Abbey Green Nursery School

ABBEY GREEN NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th to 6 th October 2004

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ABBEY GREEN NURSERY SCHOOL

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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ABBEY GREEN 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. Abbey Green Nursery School 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Nursery School category: Maintained Age range of pupils: 3 - 5 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 56 full time equivalent

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Green Lane Manningham Bradford Postcode: BD8 8HT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01274 722070 Fax number: 01274 722070

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Jane Howson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in Manningham, close to the centre of Bradford. The school accepts children after their third birthday. There are 71 children (39 boys and 32 girls) on roll aged between three and five years (40 children attend full time and 31 part time). Numbers at the time of inspection were lower than normal since children were still being settled into the school. The school is similar in size to when it was last inspected and there continues to be a long waiting list for places. Attainment on entry to the school is very low and many children arrive with very little or no English. The majority of children live in the immediate area in low cost owner-occupied and rented accommodation and many face the issues associated with areas of deprivation. This is only partly reflected in the proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals (32 per cent), which is nevertheless about twice the national average. All of the pupils

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

are from ethnic minority groups. The majority of these are from Pakistani Urdu and Punjabi speaking backgrounds and speak English as an additional language. Many are at an early stage of English acquisition. Other pupils are from Bengali, Gujerati, Hinko, Pushto and English speaking backgrounds. At the time of the inspection, there were four pupils on the school’s list of pupils with special educational needs. The majority of them have a mixture of learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural needs and have health problems. One child has a statement of special educational need. The school is part of a sure start and single regeneration budget area and has benefited in a number of ways, especially in the funding of Abbey Green Nursery School 2 bi-lingual outreach workers. A purpose built Children’s Centre is almost complete and the school will transfer to this new accommodation in a few weeks.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Steve Bywater Lead inspector English as an additional language Foundation Stage Sylvia Bullerwell Lay inspector

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Ann Lowson Team inspector Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Eclipse Education (UK) Limited 14 Enterprise House Kingsway Team Valley Gateshead Tyne & Wear NE11 0SR

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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). Abbey Green Nursery School 4

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 7

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

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Abbey Green Nursery School is a very effective school with many outstanding

strengths . It provides a high quality education for its children and they achieve very well. The quality of teaching and learning is very good across all areas of learning 1 and the rich and vibrant curriculum provides excellent experiences for the children. The very good leadership and management of the school reflect the very strong commitment and expertise of the staff team and a supportive governing body. This very caring and inclusive school provides very good value for money.

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Abbey Green Nursery School is a very effective school with many outstanding

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The headteacher and key staff provide excellent leadership. • Teaching in all areas of learning is very good and children are well on the way to meeting the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning by the time they move to reception classes in primary schools. • The school’s curriculum is excellent. The school’s provision for children with special educational needs is very good and for those with English as an additional language is excellent. • Children achieve very well. • Children’s personal, social and emotional education is very good. • Pupils’ attitudes, values and behaviour are very good. Relationships are excellent. • This very caring school provides excellent support and guidance for children. • The school’s partnership with parents and other groups is excellent.

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Abbey Green Nursery School is a very effective school with many outstanding

Improvement since the last inspection is good. The school has made considerable progress in consolidating and improving upon the high standards found in the last inspection. For example, the quality of teaching has improved, with higher proportions of good and very good lessons. The accommodation remains poor but the school is moving to a new building in the very near future.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children achieve very well . From very low levels of ability when they enter the school most children are well on the way to achieving the early learning goals in all areas of learning by the time they transfer to reception classes. This is as a result of very good teaching which very effectively develops children’s language skills, confidence and self-esteem. Children with a high level of special educational need and the many children who are at an early stage of learning English make very good progress towards the targets that are set for them and achieve very well.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children’s personal qualities are very good; their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Attitudes to the school are very good. Children develop good work habits and are keen and responsive learners. They concentrate well and show eagerness when responding to the teachers’ questions. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms is very good. Children are inquisitive but polite and courteous. Children are respectful and kind to others and relationships throughout the school are excellent. Attendance is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is very good . Teaching and learning is very good and the curriculum is excellent. All teachers have excellent relationships with pupils, which improve pupils’

