The Sue Hedley Nursery School

Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre

Dates of inspection: 22 nd – 24 th March 2004

p.1

Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.1

Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Nursery with Early Excellence Centre School category: Maintained Age range of children: 3 – 4 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 70 part-time

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Campbell Park Road Hebburn Tyne and Wear Postcode: NE31 1QY

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0191 428 7650 Fax number: 0191 428 7651

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Local Education Authority Name of chair of governors: Mr B McLoughlin

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: Not applicable

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This small nursery school, part of the South Tyneside Early Excellence Centre, has 70 children on roll (39 boys and 31 girls), all but one part-time. The area served by the school has very high levels of economic and social deprivation. There are few children from minority ethnic families or refugee families. There is only one recently arrived child at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. The proportion of children identified as having special educational needs is high, mainly for speech and language difficulties. No children have statements of special educational needs. Attainment on entry is well below what is normally expected for children of this age, particularly in speaking and listening skills. The centre is involved in a number of national initiatives, and provides care and education for children from 1 to 4 years, including the provision in the nursery. Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

17976 Mr J Francis Lead inspector The Foundation Stage 32655 Mr J Bostock Lay inspector 20655 Mrs B Rimmer Team inspector Special educational needs English as an additional language

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

3 Greenacres Puddletown Dorchester Dorset DT2 8GF

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 5

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY CHILDREN 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY CHILDREN 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 9

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

p.5

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 18

Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 6

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an excellent nursery providing its children with a very high quality of education . The children make very good, and often excellent progress and achieve highly. The quality of teaching is very good with many excellent features. The curriculum is of the highest quality. The acting headteacher provides outstanding leadership and clear educational direction for the school.

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• leadership and management by the acting headteacher are excellent; • teaching by all staff is of a consistently high quality; • the children make very good progress; • excellent curriculum planning is clearly focused on the needs of individual children; • there is high quality assessment and tracking and recording of children's progress; • an ethos for learning develops children's self-esteem and confidence; • relationships with parents are excellent; • a high quality of care is provided by all of the services in the centre; • the governing body is not sufficiently well prepared for taking on the running of the nursery and its delegated budget.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children achieve highly because of the quality of teaching. From a very low starting point the children make very good progress. Almost all are in line to reach the expected levels in mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, and physical and creative development by the time they move into the reception class. Although progress in language and literacy is also very good, children’s skills in speaking are still rather limited. They are attentive listeners and have a good base of skills in early literacy. Children with special educational needs make the same progress as other children and achieve highly. Children with English as an additional language achieve as well as others.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children's personal and social development, behaviour and attitudes are excellent .

p.6

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides an excellent education. Teaching and learning are very good with some excellent features. The curriculum is excellent and carefully planned to meet the individual needs of all children.

p.6

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Staff know the children very well and their personal development is catered for exceptionally well. There are excellent links with parents and procedures for children starting school. Links with other schools are excellent and there are very good links with the community. The children in the nursery and their families benefit from the excellent welfare arrangements and wide range of healthcare services provided by the Early Excellence Centre (EEC). Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 7

p.6

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management are excellent. The acting headteacher sets an excellent example in her teaching and shows outstanding leadership, drive and commitment. The Local Education Authority (LEA) is forming a new governing body, but the process is not yet completed. Those governors currently in post have had little preparation for the handover of delegated powers on the 1 st April. This is a weakness.

p.7

PARENTS’ AND CHILDREN’S VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and children think highly of the nursery. Parents find staff very approachable and feel welcomed as partners in the education of their children. Parents take advantage of the excellent provision of courses available through the centre to improve their own skills.

