showing shyness. When talking to each other, the majority

p.24

Communication, language and literacy

are animated and able to use well constructed sentences to retell stories in the right sequence. In the role-play areas, stories such as ‘The Three Bears’ and ‘Dumbo’ are acted out with children enthusiastically adopting the mannerisms and speech patterns of the chosen characters. They maintain their interest and concentration for a very long time and show great humour when joined by a learning support assistant who acts as ‘Mummy Bear.’ Children decide about what to wear, going to bed and what to eat, discussing the right size spoons to define daddy, mummy and baby bear.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

66. Higher attaining children in their talk with adults use a good range of vocabulary and ask questions such as ‘why does the horse have wheels?’ having just sung ‘Horsey, horsey, don’t you stop, just let your wheels go clippety-clop.’

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

67. The quality of teaching is always good and in the promotion of speaking and listening skills it is particularly skilful. Staff take every opportunity to ensure children hear a rich use of language. Whatever the area of learning, teachers ask individual children good specific questions which encourages them to make choices and talk about what they are doing and why. For example, when experimenting with pulling objects along a conveyor belt to fall from the table into a bowl, the teachers asked ‘Which way do you need to pull to move the brick along?’ Much praise and encouragement is given to build children’s confidence and language is modelled to help children express what happens when the belt is pulled fast the wrong way – ‘when you move it fast, it rolls away’ or ‘it went in the opposite direction.’

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

68. In the outside play area, the teacher skilfully introduced and modelled language about blood transfusions when a toy character fell off his bike. This rich language used by teachers ensures children are keen to listen and very well motivated to express themselves.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

69. Children with special educational needs receive very good support from all staff but particularly from identified learning support assistants and teachers. This allows them to make very good progress. These staff use their specialist skills very well; for example, to help a child to communicate, by hand gesture, when responding to a specialised recording machine toy and by facial gestures in response to puppets. As a result very good progress was made with children quickening their responses to the teachers’ stimulus.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

70. The few children with English as an additional language listen well and absorb all that is happening around them. Children at an early stage of developing spoken English join in where they can, make friends, and appear very settled. Teachers make strong efforts to help them to try words and phrases and speak specifically and clearly to them; as a result they make good progress in their learning.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

71. All the children enjoy books and stories and are pleased when chosen to change their books to take home. They know which books they have had before and the majority recognise their favourite stories by the picture clues on the cover. Books are handled carefully and children pretend to read to each other. They talk about the characters and stories with their friends and laugh when a character is mischievous and hides away as in the book ‘Where’s Spot?’ Almost all children recognise their name and independently find it and ‘post it’ in a tray when they drink their milk. Higher attaining children recognise letters Brunswick Nursery School 21 and some correctly identify familiar words. Staff read stories well to groups, using voices appropriate to the characters. Children sit spellbound by this and are always sorry when the stories finish. The school has a large and interesting range of books which staff use well to

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

72. The emphasis of the planned curriculum at this early stage of the year is on personal and social development. Staff, whilst developing in children a love of books and very early experiences towards reading, were not seen specifically to further develop the existing reading skills of the higher attaining children. This is a deliberate policy of the nursery as it sees its role in following children’s choices and developing their learning by extending language through talk, play and the senses.

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

73. The majority of children are at an early stage in writing and during the inspection few chose the writing activities available. Those that did were observed drawing, scribbling, mark making and painting with brushes and twigs. A few attempt to write their names and higher attaining children write many recognisable letters. Teachers model children’s names on their paintings and give good support to individuals who choose these activities. Photographic evidence of last year’s cohort shows that many learn to read and write their own simple sentences later in the school year.

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

74. The curriculum is appropriately planned on a series of themes which are then developed for the early learning goals for the age group, but also following children’s interests and ideas. As children choose their activities from those offered throughout the site, it is difficult for staff who stay in allocated rooms to track and know all the activities children choose in a session. Key workers make satisfactory anecdotal observations on individual children, which are collated by the teachers into profiles for each area of learning. However, records of what children achieve in this area of learning are not wholly systematic and the school’s use of assessment information is developing. It depends on teachers knowing children well rather than a co-ordinated system that ensures teachers build upon children’s past learning and record their achievements.

