Bowerdean Nursery School

BOWERDEAN NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 7 th – 8 th October 2002

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BOWERDEAN 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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BOWERDEAN 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. Bowerdean Nursery School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Gordon Road High Wycombe Buckinghamshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Buckinghamshire Education Authority

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 th November 1996 Bowerdean Nursery School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

27681 David Marshall Registered inspector Areas of learning for the Foundation Stage Special educational needs How high are standards? How well are the children taught? How well is the school led and managed? 9446 Helen Griffiths Lay inspector How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Children’s personal development and attendance 16773 Raminder Arora Team inspector Areas of learning for the Foundation Stage English as an additional language Equal opportunities How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to children? How well does the school care for its children?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Schoolhaus Ltd Suite 17 B.P.S. Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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Team members Subject responsibilities 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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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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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 Children’s 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 children’s achievements Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 20

Bowerdean Nursery School - 6 Bowerdean Nursery School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Bowerdean Nursery is sited close to the centre of High Wycombe. It is housed in a building that is over 100 years old. During the last summer holiday much of the interior was refurbished and improved. The school roll at the beginning of this term was 32 three year olds in the mornings and 28 in the afternoons. This takes up most of the school’s capacity of 40 part-time places in the separate morning and afternoon sessions. Attainment on entry is generally well below average and many children are at a very early stage in learning English. A high proportion of the children are from an ethnic minority background – in summer 2002 this was 67 per cent. Almost half of the children also have English as an additional language. The main languages spoken are Punjabi and Urdu. A significant number of parents are unemployed and claiming income support. There are also a high number of single parent families. There are 13 children with special needs, and one child with a

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

statement of educational need. This is a high proportion of the whole school roll. The school has received a New Opportunities Fund grant from the beginning of next term to provide all day care known as ‘Wrap-around’. A new head teacher started at the school this term, that is, in September 2002.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Bowerdean is a very effective nursery school, which gives children a very good start to their school careers. The leadership and management of the school, by the head teacher and governors, are very good. The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good. This, combined with a well-planned curriculum, and the very good assessment of children’s progress, which is used very well, results in boys and girls from all groups and of all levels of ability learning very well in all areas of the foundation curriculum 1 . Their achievements in personal and social development are very good. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Children learn very well in the areas of the foundation curriculum. • The leadership and management of the school are very good and have resulted in all staff having a commitment to a high quality of provision. As a result, it is a happy school and effectively supports the children’s overall development. • Teaching is very good and children make very good gains in their learning. • Staff carefully check how children are progressing and use this information very well to plan stimulating activities that motivate all children very well. • Children’s moral and social development is very well provided for. As a result relationships in the school are excellent. • The support staff, nursery nurses and support assistants, make a very valuable contribution to the effectiveness of the school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • There are no major issues for the school to consider. However, in order to build on the many strengths the school has, the governors should continue to build on the current methods to involve parents in their children’s education, both at home and at school. They should also review the way children learn about each other’s cultures. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since the time of the last inspection. Children’s standards in language and literacy have been improved by the school’s very good planning of teaching and learning that is consistently related to children’s experiences and interests. There is now a balanced coverage of each area of learning through the well-produced curriculum aims and guidance. The budget and resources are now used very well and so the range of learning resources has been greatly improved. Staff now know what children already know and what they need to do next to develop their knowledge and understanding when planning lessons. Parents are

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

1 Planning in the Foundation Stage is geared towards children achieving standards known as the Early Learning Goals in six areas of development – personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development; and creative development. Bowerdean Nursery School - 8 provided with regular information about the curriculum, explaining how it is organised and delivered, starting with the publication of aims through the school brochure. However, the school is still not completely successful in promoting parental help in the classroom and at home and this is affecting children’s learning.

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STANDARDS

There are no standardised assessments for children at the end of their nursery school, but inspection evidence shows that children achieve well and make very good progress overall. Children’s emotional, personal and social skills, language and physical skills develop particularly well. Progress in these aspects of the curriculum is often excellent. This is despite the fact that many children start the school with levels of achievement well below those expected for their age. There are also many children who start the school with little or no spoken English. These children make very good progress in learning English and take a full part in all activities. As a result, children from all groups learn very well. This is due to the very good teaching and attention to the individual needs of each child. Children with special educational needs make very good progress in all areas of learning.