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

These refer to: communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development, but also include: knowledge and understanding of the world; and physical and creative development. Abbey Green Nursery School 6 confidence and help learning. Staff have a very good command of the way in which young children learn. Very good use is made of learning resources. Children are keen to learn and apply themselves enthusiastically to their work. The high quality work of support staff, especially in providing explanations in children’s home language, makes a significant contribution to the quality of learning. Assessment procedures are very good and the use of the information gathered from activities helps staff plan the next steps in children’s learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides an excellent curriculum for its children. Opportunities to enhance the curriculum through educational visits and visitors to support, consolidate and enhance learning are very good. The accommodation is currently poor but a new building is ready. Resources are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a high quality of care and the support and guidance for its children is excellent. Where possible, children’s views are taken into account when planning activities. The school’s partnership with parents, other schools and the community is excellent. Parents are provided with very useful information by the school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, leadership and management are very good . Leadership by the headteacher and other key staff are excellent. This is a very hard working and dedicated team. The impact of such high quality leadership is clear from the very good achievement by children and the high quality teaching. Governors fulfil their responsibilities satisfactorily. Many have only just been appointed and though fully committed to and supportive of the school, they currently, quite understandably, rely heavily on the headteacher. The school’s evaluation of its performance through monitoring and evaluation of performance is very good and the school is justifiably proud of its achievements. The school is generously staffed with teaching and non-teaching staff and provides excellent opportunities for staff development. There is a very clear link between development planning and finance. The school provides very good value for money.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents hold the school in very high regard and feel very comfortable about approaching staff for any reason. They value the links before children start nursery school and feel this makes for a good start to school life. Children enjoy coming to school and almost all willingly leave their parents. The children feel safe and secure and are positive about themselves and their learning.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

There are no major issues for the school to deal with.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

However, the most important thing the school should do to improve is: • Develop the role of the newly formed governing body. Abbey Green Nursery School 7

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Children achieve very well from a very low base. By the time they transfer to reception classes in primary schools, most are well on the way to achieving the early learning goals in all areas of learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching ensures that all children develop their language skills and social skills very well. • Children with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language make very good progress.

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Commentary

1 Inspection evidence indicates that in lessons children achieve very well across the areas of learning. Boys and girls achieve similarly in all the areas of learning. Children make very good progress when they are working with adults individually or in small groups. Very effective support, by teachers and all learning support staff, enable those children with special educational needs to make good progress and achieve very well against the targets set for them.

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Commentary

2 The very good achievement in personal and social development is a direct result of very good teaching. Children are helped to develop self-esteem and learn to be tolerant and understanding of the needs of others. Through the well-established routines and simple rules that are consistently applied, children learn to play and work alongside and with others, to take turns and to be responsible for tidying up when they have finished working. Four-year-old children are mature and responsible. They are independent workers who choose activities confidently and concentrate well. Social skills are developed well at dinnertime as pupils eat and discuss topics of interest with a member of staff.

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Commentary

3 Children have poorly developed speaking and listening skills when they start school. Many children have a very limited vocabulary and do not communicate readily or easily by speaking. However, with excellent input from bi-lingual staff, most children achieve very well. The school places a high level of importance on communication, and the relevant targets set for every child in their individual plans result in very good progress. Vocabulary is systematically developed in all areas of learning and conversation skills extended at every opportunity, including dinnertime. Children learn to enjoy stories and enjoy looking at their favourite books.

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Commentary

4 Most children achieve well in mathematics. They have a good knowledge of number because of the good promotion of number by all adults in every area of learning, including outdoor play, dinnertime, activities in sand and water and role-play. Most of the children understand comparatives such as small, medium and large as a result of role-playing the ‘Three Bears Story’.

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Commentary

5 Children achieve very well in their knowledge and understanding of the world because practical experiences such as baking biscuits and building walls are underpinned with good language development and frequent checks of children's understanding.

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Commentary

6 Physical skills develop very well as children have good fine coordination skills as they draw, use pencils, make, cut, join and fix things. Their physical skills in outdoor play are in line with those of most children of their age despite the lack of space. Skills are taught very well, and checked systematically. Children achieve very well in creative development. Through well-planned teaching Abbey Green Nursery School 8 to develop skills and the freedom to experiment and explore a wide variety of resources, children are observant and confident. They paint with maturity and flair and they sing and play instruments with sensitivity. Abbey Green Nursery School 9

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attitudes to the school are very good. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms is very good. Personal development is very good. Relationships throughout the school are excellent. Attendance is good. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children get on very well together and their relationships between all members of the school community are excellent. • There is a delightful atmosphere throughout the school day and children enjoy taking part in the activities provided.

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Commentary

7 The friendly and supportive atmosphere enables children to feel safe, secure, confident and positive about themselves and their learning. Parents say that their children enjoy coming to school. Children are clearly excited at coming to school and settle in quickly. Sensitive teaching encourages less confident children to join in. Children are very well supported and each child is fully included in the learning that takes place. Relationships are excellent and this results in cooperative working and helps children to develop friendships.

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Commentary

8 Because staff understand the needs of all the children and pay much care and attention to them, children’s reaction is polite and responsive. Children like being part of the school community and they enjoy the many activities, which encourage their social development. Children delight in the continual praise and encouragement, develop good work habits and are keen learners. They concentrate well and show eagerness when responding to the teachers’ questions. Children are very enthusiastic and keen to learn. They are happy when working either independently or as a member of a group and they are very interested and involved in all activities.

