Golborne & Maxilla Nursery School

AINSWORTH NURSERY SCHOOL

LEA area: London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

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AINSWORTH NURSERY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Ainsworth Nursery School - 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.

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AINSWORTH 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. Ainsworth Nursery School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Nursery School category: Maintained Age range of pupils: 3 to 4 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 44

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 47 Acklam Road London Postcode: W10 5YU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0208 968 5622 Fax number: 0208 968 0987

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Victoria Borwick

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 September 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Ainsworth Nursery School serves a diverse community, which includes some above average levels of deprivation. More than two-thirds of the children have English as an additional language and most of those are at a very early stage of learning English. Around two-thirds of the children are of minority ethnic heritage, with the main community languages being Arabic, Somali and Portuguese. On entering the nursery, many children speak little English. This has an impact on their understanding of other areas of learning. The social and emotional development of many children is also below average on entry. Higher than average numbers of children join or leave the nursery during the year. The school has a mixture of part-time and full-time children and there is out-of- school care for some children. There is the equivalent of 35 full-time children on roll; 26 full-time and 18 part-time. There are 29 boys and 15 girls. The school has identified nine children as having

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

special educational needs, including a Statement of Special Educational Need. The school works closely with its community offering additional provision for parents, drop-in facilities and community outreach provision. The school received the Schools Achievement Award and the Healthy Schools Award in 2002 and 2003. There has been a reduction in the numbers on roll this year, following some parents’ uncertainty after a recent unsuccessful proposal to close the school. Ainsworth Nursery School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

2153 Jane Lamb Lead inspector English as an additional language Communication, language and literacy Personal, social and emotional development Creative development 8990 David Tytler Lay inspector 3574 Kanwaljit Singh Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematical development Knowledge and understanding of the world Physical development

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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). Ainsworth Nursery School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY CHILDREN 8

Children’s attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Ainsworth Nursery is a very effective school with some excellent features. The school has a very strong staff team and strong, committed leadership which results in high quality provision and very good achievement by all children. The partnership with parents is excellent and supports the very good teaching and learning. By the end of reception, children are likely to exceed the goals they are expected to reach in all areas except speaking, due to the high numbers of children with English as an additional language. The school currently gives good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The leadership and management of the school are very good, with all adults working very closely together. • An excellent partnership with parents supports children’s learning particularly well. • Teaching and learning are very good, leading to very good achievement by all children, including those of minority ethnic origin and with English as an additional language. • Standards are likely to be higher than the goals expected by the time the children leave reception in all areas but speaking. • The curriculum is broad, rich and stimulating with excellent provision for information and communication technology (ICT). • The resources for learning are of excellent quality and are used particularly well. • The accommodation is extremely well used, providing a learning environment that is exciting and constantly changing.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Since the last inspection the school has made very good, consistent improvement in all the issues identified last time and in teaching, learning, children’s achievement and standards of work. The curriculum, teacher’s planning, ICT and the outside learning areas have also improved significantly. The leadership and management of the school, resources and the partnership with parents are also much better.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children are achieving very well. Many children start with very little English and all children make rapid progress in all areas of learning, so that, by the end of the reception year, most are likely to attain standards higher than the goals for learning in all areas except speaking, where they are likely to meet the goals. These areas include: personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; and creative and physical development. Children with special educational needs achieve very well also, due to very skilful and consistent support, but some will not meet the learning goals by the end of reception. The children who have English as an additional language achieve very well and many will exceed the goals by the end of reception and most will meet them in speaking. The school is a happy, harmonious and inclusive community and children’s spiritual, moral, social and

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

cultural development is very good. Children are very positive and happy in school, show great enthusiasm, work hard and behave well. They get on well with adults and other children and show concern and respect for others and property. The systems to improve attendance and punctuality are good. Ainsworth Nursery School - 7

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching by all staff is particularly good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Staff work very closely together and have a very good level of understanding about how young children learn. The children respond very well to the high expectations of the staff and to the stimulating and interesting learning experiences. Very effective staff training and very good support ensure that children who have English as an additional language make rapid progress and gain confidence quickly. Parents are very closely involved with the staff in their children’s learning. The excellent and sensitive relationships between staff and parents breed trust, and support children at home as well as in school. The children’s learning benefits greatly from this. The diverse needs of the children are met particularly well and great respect and sensitivity is shown to the families and diverse cultures of the children. Children consequently get on well with one another and with adults in the school, and all adults and children show great respect and courtesy for one another. Children

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

with special educational needs are identified and supported very well and from a very early stage. The staff have very high levels of commitment to the school and work extremely hard to provide the children with interesting and stimulating work. The assessment of children and the planning and evaluation of lessons is particularly thorough. The excellent, high quality resources for learning are used particularly well. The diverse and high quality provision for ICT contribute to children’s interest and enthusiasm for learning. The beautiful and interesting outside area is used constantly and very effectively to promote learning in all areas of the curriculum. There are good links with the local and wider community, which extend children’s learning about the wider world.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are great strengths and are particularly good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The headteacher and senior staff have a very strong, shared, commitment to the school and great vision for its constant improvement and development. The governors are highly supportive of this and have wide ranging expertise, which very effectively challenges the school to improve further. There is a very strong team ethos and great understanding of and sensitivity to the learning needs of very young children from diverse family backgrounds. All involved have particularly high expectations and the day-to-day school management reflects this in its high levels of efficiency, coupled with great friendliness. The senior teacher and nursery officers contribute greatly to this.

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PARENTS’ AND CHILDREN’S VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The parents hold the school in particularly high regard and are very happy with all areas of the provision for their children. The relationships with parents are excellent and this is reflected in their high levels of appreciation of the work of the school staff, the provision and the leadership of the headteacher and governors. Parents had no areas of concern or disagreement, only praise. The children enjoy coming to school and are very happy in their learning.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

There are no significant areas of weakness for the school to improve. The minor improvements and refinements that are needed have already been identified in the School Improvement Plan. Ainsworth Nursery School - 8 Ainsworth Nursery School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning

By the end of reception, most children are likely to exceed the goals for their ages in all areas of learning except speaking, in which they are likely to meet the goals. This represents very good achievement by the children, many of whom speak very little English when they start at the nursery. Children with special educational needs make good or very good progress towards the targets set for them and their achievement is also very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There has been a good improvement in standards in all areas since the last inspection, despite the increase in the proportion of children with English as an additional language. • The children’s achievement is now very good in all areas of learning. • Children who have English as an additional language make very rapid progress. • Children are prepared particularly well for their next phase of education.