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CHILDREN’S ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Children develop very good attitudes to school. They enjoy their work and play, and are interested and fully involved in all activities.

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CHILDREN’S ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour Behaviour is very good. Children learn the rules of the nursery well and follow them.

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CHILDREN’S ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Children’s personal development is very good. They develop good levels of personal responsibility for their age, and make excellent relationships with all adults.

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CHILDREN’S ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance There are no national comparisons for children of this age. However, regular attendance is not an issue and children enjoy coming to school and arrive on time.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is very good overall. All teaching staff, nursery nurses and support assistants have a very good understanding of the needs of young children and what they should be taught. Planning is very good and very good use is made of the school’s exceptionally thorough assessment system. This means that teaching meets the needs of boys and girls from all groups very well. The many children with English as an additional language are taught and supported very well. The quality of teaching of communication, language and literacy and mathematical skills is particularly good. The way that teachers and all adults listen to the children so carefully and value all their responses is very encouraging to them all and ensures they grow in confidence, and can work out answers for themselves. Therefore, the management of these young children is very good. A range of effective and stimulating activities keeps children fully occupied and all time is used to very good

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

purpose. Children make very good gains in their learning as a consequence. The quality of teaching of communication, language and literacy and mathematical skills is very good. Children’s emotional, personal and social skills, language and physical skills develop particularly well. Bowerdean Nursery School - 9

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality and range of learning opportunities are good. There are very good strategies for teaching early literacy and numeracy skills. The provision for personal and social development is exceptionally good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for children with special educational needs There is very good provision for children with special educational needs and they make very good progress in their learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for children with English as an additional language The provision for children with English as an additional language is very good. They are very well supported in all areas of their learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for children’s personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development The provision for children’s personal, moral and social development is very good. The atmosphere in the school is very positive and encouraging. The provision for children’s spiritual development is good. Cultural provision is sound overall, but the opportunities for children to celebrate and learn about each other’s cultures could be enhanced.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its children Child protection procedures are very good. Procedures for monitoring and supporting children’s academic and personal development are very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Links with parents are still developing. Parents have very positive views of the school and its work. Despite the fact that the range of information, and the opportunities afforded by the school, are good, parents are not yet fully involved in the work their children do.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff The leadership and management of the school by the head and other staff are very good. The atmosphere created by the very good teamwork of adults ensures that the children make very good progress.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are very committed to the school, understand its needs fully and bring a wealth of experience to their help in shaping the direction of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The procedures the school has in place to monitor its own performance and take effective action are very good. There is a very strong commitment to improvement from all staff.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The school uses its resources very well. The head is careful to make sure that best value is sought in all purchases.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The match of teachers and support staff to the needs of children and the curriculum is very good. The accommodation is good and improving. Learning resources are also good. Bowerdean Nursery School - 10

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved § Their children like school. § The teaching is good. § The school is well led and managed. § The school expects the children to work hard and do their best. § They find the staff very welcoming and supportive. § There were no significant areas highlighted by parents.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspection evidence fully supports the overwhelmingly positive views of the parents. Bowerdean Nursery School - 11

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The school’s results and children’s achievements

1. Children enter the nursery school with levels of attainment that cover the full range of ability usually found amongst three year olds. However, when the majority first start school their standards are well below those expected for their age. This is a change from the time of the last inspection six years ago, when the initial standards were below expectations. Over half the children speak English as an additional language, with many with very few words of English at all. Thanks to the exceptional support they are given this does not prevent them from taking part in all activities. The way that the multilingual assistant switches so quickly and carefully from English to the children’s home language, and vice-versa, to keep the children’s interest and introduce new ideas and language, is very impressive, and enhances their learning very effectively.