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Commentary

9 Staff have high expectations for behaviour and adopt a consistent approach to encourage good behaviour. They provide very good role models in their dealings with children and each other. As a result children develop a clear understanding of right and wrong through regular discussions about behaviour, relationships and of the reason for the simple rules. They are very aware of the effect of their actions on others and apologise readily and sincerely if they have done anything to upset another child. Parents gave good support to a course on behaviour management strategies organised by the school. There have been no exclusions in recent memory.

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Commentary

10 The high staffing level and high level of staff commitment results in a better level of support for the personal development of individual children than is normally found. As a result children’s personal qualities are very good. They are inquisitive but polite and courteous. Throughout the inspection, children were respectful and kind to others. Children willingly help each other to tidy up after all activities, and are very sensitive to the needs of those with communication problems. They grow in confidence as they become older, and are very ready to share resources and welcome other children to join their imaginative play. Those children who have special educational needs sometimes need the help of an adult to complete activities, but this help is always to hand and as a result, these children are encouraged to make some choices and gain in independence.

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Commentary

11 Teachers value children’s ideas and provide very good opportunities for them to reflect, for example on the beauty of nature, use their imaginations and develop self-awareness. Children have a very good understanding of different cultures because the school highly values and celebrates diversity. The school celebrates different festivals during the course of the year and is particularly aware of the children’s own cultural traditions. Abbey Green Nursery School 10

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is very good. Teaching and learning is very good and the school has a very rich and well-balanced curriculum. Assessment procedures are very good. The school provides a very high quality of care and the support and guidance for its children is excellent. The school’s partnership with parents, other schools and the community is excellent.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning is very good. Assessment is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The staff team work very well together. • Staff have a very good understanding of the needs of the children • Staff make very good use of resources and successfully capture children’s interest and enjoyment. • Very good teaching in small groups and individually accurately meets the needs of children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. • Assessment is very effective in helping staff plan the next steps in children’s learning

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 20 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

12 Teachers and nursery nurses have an outstanding team spirit. Staff are experienced and have a very good understanding of how young children learn. They are well aware of the different needs of children. A particular strength is the way in which all staff engage children’s interest and encourage them to develop their skills in adult-led activities. In child-chosen activities, adult support is used very well to build on children’s interests and strengths. Staff carefully adapt activities to meet children’s individual needs and they praise their efforts, however small the step in learning. They have very high expectations of children’s behaviour and deal with any issues promptly, quietly and effectively.

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Commentary

13 Staff also have very high expectations of what children can achieve. Teaching is very good in all areas of learning. This is an improvement since the time of the last inspection. The teachers' knowledge, understanding and expectations are very good. Teachers and support staff are particularly skilled at planning a broad range of interesting activities in detail, which develop children’s language and number skills into all areas of learning.

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Commentary

14 The quality of teaching of children with early skills in English is excellent. Almost all of the children join the school with very limited skill in understanding and speaking English. Staff provide good models of spoken English and use effective questioning to extend and develop the children’s vocabulary and speaking skills. Many staff are bi-lingual and use the children’s home language expertly to consolidate understanding. Staff encourage children to take part in other activities, and the high level of adult help readily supports them. Teachers and support staff know that young children learn best through experience and talk and through thorough planning and preparation they provide first-hand experiences so that children can talk about Abbey Green Nursery School 11 what they have done. This was seen to good effect as children made porridge and were given the opportunity to build a real wall following the input of a bricklayer. Teachers carefully match

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Commentary

work to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and as a result, these children work hard to meet the targets set for them in their individual education plans and achieve very well.

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Commentary

15 All staff assess learning very well. There is a shared commitment to finding out what works best in raising standards for individual children and to set challenging, but achievable, targets to meet individual needs. At the end of each session, staff compare notes on individual attainment so that records can be updated. They discuss what worked well for the children in meeting learning targets and why they have been effective. Teachers’ regular evaluation of teaching and learning helps to guide future work.

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Commentary

16 The daily teaching of the topic focus to small groups of children includes skilful questioning to check children's learning, for example, the understanding that containers of water are full, empty, small, medium or large. Each child has their own individual learning plan and this effectively caters for the diverse learning needs of all the children. It is this attention to detail, and inclusion of the identified needs of all children in planning, which results in each child's next steps in learning being fully addressed and achieved.

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Commentary

The curriculum is excellent. It provides very good opportunities for enrichment through a wide range of stimulating and relevant activities. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory overall. Resources are very good and fully meet the needs of the curriculum. The accommodation is currently poor, however the school will imminently move to new accommodation.

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Commentary

• Curriculum planning is very good, with strong emphasis placed on developing children’s speaking and listening skills and extending key vocabulary. • The school is very inclusive and provides very effectively for those children who are at an early stage of learning English or who have special educational needs. • Visits and visitors into school are very well planned and extend children’s understanding of the world around them. • The accommodation is poor but staff make the best use of what they have.