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• fully constitute the governing body with some urgency and involve governors directly in planning for the transfer of responsibilities. Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 8

p.7

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is very good, and sometimes excellent, for all children. Standards are in line with those expected for children of this age in all areas of learning except for communication, language and literacy where they remain below. Boys and girls achieve equally highly.

p.8

Main strengths and weaknesses

• all children make very good progress and achieve highly in all the areas of learning; • children's personal, social and emotional development is outstanding.

p.8

Commentary

1. The very good progress and achievement of the children is a direct result of the school's well- planned approach to learning. Individual learning programmes are based on extremely close observation and assessment by all staff. The very good quality of teaching and the support offered to all children contribute to their high levels of achievement.

p.8

Commentary

2. Many children come into the nursery with poor social skills and limited language skills: many have speech difficulties. They make excellent progress, particularly in developing their listening skills. They listen very well and pay attention to what the adults and other children say. Through the consistent approach by all staff, the way the learning is organised and the calm atmosphere created, children make excellent progress in developing their personal, social and emotional skills.

p.8

Commentary

3. Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is sound and the nursery provides many first-hand experiences through the use of the locality, the well planned use of the school's grounds and the use of a range of information and communication technology (ICT). Creative development is provided for through well thought out approaches and a very good range of experiences in art and music. Excellent planning for the development of physical skills ensures many opportunities for constructing, cutting, pasting and mark making. There are also good opportunities for using the outstanding outdoor garden area. Children use large apparatus and equipment well to explore their capabilities through well-controlled and well-managed activities.

p.8

Commentary

4. Children with special educational needs also achieve highly and many reach the expected levels by the time they transfer to the reception class. The individual learning programmes and teaching strategies promote and develop communication skills and good behaviour, and are very effective in promoting excellent attitudes to learning.

p.8

Commentary

5. The school makes good provision for children who have English as an additional language, even where additional support is not available. As a result, they too make very rapid progress and achieve as well as others.

p.8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Children have excellent attitudes towards their learning and behave exceptionally well. Provision for children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 9

p.8

Main strengths and weaknesses

• children are happy, confident and enthusiastic learners; • children have a high level of involvement in their activities; • children have high self esteem; • children form constructive relationships with others.

p.9

Commentary

6. Children settle very happily into the nursery because of the very well structured and orderly routines and systems. Staff establish warm, friendly and trusting relationships with children, parents, and carers. As a result children feel confident, safe and secure. Children are very keen to come to nursery and involve themselves with a very high level of interest and enthusiasm in the exciting and purposeful activities available to them. They approach both familiar and new experiences with wonder and excitement, eagerly anticipating the next event. On their return from a visit to the quayside, a boy announced with delight, “I’ve had a wonderful time”. Adults find out what interests each child through carefully planned observations and discussions with children and parents. They use the knowledge gained to engage and involve children most effectively in their own learning. Children know their efforts and contributions are valued and this ensures that

p.9

Commentary

children of all abilities and backgrounds develop a very positive view of themselves and their families.

p.9

Commentary

7. When they first join the nursery, many children show immature or anti-social behaviour. Incidents are very quickly resolved because adults treat children with consistent calm, patience and skill, in line with very clear strategies for managing conflicts. Children are gently encouraged to consider their actions and the impact they have on others. Adults have high expectations of behaviour and provide exemplary role models for children so that they develop a clear sense of what is right and wrong. They treat children with respect and know when to intervene to help find solutions to problems. Children make exceptional progress and develop a high degree of self-control and awareness of their own and others’ needs. They show high levels of co-operation, learning to share and form constructive relationships in pairs and in large and small groups. When they plan their work time they speak with confidence and self-assurance, remembering to say ‘please’ and

p.9

Commentary

‘thank you’ as they negotiate politely with whom they will play.

p.9

Commentary

8. Children develop a sense of local culture to a very high degree when they learn songs, stories and rhymes. The school widens their experience through visiting artists, musicians and others from a variety of different backgrounds and cultures. During Chinese New Year, for example, children benefit from a visitor of Chinese origin to cook special food.

p.9

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the nursery is excellent. Teaching and learning are very good and the curriculum is excellent.

p.9

Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning are very good with some excellent features. Assessment is excellent.