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The school’s results and children’s achievements

2. There are no standardised assessments for children of this age, but inspection evidence shows that the children make very good gains in their learning. School documentation shows that four year olds also made very good progress and many achieved the standards expected for their age by the time they left. In communication, language and literacy, mathematics and in their knowledge and understanding of the world, the children are making good progress from the low starting point they have on entering the school. Children’s creative, personal and social skills and their physical development are especially well enhanced. The level of progress the children now make is significantly improved since the time of the last inspection.

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The school’s results and children’s achievements

3. The very good teaching and very well structured curriculum mean that all children achieve well. Children with special educational needs are identified very early and make good progress in all aspects of learning as they are given very good levels of additional support. Children with English as an additional language make very good progress in their learning due mainly to the very good planning and support they receive. The school does not set overall formal targets for improvement but sets individual targets for each child in the different areas of learning. These are used very effectively when planning lessons and the overall curriculum so that each child is enabled to reach his or her potential.

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Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

4. Children have very positive attitudes to their school. The school places very great value on the amount of involvement children have in all activities, and monitors this very closely. Therefore, through persuasion children are encouraged to take part in all that is available for them. They grow to appreciate the quality of the activities and become very keen to take part. They enjoy their learning and are keen to show each other and the adults around them what they can do.

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Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

5. Behaviour is very good. Children learn to get along together very well due to the positive atmosphere created by the adults and the constant, positive encouragement they are given. Expectations for good behaviour are clear. All members of staff reinforce these constantly and consistently within the happy atmosphere of the school. This gives the children clear messages on how to behave and they rise to these expectations very well. Careful assessment by staff makes sure that the learning of all children is not interrupted by the needs of any one individual.

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Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

6. Relationships are excellent. All adults respond well to the children and treat them with a great deal of care, giving them the attention they need to help them to develop into well-rounded individuals. Children have a sense of well-being and develop high levels of self-esteem and confidence as a result. Children get on well with each other in the same positive and friendly way, following the very good examples displayed by all adults. Bowerdean Nursery School - 12 7. Children are developing good levels of personal skills. This is reflected in the self-confident way they approach their learning tasks. They are happy to try everything because they know that the adults will intervene at the right moment to support or adapt the activity a little, which gives each child enough challenge to extend their skills and to succeed. The children operate independently during free choice activity time. They enjoy the responsibility of being able to select from the

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Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

very wide range of structured activities on offer. The gentle pressure from an adult to address the specific learning the school wants them to is skilfully done and the children co-operate fully during these times.

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Children’s attitudes, values and personal development

8. Children’s attendance is good. Even though attendance for children of this age is not compulsory, school registers are used in the normal way. Scrutiny of the well-kept registers shows that once the children start at the school they attend regularly and punctually and so they take all opportunities on offer.

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HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

9. The quality of teaching is very good and makes a very positive contribution to children’s attainment and progress at all levels. Teachers and support staff are very dedicated and work together as a very effective team. This is a good improvement since the last inspection when the quality of teaching was generally sound.

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HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

10. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and understanding of the curriculum. Staff all plan very effectively for all aspects of the curriculum for these young children. They are especially good at providing opportunities that allow children to find solutions to tasks and explore their environment, such as finding the right shaped bricks to complete a building or where bear pictures have been hidden for the ‘bear hunt’. The children grow in confidence and respond readily to the challenges they are set.

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HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

11. Teachers use a very good range of teaching strategies, for example whole-class teaching, group work, the use of simple artefacts and visual resources, and information and communication technology. Children are encouraged to be engrossed in their tasks and this is raising their attainment and improving progress.

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HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

12. Teachers have high expectations of what children can achieve. Lessons are planned to a very high level that makes absolutely sure that explanations and instructions are clear. As a result children work confidently and use their own initiative where appropriate. Teachers’ skills of questioning are particularly strong and have a positive effect on the ability of children to speak and listen carefully. This encourages children to think carefully and develop their own points of view. Very good, consistent use of praise raises child confidence. These techniques of questioning and praise were seen to good effect in all lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

13. Very good management of children, achieved without fuss and with good humour, is a strong feature of all teaching, and children are able to work without distraction. Excellent relationships between children and with their teachers contribute very effectively to children’s positive attitudes. The way that all teachers were able to get children’s attention whenever necessary was outstanding.