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Commentary

17 The curriculum is very thoughtfully planned and is based upon extending children’s interest of literacy through “Core Stories”. For example, all staff plan together working from stories such as “Goldilocks and The Three Bears”. The main focus of all activities is to extend children’s speaking and listening skills and this is done very effectively. The curriculum is planned to be very flexible, so it is able to respond to the children’s interests or to particular events, such as the building of the new school and because of this, staff are able to make the most of all learning opportunities.

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Commentary

18 Inclusion is at the heart of the school and teachers and learning support staff use impressive strategies to make sure that all children benefit from what the school offers. All children have English as an additional language and most children who enter school are still at a very early stage of language acquisition. Bilingual teaching is very effective and activities are planned to make the best use of staff expertise in the languages of Punjabi, Urdu and Bangla. Key vocabulary is planned for each learning activity, so children learn correct terms at Abbey Green Nursery School 12 the outset and this has a very beneficial effect on the extension of their English speaking skills and also in their confidence when using new words. Those children who have special educational needs are very well supported. All children in the school have individual learning plans, so their individual needs are taken into account when planning activities, and individual

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Commentary

education plans for children with special needs have clear targets for improvement. The school liaises very effectively with multi-agencies to ensure that children have their needs met quickly and consequently, these children achieve very well against the targets set for them.

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Commentary

19 A key strength of the curriculum at the previous inspection was how well the school used visits and visitors to enrich learning experiences for the children. This strength has been maintained and whilst children do not have as many visits as previously, children are taken out of school regularly and the local environment is used particularly well to give children “first- hand” learning experiences. The school makes very good use of visitors, such as local theatre groups, musicians and puppeteers to extend the creative and imaginative skills of the children. When children enter the school, early assessments indicate that they have little knowledge of the wider world, so this aspect of the curriculum is very effective in widening the children’s horizons and deepening their knowledge of the world around them.

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Commentary

20 Resources are very good and are used very effectively to provide a wide range of learning experiences. There is a particularly good level of staffing, which ensures that children receive a lot of individual attention. Staff are very well trained, very committed and make a significant contribution to how well children achieve. The accommodation however is poor and staff are to be commended for working so very effectively in the current building. The school is soon to benefit from a new building and children are enjoying watching their new school being built for them. The outdoors accommodation is severely restricted at the moment due to the disruption of the building work and staff are not able to do anything about this. However, children still have continuous daily access to the outdoors area, which is well used.

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Commentary

The school’s procedures for the care, welfare, health and safety of the children are very good. The support and guidance given to all children is excellent. The school seeks and acts on pupil’s views very well.

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Commentary

• Procedures for the induction of children into the school are excellent. • All children have individual learning plans and very detailed records of achievement.

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Commentary

21 The very good procedures found at the previous inspection have been maintained. Daily routines are very well planned and carried out very carefully. All staff are very well trained in safety procedures and have a high regard for the safety of the children in their care. During the inspection, parents went out of their way to praise the school’s high standard of care for their children and feel that the very experienced staff show a genuine interest in their children.

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Commentary

22 Before children start school, up to six home visits are made by Out-Reach workers (funded through the Single Regeneration Budget) who have bilingual skills, to prepare the children and their families for the kind of activities their child will do at school. Information about the curriculum and how this will be taught is shared with parents and some parents are loaned resources so that they are able to begin activities with their child. As a result, children Abbey Green Nursery School 13 and their families are given excellent support, which builds very positive relationships and allows children to settle quickly and to feel secure in their new surroundings.

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Commentary

23 All children have individual learning plans, which enable staff to ensure that children are given learning activities that are well matched to what they already know and can do. This makes a very positive impact on how well children achieve. All staff understand the needs of those children who are at an early stage of speaking English and excellent provision is made for the development of their English language skills. Children are very well supported by staff who speak Punjabi, the major community language spoken by the children, but support for Urdu and Bangladeshi speakers is also provided. An effective race awareness policy is fully implemented. Children who have special educational needs have detailed individual learning plans, which are regularly reviewed, and these children are given very good support and staff work well with parents and outside agencies to ensure that children reach their potential.

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Commentary

Children’s records of achievements contain examples of good work and celebrate their achievements both in and out of school. They provide an excellent record of the children’s early school experiences. The school have recognised that parents have no involvement in the compilation of the records of achievement and see this as the next stage of development. However, parents are encouraged to look regularly at the records of achievement and to take them home to share with their families.

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Commentary

The school listens very well to children and acts on their comments. Teachers and support staff regularly ask them about which activity they would like to do and which activity they have enjoyed. Children willingly volunteer which of their favourite foods should be included in the ‘Eid’ meal. Abbey Green Nursery School 14

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s partnership with parents, other schools and the community is excellent.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff are willing to talk to parents at any time. • Parents are provided with very useful information by the school.