p.9

Main strengths and weaknesses

• the very good teaching by all staff; • the high quality assessment of children’s progress; • very good planning is clearly focused on children's individual needs and interests; • the excellent classroom management and management of behaviour; Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 10 • good teamwork and effective staff deployment; • the strong focus on developing children’s independence and self-esteem.

p.9

Commentary

9. The teaching by all staff is of a consistently high quality. The excellent quality training provided by the acting headteacher results in all staff being committed and highly effective practitioners.

p.10

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 17 lessons

p.10

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.10

Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.10

Commentary

10. Planning for all activities is of the highest quality and is clearly based on the continuous assessments made throughout the day. The anecdotal notes and records made by all staff during each session are the foundation for all future planning. Children's achievements are recorded, tracked and form part of the on-going process that enables staff to identify the learning priorities for each child. This is particularly effective for those children who have special educational needs. Through early contact with parents and the excellent procedures for assessing their needs, these children progress at a similar rate to others in the nursery. The level of individual support is extremely high and matches the identified needs of each child.

p.10

Commentary

11. The planning sessions with the children enable staff to identify their interests and needs and provide high quality support and guidance. These also enable children to have a direct influence on what they do. The genuine interest shown by the staff and their perceptive questioning extend children's ideas and develop their speaking skills. There is a good balance between the direct teaching to small groups and the children's free choice of activities. The reporting back sessions after the activities develop children's self-confidence and give staff further opportunities for evaluating their achievements.

p.10

Commentary

12. The classrooms and activity areas are very well organised. Equipment and materials are very well labelled and displayed and easy for children to find. They are able to select the equipment they need and know where to return it to when they tidy up. For example, in the building site they return the tools to the correct shelves, stack the bricks carefully and tidily, and sweep up any sand from the surrounding floor when they have finished. This creates independent learners.

p.10

Commentary

13. The use of praise and positive reinforcement builds children's self-esteem. With the consistent approach, children new to the school settle quickly in to the daily routines.

p.10

The curriculum

Curriculum provision, including opportunities for enrichment, is excellent. Accommodation and resources are also of an excellent quality.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses

• the very good balance of activities promotes independent learning of the highest calibre; • high quality resources stimulate children’s interest; • the outdoor provision is of exceptional quality, exciting and innovative. Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 11

p.10

Commentary

14. The curriculum provides a rich variety of stimulating activities and key experiences, well structured and organised in clearly identified areas of learning. This leads to high levels of interest and involvement from children of all ages and aptitudes. The well-planned programme provides a very good balance between children choosing for themselves and being directed by adults. The daily routines, such as self-registration, planning, tidy-up and review times are well established and are consistently implemented. These soon become familiar to children, providing an environment where they feel confident, safe and secure. Small group sessions, where children plan what they would like to do, are most effective. The imaginative and relevant organisation of materials and equipment interests and inspires children to initiate their own learning. Children have sufficient time for prolonged independent exploration and investigation of

p.11

Commentary

their ideas, supported by astute interventions by adults. They consolidate and build most effectively on their learning through discussions in their review times. This leads to high levels of achievement in personal, social and emotional development and in communication, language and literacy. Planned observations are part of the routine and identify children’s behaviour patterns and interests. Future planning takes very good account of these patterns and provides resources and opportunities accordingly.

p.11

Commentary

15. The curriculum is significantly enriched by an excellent range of visits to the surrounding area and visitors to the nursery from various backgrounds and cultures. The accommodation, with its attractive, enclosed courtyard is outstanding. The outdoor area is an imaginatively planned extension of the nursery with a wealth of interesting activities and sources of wonder. Its exciting variety of pathways, corners, slopes and hills provides many opportunities for active and physically challenging play. It is very well used for a range of activities, developing confidence and imagination very well.