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

75. The co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory and much hard work has been undertaken to improve and acquire good resources to create a language rich environment. This is particularly successful for the speaking and listening aspects.

p.26

Mathematical development

76. Provision in this area of learning is good. Children make satisfactory progress and many are well on course to exceed the levels expected by the time they leave the school. Children in the current cohort match shapes and sequence patterns with developing confidence. They are learning to sort equipment according to criteria such as colour, shape and size, and are beginning to explore concepts of capacity and measures when they use sand and water to fill containers of various sizes. Some know the names of simple two- dimensional shapes such as circle, square, triangle and rectangle. Past work shows that many children by the time they leave the nursery, successfully recognize, count and use numbers up to and often beyond ten. They use mathematical terms such as ‘more than’ and ‘higher/lower’ in context. They are familiar with number rhymes, such as ‘Five Little Speckled Frogs’, which reinforce their knowledge and understanding of number. During these

p.26

Mathematical development

sessions, many also hold up the right number of fingers as they add and subtract in ones. Brunswick Nursery School 22 77. The quality of teaching and learning is good, and children achieve well. Expectations are appropriate for the most part, although a few of the most able children need greater challenge. Adults make good use of incidental opportunities to reinforce learning in mathematics, such as when counting the balls collected to put back into the ‘ball-pool’. However, there is not always sufficient intervention using targeted questioning by adults to encourage children to apply their developing mathematical skills when using sand and water or in the role-play area. This is because planning does not always clearly identify what children will learn during the activity.

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

78. Children are well on course to meet, and many will exceed, the early learning goals in this area. Teaching is good and enables children to achieve well.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

79. The outdoor environment is used well as teachers encourage children to ask questions about ‘what happens next?’ This resulted in other children joining a child with a teacher out of curiosity and staying to become thoroughly interested. Teachers encourage children by sharing their success with others, and by their effective questioning, make children think about the purpose of bridges or platforms on a railway circuit. Children successfully make the railway track on the table and introduce levels into it; for example, one child moved a circuit half a turn to get more length into it. All of the group were easily able to join the pieces together, constructing on two levels, and most explained clearly what they were doing and why. Children enjoy using the mouse on computers to help a frog to catch a fly on its tongue, and are developing appropriate familiarity and confident use of the arrow keys. Teachers use resources very imaginatively; for instance, they construct a ‘tent’ with

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

mirrored walls and children learn about reflections and exploration distortion in their own shape as they move the mirrors or themselves around. Teacher encourages children to look carefully at the changing images in the mirrors and pick out the differences. Staff make good use of demonstration, for example, how to hammer nails safely, encouraging independence and giving guidance but not interfering in the child’s work or solving problems for them. When playing with wet sand, children were encouraged to explain what they were doing, making moulds of houses and turning them out gently so that they would hold their shape. Scrutiny of last year’s work shows good gains in the knowledge and understanding of how electricity affects daily lives in the collages children made from old hairdryers, electrical plugs and printed circuit boards, following a visit to the local Technology Museum. Children also

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

develop a good knowledge and understanding of the life cycle of a frog, and how plants grow. They accurately name the parts of their bodies.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

80. Children with special educational needs achieve well and staff make great efforts to ensure their total participation in all the activities available. This was particularly striking when a disabled child was helped to hold the nursery’s pet rabbit and to stroke the fur, feeling the texture and smiling with great pleasure.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

81. Staff make good and detailed records of children’s achievement in this area of learning, and use them to suit future activities to individual needs. The learning intention of what pupils will know, do and understand as a result of planned activities is not always clear. Resources are good and easily accessible to all children, who are free to make independent choices of what work they will do.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

82. These findings reflect those of the previous inspection. Brunswick Nursery School 23

p.27

Creative

83. Children’s standards of attainment are good. The majority of pupils achieve standards above those expected for their age and are well on target to exceed the early learning goals by the end of the Reception Year. These standards have been satisfactorily maintained since the last inspection.

p.28

Creative

84. Children creatively and imaginatively choose and play with a wide range of activities. They readily join in singing their favourite songs and are keen to learn new ones. A significant number can name the music instruments they play and recognise wooden claves, castanets, silver bells and maracas. The majority will happily perform to an audience when chosen to sing ‘Five Little Speckled Frogs’. There is obvious enjoyment of their music making and children are very pleased with the sounds they make. Children make up their own stories using gloves puppets as pretend animals. They match appropriate sounds to the characters making a bark for a dog and a purr for a cat. A higher attaining child makes a pretend game about the rocking horse being a knight’s horse and others join her when invited.

p.28

Creative

85. In the water children siphon, transport and expel water from pumps and syringes to develop an imaginative game around a fireman theme. Clay is decoratively pushed, pinched, flattened and cut. When painting children explore the consistency of paint and the impressions left on paper by blowing bubbles in paint.

p.28

Creative

86. Children’s personal and social skills are well developed in this area of learning. Completely independently children seek aprons before starting creative tasks, help each other to put them on, tidy away painting by unclipping them and placing on a drier and wash their hands to remove paint.

p.28

Creative

87. The quality of teaching is always good in this area of learning. Teachers plan a rich curriculum of imaginative and creative activities. These are very well prepared and organised to enable children to become independent. Teachers ask good questions of individual and support children well in their choice of activity. They encourage children to review what they are doing, what they are thinking and what has been found out. Quick interventions where necessary ensures children persevere, tidy up, or get work together. Ideas are shared ‘Have you seen this good idea?’ ‘What do you think?’ and children feel safe and secure in their chosen activities. As a result children have very good attitudes to their learning, they are keen to try new activities and repeat old favourites. They co-operate well with each other and are calm, confident and increasingly independent. Their progress is good.