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Commentary

24 The strengths found at the previous inspection have been maintained and the overwhelming majority of parents hold the school in very high regard and feel very comfortable about approaching staff with questions, a problem or a complaint. The school works hard to forge positive and meaningful relationships with parents and in this, they excel. The school has a deservedly high reputation locally. Parents are encouraged to spend part of morning and afternoon sessions settling their children to activities or sharing experiences with them. During the changing of home-school reading books, parents and staff talk together, so staff are immediately alerted if there are any problems concerning the children. Parents say they are very proud of the school and recognise its achievements.

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Commentary

25 Links with the local community are well established and make a very effective contribution to the learning opportunities that can be offered to the children. The school values its local community and sees this as a helpful resource to add interest to children’s learning and help them to achieve more. Visits to local farms and local shops are all involved in providing interesting and relevant activities to enable children to observe, find out about, and identify features in the place they live and the natural world. The school provides extra facilities for parents when it can and the playgroup is very well supported.

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Commentary

26 Information provided for parents by the school is very helpful and informative. Reports are very detailed and of high quality, which means that parents can see what their child has achieved and what the next steps to learning are. Information books about the school and the curriculum are bilingual. A wealth of information is provided within school in each area of learning, so parents are aware of what their child will be doing and why.

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Commentary

27 There are excellent links with receiving primary schools and children are prepared very well for the transition to their next stage of education. A good deal of joint training with other nursery schools and primary schools and cluster group meetings are a strong feature of this area as they support each other very well.

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Commentary

28 Because the school is so highly regarded, there is no shortage of visiting students from further and higher education colleges.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall leadership and management of the school are very good. The leadership of the headteacher and key staff is excellent. The management of the school is very good. The governance of the school is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher’s clarity of vision and high aspirations for the school are excellent. • There is an exceptionally high level of commitment by the staff team. Abbey Green Nursery School 15 • School improvement planning is excellent. • There is a strong commitment to the professional development of staff. • The monitoring and evaluating of all aspects of the school is of a very high quality. Abbey Green Nursery School 16

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Commentary

29 The headteacher is an inspirational leader who is actively involved in teaching, and is also a very good manager. She has a very clear vision for the development of the school and enjoys the full support of staff and governors in realising this. She provides an outstanding role model for staff and successfully promotes a strong sense of teamwork in all aspects of the school’s work. The headteacher sets a strong personal example of commitment to improvement. She is constantly on the lookout for ways to improve the school’s provision and is a significant presence around the school.

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Commentary

30 The headteacher and staff successfully inspire the trust and confidence of parents. The ease with which children settle at the start of each session reflects this well. The school enjoys a very good reputation in the community; parents and carers highly value the very good commitment of the staff to inclusion and their very caring concern for needs of individuals. The school is also very highly regarded by the Local Education Authority for the way the school’s climate and ethos encompasses the principle that every individual is valued and this is reflected in the school’s policies and practice, removing barriers to learning for individuals and groups.

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Commentary

31 The area is one of high unemployment and is described one of the 10 most deprived wards in the country. This was re-affirmed by the out reach workers on the initial visit who described very poor and overcrowded living conditions for many children. A significant number of children come from homes where there is some level of socio-economic stress. All of the children have English as an additional language, which is very high by national figures. Whilst these disadvantages are recognised as barriers to learning, they are overcome by the skills of the staff, many of whom are bi- lingual, who are experienced in teaching these children in a well resourced school.

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Commentary

32 The school’s strategic planning builds well upon its self-evaluation work and sets challenging but achievable targets for improvement. All staff have an input into areas of development established by analysis within school. Priorities are carefully costed, and provision made from the outset for progress to be monitored and evaluated. The plan builds on the school’s ethos of striving for high standards of teaching and learning that is very much at the heart of everything that is done in the school. Monitoring, evaluation and development of teaching are very good, and are reflected in the increased proportions of good and very good teaching since the last inspection.

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Commentary

33 The staff team lead their areas of learning excellently and share responsibilities very well. Nursery nurses are actively involved in developing aspects of the curriculum alongside teaching staff. Staff roles and responsibilities are very clearly defined and constantly reviewed to ensure that all are working effectively to meet the needs of the children. The very good leadership of the special educational needs provision ensures that the school has effective procedures whereby the staff team can respond to learning needs by quickly identifying any area of particular difficulty. The management of the school’s provision for children with English an as additional language is excellent. The school uses the funds it receives very well to meet the children’s language and learning needs. Very good assessment of children’s language and communication skills sets them off on the right road from the start.

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Commentary

34 Staff performance management is very well established; it is successfully heralding improvements in the quality of children’s learning and the standards they achieve. The school’s arrangements for the continuing professional development of staff are excellent; there is a very effective balance between personal development and the wider developmental needs of the whole school. Students undertaking child-related courses at further and higher education institutions are welcomed.