p.11

Commentary

16. Resources are of an exceptional range and quality. They are most effectively organised in clearly defined areas of learning. They are readily accessible to children and identified with labels, pictures and silhouettes to further encourage independence and self-reliance to a very good degree.

p.11

Care, guidance and support

Arrangements for ensuring children’s care, welfare, and safety are excellent. The nursery and the whole centre provide excellent levels of support, advice and guidance. The nursery takes excellent account of children’s views.

p.11

Main strengths and weaknesses

• children are treated as individuals and their learning is monitored and planned uniquely, according to their rate of development; • there are highly effective arrangements for managing the welfare and safety of children; • induction into the nursery is handled sensitively and carefully.

p.11

Commentary

17. Staff are careful at all times to watch out for children’s emotional and physical well being and they work hard to establish trusting friendly comfortable relationships with the children. In this safe, happy learning environment, children are encouraged to explore new things in their play activities - even to take controlled risks. Children clearly feel they have people to turn to if upset. Parents know their children are happy to attend the nursery and feel comfortable leaving them there.

p.11

Commentary

18. Each child’s individual education plan commences when they join the nursery. Daily assessments are made as children choose from the activities available and detailed records are kept of how their interests and skills develop. The staff continuously monitor children’s activities Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 12 and use their interests as the basis for further work. They offer children ways of choosing similar activities or extending their current play.

p.11

Commentary

19. Children in the nursery benefit from the excellent provision for welfare arrangements in the EEC. Various healthcare workers, including nursing, dental, speech and welfare specialists make frequent visits and are on call in case of problems. Healthy lifestyles are encouraged. Snacks of fruit and milk complement healthy meals. Incidents and accidents are managed effectively and with care. There are highly effective procedures for managing health and safety requirements across the centre. Daily risk assessments of the nursery and the outdoor play area, supported by other routines, ensure that daily life in the centre and during trips is safe.

p.12

Commentary

20. Induction arrangements for children begin with home visits to find out about their interests, family members, pets and any unique circumstances for staff to consider. Parents come to see the nursery in operation and discuss arrangements for their children. On arrival for each session children are taken into the class by parents. All staff are friendly and welcoming to children. Parents consider the induction arrangements for their children are very good.

p.12

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Partnership with parents and with other schools is excellent; work with the community is very good.

p.12

Main strengths and weaknesses

§ partnership with parents has a significant effect on the development of the children; § children benefit from the very close links with other educational bodies; § the well-being and development of children is greatly assisted by the nursery’s work with the local community.

p.12

Commentary

21. Many parents take advantage of the excellent provision of courses available through the centre to improve their own numeracy, literacy and ICT skills as well as their parenting expertise. Other courses offer opportunities to improve self-confidence and personal capability. Children benefit from their parents’ involvement in these activities. Staff value parents’ contributions and work hard to involve them in their child’s education. Also parents are encouraged to help in the nursery (and elsewhere in the centre) and many do so.

p.12

Commentary

22. Parents’ evenings each term provide formal opportunity to discuss the development of children and informal discussions occur at the start and end of each session. There is comprehensive information for parents through the individual education plans for their children and frequent newsletters. Annual reports are informative, well presented and personal to each child. All parents feel well informed about their children’s progress and comfortable discussing their development with the nursery staff where necessary. Parents praise the teaching and the care of the children.

p.12

Commentary

23. The nursery has very close educational partnerships within the EEC, especially the pre-nursery class and parenting classes for young mothers. There is also a strong developing partnership with the main local primary school, with both management teams working closely to improve transition arrangements, which are already good. Visits are made by both sets of children and staff to the reception class prior to transfer and the nursery children are invited to attend events in the school such as story telling and concerts. There are good links with several universities. Teaching and Care students visit the centre to observe and exchange views about the good quality and integrated early years practices. The Centre is also the preferred venue for various other LEAs outside the area to learn about the methodologies used in the nursery. Strong links have been established locally and nationally, which further promote this approach to teaching and

p.12

Commentary

learning. The children benefit from these contacts through the continuing professional development of the staff. Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 13 24. The local community is closely integrated into the activities of the centre. Courses for parents, run in conjunction with local colleges, are also available to members of the community and other family members, which also benefits the children. The children benefit from the community support provided through the Friends of the EEC. The nursery also benefits financially from the extensive hire of the facilities of the centre to the community for training events and meetings.

p.12

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management are excellent. The leadership, drive and commitment of the acting headteacher are outstanding.