p.28

Creative

88. The curriculum is appropriately planned following a series of themes. It is suitably linked to the stepping stones in the Foundation Stage Curriculum but also follows children’s' own ideas and interests. Children freely choose for the majority of the time the activities they will do. The majority chose sensibly and well and concentrate enthusiastically for long periods to pursue their chosen tasks. All children have good access to the planned activities. Children with special needs are very well supported to access the entire creative curriculum and make very good progress. They thoroughly enjoy their creative experiences.

p.28

Creative

89. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory. Staff write daily anecdotal notes as a result of their observations. Teachers collate these to form a profile of children’s’ creative work. However, it is not clear how these assessments help teachers plan the next stage of the children’s' learning. The use of assessment information to inform learning is developing. 90. The resources are good; they are well stored and placed to encourage children to become independent and self-sufficient. Brunswick Nursery School 24

p.28

Physical development

91. Children’s standards of attainment are good. Almost all children achieve standards above those expected for their age and are well on target to exceed the early learning goals by the end of the Reception Year. These standards have been satisfactorily maintained since the last inspection.

p.29

Physical development

92. The majority of children move safely and confidently in both their large and small movements. They freely explore the rich range of activities they are offered both indoors and outdoors, independently or with friends. They take turns and share equipment well and have very good attitudes to their physical play.

p.29

Physical development

93. Using fine manipulative skills, children join track competently to make a circuit for a train within a given size of tabletop. They introduce levels with bridges and curves to go round corners. One higher attaining child moved the circuit a quarter turn within the space to enable the straight track to the lengthened. All the group explain what they are doing and why. Children confidently ride a variety of bikes, both two and three-wheeled, and some are able to pedal and steer a bike and trailer, pulling another child uphill. A few use a four-wheel push/pull bike where pre-selection of a forward or back mechanism is required first. One child demonstrated how competently she could ride a two-wheeled tandem. Almost all children have good co-ordination when moving around at different speeds and show control and awareness of their own and other’s space. They easily vary their pace and stop quickly

p.29

Physical development

94. Children with special educational needs are very well supported in their walking and balance, and are praised and encouraged to try different levels, heights and new tasks. They make good progress and show facial expressions of appreciation at being outdoors and being pushed in wagons by their friends. Stroking the rabbit encourages the practice of children’s slow, soft hand movements.

p.29

Physical development

95. The children enjoy their physical play and show very good personal and social development in their attitude to each other and consideration of others’ needs. This is particularly evident when they negotiate with others simple plans for a bicycle route and for a specific bike to ride on. They listen well to friends’ ideas and concentrate on their activities for a long time. For each chosen activity, children tidy away their own materials, usually unaided.

p.29

Physical development

96. When using small equipment children demonstrate good skills in cutting cardboard and boxes for junk models. They creatively thread coloured wool around twigs to decorate trees. Paintings are free, bold and expressive with children showing good control of big brushes. Teddy Bear observational drawings using smaller brushes are of very good quality, considering how much smaller they are, and based on looking hard to try to represent what has been seen.

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Physical development

97. When dancing, children respond well to music, smiling, nodding and enjoying their actions and suiting them to the words of familiar songs. Some are better than others at finding a space, starting and stopping on command. They understand and perform ‘stiffly’ and ‘floppily’ and sustain physical activity for a reasonable period of time. Some children also adopt appropriately grumpy facial expressions which they associate with ‘stiffness’.

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Physical development

98. The quality of teaching in this area of learning is always good. Teachers quietly support and encourage individuals helping them to express their needs and preferences and asking good questions to extend children’s learning. This results in children making good Brunswick Nursery School 25 progress. The curriculum is planned around a series of main activities and developed by following each child’s interests.

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Physical development

99. Procedures for monitoring children’s attainment and progression is satisfactory. Observations by staff are anecdotal and teachers collect these to formal profile of each child’s physical development. Use of these assessments is developing. It is not clear how the school uses these profiles to ensure teachers build upon children’s past learning. The school does not identify what physical skills children have on entry to the school so it is not easily able to provide evidence of how much progress they make during their nursery year. This does not ensure the systematic development of children’s skills, knowledge and understanding.

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Physical development

100. The curriculum for children’s physical development is very good. It is rich and stimulating. The school has a wide range of very good resources that it uses imaginatively to give children very good quality experiences in this area of learning.

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Physical development

101. The co-ordination of the subject is good. Careful consideration is given to the development of skills when buying resources and the garden and curriculum have seen good improvement since the last inspection. Staff are well trained in this area of learning. Outdoor play is well integrated into the curriculum all year.

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