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Commentary

35 Until recently, the Local Education Authority has acted as the school’s governing body. However, the school now benefits greatly from a number of enthusiastic governors who are very new to their role but are very eager to learn. Since April, the headteacher and administrator, supported by the bursar competently manage the funding and purchasing procedures and ensure that the school gets the optimum value for its money. The headteacher Abbey Green Nursery School 17 is particularly adept at attracting additional funding for the school and has a very good understanding of current thinking and developments in the provision for children of nursery age. The administrator manages effectively the day-to-day administration and this helps the smooth running of the school. The school provides very good value for money.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pre-school visits by outreach workers are very effective. • Staff know the children well and respond successfully to a wide range of needs. • Effective input from all staff creates excellent relationships. • A very good range of experiences encourages interest and a positive start to learning.

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Commentary

36 The significant majority of children enter the school with a low level of social skills and personal development. A notable strength of the provision in this area of learning is the excellent quality of relationships between adults and children. This begins with the positive contribution of outreach workers who ensure that children have a happy and settled start to school as they recognise a friendly face.

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Commentary

37 Staff know all the children very well and the high level of adult support is very well focused to meet individual needs. For example, the many bi-lingual teachers and support staff provide support for less confident children and those at an early stage of learning English. As a result pupils feel valued, their self-esteem and self-confidence improves and a strong bond is created between staff and children. These excellent relationships enable all children, including those with special educational needs and those in the early stages of acquiring English, to enjoy the opportunities to play and learn with and alongside each other. Children respond by ‘having a go’ with their learning, try out new experiences and resources, and gain in independence. Individual assessments enable learning to be noted and achievable targets to be set that are known to all staff.

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Commentary

38 The very good teaching and consistent example shown by all adults in this area of learning set high expectations for all children. As a result their achievement is very good as it was at the last inspection and most are on course to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Foundation Stage. Teachers successfully support children in becoming independent, including toileting, washing hands and learning to put on coats. The consistent timetable and unchanging routines give children confidence. Very good teaching ensures that children learn social skills very effectively through other shared activities such as dinnertime. Through familiar routines, children are taught to sit in their place at table, always with an adult and they learn to choose and ask politely for their food. They learn to use the cutlery sensibly and to try unfamiliar food. The organisation of the school into learning bays with very good resources that are readily accessible, encourages self-reliance in

p.19

Commentary

39 Turn-taking is learned in a supportive atmosphere. Every opportunity is taken by the adults to develop group working and co-operation in learning, and this has a very positive effect on imaginative play both in the 'home corner', in music activities and outside. Children are encouraged to talk about what they have been doing and begin to express their feelings in response to skilful questioning. Children learn to accept challenges and develop their ideas through skilful adult Abbey Green Nursery School 18 intervention (sometimes in their home language) that encourages the children to articulate their thinking and helps their learning.

p.19

Commentary

40 Many innovative strategies to develop this area of learning have been introduced. For example, the use of ‘Persona Dolls’ is firmly established and the very good subject leader trains other schools throughout the country in their use. Each of a number of dolls are used to ‘tell’ a story and support inclusion. They cover issues such as single parent families, bullying and visiting a hospital.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

• All staff place strong emphasis on developing children’s skills in speaking and listening and as a result, children achieve very well in their acquisition of language. • Bilingual teaching is very effective. • Activities are very well planned to make the most of all learning opportunities and this has a very positive effect on early reading and writing skills. • The assessment of what children know and can do is excellent, so the curriculum is relevant and very well matched to individual needs.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

41 Teaching is very good and a particular strength is how staff use every opportunity to develop children’s skills in speaking and listening. Most children enter school with skills that are very low, with a large percentage speaking very little English, but they are learning English very rapidly and are likely to reach the standards typical for their age by the time they leave the nursery school. This represents very good achievement and is in line with the findings of the last inspection.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

42 Bilingual teaching is very good and has a very positive effect on children’s achievement. Children quickly grow in their confidence and in their language skills. All staff ensure that correct terminology is used for each learning activity, so new words are learnt rapidly. During one story time, the bilingual teacher greeted children in English, Punjabi, Urdu and Bangla. Children were eager to listen to the story of “Goldilocks and The Three Bears” and were given the choice of hearing each page read in their preferred language, which was then interpreted into English. Key teaching strategies, such as engaging children in conversation, asking pertinent questions and then reinforcing their skills by the use of songs and rhymes ensures that activities are both enjoyable and effective.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

43 The curriculum is very well planned by the excellent coordinator and staff, and they make the most of all learning opportunities to promote early reading and writing skills. They do this by building on what children’s interests are, either in their choice of stories, or by giving children the opportunities to write for a purpose. For example, one child who was missing his friend was encouraged to "write him a letter”. This fired the child’s imagination, so he “wrote” a letter, assisted by a teacher, and a group outing to the post office enabled the child to purchase a stamp, address an envelope and post the letter. A reply was later received and was eagerly read by all the children. This enjoyable and relevant activity provided very effective learning for many children. The curriculum is planned around “Core Stories” and children develop a love of traditional tales and a wide variety of modern stories such as “Handa’s