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Commentary

1. By the time they leave reception, children are likely to exceed the Early Learning Goals (which are the goals children are expected to reach by the end of reception) in all areas except for speaking, where they will be likely to meet the goals. The intake of the school has changed since the last inspection, with more children having English as an additional language, and particularly those at a very early stage of learning English, and more who are behind in their social and emotional development. The school has very high expectations of the children and very good provision, which ensures that children make very good progress and achieve particularly well. Children’s achievement is very good in all areas of learning, as they often have below average levels of attainment when they start school; this achievement has improved very well since the last inspection. Children are also particularly skilful in Information

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Commentary

and Communication Technology (ICT) due to the excellent provision and very good teaching in that area. Their early literacy and number skills are developed particularly well across a wide range of activities.

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Commentary

2. The school closely monitors and evaluates standards and children’s learning, and staff make constant adjustments and improvements to the provision and teaching. If any particular barriers to learning are identified, they are dealt with or become the focus of teaching; for example, children who are mute and unable to speak are given specialist help as a result of the school’s staff training programme. The very good monitoring results in consistency of standards, through ensuring that children are well supported and extended within their individual needs. The staff use the outdoor play areas very well across many areas of learning, including physical development, language and mathematical development and social learning. This area has improved greatly since the last inspection. During the inspection a ‘roadway‘, outside, provided a very stimulating environment to develop a wide range of learning,

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Commentary

including the rules about speeding, how to co-operate with others and using space.

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Commentary

3. All staff have been trained in teaching English as an additional language and are given dedicated time each week to work with their key children. This results in these children achieving particularly well in communication, language and literacy, generally exceeding the goals in this area of learning by the end of the reception year in listening, early reading and early writing skills. Their development in spoken English is slightly behind this, due to lack of vocabulary and grammatical knowledge, but they are still in line to meet the goals in speaking by the end of reception. This very good achievement is directly related to the strong leadership, staff training, skilful teaching and high expectations. This also ensures that Ainsworth Nursery School - 10 achievement in other areas of learning, such as mathematical, physical and creative development, and knowledge and understanding of the world, is very good. Some children are

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Commentary

helped to understand what they are learning, and are supported in their home languages by a few bilingual staff. Higher-attaining children achieve well also, due to the very good curriculum planning, which ensures that children are moved on at their own pace and towards their own targets.

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Commentary

4. Those children who have special educational needs are particularly well supported and those with statements and individual education plans receive the modified support which they need to progress well. This is enhanced by very good additional support and frequent staff meetings held to discuss children’s progress. The school has made very good improvements in raising children’s standards of work and achievement since the last inspection, bearing in mind the wider range of children’s home languages it now caters for and a wider range of children’s needs on admission to the nursery.

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Children’s attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Children have very positive attitudes to their work and are well-behaved. Children’s personal development is very good. Their social development is excellent, their moral, social and cultural development are very good. The systems to promote attendance and punctuality are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good relationships throughout the school underpin the friendly and inclusive nature of the school. • Children respond very well to the exciting and ever-changing learning environment. • Whole-school sessions make a significant contribution to the children’s personal development. • Social development is an integral part of all that the school does. • Children know precisely what is expected of them and, as a result, behave well.

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Commentary

5. Children’s social development is a priority of the school and is at the heart of all that it does. Children respond well to the patient, kindly but firm approach of the staff, who deal with any challenging behaviour sensitively and positively so that the very good relationships are based on mutual trust and respect.

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Commentary

6. The school’s excellent resources are used imaginatively to create an environment in which children want to learn. The atmosphere created by the stimulating and attractive surroundings, which are changed subtly between the morning and afternoon sessions, is a key factor in the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They treat resources with great respect and, at the end of each session, tidy up and clear things away. They do this cheerfully and enthusiastically, taking pride in the task.

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Commentary

7. Music and art are central in enabling children to grow in confidence and self-esteem. They enjoy singing together and take the lead from the talented staff, usually singing tunefully and with appropriate actions to match the words. They can experiment with instruments and use a music program on a computer.

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Commentary

8. Their cultural development is well supported by a wide range of artistic activities. Children make models, do large-scale paintings in the outdoor area, use poster paints and make bubble paintings. Their work is respected by the adults and well displayed.

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Commentary

9. The inspection was early in the school year; many of the children are new and very young but nevertheless are beginning to understand the need to listen to others, to treat them fairly and to work together. Children generally have very good attitudes to their work. Staff are adept in channelling the children’s natural enthusiasm into purposeful learning. All adults in the school Ainsworth Nursery School - 11 are unfailingly polite and patient, acting as good role models for all the children in their care. Older children also help the new children become accustomed to the school routines, which are applied consistently.

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Commentary

10. All the learning activities encourage the children to think for themselves, reconsider and explain their ideas to others. Children celebrate their own cultures and are generally tolerant and understanding of one another, free of harassment or intolerance. They select books in a range of languages, which they take home to share with their parents or carers. As a result, children are well prepared for life in a modern multicultural society. Overall, the children’s personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, has improved well since the last inspection, particularly in their social development where improvement has been very good.