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HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

14. The use of time and resources is very good. Staff make the most of every minute of the day even when children are moving from room to room, going outside, or going to and from tasks. Lessons start on time and move at a brisk pace.

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HOW WELL ARE CHILDREN TAUGHT?

15. Staff’s use of day-to-day assessment during lessons is very good across all areas of learning. As a result they know all children well and this contributes to the quality of teaching for children with special educational needs. Individual education plans are very good. They contain clear and realistic targets, often associated with language development. Bowerdean Nursery School - 13

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CHILDREN?

16. The school’s curriculum is broad and balanced and reflects its aims well. The overall quality and range of opportunities are good for all areas of learning. This represents good improvement since the last inspection. The staff plan together to provide consistency of approach. They provide activities for children that are relevant, imaginative and enjoyable with a good balance of teacher-directed and children’s self-initiated activities. The young children have many high quality opportunities for both indoor and outdoor activities, with continuity of care and appropriate expectations for learning. Staff effectively include all aspects of the early years curriculum, the Early Learning Goals, in their planning. There are now regular opportunities planned for children to draw and paint using a variety of materials and tools. The outdoor provision is good and effectively organised. The activities are relevant, imaginative and enjoyable for children.

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CHILDREN?

However, because the outdoor wooded area has only recently been opened up, the planning of outdoor activities does not always have the same clear focus for developing specific skills.

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CHILDREN?

17. Teachers’ short-term planning includes clear learning objectives for all areas of learning. The planning is well characterised by teachers’ good understanding of how young children learn, appropriate expectations and the development of good behaviour and positive attitudes. Children are helped to settle into school life through participating in a range of activities. The curriculum takes into consideration the national guidance in the Foundation Stage and the staff adapt it to meet the needs of the children.

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CHILDREN?

18. The procedures to monitor and assess children’s progress on a regular basis are very good and well established as part of planning. Informal assessments that take place on entry to the nursery class are used particularly well to link work with what children can and cannot do. Good records are kept to monitor the progress that children make in all areas of learning. There are consistent procedures for assessing children on a day-to-day basis, in order to check and record their ongoing progress and to plan for their specific learning needs. These findings represent significant improvements since the previous inspection

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CHILDREN?

19. Children with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language receive well-planned support to enhance their progress. Children’s needs are carefully assessed and targeted. Children with special educational needs have well-considered individual plans, especially written for them with very clear targets. Children with English as an additional language, particularly those in the early stages of learning to speak English, are very effectively supported. Story sessions are translated into home languages, and work with individual children is undertaken by the multilingual support assistant to reinforce specific learning. Teachers and support staff recognise the need to encourage and develop children’s talk though role-play and other opportunities for discussion about what they are doing when engaged in different activities, for example, the dressing-up corner in the nursery. They use the available time effectively to

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CHILDREN?

20. Homework in the form of borrowing books and story packs is used particularly well to promote children’s love for books.

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CHILDREN?

21. The school has good strategies for equality of access and opportunities. For example, adults ensure that activities are not limited by gender and both boys and girls wash up and ride bikes. There are equal opportunities to take the lead in both indoor and outdoor activities.

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CHILDREN?

22. The overall provision to children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The ethos of mutual respect and concern for others makes a good impact on children’s learning. Staff work hard at making the school environment welcoming and stimulating. The school’s philosophy in terms of its aims and practices, and a range of experiences and activities, effectively promote the caring relationships seen at all levels in the school community. Bowerdean Nursery School - 14 23. The provision for children’s spiritual understanding is good. It is effectively linked to opportunities for children to engage in wonder, for example, when the teacher appears with two inflated balloons, one high up and the other down, and another example, which amazed the many children who were taking part was the painting with marbles. Stories and talks in lessons are interesting and effectively relate to children’s everyday experiences.

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CHILDREN?

24. The provision for children’s moral development is very good. The school effectively teaches the values that distinguish right from wrong. The children respond positively, enjoying their work and showing care for the toys they play with. Both teaching and support staff provide very good role models and encourage children to relate well to each other and behave courteously.

