Somerset Nursery School and Children's Centre

Inspection Report Somerset Nursery School

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100992 Unique Reference Number Wandsworth LEA LEA 276438 Inspection number 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006 Inspection dates Barbara Atcheson AI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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157 Battersea School address Nursery Type of school Church Road Maintained School category London SW11 3ND 3 to 4 Age range of pupils 02072235455 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02072235455 Fax number 76 Number on roll Mr Martin Linton Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Sally Pointer Headteacher 19 June 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276438 7 June 2006 - 3 to 4 8 June 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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 Education Act 2005, 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 carried out by one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The children who attend this small nursery come from a wide range of social, ethnic and economic backgrounds. Currently there is a small minority of children whose first language is not English and a very small minority of children with learning difficulties. Attainment on entry varies from year to year.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Somerset Nursery School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006

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Grade: 1

Somerset is an outstanding nursery where standards are very high and achievement is excellent. However, it is modest in its own self evaluation, grading its effectiveness as good. The very experienced headteacher provides high quality leadership. The dedication of all members of staff, the exciting and rich curriculum and the stimulating learning environment result in most children reaching the goals set for the end of the Reception, one year early. The standards of children's language development are in line with expectations. The school is highly inclusive and much valued by pupils' parents. One parent commented, 'Somerset shines out as a positive, inspiring place, with highly competent, caring staff'. Teaching is outstanding. Regular daily assessment of learning is used to plan challenging and exciting experiences, tailored to individual learning needs. Records of individual children's progress are highly detailed. However, the school has yet to provide a clearer

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Grade: 1

picture of the extent of children's progress in order to better inform their own self-evaluation. The staff's deep knowledge and understanding of each child means that the personal development and well-being of children are outstanding. Children are totally involved in their learning and proud of their achievements. As a result behaviour is excellent. All staff are committed to the promotion of a high level of care, guidance and support for all learners, enabling children to reach the challenging targets that are set for them within this safe and supportive environment. Outstanding leadership and management have provided the direction for the school to make very good progress since the last inspection. It therefore, has an excellent capacity to continue to improve. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

* Stream line data on the extent of children's progress to so that it is more succinct in order to sharpen self-evaluation.

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Grade: 1

The majority of children, regardless of gender or ethnic background, make outstanding progress and achieve high standards in most of the six areas of learning. Many children reach the goals set for the end of Reception one year early. Children are proud of their achievement, relishing the challenges set in acquiring new skills, knowledge and understanding. Many start nursery with low levels of language development and a significant minority are unsure how to work co-operatively with others. The standards of children's language development are in line with expectations. The outstanding focus on developing children's positive self esteem, confidence and 2 Inspection Report: Somerset Nursery School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006 independence is highly influential in helping children to make rapid progress and reach high standards. By the time they leave the nursery, most children reach the early learning goals in

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Grade: 1

physical, creative, mathematical, personal social and emotional development and in knowledge and understanding of the world. More able children reach the early learning goals. In communication language and literacy, more able children reach the early learning goals whilst most attain standards that are average but have made very good progress given their low starting point.

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Grade: 1

Children make outstanding progress in their personal development. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. When writing his story, one boy said: 'That's a naughty rabbit; he doesn't help, it's very important to help others.' Children quickly become independent, confident learners who readily accept guidance and show mature attitudes in choosing activities and trying out new experiences. For example, a group worked together as they struggled to find a way to lift the heaviest water bottle, using a pulley. Sensitive adult intervention helped refine and develop their thinking in order to solve the problem. Children develop a healthy respect for each other's cultures and beliefs through events such as Black History Month. They work safely and enjoy healthy snacks and meals. The benefits of healthy eating are reinforced as children prepare and serve fruit in the 'Caterpillar Cafandeacute;'. Children enjoy coming to school and attendance is good.