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Commentary

11. Staff ensure very skilfully that whilst all children are listened to, the group as a whole is not deflected from the work in hand. Children value the free and friendly access they have to all adults in the school, who they know will listen to them and take them seriously.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 16.3 School data 0.8 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

12. The school has good arrangements for promoting children’s attendance and punctuality and staff are careful to ensure that parents understand the need for their child to attend school regularly and on time. Last year’s attendance figures were low in one half term because of an outbreak of scarlet fever and the attendance of a few children was adversely affected by unforeseen home circumstances. For the rest of the year, attendance was much higher.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is particularly good. The main strengths are: • the high quality of teaching by all staff and children’s consequent very good learning. • a rich and stimulating curriculum links well to the needs of individuals. • excellent partnership with parents. • excellent resources, which are used particularly well, including those for ICT. • a very attractive, lively and interesting learning environment, with an extensive range of opportunities, both indoors and outside. • very good inclusion for all children.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching by all staff, children’s learning and the assessment and planning of children’s work, are all very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff teamwork is strong, producing lively, imaginative and innovative learning opportunities. • All staff have very good knowledge and expertise in the learning needs of very young children. • Staff expectations and challenge of the children are very good. Ainsworth Nursery School - 12 • Planning, assessment and tracking of children’s achievement are very good and are closely linked. • The learning environment is constantly changed and adapted to enliven teaching and learning.

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Commentary

13. Teaching and learning are very good, with good or very good teaching seen across each area of learning and by all members of staff. The areas of learning are taught across a wide range of activities, both indoors and outside, and adults take responsibility for different rooms in the nursery and different areas of learning. There is a five-week rota for staff teaching in the different areas, ensuring that staff gain a wide range of expertise and experience. There is a very good balance between adult-led and child-selected activities, and all children’s experiences are closely tracked to ensure that they do not miss out on any areas of learning. Assessment of children’s work is particularly strong and informs planning for future work very well; this area has shown very good improvement since the last inspection, when it was found to be weak. The school has developed good systems of identifying the professional needs of

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Commentary

staff, and provides good training both from outside and within the school, which ensures consistent practice. This has a strong impact on the children’s very good learning and achievement, as the staff are consequently very knowledgeable and confident in their understanding of how to teach the areas of learning, and of how to teach very young children with specific learning needs, such as early English skills. This is more important than ever, taking account of the wider range of children’s home languages and attainment the school now has to cater for. Staff share their particular professional skills very well, with nursery officers, teachers and support staff making very effective contributions. Children’s behaviour is managed very effectively, ensuring that children learn well.

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Commentary

14. The school’s strong team ethos is reflected in teaching; with children being taught in linked areas each led by very expert staff, and moving from activity to activity. There is high quality discussion at the end of most days about how individual children have learnt. This contributes to staff having a very clear understanding of what children have achieved and what they need to learn next. Staff are imaginative and lively in their planning and teaching, and make imaginative use of a wide range of stimulating activities and resources. Each session a ‘light table’ lit from within, has a different display of objects linked to the children’s work, inviting children to find which display is currently shown on the nearby chart. Information and communication technology is used extremely well in many different areas of learning; this contributes to children’s very good achievement. The development of social and personal

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Commentary

skills, mathematical skills and English language is a major focus of all teaching and leads to quick progress in basic skills and good access to other areas of learning. There are far more boys than girls currently, but they learn equally well, and staff target areas for improvement very well, based on monitoring gender differences in learning.

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Commentary

15. Staff and parents know well the importance of structured play in young children’s learning and parents are supported well in developing learning outside school. A library service of dual- language books and tapes gives bilingual parents extra support. Many displays incorporate home languages, and interpretation and translation are important ways of giving parents information to support children’s learning. The excellent partnership with parents, vital to the children’s learning, is enhanced by the high levels of commitment by the staff to parents as the first teachers of their children and the very cordial relationships with the parents.

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Commentary

16. The leadership of the school is committed to constant improvement, shown in the very good levels of challenge for children set by all staff. The particularly positive, kindly and caring relationships with staff develop children’s confidence in trying new experiences, encouraging them to be confident and proud of their achievements and able to move on and consolidate their learning. This promotes high levels of achievement and thorough learning. All children respond well and learn with very good focus and often show extended concentration. They are often confident and enjoy exploring new activities on their own; for example, when they paint, print and make models, or work alone on the computers or the interactive whiteboards. Staff are able to stand back and allow children independence when appropriate, and know when to Ainsworth Nursery School - 13 intervene and support them. For example, in a pretend office, children answered the phone,

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Commentary

looked up numbers in the directory and ‘phoned’ for taxis or to invite friends out. The children are very happy in school and enjoy activities, learning to share, take turns and co-operate, sometimes using a timer to ensure fair access to the whiteboards or computers. Because of the strong focus on personal and social development they acquire basic learning skills quickly. Because teaching targets the needs of individual children, higher-attaining children are extended well. Sessions are planned so that every child can learn and improve. Children with special needs are very well provided for, and learning support staff enable them to be included in all activities with great sensitivity. Individual plans support their learning very well and enable them to make good progress towards their targets.

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Commentary

17. Planned learning activities are very creative and link well to the ‘Stepping-Stones’ for learning, which lead to the goals expected by the end of the reception year. Learning is very well organised into specific areas. Children are allowed to choose, or are targeted for, activities based on previous observations and assessment. There are constant focus activities led by staff for targeted children. These are planned in depth and are often assessed. Assessment, overall, is very good, being particularly thorough, consistent, clear and well organised. Staff keep a wide range of evidence from observations, samples of work, photographs and tracking to produce particularly good records of children’s progress. These are used well to decide what children need to learn next and to set individual targets. The children are very proud of their achievements and most understand how well they are doing. Since the last inspection,

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Commentary

this area has shown significant improvement in the consistency of the very good quality of teaching and learning, planning and assessment, the use of ICT and the quality and use of resources.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y 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; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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The curriculum

The curriculum provided by the school is very good. It is innovative, broad and balanced and covers all six areas of learning. The quality, range and use of resources are excellent. Accommodation for both indoor and outdoor areas for learning is very good. The provision for extra-curricular activities is good. The school prepares children for the next stage of learning very well. The match of teachers and teacher assistants is very good. Provision for children who have special educational needs, and those whose mother tongue is not English, is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is very well planned, stimulating and innovative and helps children to achieve very well. • The quality and quantity and the use of resources is excellent. • Provision for ICT is excellent. • The school has made significant improvements since the previous inspection. • The staff are very knowledgeable about how young children learn and work closely as a team. This has a very positive impact on children’s achievement and thereby standards. • Children with special educational needs, and those who speak English as an additional language, are very well supported.

