Ronald Openshaw Nursery School

Age group Published Reference no. Ronald Openshaw Nursery Education Centre Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 102703 LEA London Borough of Newham

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Inspection number 274283 Inspection dates 2 March 2005 Reporting inspector Mr C Kessell

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Inspection deemed to have been carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 according to section 12(3) of the same act.

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Type of School Nursery School address School category Maintained Age range of pupils 2 - 5 Henniker Road Stratford London E15 1JP Gender of pupils Mixed Telephone number 0208 534 6196 Number on roll 106 Fax number 0208 534 5600 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair of governors Mr O Beckles Date of previous inspection May 1999 Headteacher Mr G Potrykus-Lupton

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2 - 5 March 2005 274283 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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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 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was a pilot of the new arrangements for inspection announced by Ofsted in its consultation paper of February 2004. It was carried out with the support and co-operation of the staff of Ronald Openshaw Nursery Education Centre and of the local education authority.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors and a Childcare Inspector.

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Description of the school

The Ronald Openshaw Nursery was re-named The Ronald Openshaw Nursery Education Centre (RONEC) in 1999 to reflect the extended services for children and parents. Most children attend part-time but 29 attend full-time. The nursery serves an inner-city community in an area recognised as having high levels of social deprivation. Children start school with a wide range of background and experience. Many have significant needs, including profound and multiple learning difficulties, and physical difficulties. A number are referred by social services. A high number of children do not speak English as their first language, and a small number come from traveller families. Overall, many children start school with skills and knowledge that are well below expectations for their age. The number of children leaving or joining the school can be quite high. Extended care is provided before and after school, and full-time for a small

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Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness of the school

The inspectors agree with the staff that this is a good nursery school that gives children an effective start to their education. This is also the view of the parents. Although the great majority of children do not reach the expected levels by the time they leave the school, they make good progress. The way in which the school provides for the children's personal development and well being, is outstanding. The quality of provision, including teaching, is good. Teachers and support staff take excellent care of the children. The school is well led by the head and other senior staff who are always looking to improve and develop the school further. The extended services enhance the school's effectiveness by providing additional services that benefit the parents and community. However, the day-care provision for the two-year-olds could be improved. The school gives good value for money.

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Improvement since the last inspection

The key issues identified in the previous inspection have been addressed effectively. The school's accommodation has improved significantly. Children have an exciting learning environment, described appropriately by one parent as 'an oasis in the community'. The outside area is used well to give children a good range of learning activities, and the school monitors children's experiences across the curriculum effectively. However, on occasions, more could be done to extend learning for the full-time children in the nursery classes.

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Improvement since the last inspection

Under the leadership of the head, the school has developed substantially since its last inspection, while maintaining strengths such as the children's personal development and provision for children with special educational needs. The quality of teaching has improved overall.

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Capacity to improve

The capacity of the nursery to continue to improve is good. This is because the head and senior staff provide a good sense of direction, and a clear vision for the school's future. Staff are not complacent. Although staff make accurate judgements about the school's effectiveness and quality of provision, their evaluations are not used well enough when planning further development.

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What the school should do to improve further

To improve further the school should: • develop teachers' planning so that the learning experiences for some of the full-time children are extended. • improve the school's strategic planning, involving governors in the process, to ensure that there is a greater focus on children's learning.

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Achievement and standards

The school knows that its children are doing well; inspectors support this view, as do parents. Most children entering the nursery have skills well below the levels expected for their age in most of the areas of learning. All children, including ‘highfliers’, those with special educational needs (SEN), and children who speak English as an additional language make good progress. Children’s progress in personal, social and emotional development is very good, and often outstanding, and linked closely to the high expectations for this area of learning. It is promoted consistently. Although full-time children make good progress, they are not always fully involved in afternoon activities that are repeated from the morning. By the time children leave the nursery, only a few reach beyond the levels expected for their age in all of the expected areas of learning.

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Achievement and standards

Children develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in all areas. Staff ensure that they speak to children carefully when they work with them, acting as good role models. They also encourage the children to use appropriate language when, for example, using the right colour to describe an object. Children listen carefully to interesting stories, and 'play' musical instruments enthusiastically. They use clay and paints creatively. Children take delight in the chances to explore and try out new things in the wonderful outdoor area.