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• the great skill and commitment of the acting headteacher; • the highly effective systems for staff appraisal and professional development; • the governing body has had no involvement in the preparation for delegation of powers or the budget.

p.13

Commentary

25. The acting headteacher is a leading practitioner of early years education and provides an excellent model in her own teaching. She has worked hard and successfully to ensure a high quality of teaching and learning and has the confidence of the parents. Day-to-day management and organisation is excellent and the school operates smoothly.

p.13

Commentary

26. The staff appraisal system is detailed and thorough. The acting headteacher and staff meet regularly to review their roles and performance; staff welcome these opportunities and feel they bring great personal benefit. This has created a strong commitment to their own professional development and brings a high level of consistency in the nursery’s approach to children's learning.

p.13

Commentary

27. The governing body is currently being formed and will take over the running of the nursery and its delegated budget from 1 st April. A comprehensive training programme has been arranged for the coming year. However, the governing body is not yet fully constituted and there has been no involvement of those governors currently in place in planning towards this. They have no knowledge of the budget arrangements or development plans for the future. This is a weakness.

p.13

Commentary

28. The nursery currently does not have a delegated budget. Money provided for resources and equipment is used effectively and accounted for correctly. Spending decisions are evaluated to ensure best value for services and materials. Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 14

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• children’s confidence to initiate their own activities and solve problems; • their ability to take turns and share; • their understanding of systems and routines; • children’s sense of responsibility and co-operation with others.

p.14

Commentary

29. In all aspects of their learning children are effectively encouraged to be independent from the beginning. Younger children follow the example of the older more experienced children and soon get to know routines, rules and expectations. With the excellent teaching children make excellent progress and reach the expected levels for their age. They show initiative and ingenuity as they solve problems, such as how they will help another to build a house, or solve number problems posed by a teacher. They struggle and persevere to solve difficulties, for example, cutting sections from a large roll of sticky tape. They learn to state their preferences and choose their own activities with conviction. They develop high self-esteem because adults listen to them and value and affirm their ideas and ways of doing things. Adults ensure that resources are plentiful and easily accessible, enabling children to more easily make independent choices.

p.14

Commentary

30. Children gain a sense of belonging by knowing which group they are in. They learn to co-operate and work and play together in harmony because activities are well organised to provide equal opportunities for all. They welcome children from the pre-nursery group showing respect and consideration for younger and less able children. Throughout the varied activities adults make the most of every opportunity to encourage children to share and take turns. Children are very secure in the familiarity of the well-organised structure of the day and, for example, know that when the bell rings it is time to tidy up. They organise themselves with self-reliance and a growing sense of purpose and responsibility as they return tools and equipment to the well- labelled shelves and co-operate in sweeping up sand and gravel. Children enjoy being the day’s special helper and carry out tasks of giving out fruit and milk with pride. Children manage

p.14

Commentary

themselves and their belongings well and know the importance of washing their hands before snack time.