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Commentary

Ainsworth Nursery School - 14 18. The innovative curriculum is very well planned. It provides very stimulating activities and meets children’s needs very well. As a result, children achieve very well and are very well prepared for the next school. Children enjoy coming to school, and even those who had joined the school on the day of the inspection were seen to be fascinated by the range of activities around the school and joined in happily. 19. The school has made very good improvements since the previous inspection. The curriculum provision now is very good, with excellent provision in ICT. The staff now rigorously monitors how individual children use the different activities set up for them. As a result, all children, girls and boys, those who speak English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs, experience fully activities in all six areas of learning. All areas of learning

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Commentary

are very well planned now and teaching of personal, social and emotional development receives very good attention. The very good leadership and management of the school have had a strong influence on these improvements.

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Commentary

20. Teachers and nursery officers are very competent and plan the curriculum through practical activities. All areas are planned separately but very judiciously; links are established with more than one area. There is an excellent range of resources supporting activities in each area of learning and these are changed twice a day to ensure that children who are full-time are motivated and experience new activities in both morning and afternoon sessions. The outdoor area is used constantly and imaginatively to extend learning, particularly in physical development. A gazebo is used very well in wet weather.

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Commentary

21. Activities are planned around themes that are relevant for children and will enhance their learning. Children have rich experiences when they observe caterpillars turn into butterflies, and tadpoles turn into frogs. They see chickens being hatched and this arouses children's curiosity about the world around them and they achieve very well. Children have excellent opportunities to use computers, interactive whiteboards and programmable toys, and as a result have very well developed skills in their use. The very good emphasis on children's personal, social and emotional development and early language and mathematical skills, promotes high achievement in these areas. Physical skills are very well developed both indoors and outside.

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Commentary

22. The school has a very effective team of teachers and nursery officers. All staff are very well trained and knowledgeable about how young children learn. Children with English as an additional language are very well supported because all staff are trained to a high level of expertise and are given dedicated time each week to support their key children. They are tracked through their achievement very precisely and their assessments are used particularly well to provide for their future work. As a result they learn very well across all the activities they undertake.

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Commentary

23. Children who have special educational needs are very well supported. Their needs are assessed and specific targets to meet them are set. These are written in their individual education plans and followed closely. These plans are reviewed frequently and the information gained is used very well to inform future planning. Consequently, children’s achievement is very good. Parents are consulted and informed about their children’s progress at all stages and staff work very well in developing partnerships with the families. However, though the targets are discussed with parents, they are not given a copy of the individual education plan so that they can refer to these targets to help their children improve. Children with statements of need are very well supported. The targets are assessed, monitored, and reviewed and changed accordingly. The high number of skilful support staff ensures that all children are

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Commentary

included and participate fully in all aspects of the curriculum.

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Commentary

24. All staff very competently evaluate planning, assess children’s work and use these assessments for future planning. The key worker system, whereby a member of staff works closely with, and monitors, the learning of a small group of children, is very effective in meeting individual needs. A formal meeting takes place on most days, when all staff review teaching Ainsworth Nursery School - 15 and learning. This means that individual children are monitored and assessed daily, and planning is modified to ensure that they receive appropriate experience in all areas of learning. Ainsworth Nursery School - 16 25. The curriculum is enhanced by the effective use of the community. Visits to the Science Museum, Syon House, Tate Britain, local shops, and cafés enrich the children’s experiences and develop their knowledge, understanding and skills. An after-school club provides very good experiences for children. Many visitors such as fire fighters, police officers and theatre

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Commentary

groups further extend learning. Children are very well prepared for their future schooling.

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Commentary

26. The accommodation is enhanced very well by engaging displays of pictures, artefacts and children’s work. This particularly stimulating environment adds positively to children’s desire to learn. The accommodation is very well organised into different areas of learning and contributes to the children’s very good achievement.

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Care, guidance and support

Procedures for the care, welfare and health and safety of children are very good. The provision of support, advice and guidance based on monitoring is also very good. Children’s views are taken into account in the future development of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The high quality of support provided for children is based on very good procedures for monitoring their needs. • Very good induction arrangements ensure that children generally settle into school quickly. • High quality arrangements ensure the general health and well-being of children.

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Commentary

27. Children quickly grow in confidence when they join the school as a result of the very good induction arrangements. Children normally enter the school two at a time, either at the morning or afternoon sessions, at the beginning of the term. They are allocated a key worker who will be available to them and their parents or carers throughout their time in the school. When they start, the key worker spends the first session with them and their parents, showing them what is available and introducing them to the rest of the school community. The headteacher also spends some time talking to the parents or carers. The whole procedure is sensitive, careful and very effective, as was seen during the inspection.

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Commentary

28. Once settled in, children are assessed so that the school can identify their academic and personal needs, and the information is very well used to provide for those needs. All adults know the children very well and listen to what they have to say, so that children have a strong sense of Ainsworth being their school. They know they will be taken seriously and listened to. This sense of community is a very strong feature of the school and is particularly evident when adults and children join together at various points in the school day.

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Commentary

29. A significant number of children enter school with below average personal and social skills but most develop quickly as they form good relationships with the adults in school, which are used to instil confidence and independence at a relatively young age. During the inspection, for example, children spoke happily and confidently to visitors, as keen to learn about them as the visitors were to learn about the children. The very exiting and stimulating environment for learning helps to encourage children to aim high and to follow the good examples around them.

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Commentary

30. A member of the staff is particularly conscientious in overseeing the very good health and safety procedures throughout the school. She carries out regular fire drills and undertakes detailed risk assessments before any school activities, and health and safety audits with a governor and a local authority official. She keeps meticulous records, provides advice for colleagues and ensures that any concerns are dealt with promptly. A plan to deal with any major incident that might affect the school has recently been drawn up. Ainsworth Nursery School - 17 31. Two fully qualified first-aiders ensure that between them they can provide support throughout the time children are in the school. The headteacher is responsible for child protection throughout the school and is to update her training shortly. All other adults have either been on a two-day course or are booked on one. All adults are clear about their responsibilities and, as

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Commentary

a result, the school takes prompt action to minimise any risks as soon as they become apparent.