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Personal development and well-being

The school’s self-evaluation underestimates the quality of this area; the inspection team judges it outstanding, and a strength of the school. Children settle quickly into the nursery, and participate in many activities. The school effectively promotes the importance of attendance, and it is higher than in most other local nurseries. The children enjoy making choices about how they will spend their time each day, frequently moving between classrooms, and happily settling with whichever adult is supervising the activity that attracts them. Behaviour is always very good, and children of all ages work and play cheerfully together in a variety of activities. An imaginatively resourced outside-area contributes significantly to the children's personal development and healthy lifestyle. Children know the importance of personal safety. For example, they know they must not run in, or between, classrooms as a result of 'Ronnie's Golden Rules'. Children’s spiritual,

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Personal development and well-being

moral, social and cultural development is very good. They take great care of the school’s numerous resources. They are lively and inquisitive, and respond thoughtfully to adults’ questions. The children get on well, and develop friendships with each other and the adults they work with. They help to tidy away at the end of sessions and are pleased to be helpful. The children are confident. This was particularly noticeable when they 'sold' shoes to the inspectors at the 'shoe shop'.

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Teaching and learning

Inspectors agree with the school’s judgement that teaching and learning are good. The majority of staff are skilled and experienced, and they understand the value of practical activities for young children. All activities are carefully organised, and are inviting and stimulating. The best lessons demonstrate teachers’ good questioning and effective behaviour management techniques. Adults respond immediately to children’s requests for individual attention. Teachers plan successfully together to give all children similar experiences. For example, story-time sessions focus on an agreed series of books, and many children accurately recall familiar stories. However, daily planning is often too general, and does not explain clearly enough what children will learn. Nonetheless, the planning does identify children who require particular support in an area of learning and makes reference to children enjoying their activities.

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Teaching and learning

All staff know all the children well and they collect much useful information about their progress. Children are fully involved in choosing their best work for ‘record of achievement’ books. Children with special educational needs are quickly identified and given suitable work. After school, staff effectively evaluate responses to the day’s activities, and suggest children for special attention on the following day.

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Curriculum and other activities

A good range of exciting and stimulating activities enable the majority of children to achieve well and make good progress. They enjoy working in the different 'learning zones', where there is an appropriate range of activities for them to choose independently, and for adults to support. Parents are pleased with the activities provided and the emphasis placed on encouraging independence. Some parents told inspectors that they had made a conscious choice to send their child to Ronald Openshaw because of the quality of the learning opportunities provided.

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Curriculum and other activities

Considerable attention is given to the children's personal and social development, and this area of learning is very well promoted. Consequently, children's progress in this area is very good. The school successfully enriches the curriculum by arranging activities such as visits into the local community and regular swimming sessions.

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Curriculum and other activities

Despite the many strengths, more could be done for the children who attend full-time. It is appropriate for some children to repeat activities from the morning session in order to consolidate their skills and understanding. However, it is not the case for all children, some of whom could be challenged further.

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Care, guidance and support

Excellent care, guidance and support makes the nursery a very happy place where children and parents want to be. There is a very caring ethos where 'every child does matter'. Arrangements for health and safety, and child protection are very good. As children work with scissors and other tools, staff are extremely vigilant and constantly remind them about safety. The same high level of care is found in the outside area, as the staff monitor the children as they run, jump and climb over an exciting range of outdoor equipment.

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Care, guidance and support

Children are eager to come to nursery each day. The staff’s close interest in the welfare of the children quickly improves their learning and personal development. Within a secure, very stimulating and caring environment, their social skills are developed by the staff's very good use of some unusual and fascinating resources, such as the 'sensory room'.

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Care, guidance and support

All teachers set goals for children in their classes. Parents know what they are, and are encouraged to work with their children at home as part of the home- school partnership to improve standards.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher provides good leadership and management. He has done much to improve and develop the school since its last inspection. The significant improvement in the school's accommodation is an example of this. He is popular with the parents, who appreciate his hard work. He is held in high regard. Links with parents are very strong, as are the links with the community and other agencies. The school focuses on the needs of individual children very closely, and the integration of education and extended additional services provided by the school to the community is well managed. Many children and parents benefit from this. Resources are managed efficiently. All staff work as a team for the benefit of the children, but are also reflective about their work. The deputy-head makes a good contribution to the running of the school particularly to the management of special educational needs. The staff are committed to evaluating what they

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Leadership and management

do and are currently participating in a quality assurance programme - The Sheffield Kitemark. The governors only took full delegated responsibility for the school in April 2004. They fulfil most statutory requirements, but are yet to become involved in the school's strategic development and financial planning. The school has a good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses but does not make enough use of the wide range and detailed information which is held on children’s achievements, to identify areas for further development in the school’s improvement plan.

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Grade: 2

procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about HMI-led Ofsted inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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