p.14

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is excellent.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• through the strong emphasis on speaking and listening skills, the children make excellent progress; • children develop a love of literature through the excellent use of stories and role-play; • excellent use of high quality resources encourages children and supports their work; • wide ranging opportunities for mark making develops children’s skills very effectively. Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 15

p.14

Commentary

31. Staff give a very high priority to the development of children’s speaking and listening skills. They do so most effectively and children progress at an excellent rate. Teaching is excellent. While the majority of children are at the early stages of using language, the older children are becoming articulate and clear speakers. Adults provide excellent role models and make the most of opportunities to engage children in conversation. They ask highly relevant questions and build thoughtfully on children’s responses to extend their language effectively. The high quality organisation of small groups to plan and review daily activities provides excellent opportunities for children to take turns in speaking. Teachers encourage children to imitate sounds during animated and expressive reading of their favourite stories. They respond with huge enjoyment and sense of fun, listening with interest and attention and joining in with familiar phrases. The

p.15

Commentary

expert use of resources, such as puppets, gives children the confidence to use language during role-play activities. They take on the roles of the different characters in their favourite stories, such as ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, but use mainly actions, with only limited dialogue. A few more able children retell the story with confidence, with appropriate levels of understanding of main characters and events.

p.15

Commentary

32. Children develop early reading skills at a rapid rate. They are surrounded with written language in the form of a range of labels and notices providing very good models. They learn to recognise their own names when they self-register at the beginning of sessions. A few higher attaining children recognise initial sounds. Children benefit from the provision of an excellent range of high quality fiction and non-fiction books and enjoy sharing these with others.

p.15

Commentary

33. Children develop written communication skills very well. In teacher directed activities in small groups, children are encouraged to write their plans for the day, for example, using ICT on the interactive whiteboard, or, for the more able, in books. The writing area is very inviting and exceptionally well resourced with a stimulating variety of pens, pencils, paper and office equipment. This encourages children of all abilities to write frequently for genuine purposes. Adults value every attempt at drawing and mark making, encouraging children to ascribe meanings to their efforts. Children are helped to make books about subjects that interest them, such as their families. They are encouraged to write letters for real purposes and make attempts at writing their own names. Few are recognisable but children are developing their pencil control to a good extent. Adults match tasks specifically to individual needs, for example, one girl was

p.15

Commentary

encouraged to make lists, developed from her identified pattern of learning.

p.15

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• children learn accurate mathematical vocabulary; • good use of mathematics in other work reinforces and extends children’s learning.

p.15

Commentary

34. Teaching and learning are very good. Children achieve very well and make very good progress. Children learn to count accurately through games, rhymes and songs during whole class or group work time. Practical activities, such as building with bricks, counting milk bottles for snack time or discussing the shape of instruments in music, reinforce these early skills. Most of the older children count accurately to five, matching their counting to the objects, and a few count up to ten. Adults make good use of appropriate mathematical language, for example, relating to shape, size and position. Daily work is well planned to provide many good opportunities for mathematical development. For example, in the 'Three Bears' cottage, the bowls, spoons and beds reinforce the idea of size and the vocabulary - big and small, larger and smaller. Staff also Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 16 take all incidental opportunities offered to teach mathematical ideas, for example, when children

p.15

Commentary

are using the sand tray or making collage pictures. Children themselves are often fascinated by number and can be observed independently setting out and ordering 'teddy bears' by size and colour.

p.16

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is excellent.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• planning identifies meaningful and interesting topics with good focus on developing children’s investigative skills; • very good use of the school garden extends children's learning.

p.16

Commentary

35. Teaching and learning are very good. Children achieve very well through a good range of well- planned opportunities. For example, the classroom building site, created to match the current building work going on at the centre, provides real materials and experiences. The outdoor garden area is exceptionally well planned and developed, and used well throughout the year to promote children's knowledge and understanding of natural history and wildlife. The resources for this area of learning are excellent and the materials well arranged and clearly labelled so children can have easy access. Children celebrate the similarities and differences in the way people live. Children have opportunities to use ICT, for example, the interactive white board, to develop their knowledge and understanding of computers and their programs. This is successfully developing good skills in controlling actions and children use the symbols and icons

p.16

Commentary

on the screen to make things happen, such as changing colour. These opportunities add to their creative development, and where they work with others, social development. The wide range of other ICT equipment in school means that children are exposed to a range of technology found in everyday situations. There is a listening centre in the music area for children to hear music and stories. They also have a battery powered microwave cooker and electronic cash register in the café that they use like the real things, and metal detectors for treasure hunts in the garden.