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Commentary

32. Children with special educational needs, and the growing number of children who speak English as an additional language, receive very good support. Their learning, social and emotional needs are clearly identified and their day-to-day care is very well managed. Outside support agencies are used where necessary. Overall, the care, guidance and support provided for children has improved well since the last inspection.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The partnership between the school and parents is excellent. The school works closely with parents to support their children’s learning. Links with the community, other schools and colleges are good. The extended services are very good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school, valuing all aspects of its work. • The quality of the information parents receive about the school and their children’s progress is excellent. • Parents make a very good contribution to school life and to their children’s education.

p.17

Commentary

33. Parents are extremely happy with the school and with the high quality of education and care provided for their children. Parents played a pivotal role in the successful campaign to prevent the proposed closure of the school. The excellent partnership between the school and the parents underpins everything that the school does and ensures that parents are fully involved with the school in the education of their children. They can think of nothing that needs improving. Inspection evidence supports the strength of their praise.

p.17

Commentary

34. They are particularly impressed by the dedication shown by the friendly, approachable and hard-working staff and the fact that they have free access to the headteacher and all other adults in the school. Parent governors are also an important link between the school and parents, holding a monthly surgery when parents can raise any concerns, which they know will be treated sensitively. A crèche is provided for those parents having young children. This good arrangement is valued by parents.

p.17

Commentary

35. Parents are actively involved in their children’s education and are kept regularly informed of how well they are doing and of their targets for improvement. They respond readily to requests from the school. For example, the school promotes healthy eating and parents donate small quantities of fresh fruit on a daily basis, which is then distributed to all the children. A parent provided labels in Arabic for displays of the children’s work.

p.17

Commentary

36. The quality of information provided to parents on all aspects of school life and on how their children are getting on is outstanding. Parents have easy access to their children’s assessment records and can see what has been done to help them achieve as well as they have. When children leave, parents receive a copy of all records together with a collection of their children’s work. Ainsworth Nursery School - 18 37. Parents whose children have special educational needs are consulted about their individual educational plans and kept very well informed about their progress. Parents of children speaking English as an additional language are equally well informed and involved in their children’s education.

p.17

Commentary

38. The prospectus and governors’ annual report are well written, clear and useful documents, providing all the necessary information. The prospectus is also available on a CD-ROM. Overall, the links with parents have improved very well since the last inspection.

p.18

Commentary

39. The community worked closely with the school to prevent closure and these good links make an important contribution to the education provided. Children visit the local market regularly and go further afield to art galleries and museums. Their experience is also widened by a range of visitors to the school, such as the police and the fire service.

p.18

Commentary

40. There are good links with other schools, with teachers frequently visiting Ainsworth for advice and support in providing nursery education. Good links with local primary schools ensure a smooth transfer to the next stage of education. Close links are also kept with a London University in providing initial teacher training.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall leadership and management of the school are very good. The leadership and vision of the headteacher is particularly good and the management and governance of the school are very good also.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has high levels of expertise and very strong commitment, and provides a very clear vision for the continued development of the school. • The senior teacher and other staff provide very good leadership and management for all six areas of learning. • Governors play a very effective role in challenging and supporting the school. • The staff and excellent resources are very well used and managed.

p.18

Commentary

41. The overall quality of leadership and management by the headteacher is very good and is the major factor in the very good improvement since the previous inspection. She leads and manages the school both effectively and efficiently, and has great innovative skill, giving a very clear educational direction. The senior staff and governors share her vision and are highly committed to and support the school very well. The school improvement plan provides a clear path to follow and is well monitored with appropriate targets. The plan is for this academic year only as the school is awaiting the decision on whether the school will become a Children’s Centre. Leadership and management have improved well since the last inspection, the school now develops and implements its aims very well.

p.18

Commentary

42. Leaders are extremely committed to the principles of inclusion and equality of opportunity, and all children are fully involved in all activities, and, therefore they achieve very well. Governors fulfil their statutory duties successfully. They also help to shape the direction of the school and are very well involved in the school. Governors are frequent visitors, and are committed to carrying out the monitoring role in their particular areas of responsibility. They have supported the school very well and helped effectively in the appeal against the recent threat of closure. This involvement has led to their very good understanding of the school’s strengths and the future responsibilities if the school becomes a Children’s Centre. Ainsworth Nursery School - 19 43. The leadership and management of other staff in their area of responsibilities are also very good. Staff play a strong role in monitoring children’s work, and are very skilful educators of

p.18

Commentary

young children. This contributes to the high quality of education and very good achievement by children. The ethos and relationships within the school are very good. The children represent a wide variety of cultures, and staff work together in harmony to support these children. There is trust and respect between staff and children and their parents. The staff relate very well to one another with particularly strong teamwork. They provide support and guidance and complement one another very well in the overall curricular and teaching provision. As a result, children’s achievement is very good.

p.19

Commentary

44. The school works particularly hard to identify and meet the needs of the children and their parents. Provision for children with special educational needs, and for those with English as an additional language, is very good and particularly well managed. The after-school club meets the needs of those children who require it. The school’s partnership with parents is excellent and with the community it is good.

p.19

Commentary

45. The school received a fully delegated budget in April 2004, which was over £50,000 less than the allocation in the previous years. Spending decisions have been made wisely and are closely matched to the school’s priorities, even with the current reduction in the budget. For example, the school decided not to appoint a new deputy head but have a very effective senior teacher to carry the responsibility for monitoring standards, planning and teaching and overseeing the progress of the children. The school provides good value for money, in terms of the budget it receives and the very high quality of education and achievement that results.

p.19

Commentary

46. The systems and day-to-day management of the school are very good. The administrator is a friendly face to welcome parents and visitors, speaking one of the community languages. She is efficient and plays an important role in the smooth running of the school. The effective programme for identifying staff needs and training makes a strong contribution to the quality of education and the children’s very good learning and achievement.