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CHILDREN?

25. Very good provision is made for children’s social development through daily life in the nursery. The school has a secure environment in which children feel cared for. They are encouraged to relate well to each other and play harmoniously. The quality of relationship between adults and children is very good. Most children clear up willingly and confidently with others at tidying up times

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CHILDREN?

26. The provision for cultural development is satisfactory overall. Some photographic displays of children dressing up in different costumes are good. There are few multicultural resources and a few dual language books of good quality. However, there is further potential to promote multicultural activities in art, role-play and music, in order for children to appreciate the way of life of people from other cultures represented in the diverse British society. Opportunities to involve parents and visitors from the local faith communities with the emphasis on developing social and cultural links would further enhance the provision.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS CHILDREN?

27. The school has very effective procedures for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of its children. It has a warm and friendly atmosphere. This is an improvement on the findings of the last inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS CHILDREN?

28. Child protection procedures are very good. The newly appointed head teacher and the deputy have both been trained. All staff have received some training but this needs to be updated, as do the training procedures for student teachers. Local authority guidelines have been adopted. Links with social services are good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS CHILDREN?

29. The school has clear policies to ensure children’s health and safety. All statutory procedures are in place and implemented. Four members of staff have been trained in first aid. The accident book is properly kept and notification of accidents given to parents. There are good procedures for dealing with children’s medical conditions. Risk assessments are carried out regularly. Supervision at all times is very effective. Security is very good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS CHILDREN?

30. Procedures for promoting good behaviour are very good. There is a positive behaviour approach that is very effective. The school has very good procedures for monitoring children’s personal development. Ongoing assessment sheets are kept on a daily basis and used to inform discussions with parents and reports.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS CHILDREN?

31. Procedures for monitoring attendance are satisfactory. Registers are properly kept but are only monitored occasionally. Parents are urged to bring their children to school regularly. The educational welfare officer visits the school each term.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

32. Parents who responded to the questionnaire were very positive in their support for the school. A very high proportion felt that the school worked closely with them and that they were kept well informed about their children’s progress. Only one parent attended the pre-inspection meeting. In the school’s own questionnaire, all parents agreed that they were encouraged to come into Bowerdean Nursery School - 15 school to help in activities. However, those who responded to this questionnaire were divided as to whether they were willing or able to do so. In practice, very few parents so far have been actively involved in the daily life of the school, except for those who choose to stay with their own children. This was also a key issue at the time of the last inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

33. The school is moving forward and various initiatives are planned to try to involve more parents, especially those where the home language is not English. For example, home visits are to be made next term, with the involvement of the language support assistant. The multilingual assistant now reads all school newsletters to parents in their home language and so they are not in any doubt over the school’s plans and intentions. A mother and toddler group is planned and the local multicultural unit is to be asked to translate letters to parents into any other languages. Parents already celebrate Eid and Diwali in the school and there are plans to invite more parents to come into school at festivals to help celebrate their own faiths with the children and enrich children’s spiritual and cultural development. Parents are keen to attend school performances and open days. However, it remains a disappointment to the school that despite

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

their many efforts comparatively little progress has been made to involve the large numbers of parents who have little or no English.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

34. Information provided for parents, which was criticised in the last report, is now good. The prospectus and governors’ annual reports are written in a friendly and accessible style. Newsletters are regular and useful. Transition reports (for children going on to infants’ schools) are very good and support for children with special needs is also very good. Advance information on the curriculum is provided each term and open days are held each term so that parents can see their children’s progress and discuss it with teachers. Story bags are sent home for parents to work with children, and they all appreciate the difference this is making.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

35. The leadership and management of the school are very good. The newly appointed, very experienced, head teacher provides a strong direction for the school. Since the last inspection there has been a change in head teacher and a period where the current part-time teacher acted as head. It is a tribute to her ability and diligence that the school has continued to make progress and all staff are still firmly committed to working together to provide high levels of constantly very good teaching in an attractive and stimulating environment.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