p.16

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is excellent

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• the innovative and imaginative outdoor area is used very well; • very good teaching develops children’s skills and independence; • resources are of very good quality; • children are given time to practise and experiment.

p.16

Commentary

36. The excellent outdoor provision provides a safe environment with exciting and imaginative opportunities for children to engage in energetic physical activity. Children are given the freedom to run, balance, climb and explore the great variety of equipment, surfaces and spaces available. With vigour and enthusiasm they run fast up and down slopes and climb under, over and through the two climbing frames. They show creativity and inventiveness in the ways they negotiate obstacles, manoeuvre wheeled toys or come down the slide. They use the space most confidently, with good levels of co-ordination, control and balance, and a suitable awareness of others. Indoors, children use building blocks to make large constructions and operate a pulley system on their building site. Children have many opportunities to move to songs and music Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 17 wriggling, twisting and shaking. In addition, children have regular opportunities to move to music,

p.16

Commentary

under the guidance of a specialist teacher. This contributes to outstanding provision.

p.17

Commentary

37. Children develop dexterity in small-scale movements by using a range of construction equipment and small toys. They have very good opportunities to handle and manipulate an unusually wide and varied range of tools, implements and equipment. These include scissors, writing implements, paintbrushes and glue spreaders, which children use with increasing skill because they are given the time and opportunity to do so independently. One boy used a hole-punch on a cardboard box experimenting with one and two hands, with concentration and perseverance for an extended length of time, at what for him was a difficult task. Two girls helped one another to manage the problems of dealing with cutting lengths of sellotape to wrap up a parcel. Children with special educational needs make particularly good progress, in one instance, growing in confidence and co-ordination through repeating a favourite balancing and climbing activity. A

p.17

Commentary

nursery officer made skilful interventions based on a very good understanding of his needs.

p.17

Commentary

38. Teaching is very good. Adults are encouraging and provide good levels of challenge and support according to individual needs and abilities. They have the skill and patience to know when to let children solve their own problems, and when to intervene. Many children reach standards beyond those expected of children of this age and they achieve very well.

p.17

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• the range of well-planned activities provided offers a wide experience for all children; • there are many opportunities that stimulate and encourage children's creative ideas

p.17

Commentary

39. Children's achievements are very good; they make very good progress to reach standards in line with those expected for their age. Teaching is very good. The play areas are well thought out and linked to current themes. The ‘Three Bears’ house links to the current story theme and both boys and girls took turns at being the different characters in the story of Goldilocks. The free- painting area is well used where adults support and encourage children or provide examples of different things they can do; they gain great enjoyment from this. Other, more structured, activities for example, when children made ‘treasure’ pictures, provide creative stimulus, and also the opportunity to practise fine motor skills. The displays around the school show good response to children’s own interests and demonstrate the range of materials available to them. The organisation of the materials makes it very easy for children to have access to what they

p.17

Commentary

need to satisfy their own ideas. There are good examples of children's work using the school grounds and their pictures show attention to detail. Children learn a wide range of rhymes and action songs by heart and enjoy taking part in these, especially where the younger children from the pre-nursery come and join them. Music is well catered for with a good range of un-tuned percussion instruments to which children have free access. In organised lesson times they practise playing in time and in response to the teacher's lead. Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 18

p.17

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 1 How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 8 Value for money provided by the school 8

p.18

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

p.18

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 1 Attendance 8 Attitudes 1 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 1 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

p.18

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 1 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 1 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 1 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 1 Accommodation and resources 1 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 1 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 1 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 1 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 1 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 1

p.18

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 1 The governance of the school 8 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 1 The effectiveness of management 1

p.18

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7); not applicable to this school (8). Bedewell Early Years Excellence Centre - 19

p.18