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Grade: 1

The teaching and learning are outstanding because all children, regardless of their ability, gender or ethnicity, make excellent progress. They enjoy working hard, responding enthusiastically to the challenges set for them. For example, children drawing water melons produced work of a high standard because they handled and talked about the fruit and investigated the work of famous artists. Thorough daily planning based on detailed assessment is skilfully adapted to match the children's learning needs and provide stimulating activities which motivate children and make learning relevant. For example, eating pieces fruit provided an exciting way for children to learn about subtraction by counting how many were left. Learning is outstanding because the children are consistently challenged by enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff who take every opportunity, including lunchtimes, to develop children's vocabulary. Creative activities and solving practical problems such as how

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Grade: 1

to use a pulley inspire children to ask questions and make links in their learning. 3 Inspection Report: Somerset Nursery School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding. It is well-planned, rich and varied, promoting relevant and practical activities both inside and outdoors. A strong emphasis on language development provides a strong link between all areas of learning. Hands-on activities make learning fun and encourage children to take responsibility for their own learning. The daily review allows teachers to take advantage of the unexpected such as a windy day to provide a stimulus for work on 'The Three Little Pigs.' This inclusive curriculum does much to develop children's independent learning and freedom of choice. Information and communication technology is used very well. Children access their computerised files to proudly present their personal achievements which they have captured with a digital camera. Exciting practical activities enable children to develop a good understanding of number, shape and space. Learning is enhanced through visits to many local places of interest, such as Chinatown,

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Grade: 1

art galleries and a postal sorting office.

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding. The school is a happy and secure place where children thrive. All staff are well acquainted with the children and are able to identify their needs very quickly. One parent commented: 'I feel that I am leaving my daughter with family'. The nursery is safe and secure and staff work closely with parents to ensure their children's well being. Good support is provided for children with learning difficulties and all are well known to staff. Care is tailored to their needs. Vulnerable children and their families benefit from the school's close links with various agencies. Children who are an early stage of learning English are helped to grow in confidence. Child protection procedures are robust and risk assessment and health and safety procedures are securely in place. The depth and detail of assessment used in daily planning reviews ensures that the learning of all children are well-guided, challenge

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Grade: 1

is continually maintained and this leads to rapid progress.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The drive and resolve of the headteacher, deputy head and staff team ensure that all children make outstanding progress whatever their starting points. There is a strong thrust towards continuous improvement. A robust programme of monitoring and evaluation by the headteacher ensures that teaching improves consistently. The school improvement plan is an incisive document with well-defined priorities for action. The school recognises that some of the success criteria are not as sharply focussed on the achievements of children as 4 Inspection Report: Somerset Nursery School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006 others. Although records of assessment are highly detailed and used well, the school is not able to easily summarise the extent of children's progress in order to better inform areas for improvement and sharpen self-evaluation. Strong emphasis is placed on a high level of staff training. The benefit of this is

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Grade: 1

reflected in the outstanding teaching and the resulting high standards seen in children's work throughout the school. Everyone is involved and valued in the decision-making process. Governance is good. Governors are well informed. They evaluate their own effectiveness and play an increasingly constructive part in the strategic development of the school. They are actively and productively involved in the life of the school and ensure that all legal requirements are met. Financial management is good and resources are used well. The school has made a full response to the issues raised by the last inspection and has an excellent capacity to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Somerset Nursery School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Somerset Nursery School, 7 June 2006 to 8 June 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 1 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 1 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 1 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Children I really enjoyed coming to your lovely school. Thank you for being so kind and helpful to me on my visit. * You behave very well. I can see that you really enjoy school.* You are very good at working out how to solve problems.* You are very good at finding out about things and how they work and about the world around you.* All of the staff work very hard to care for you and make what you learn exciting. * You know how to keep safe and stay healthy.* You have lots of interesting things to do.* Your head teacher and other staff are very good at what they do. We all want to make your school even better and so I have asked your headteacher to simplify the records that she keeps of all the hard work that you do so that she has a clearer picture of the progress that you make during your time in school. Thank you once again for looking after me so well on my visit. Mrs Barbara Atcheson Your Inspector

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