p.19

Commentary

47. Support for children who speak English as an additional language and those who have special education needs is very good. The staff very expertly use resources to support these children, have been trained very well and are led by a very knowledgeable co-ordinator. Leadership of the curriculum is innovative and the programme for developing ICT, including the use of interactive whiteboards, digital cameras, computers and programmable toys, is excellent and supports children’s learning very well. Ainsworth Nursery School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The curriculum in all the areas of learning has shown very good improvement since the last inspection in its planning, the excellent use of ICT and other resources, in teaching and learning and in the monitoring and evaluation of standards of work and children’s achievement. Very good team work and strong curriculum leadership are key factors in this improvement and have a significant impact on the above average standard of work seen.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s achievement is very good because consistently very good teaching ensures that they are encouraged, challenged and supported particularly well. • Children are encouraged to work hard and take responsibility for their own learning at an early age. • The children generally are likely to exceed the standards expected for their age by the end of the reception year, even though standards were often below average when they started nursery. • Children are particularly confident in their learning and are encouraged to work independently.

p.20

Commentary

48. By the time they leave reception, most children are likely to exceed the goals expected in all areas of their personal, social and emotional development. This represents very good achievement for them, which is directly linked to the very good provision and consistently strong teaching and learning. This area has shown very good improvement since the last inspection. The school focuses well on ensuring that children are encouraged and supported to gain confidence and independence. As a result, they develop very good learning habits and show very good confidence for their age. The lively environment provides interest and stimulation to encourage children’s motivation and co-operation. Many children are able to maintain attention and listen quietly, and are very chatty and confident when approaching new experiences and in using their emerging skills in English. The ethos for learning is settled and happy, which

p.20

Commentary

particularly suits very young children. This is also very supportive of children with special educational needs. Staff encourage them to work well with others, by communicating with other children, sharing and taking turns. For example, in a computer activity, children waited their turn at the interactive whiteboard, observing others and using a timer for fair shares. Children develop excellent social skills from working alongside other children and are learning to behave well by the good role models provided by older children and staff.

p.20

Commentary

49. Children’s behaviour is managed very well by all adults, who encourage independence and responsibility but direct the children firmly but gently, supporting their self-esteem when it is necessary. At the beginning of sessions, children take off their own coats, find their name cards and register themselves by writing their names on a board. In this way, they learn to be independent and responsible, and are also very confident in writing their names. This activity was rewarded later in assembly by children receiving a ‘well done’ stamp on their name. Children are able to work calmly on their own for extended periods on the interactive whiteboards and computers. They co-operate, concentrate on their activities and take turns with others. The school has an atmosphere of friendliness and acceptance of others’ differences, and all are treated with courtesy and respect. Lunch-time is a friendly and relaxed

p.20

Commentary

time, with children chatting, sharing and eating happily together. They use cutlery well for their

p.20

Commentary

age and are supported effectively by the staff who sit with them, help them and chat in a friendly Ainsworth Nursery School - 21 way. The school emphases the learning of social skills, such as saying ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ and saying ‘Good morning’ or ‘Hello’ when they arrive.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are very good and this leads to very good achievement by the children. • The curriculum is planned and assessed particularly well, with an ever-changing range of exciting opportunities. • All opportunities to extend children’s language are taken across a wide range of activities. • Children who have English as an additional language are supported particularly well. • The excellent resources for learning are used particularly well.

p.21

Commentary

50. By the end of reception, children are likely to exceed the goals for learning expected in their listening, early reading and writing. Because of the high percentage of children with English as an additional language, they are more likely to reach the goals in speaking. This is because many children will not have developed enough English vocabulary and grammar by the end of reception to exceed the goals. First language English speakers, however, will generally exceed the goals in speaking. This shows very good achievement for all children, many of whom speak very little English when they start nursery. Children with special educational needs also achieve very well but some are unlikely to reach the goals by the end of reception. Because the approach to learning is very precise and individual, higher-attaining children are very well extended in their learning and do very well in the nursery. The main factor in this very

p.21

Commentary

good achievement is the particularly thorough and consistent teaching, leading to very good learning and rapid progress. English as an additional language is particularly well taught due to high levels of staff expertise. All staff have been trained and are each given non-class time each week to work closely with their own key children. The assessment, observation and recording of children’s achievement are also particularly thorough and link very closely to the planning of children’s activities, with very precise evaluation of each session. For example, during the regular staff meetings to discuss children’s progress, daily activities are discussed by the whole staff and strategies are suggested to all the staff to ensure consistency of approach in supporting individual children.

p.21

Commentary

51. The very good teaching and learning are marked by consistent quality, high expectations and close understanding of the learning needs of very young children. This, together with a very lively and exciting range of curriculum activities and excellent resources, optimises the opportunities for learning. Time in the school day is also used very well, with language learning being planned and apparent in all activities. The staff take great care and are very imaginative in setting up activities and extending the learning opportunities within them. For example, a very lively story and singing session at the end of the morning introduced the ‘Where’s Spot?’ book, using excellent questioning and developing a wide range of literacy strategies in an activity that was great fun. Children with special educational needs are very well included in such activities and play a full and active part in the games and in answering questions.

p.21

Commentary

Teachers, nursery officers and support staff share very high commitment to inclusion for all children and there is full access to the language curriculum, which is modified very well to meet children’s needs. Writing and early reading skills are particularly well taught and every opportunity is taken for children to enjoy books and stories, to look for information and to write their names and make other marks leading to early written work. When the children were using telephones to practice their English, for example, they were able to write down ‘telephone numbers’ after looking them up. The work seen from the end of last year, and current work, showed above average examples of children’s writing. Ainsworth Nursery School - 22 52. The quality of displayed children’s work is very high and the whole nursery has become an environment for literacy. This allows children to appreciate the meaning of text and associated

p.21

Commentary

language with pleasure, and to communicate their own feelings and needs. The children are very interested in books and stories, and are developing early reading skills very well because staff extend their language skills, for example, when reading a story or learning a rhyme. Children take books home to share with their parents. There is also a library of dual-language books and tapes, run by a grandfather, which is used very well by parents. Very useful information and training for parents about their children’s learning makes a significant contribution to the children’s very good achievement. Since the last inspection, there has been great improvement with better teaching and learning, a better curriculum and assessment, excellent resources, better leadership and higher expectations. The senior teacher who leads this area is a very skilled practitioner, with very high levels of expertise and a clear overview of

p.22

Commentary

her areas of responsibility. Her leadership of the provision for children who have English as an additional language is particularly effective.