36. The new head has monitored planning, teaching and standards throughout the school. The monitoring of all teaching is well recorded and has led to greater consistency in planning and delivery of lessons. The targets in the improvement plan that the school sets itself are very appropriate and the action taken to meet them is very good. A great strength of the school is its shared commitment to improvement. The head teacher and all staff have rewritten the school improvement plan through careful consultation with each other. This identifies relevant priorities in all areas, including the curriculum, organisation, management and premises, with expenditure identified. The full monitoring and evaluation opportunities that are built into the plan mean that the school takes all appropriate steps to evaluate how it is performing across all aspects.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

37. The school’s governing body is well informed about the school and governors take their responsibilities seriously. They take full responsibility for monitoring the work of the school. They understand the needs of the school well and work well in committees. It is evident from discussions that they are operating as the necessary critical friend to the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

38. There are very good numbers of staff who are very well qualified and highly experienced. The nursery nurses know the children very well and have a very good understanding of their needs and the requirements of the Foundation Stage curriculum. The multilingual assistant who supports the children with English as an additional language makes a very important contribution to their learning and is an asset that is greatly appreciated by the parents. There are very good systems in the school for the training and induction of new support assistants and Bowerdean Nursery School - 16 nursery nurses. These have created many good links with local schools and colleges who use the school for initial training.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

39. The range of resources is good, and represents a significant improvement since the last inspection. The school plans very carefully which resources are to be used for each planned activity. This helps to guide the children’s learning in the direction identified by the assessment information and planning.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

40. The school’s accommodation is good. There is ample room for all the children to learn through playing in all aspects of the areas of learning. Teachers have made good use of wall space for displays, including those of children’s work. The external appearance of the school is good. The refurbishment recently completed inside means the building provides an attractive environment for learning. In particular the recent improvements to the outside areas have provided new and exciting opportunities for the children. Access to the school is easy for parents, who say how much they appreciate this.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

41. In order to continue to build on the many strengths of the school, the governors, head teacher and staff should consider the following minor points for improvement:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(a) Ensure that children gain a clear understanding of the multicultural nature of society through incorporating and emphasising these aspects in the written guidance for all subjects, and taking all possible opportunities in their day-to-day activities.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(b) Continue to look for ways in which the parents can be involved in the early learning of their children, both at home and at school. Bowerdean Nursery School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents around nine percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 32

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 13

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 24

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

National comparative data N/A National comparative data N/A

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Bowerdean Nursery School - 18

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 160,058

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A Total expenditure 152,567

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A Expenditure per pupil 4238

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year -5228

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.5 Balance carried forward to next year 2263

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 11

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 84.5

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Bowerdean Nursery School - 19

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 75 25 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 63 31 0 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 19 19 0 0 63

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 63 25 0 0 12

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 88 6 0 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 25 6 0 13

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 75 12 0 0 12

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 81 19 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 69 31 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 44 37 0 0 19 Bowerdean Nursery School - 20

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42. There are 13 three year olds with one term’s school experience and 19 new three year olds in the classes at the moment. The present intake of children have levels of attainment that are well below expectations for their age Also a high proportion of the children have English as an additional language. The main languages spoken at home are Punjabi, Urdu and Greek.

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Personal, social and emotional development

43. Children enter the nursery with poorly developed levels of personal, social and emotional skills. However, they settle down quickly and feel both happy and secure at school. Teaching of this area of learning is very good. As a result, most children achieve well and a significant number of especially older children in the group attain many of the standards expected for their age. All children are skilfully encouraged to develop their confidence and the ability to sit quietly and concentrate. They are given regular opportunities to participate in activities, to listen to others, and to take turns at speaking in a familiar group, for example when sharing refreshments sitting in a circle. Children show respect for equipment and each other. A few children in the book corner were seen handling books carefully and returning them to their correct places. Children are helped to form good relationships with others through many good opportunities to work as

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Personal, social and emotional development

part of a group, independently, or with an adult. Children of all different backgrounds work and play in harmony. They are given opportunities to develop independence and take responsibilities, such as helping with clearing away the equipment at the end of the session.