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Abbey Green Nursery School 19 Surprise.” They listen with rapt attention and enjoy re-enacting the main parts of the story during role-play activities.

p.21

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

44 Staff have excellent procedures to monitor and assess activities, so they have a very clear picture of what individual children know and can do. Children with special educational needs are given very good support to help them meet the targets that have been set for them.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff provide children with a good range of opportunities to develop their mathematical skills and understanding. • All adults take every opportunity to develop mathematical language in every area of learning • Assessment in mathematics is very good. • Learning resources are very good.

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Commentary

45 On entry to the school, the mathematical knowledge and understanding of most children are well below that normally found for their age. Children learn very well because of consistently very good teaching that focuses on the development of mathematical language through a wide range of activities. There is a good blend of direct teaching and consolidation through child-selected activities that promote learning well. For example, children playing with a range of containers in the water trough are taught comparative language such as 'full, empty' or 'holds more than' as they enjoy pouring water from one cylinder to another. At dinnertime staff ask questions, such as “How many beans do you want?” to encourage children to order their thoughts. Children also take it in turns to count how many dishes are needed for the pudding and distribute them. This strengthens children’s understanding of one-to-one correspondence. Staff ensure that children with English as an additional

p.21

Commentary

language understand the language of what they are doing and often support them by speaking in their home language to build up confidence. Children with special educational needs benefit from the strong emphasis on practical activities. As a result all children achieve very well and most are on line to achieve the early leaning goals expected of children of this age by the time they reach their fifth birthday. A small number of higher attaining children are already achieving at this level. The provision matches the high quality picture of mathematical development as seen in the last inspection.

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Commentary

46 Regular opportunities to work with water and sand ensure that children’s understanding of measures develops from an early age. Children make good use of jigsaws and games to develop their understanding of shape. Almost all recognise circles, triangles and squares of different size and thickness, and most continue a simple repeating pattern. Children successfully sort and group items by colour or type. They systematically develop an understanding of pattern as they piece together jigsaws or objects of different colours. Most four-year-olds count reliably to 9 and many independently count beyond, with some showing a good understanding of one more. Higher attaining children understand addition and subtraction in practical situations.

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Commentary

47 Because much teaching is on a group and individual basis, class teachers are able to monitor the progress of children effectively through these discussions, as well as observing direct teaching in class. Staff regularly note down what children do and share this information to help their future planning. The high quality leadership ensures that the checking of individual targets, such as skills in counting and matching numbers of objects to numerals are also successfully developed through the detailed assessment procedures. Successful target-setting and effective tracking of attainment ensures that the next steps in learning for each child are relevant and achievable. Abbey Green Nursery School 20 48 There is a very good selection of resources for children to consolidate number recognition and ordering, and to experiment with shape and pattern. Staff allow children to experiment and consolidate their learning, and intervene skilfully to support understanding or introduce children to

p.21

Commentary

new activities that offer a new challenge. Information and communication technology is used very effectively to teach and reinforce numbers and numerals. A range of programs that incorporate lively graphics and sound are set to use numbers to five or ten, depending on individual needs. Children enjoy the interactive experience and learn well through trial and error and constant practice.

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Commentary

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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Commentary

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good .

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Commentary

• Activities are very well planned, but are flexible enough to meet the needs of individuals. • Visits and visitors are used very well and have a significant effect on how well children achieve. Commentary

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Commentary

49 Teaching and learning are very good and by the time they leave the nursery school, most children are likely to reach standards typical for their age. All children achieve very well and benefit from a wide range of very well planned learning activities that focus on “first-hand” learning experiences. As found at the previous inspection, children’s scientific skills are particularly well developed. This area of learning is very well led and all staff are very skilful in ensuring that children are taught to use correct vocabulary, with bilingual support given where necessary, consequently children who are still at an early stage of learning English are very well supported. What teachers do very well is to interest and engage children by firing their imagination. This was a key feature in a science activity, when the teacher produced a circular tin and asked the children “Look – what do you think is in here? Can you guess?” The

p.22

Commentary

children’s interest was immediately captured and they were encouraged to use their senses to explore the contents of the tin.