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Excellent use of resources, very good teaching and learning, and rigorous assessment leads to very good achievement. • Nursery officers, teachers and teacher assistants provide excellent support. • Children’s attainment is likely to be above the expected goals by the end of reception.

p.22

Commentary

53. The attainment of many children at the start of the nursery in this area is below average. The very good teaching and the provision of a stimulating range of activities inspire and challenge children. As a result, children achieve very well. Their attainment, by the time they leave the reception class, is likely to exceed the goals expected and is above expectations. Children whose mother tongue is not English are very well supported through excellent use of staff and resources. The staff provide appropriate vocabulary and model language ensuring that children understand the purpose of every activity. Children who have special education needs are fully integrated and very well supported, and they achieve very well towards their set targets.

p.22

Commentary

54. Staff take every opportunity to count and teach children to recognise numbers. For example, when they choose numbered wheeled toys in the outdoor play area, or walk on the numbered steps and stepping stones. They use number lines to count in order and find the missing number on the line. Staff match work to children’s needs very well and have high expectations of their learning. As a result, most children can count to 10 and some can count to beyond 20. Children learn to recognise numbers when they see them on the wall, on footsteps and make number jigsaws. Children know the value of numbers up to 5 when they see 5 green bottles on the board, and can match numbers to objects. Some older children and higher attainers can match up to 10 skeletons to the appropriate numerals. They understand ‘more’ and ‘less’. A wide repertoire of number rhymes and songs reinforce their developing understanding of

p.22

Commentary

55. Staff plan numerous opportunities to teach appropriate vocabulary, such as ‘under, above, up’ and ‘down’ and ensure that children understand it. Skilful use of questioning extends children’s understanding of number, size and shape. Children identify the tallest and smallest dinosaurs; they fit smaller boxes in larger ones and measure the length of a line of footsteps. They use the interactive whiteboard and answer questions, such as who has most or least fossils in a pile accurately. They use balances to weigh heavy and light objects. Children are Ainsworth Nursery School - 23 learning to name simple shapes and can use jigsaws of three triangles to make a larger one and use four squares to make a large square. They use computer programs to fit shapes to make a larger shape.

p.22

Commentary

56. Teachers, nursery officers and teacher assistants have high expectations of children’s work and behaviour and this has a very positive impact on children’ learning. They assess children’s progress against clearly defined targets in focused tasks; for example, those who could name the missing numbers on the number line. Very good assessment records indicate that most children make very good progress and their achievement is high.

p.23

Commentary

57. Excellent use is made of teacher assistants and nursery officers to support all children, particularly those who have special educational needs, in groups and in individual one-to-one taught activities and they achieve very well. Children who speak English as an additional language are also very well supported through a rich variety of practical activities and through very good emphasis on teaching vocabulary skills and modelling language, as was seen in whole-class sessions. In all teaching sessions, teacher assistants and nursery officers provide excellent support for children. They take full responsibility in teaching and learning and often match the teaching and learning by teachers.

p.23

Commentary

58. There is a very good balance of adult-led and child-selected activities. When children are working independently, they continue to achieve very well because the high standard of planning and the excellent provision of suitable resources challenge them to explore for themselves; for example, when children use programmable toys, sand and water, computers, interactive whiteboard or materials such as three-dimensional shapes.

p.23

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Excellent use is made of ICT to support learning. • Excellent use of resources supports the development of children’s exploration and investigation skills. • Particularly good use is made of support staff to improve learning. • By the time children leave reception, their attainment is likely to be above the expected goals.

p.23

Commentary

59. When most children start in the nursery, their knowledge of this area of learning is often below average, and they are at the very earliest stage of learning English. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently very good and this leads to children’s very good achievement. Most children attain standards that are likely to be above the expected goals by the time they leave reception. Children who speak English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs are very well supported and so they achieve very well.

p.23

Commentary

60. Excellent resources and teaching in ICT lead to standards that are well above average. Children show great interest and independence in using the interactive whiteboards. They use e-pens to open, change and operate programs. The software links learning in all areas and children were seen, for example, developing mathematical skills on whiteboards by counting the number of dinosaurs, identifying least and most fossils in different piles, differentiating between large and small, long and short, dinosaurs.

p.23

Commentary

61. On the computers, children were using the mouse to click and drag shapes to do simple tangrams and to match numbers. They give instructions to the programmable toy to move to the selected card. The school makes very good use of digital cameras. Children are Ainsworth Nursery School - 24 photographed as they work and are also taught how to use the camera independently to record their activities. The school gives a high priority to ICT, and this has a very positive impact on children’s learning.

p.23

Commentary

62. Many opportunities are provided for investigation and discovery; for example, when children use tools to dismantle interesting objects, such as an obsolete cassette player. Staff provide excellent support as they challenge children's interest in gadgets and how they work. Children learn about a variety of materials, and are able to select tools and techniques when they use construction kits. Children use kits to make models and learn how to use screws to join pieces and a claw hammer to take them apart. Two children used three-dimensional shapes to design and build their own model mosques, with very effective results.

p.24

Commentary

63. Children have many opportunities to investigate the effects of change on liquids and solids, as when they add food colouring to cornflour, or mix ingredients to bake apple pies. Staff plan lessons very well and extend learning by using stimulating questions and prompts to help children observe closely and extend their vocabulary. Picture reference books are used well by children to check their investigations and findings. Children observe plants, animals, x-rays and bones using magnifying mirrors on lighted boards. They use magnets to pick up objects and find out the properties of a magnet.

p.24

Commentary

64. In one very good session, children were learning about different habitats and the eating habits of different animals, including humans. The teacher made excellent use of the resources and set up a jungle scene with a small tent for a human model. Through skilful questioning, she made the children understand what the different animals such as pandas, giraffes, lions and humans eat and where they sleep. A wide range of very stimulating activities support children very well in focused teaching sessions as well as in their independently-chosen activities.