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Personal, social and emotional development

44. Children are effectively taught the difference between right and wrong and guided to behave sensibly most of the time. They show consideration and respect for property and each other. The staff act as good role models for children and explain clearly what is expected of them. Children are helped to form good relationships with others, through many good opportunities to work in pairs or as part of a group. Most children are attentive and eager to learn, and enjoy sharing their work with any available adult. They participate enthusiastically in teacher-led and self-initiated activities. Children are purposefully occupied and skilfully managed. All staff are consistent and firm on discipline and following class rules. As a result most children are developing positive and caring attitudes.

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Communication, language and literacy

45. Most children’s attainment on entry to the nursery is particularly low in communication and language. Most children have English as an additional language and many speak little or no English when they first start school. This makes communication in anything other than their home language difficult. Due to the provision of a well-planned programme of work, the very good quality of teaching and a good quality and range of opportunities for learning, children show very good gains in learning English. They achieve well and make good progress over their time in the nursery. However, the majority of children do not reach the standards expected for their age in communication, language and literacy. Children who are learning English as an additional language receive well-focused support from the multilingual classroom assistant and soon acquire enough spoken English to function adequately within the classroom. Children with

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Communication, language and literacy

special educational needs receive well-planned support to enhance their progress.

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Communication, language and literacy

46. In recognition of the low start on entry, the teachers focus well on developing children’s talk and new vocabulary. There is very good teaching in the nursery to develop children’s speaking and listening skills across all areas of learning. Instructions for activities are very practical. Demonstration and use of visual information enables all children, including those new to English, to understand what they have to do. The adults develop children’s communication by providing good role models in the way they talk to each other and to children. Teachers question Bowerdean Nursery School - 21 children in small groups and individually and listen carefully to what they have to say. Children learn the new vocabulary and the appropriate way to say something. As a result they are not inhibited to talk to each other or adults as they play. Teachers show that they value children’s efforts at communicating. Very good progress is made when adults work in small groups or in

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Communication, language and literacy

one-to-one situations to give children individual attention. For example, in an outdoor session, small groups of children were taken on a walk through the woods pretending to be on a ‘bear hunt’. Children listened very carefully, followed instructions correctly and responded very positively. They thoroughly enjoyed the experience and repeated the familiar parts of the story enthusiastically. In another lesson children learn the positional vocabulary such as ‘over’, ‘under’, ‘up’ and ‘down’, and most show increased understanding of the words. A few older children were happily involved in looking for examples. Teachers use appropriate methods, such as two balloons, one filled with gas, to illustrate the meaning of ‘up and down’. There are appropriate opportunities for children to listen and respond to stories, songs and rhymes. For example, when telling the story, We’re going on a bear hunt , the teacher used lots of gestures

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Communication, language and literacy

and body language to reinforce meaning. Children were highly motivated, followed the story with great interest and absolutely loved the dramatic ending. A few children write their names but most others are still at the early stage of making marks on paper. Most children do not yet recognise letters of the alphabet or link these with sounds. There is insufficient focus on attending to the sound or the shape of letters on a regular basis. Most children draw and paint with increasing control. Adults effectively model direction and reading of print to enhance children’s love for books. Children enjoy stories read collectively, and are encouraged to take home story packs to share with parents.

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Mathematical development

47. Due to the very good teaching and planning, children make very good progress in their mathematical development. However, because their level of attainment in this area is well below average when they join the school, they are still below expectations for their age by the time they leave.

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Mathematical development

48. As soon as they begin school, they start to learn to say and use numbers in number rhymes and songs, and start to count to ten. For example, when playing with skittles they are supported in their one-to-one correspondence in counting and comparing who has knocked down more or fewer skittles when in pairs. They make good gains in lessons and over time with opportunities to repeat and consolidate learning. They are effectively supported to match, sort and count everyday objects. Teaching of this area is very good.