p.22

Commentary

50 Skills in geography and history are developed well because the school makes very effective use of visits, visitors and the experiences of all staff and parents, to provide interesting learning activities. For example, children learnt about life in an African village as a result of a teacher’s holiday and were inspired to make their own small village working from photographs and posters. Awareness of change over time came as children made a “museum” display of old toys. Children looked at old prams and teddy bears and compared these with the toys they have today. Currently, staff are making very good use of the children’s interest in the construction of their new school. For example, a builder came to show children how to build a wall using bricks and cement. Children took turns using a trowel to put cement onto a brick and construct a real wall. They then looked very carefully at the new school walls

p.22

Commentary

and learnt that bricks must be laid in a certain way to make the construction strong. In design and technology, children are taught to use the correct words for “split pin” and “masking tape” as they explore techniques to join materials together. Early skills in information and communication technology (ICT) are taught as children have regular small group teaching of key skills, such as how to use the mouse to click on the “menu” option and many children are choosing their own programs with help and support. Children are achieving well in their use of developing computer skills to support their work in English and mathematics activities.

p.22

Commentary

51 It is noticeable how well all children, including those with special educational needs, are given learning activities that are well matched to their capabilities, but with enough challenge to interest and engage them. Children effectively learn about a wide range of Abbey Green Nursery School 21 different cultures and beliefs through festivals such as Christmas, Easter, Chinese New Year, Diwali and Eid. The school sensitively ensures that the cultural traditions and festivals of children in the school are respected.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff provide a very good range of classroom activities to help children develop their handling and manipulative skills. • Planned adult intervention is very good for outside experiences.

p.23

Commentary

52 Children enter the school with satisfactory co-ordination in outdoor activities, but with low levels of control in handling small equipment. Staff draw on a very good range of learning resources to ensure a good mix of activities that develop hand and eye co-ordination and the finer skills. Similarly child-chosen activities provide a wide range of opportunities to encourage children’s physical development. For example, children use a variety of brushes and materials to create pictures and collages. Work in the sandpit and with the water tray helps children to link together different movements. Putting together train tracks and building with blocks emphasises linked movements and control. In using cutlery, threading beads, handling scissors and glue, knocking in nails and manipulating jigsaw pieces, there is a good development of control and proficiency as children become older. As a result of this very good teaching children achieve very well. They are

p.23

Commentary

on course to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Foundation Stage. Children with special educational needs and those in the early stages of acquiring English learn and achieve as well as the rest of the class.

p.23

Commentary

53 Since the last inspection, the provision for outdoor play has recently deteriorated as the new building impinges on outdoor space. This is a short-term issue because the purpose built building has very good outdoor accommodation. Despite the lack of space, the high quality leader of this area of learning has worked with staff to provide detailed planning and checking to ensure that the needs of the children are being met very well. The school has very good outdoor resources to help develop children’s physical skills. There is a suitably wide range of wheeled vehicles available. Fixed play equipment provides plenty of opportunity and variety for children to climb crawl and travel in different ways. There is a good blend of direct teaching and support for independent learning. If there are communication problems in this area of learning, bi-lingual staff use the children’s home language to ensure that children are

p.23

Commentary

fully included and enjoy the provision. All staff are skilled at encouraging children to run, jump, balance and climb with confidence and enjoy all aspects of outdoor play. In the physical education lessons that take place in one classroom, there is little room to move freely, but children respond well to the teaching, enjoying moving different parts of their body and managing to move without bumping.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good .

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

• Teachers and all staff have very high expectations of what children can do and this has a very positive effect on children’s achievement. Abbey Green Nursery School 22 • Children benefit from a wide range of experiences and activities which allow them to develop their imagination through music and drama.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

54 Teaching and learning is very good, as it was at the time of the last inspection. Because of this, most children are likely to reach the standards expected for their age by the time they leave the school. This area of learning is led very well as the teacher ensures that well planned and interesting activities cover all areas of creative development. The accommodation is used well to give children the opportunity to develop and extend their creative skills through daily tasks. Teachers and learning support staff work with children in small groups in order to teach key skills, such as how to mix powder paint with water to create shades and tones of colour. After mixing the paint, children are shown how to use a colour chart to find what colour they have made and they are then told, “You have made a beautiful purple colour. How can you make it a lighter shade?” Children are then encouraged to explore

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

adding white to change the colour. Children take part in this activity with great concentration, remaining fully engaged for a long time. Children achieve very well because they have access to a very good range of resources and are taught basic skills very effectively.

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

55 In music, children are taught how to use instruments correctly and bilingual support helps those children who are at an early stage of learning English to give the correct names to instruments or to musical terms. Children play their instruments with great enthusiasm and explore making quiet or loud sounds. All children enjoy singing together as a group and often ask their teachers if they can sing a song with them. This is used by all staff as an effective way to extend the children’s use of English. Children are particularly keen to act out the stories they are learning during role-play activities. They volunteer to take the part of main characters and use special voices to indicate the character they have chosen. Children use props and other resources with imagination, but what is particularly impressive is the way all staff fully engage themselves into these activities with children, again, making the most of every learning

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

opportunity to extend children’s speaking and listening skills. Abbey Green Nursery School 23

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 2

p.25

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 3 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 1 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 1 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 1 The quality of the school’s links with the community 1 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 1 The effectiveness of management 2

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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).

p.25