p.24

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s physical development is very good and children are likely to attain above the expected goals by the time they leave reception. • Children have access to an excellent range of resources and tools to improve their co-ordination. • A particular strength is the wide range of opportunities for outdoor play, which enables children to acquire very good physical skills.

p.24

Commentary

65. The quality of teaching and learning is very good and children’s achievement is therefore very good also. Excellent use is made of the resources, both indoors and outdoors, to provide opportunities for challenging and purposeful physical development. In most of the indoor activities, children learn how to develop control over a wide range of tools and materials. Children are able to control different types of screwdrivers when dismantling mechanical objects or building with construction kits. Children learn and practise how to use different size paint and glue brushes, pencils, scissors, jigsaw puzzles, e-pens and the computer mouse. They show increasing control and accuracy, better than might be expected for their age.

p.24

Commentary

66. Very good outdoor play is a strength of the curriculum, and the gazebo and wet-weather suits permit the use of the outdoors during inclement weather. A great deal of innovative planning and an extensive and imaginative range of equipment and materials provide many relevant opportunities for children to develop co-ordination and control in their movements. Children enjoy working outdoors and participate enthusiastically in all physical activity. They learn to balance on low and high climbing equipment. Staff allow children to be adventurous in climbing, balancing and jumping without jeopardising safety or reducing the challenge. Ainsworth Nursery School - 25 67. Children learn to use the wheeled toys with confidence, negotiating space safely. In one lesson, they were learning how the one-way system works and were successful in obeying the rules. Children were enthusiastic when asked to negotiate an obstacle course. They climbed

p.24

Commentary

on a ladder, a climbing-frame, bars, a plank and tyres and jumped off the equipment safely. Staff encourage and praise their efforts and support those who need it. Very good demonstrations by staff enthused the children. This very well managed and organised lesson enabled children to achieve very well and attain standards above the expected level. Children enjoy exploring their body’s ability to move in different ways. In a whole-class session, children responded to the challenge of accurately touching the body parts in the nursery rhyme, ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’.

p.25

Commentary

68. Children with special needs are encouraged as they learn to ride a tricycle and use the climbing apparatus. They also make very good progress because of the high quality of the teaching, which promotes their physical skills and fosters the development of confidence and independence. Staff monitor, assess and record children’s progress. At the end of the day, staff attend a very effective meeting to review children’s participation and progress in activities, and to identify the next stages of learning. Children’s attainment, by the time they leave the nursery, is above expected levels.

p.25

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The staff are very creative in planning and setting up activities, which change constantly. • Children’s standards are likely to exceed the expected goals by the end of reception. • Resources are excellent and used very imaginatively.

p.25

Commentary

69. The nursery is a very lively and interesting place for children to learn, and creative activities are characterised by a wide range of stimulating experiences, a lively and imaginative staff and thorough and thoughtful planning and preparation. Staff appreciate the importance of creativity in developing children’s wider learning in literacy, mathematics, physical, social and emotional development. They are also very aware of the importance of fun and enjoyment in learning. This area is led by a very confident nursery officer, who contributes significantly to creativity across the whole curriculum and who supports other members of the team particularly well. Because of this, all staff show great confidence and flair and inspire one another and the children.

p.25

Commentary

70. Underpinning this are very high expectations, rigorous planning and preparation, and very precise evaluation and assessment. This promotes a constant stream of new activities, which are matched well to the children’s needs and interests. During the inspection, a wide range of activities was seen, including dance, music, outdoor play, making and painting, ICT, role-play and drama. One very good example of the integration of creative learning was a dance lesson, where awareness of health education, music appreciation, understanding how CD players are used, physical development and dramatic movement were all included in a half hour session. The children were also able to take off and put on their own shoes and socks, check their heart rates and drink water to rehydrate themselves before they left.

p.25

Commentary

71. Standards are therefore likely to exceed the goals expected by the end of reception in all aspects of creative development and children’s achievement is, consequently, very good. This is true of higher-attaining children, those with special educational needs and the large number of children who have English as an additional language. The school gives high priority to this area of learning and the provision of the imaginative curriculum is often innovative and always well thought out. This represents very good improvement since the last inspection, better Ainsworth Nursery School - 26 teaching and learning, far better resources, including ICT and higher achievement. There are well above average standards in music, particularly singing, and this is also used to extend children’s awareness of other cultures by their learning of songs with other languages such as ‘My Auntie Monica’, with its chorus of ‘Ooh, La, La!’ A great deal of interesting work in creative

p.25

Commentary

development was displayed, resulting from the recent school carnival that took place in the adjacent park earlier in the term. The use of ICT in this area is very well planned. Children use computers, whiteboards, programmable toys, music synthesisers and digital cameras as part of the excellent range of ICT opportunities in the area. They are confident and composed in working independently, such as when using the interactive whiteboards. A great strength is the confidence of the staff in allowing the children the time and opportunity to experiment and use their own imagination and skill in making and doing things. This contributes greatly to the children’s confidence and high self-esteem as well as their creative development. Staff constantly encourage the children to learn new vocabulary and comment on and discuss their work with others. Because of these strengths and consistency, teaching and learning are very

p.26

Commentary

good by all staff, leading to the very good achievement shown by the children and the good standard of work.

p.26

Commentary

72. Children show very good co-operation and independence in using their creative skills and developing their imaginations. They can work alone for quite long periods, take turns, sometimes using a timer, and use ICT with confidence. They are able to use drawing, painting, modelling and cutting materials with good skill and paste and glue accurately. The children and staff love to sing and children have very well developed pitch, tempo and expression for their age in singing the wide variety of songs, rhymes and games they are taught. Every day the school gets together to celebrate, sing and share information and this adds enormously to the quality of each session and the ethos of the nursery. The pretend-play areas are set up very imaginatively and the adults leading these areas work very hard to engage the children’s interest. This very good provision leads to children being excited, enthusiastic, confident and happy in their work and adds significantly to their personal

p.26

Commentary

development, very good learning and achievement. Ainsworth Nursery School - 27

p.26

The overall effectiveness of the school 2

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

p.27

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

p.27

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 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 2 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 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 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.27

The leadership and management of the school 2

The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2 Ainsworth Nursery School - 28 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

p.27