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Mathematical development

49. Opportunities for practical activities are well planned. Children begin to recognise basic shapes and gain some knowledge of capacity and weight from practical experiences with sand and water. They describe objects by position, shape, size, colour and quantity. Children enjoy working with large and small construction equipment. Most children demonstrate limited knowledge and understanding of how to solve simple problems involving addition and subtraction by the time they leave the school. Adult involvement in children’s activities is very good. All teachers successfully plan suitable activities and make useful and timely assessments to ascertain individual children’s progress.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

50. While the children are getting good experience for developing this area of learning because the teaching and support are very good, the poor level of knowledge on entry of many children remains a factor in their overall achievement. Most children have had very few experiences of the wider world. Their lives are centred around their homes and families. Adults support children’s understanding through opportunities for them to explore with everyday objects of interest in the home corner and play-kitchen, and encourage learning of, for example, how children have grown since they were babies. Teaching is particularly good for exploring and investigating. Adults grab any opportunities to make a teaching point, for example when the Bowerdean Nursery School - 22 different colours of play dough were mixed and turned brown. Children have little understanding of the change to materials but thoroughly enjoy the experiences of working with sand, water and

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

play dough, and freely explore properties of malleable materials. They use paint and mix different colours, but most do not yet name basic colours correctly. Teachers plan activities to broaden children’s vocabulary and knowledge of things around. Children are encouraged well to use their senses to recognise the smell and the taste of different fruits, for example, the use of real fruit to illustrate the story Handa’s Surprise . Children with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language are integrated well into the activities and participate fully. The multilingual assistant’s support in reinforcing the new vocabulary through the use of mother tongue is very impressive. The practical activities such as using the constructional toys or playing with a farm house enable children to practise the related vocabulary. The staff skilfully use photographs of children at play to highlight features in the

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

immediate environment, and make it attractive and interactive. Children use different materials, such as paper and textiles, and develop cutting, joining, folding and building skills. However, they have not sufficiently developed skills in asking questions to find out how things work. Most children demonstrate developing computer skills expected for their age. They show increasing control in the use of mouse, to move items on the screen. There is effective adult intervention in activities and encouragement for children to explore new ideas.

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Physical development

51. The teaching of all aspects of physical development is very good. There is constant provision of a very good range of opportunities to develop children’s physical skills. Children of all levels of prior attainment, or with English as an additional language, make very good progress in their learning.

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Physical development

52. All staff plan a very good range of activities for the children, both indoors and out each day. These are carefully planned to develop physical skills and co-ordination as the children learn how to use tools and equipment effectively. Each session a wide variety of different, exciting experiences are provided. At some point in each day children are given access to painting, modelling and building tasks. They use brushes, small tools such as scissors, trowels and beaters, complete puzzles and use small construction toys with increasing control. They are also given good opportunities to do things with a real purpose such as helping to fetch the right number of drink cartons at the appropriate time.

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Physical development

53. The school provides very good daily opportunities for children to practise skills of climbing, running, riding and balancing. The outdoor areas have a variety of types of activities and all offer very good opportunities for children’s physical development, and their social development as well.

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Creative development

54. Most children, when they enter nursery, have very limited experience of creative activities and some are reluctant to try activities that they consider messy. Most, however, are on course to attain the standard expected for their age in this area by the time they leave the nursery school. The teaching in this area is very good, and teachers plan activities to give children a wide range of creative experiences. Children paint freely using ready mixed paints. Some paint shapes that they give names to, such as “the bear in a cave” or “mummy going shopping”. Others painstakingly cover the paper with stripes and fill in all the gaps. Children are taught to hold a brush, a pencil or crayon properly. The older children use scissors with increasing skill. The youngest children quickly move from a form of scribble to a recognisable drawing or a painting portraying details such as fingers, toes and ears, with main facial features clearly in place. In a

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Creative development

session, children enjoyed the rolling of the paint-covered marbles on paper. They experiment with paint and use their observations and imagination to create pleasing results. They are given opportunities to explore colour and texture, and work with a range of materials. Some examples of collage work related to the topic in hand are good. Opportunities are provided for children to Bowerdean Nursery School - 23 sing and clap nursery rhymes and express enjoyment. They have a repertoire of songs which they enjoy singing with adults. For example, children’s favourite song, Hello , is much enjoyed by most as they sing enthusiastically and shake hands with the teacher going round the circle. There is a small selection of percussion instruments, generally lacking in quality and range.

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